Book Notice: Goldingay on Isaiah for Everyone

John Goldingay 

Isaiah for Everyone
London: SPCK, 2015.
Available at Amazon.com

Many of us have favourite passages in Isaiah, such as the promises for the child to be born in Isaiah 9, or the suffering servant of chapter 53. Other passages are puzzling, such as the disturbing vision of the last words of the book, in chapter 66.24. The Old Testament for Everyone series has recently published Isaiah for Everyone, which should prove a helpful guide to a deeper grasp of these and other parts of the book of Isaiah.

In this short and readable book, the text of Isaiah is broken into sixty portions. Goldingay offers a fresh translation from the Hebrew, and sets each section within its historical context, as well as creating links to everyday life in the twenty first century. He outlines the historical context with reference to the turbulent years of the rise of the neo-Assyrian Empire in the eighth century BC, in the reigns of King Ahaz of Judah (Ch 1-23) and his son King Hezekiah of Judah (Ch 28-39). Chapters 24-27 present a ‘nightmare picture’ for the whole world. Isaiah’s prophecies also look forward to the rise of the Persian Empire in the sixth century BC, under King Cyrus of Persia (Ch 40-55). Chapters 56-66 are placed in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The promised child in Isaiah 9 is identified perhaps with Hezekiah in the original setting. Goldingay suggests that the names of chapter 9.6 should be read as sentence names, as in chapters 7-8, Remains-will-return (7.3), God-is-with-us (7.14) and Plunder-hurries-loot-rushes (8.1). So the child in Isaiah 9.6 is named An-extraordinary-counsellor is-the-warrior God and The-everlasting-Father-is-an-officer-for-wellbeing. As Hezekiah grew up to be a great reformer, some of the prophecy is fulfilled about him, then Jesus brought further fulfilment, but the final establishment of endless peace, justice and righteousness is still awaited.

According to Goldingay, the end of Isaiah is a choose your own adventure. In Chapter 66, some do not worship God appropriately, while others humbly tremble at his word. To one group is offered the comfort of the new Jerusalem, and to the other, anger, fury and devastation. ‘Readers of Isaiah have to choose which ending will apply to them.’

Goldingay is to be congratulated on keeping this volume to 260 pages. The book is affordable, and brief enough for use in private devotional study, a home group, or one to one discipling. The book is also available on Kindle, making it an ideal companion on a holiday or business trip.

Jill Firth is a Visiting Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at Ridley College Melbourne.