Isaiah prophesies that Egypt will have oppressors, but that the Lord will remove them (19:20). An altar in the center of Egypt, and a pillar of Yahweh at the boundary (v. 19) will mark Egypt as Yahweh’s land, and when they cry out the Lord will save. It is entirely an exodus story: Egyptians will cry out for relief from taskmasters, as the officers of Israel and Moses cried out for relief (Exodus 5:8, 15; 8:12). The same word “oppress”... Read more
In judging Egypt, Yahweh threatens to mix together a drink that will make Egypt stagger, wander, and finally fall. He will mix the drink in the “innards” of Egypt, and Egypt will vomit (Isaiah 19:14). It is a judgment, but the ultimate aim is to clean the inner parts. Vomit is uncleanness moving from inside out. When Yahweh makes the land vomit Israel into exile, it cleanses the land because it removes the uncleanness and idolatry from the inner parts... Read more
Yahweh’s coming to Egypt leaves that well-watered land desolated. The sea, the rivers, the Nile itself are dried up, and all the vegetation that grows by the waters withers and is blown away like chaff. No fish can live in the waters, and the fishermen hang up their nets and lament (Isaiah 19:5-9). Yahweh does this, and yet the following verses point to the responsible human parties. Verse 11 begins a new section of Isaiah’s prophecy against Egypt, but there... Read more
When the book of Exodus opens, the Hebrews are subjected to “hard” bondage (1:14; 6:9). Yahweh sees it, and graciously delivers them from the bondage, but hardness returns. Four times in Exodus, Yahweh charges that Israel, though delivered from the hard bondage of hard-hearted Pharaoh, has become “hard” of heart themselves (Exodus 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9). They haven’t fully been delivered from their hard bondage until they are delivered from hardness of heart. In Isaiah 19:4, the prophet warns that... Read more
Isaiah 7-8 form a unit that is roughly chiastic (the following is modified from David Dorsey): A. threat from Aram and Israel, 7:1-2 B. Yahweh speaks to Isaiah: message for Ahaz, 7:3-9 C. Yahweh speaks to Ahaz, 7:10-17: sign, Immanuel, king of Assyria D. “In that day,” 7:18-25 C’. Yahweh says, Tablet and child, 8:1-4 B’. Yahweh spoke, overflowing River, 8:5-10 A’. Yahweh spoke, conspiracy, 8:11-22 This structure has a couple of weaknesses, however. (more…) Read more
WH Auden commented, “More deadly than the Idle Word is the use of words as Black Magic . . . . For millions of people today, words like Communism, Capitalism, Imperialism, Peace, Freedom and Democracy have ceased to be words the meaning of which can be inquired into and discussed, and have become right or wrong noises to which the response is as involuntary as a knee reflex.” Read more
There are plenty of reasons to dislike VS Naipaul, his talent notwithstanding. Now this: Asked whether or not any woman writer was his match, he predictably answered No, and then put in a gratuitous swipe at Austen: I “couldn’t possibly share her sentimental ambitions, her sentimental sense of the world,” he said. One wonders when he last cast an eye over one of Austen’s novels. Read more
The song of the vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7) is an Edenic song. Yahweh forms Israel as His garden, and waits eagerly for it to produce grapes and wine to bring joy to His heart. The creation motif is reinforced by the structure of the passage. Verse 2 is a sevenfold sequence of clauses. Six describe Yahweh’s care of His vineyard, and the last describes the disappointing results: 1) He dug; 2) He removed stones; 3) He planted; 4) He built a... Read more
When Yahweh judges Jerusalem and Judah, the traditional leaders will topple, and the people will scramble around to find rulers. “You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler ( qatsiyn )” (Isaiah 3:6). “You should not appoint me ruler ( qatsiyn ),” he replies (v. 7). The exchange is structured chiastically: (more…) Read more
“Come, let us go to the mountain of Yahweh,” the peoples say (Isaiah 2:3), that “He may teach us . . . that we may walk.” The nations stream to Zion so they can learn to walk, because Yahweh has said, Suffer the little children to come to Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God. Read more
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