Berit Olam: Isaiah 56-66
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
The last chapters of the book of Isaiah offer a vision of new hope at the dawn of the postexilic period. The dense and complex imagery of light, espousal, and victory gives expression to the joyful reality of a return to Jerusalem and to the as-yet-unrealized dreams of rebuilding and repopulating what has been laid to waste.
Trito-Isaiah's proclamation of God's salvation or victory appears both as a brilliant light and a terrible darkness in these chapters. For while Yahweh's triumph means rejoicing for his righteous servants, it portends unspeakable horror for those who rebel against him.
Far from a remotely related appendix tacked on to the prophetic text, Niskanen examines Isaiah 56–66 within the broader context of the entire book of Isaiah, revealing the stylistic and thematic connections between these and earlier chapters and the significance of the poetical structures and imagery employed in Isaiah 56–66.
Key Features
- Emphasizes the literary nature of the Hebrew Bible
- Provides thoughtful exegesis and interpretation
- Biblical research in the Catholic tradition
Top Highlights
“At the center of Trito-Isaiah we thus find a powerful claim to divine authority and inspiration. The threefold repetition of ‘me’ in the opening three lines of this chapter identifies the prophetic author as (1) one possessing Yhwh’s spirit, (2) one who has been anointed, and (3) one who has been sent.” (Page 43)
“The first-person-singular voice is not ‘I, Yhwh,’ which we saw at the end of chapter 60. Rather, it is the individual prophetic voice speaking of itself as anointed and commissioned by Yhwh to proclaim a message to the mourners in Zion.” (Page 43)
“The wedding garments evoke the splendor, beauty, and glory found also in the dawning light, while the plants sprouting up suggest the unseen suddenness with which God’s salvation breaks upon the scene, similar to the crack of dawn.” (Page 49)
“It is more prudent to proceed along the lines of arguing that chapters 56–66 constitute an identifiable unit within the book of Isaiah, while recognizing that other dividing lines are in fact possible.” (Page xii)
“The difference is that what was then ascribed to Yhwh is now ascribed to the prophet/people clothed by Yhwh.” (Page 50)
Praise for the Print Edition
As N. settles to his task, however, the discussion begins to focus on the text at hand, with illuminating observations aided by responsible but fairly selective engagement with secondary literature. The wide readership envisaged for this series will find in N.'s work a helpful, if not rigorous, resource for exploring the final part of Isaiah.
—Barbara Green, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly
About Paul V. Niskanen
Paul V. Niskanen teaches Old Testament at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. His interests include an exploration of Hebrew poetry, along with prophetic and apocalyptic imagery. He has written a monograph and a commentary on the book of Daniel as well as articles on Daniel, Isaiah, and Genesis for the Catholic Biblical Quarterly and the Journal of Biblical Literature.