ISAIAH, 1-zii'ya or (Ileh. Yesha'ayii ha, help of Yahweh, or Yahweh helps). tine of the most famous of the older Hebrew prophets. Ile was the son of Amoz and lived at .Jerusalem during the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah, extend ing from e. 736 to 693 B.C. We may assume that he was born about B.C. 760, and that lie died about B.C. 700. He appears to have occupied a high sccial position, had easy access to Alias, and exerted much influence on Hezekiah. Beyond this we know little of his private life. It appears from his discourses that he was married and had at least two children, to whom (like Hosea. q.v.) he assigned symbolic names (chaps. vii. 3, viii. 3). It is the opinion of modern scholars that but a small proportion of the discourses in the Book of Isaiah (q.v.) emanate from Isaiah himself; and furthermore that not one of these discourses has been preserved in its original form. The so-called Book of Isaiah is a twofold collection of prophecies, and in the first collection alone do we find discourses of Isaiah (e.g. chaps. ii.-x., xvii., xciii., xxii., xxviii.-xxxi.. xxxiii.). All of these contain additions belonging to various later periods, and above all have been so radically rearranged that it is exceedingly difficult to fix the chronological order of the portions belonging to Isaiah and to determine the political events to which they have reference. Still some of the discourses are quite clear.
The most important event in the reign of Ahaz the combination of Pekah, King of Israel. and Rezin of Damascus against Judah (II. Kings xvi.). To this event and its consequences sev eral discourses of Isaiah refer, found in chaps. vii., virus, and xvii.. excluding interpolations. The prophet advises Ahaz to he calm and to place his trust in Yahweh. As a matter of fact, the corn hination against .Judah failed. but not until Alias had called for aid upon Tiglathpileser. the King of Assyria. This act arouses the prophet's ire. He changes his tone toward Alias. denounces his lack of confidence in Yahweh, and predicts havoc and misfortune to the country from these very Assyrian. whom .Ahaz has called in as allies. And the result was that the northern kingdom of Israel was wiped out, while .Tudali escaped only by hPCOMiII,j, a vassal to the King of Assyria. In the days of Hezekiah, the country chafed under the yoke, and a party arose in Jerusalem which formed an alliance with Egypt as a means of free ing the country from Assyrian suzerainty. Isaiah was equally opposed to this policy. Portions of his discourses during this period are preserved in chaps. xxviii.-xxxi. He declares that the Egyp tian• and their allies will he defeated. and goes so far as to intimate that Yahweh Himself will fight on the side of Assyria against His own people if they ally themselves with Egypt. Isaiah could
not quell the warlike spirit which was rife in Judah, and the King watched for every chance to oppose Assyria. Ile not only joined with Egypt, but initially organized a revolt against elleF HEZEKIAll i, oLieli (v1111111;1 led disas trously for the Andean kingdom, although, by at fertunate turn of CV1 it t .(.;11,(.41 being entirely wiped out. At this juncture the leading thought in what may be called Isaiah's theology reseals it-elf. The terrified ruler awl his people in their distress hoped that by entreaties and sacrifices they might again secure the favor of Yahweh. for the calamity that befell the country was looked upon as a sign of Yahweh's displeasure. The first ehapter of Isaiah (verses 5-.2(1) gives the prophet's view of the sit nation. There is only one hope of salvation. and that is by a complete change ot conduct on the part of the people, by upright piacti•es and by fair dealings, by honest govern ment and just courts. A, for sacrifices. prayers, and festivals. Yahweh hates them. This and other chapters afford an insight into the social conditions prevailing in of Isaiah. which is most important for understanding the attitude of the prophet toward political events. Ile felt deeply- that there was actually no hope for dudab unless by a total change of conduct the people might secure once more the favor of Yahweh. Po litical alliances were of no avail, either with As syria or with Egypt. Ile had warned Ahaz, hut the warning was not heeded. His influence over lIpz•kiah was greater. Largely, no doubt, at his instigation. the King undertook some religious reforms, though not to the extent pictured by the compilers of the Books of Kings. (See llEzE KtAii.) But Bezel:Mil. like Ahaz, yielded to pressure, and put his trust in primps instead of in Yahweh. Isaiah, no doubt sorely disappointed, lost all hope, and became a prophet who foresaw only gloom and woe for his people, declaring that none, whether great or small. would escape the punishment deserved by their shortcomings.
Hence, despite the obscurity in which the per sonality of the great prophet is enveloped through editorial interference with his productions, enough can be determined to enable us to grasp his essential message in its full force. llis watchword is, through right conduct alone can a people be saved. and it is because of the pro found impression that this message made—not, indeed. upon his OWO age, hut upon the genera tions of the Exile nail the post-exilic period—that Isaiah became, instead of a real personality, a type of the true prophet of Yahweh, and that dis courses of various periods which seem worthy to be associated with Isaiah were grouped with his utterances, and a composite Book of Isaiah was gradually evolved.