Background on Isaiah

The author He is identified as Isaiah, the son of Amoz (1:1; 2:1; 13:1; 20:2; 37:2, 21; 38:1). His name, Yesha-yahu, means Jehovah saves. He lived most of his life in the southern kingdom of Judah. He was born into an influential, upper class family, knew royalty, and gave advice concerning foreign affairs of the nation (7:3, 4; 8:2; 30:17; 36:139:8; compare 2 Kings 18:320:19). He was probably a scribe or keeper of the official chronicle of king Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:22). He was a contemporary with the prophet Micah, and possibly also Amos and Hosea toward the end of their ministries. He was married to a prophetess (8:14) and had at least two children: Shear-jashub (a remnant shall return; 7:3) and Mahershalal-hash-baz (hurry spoil, hasten plunder; 8:14). He attacked social problems that were symptomatic of Judahs covenant relationship (1:39; 38:610). According to the apocryphal work The Ascension of Isaiah, he was martyred by being sawn in two inside of a hollow log during the reign of Manasseh (687643 B.C.). (This is probably alluded to in Hebrews 11:37.) Date Isaiahs Judean ministry extended for at least 40 years (740701) and through the reigns of these kings of Judah (dates are approximate): o Uzziah/Azariah (767740 B.C.; see 6:1). o Jotham (740732). o Ahaz (732716). o Hezekiah (716687). o Possibly through some of the reign of Manasseh (if it was he who assassinated him; 687643). The Northern Kingdom of Israel went into Assyrian captivity in 721; the Southern Kingdom of Judah was later taken captive by the Babylonians in 587. Assyrian kings during this time: o Tiglath-Pileser III (745727). o Shalmaneser V (727722). o Sargon II (722705). o Sennacherib (705681). Historical setting 740 B.C.: Syrian King Tiglath-Pileser III conquered all of northern Syria by the date of King Uzziahs death. He forced all small kingdomsincluding Israel under Menahem (2 Kings 15:19) and Judah under Uzziahto pay tribute. 734 B.C.: Tiglath-Pileser entered Palestine and set up a base of operations at the River of Egypt. 733 B.C.: Many small states, including Israel, formed a coalition and rebelled against Assyria in the Syro-Ephraimite war; Judah, however, refused participate. The coalition attempted to overthrow Judahs ruling dynasty in order to appoint a king who would join the coalition (2 Kings 15:37; 16:5; Isaiah 7:1). Isaiah exhorted King Ahaz of Judah to trust in the L ORD; Ahaz refused and turned to Assyria for support (Isaiah 7; 2 Kings 16:79). Tiglath-Pileser invaded Israel and came almost to Judahs borders (Isaiah 15:29). 732 B.C.: Israels King Hoshea paid tribute to Tiglath-Pileser (2 Kings 17:3). 727 B.C.: Tiglath-Pileser died and Hoshea refused to pay tribute to the new Syrian King Shalmaneser V as he had to Tiglath-Pileser (2 Kings 17:4). 722721 B.C.: Shalmaneser (or his successor, Sargon II) moved against Israel and, after a threeyear siege, took the capital of Samaria and carried the northern ten tribes into captivity (2 Kings 17:1824). 720 B.C.: Assyria expanded to the northern boundary of Judah. Judah was left alone when many of the city-states of Palestine and Syria, along with Egypt, rebelled against Assyria and were put down. 713711 B.C.: Judah, under king Hezekiah, joined an uprising along with Egypt, Edom, and Moab against Assyria. Sargon II took Ashdod and Gath, leaving Judah vulnerable. 705 B.C.: Syrian King Sargon II died, leading to the revolt of many nations, including Judah (under Hezekiah) and Babylon (2 Kings 20:1219; Isaiah 39:14). 701 B.C.: The new Assyrian King Sennacherib retaliated, defeating Sidon, receiving tribute from Ashdod, Ammon, Moab, and Edom, subjugating Ashkelon and Ekron, and surrounding Hezekiah, who was forced to pay him tribute (2 Kings 18:13 16).

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

Biography of Isaiah (Sources: 2 Kings 18:1320:21; Isaiah 36:139; scattered references.) 1. Early life (c. 760740 B.C.): Born c. 760; son of Amoz (not the prophet Amos). 2. Call to be prophet (740 B.C.): In year King Uzziah died (6:1); about 20 years old. Wrote a history of the reign of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:22). Vision of the L ORD in the temple (6:113). 3. First ministry (740732 B.C.): Opposed King Ahazs decision to ally Judah with Assyria. Opposed the evils of the aristocrats. 4. Withdrawal from public life? (732716 B.C.): Ahaz rejected Isaiahs advice and he possibly withdrew from public life until Ahaz died. (This is uncertain; all we know is there are no dated oracles from this period.) Fall of Israel in 721 B.C. under Sargon II. (Isaiah doesnt deal much with Israel.) 5. Second ministry (716701 B.C.): Isaiah returned in the reign of King Hezekiah. In 711 B.C. he went naked in Jerusalem for three years in mourning for the eventual doom of Egypt and Ethiopia (20:16) The final crisis: Invasion by Sennacherib the Assyrian (3639). Hezekiah had entered into the anti-Assyrian alliance; the Assyrians overthrew the alliance and conquered the entire region. Jerusalem was besieged in 701 B.C. Hezekiah repented; the L ORD destroyed the Assyrians with a plague and Sennacherib was murdered by his own sons (2 Kings 19:3537). 6. Lived until 681? (79 years): The date is uncertain; there is no notice of his death in scripture. The text mentions succession of Esarhaddon of Assyria, who ruled 681669 (37:38), but this could be a later editorial insertion describing fulfillment of prophecy. Tradition says he was killed by Manasseh by being sawed in half (see The Ascension of Isaiah 5:114; http://bit.ly/AscensionIsaiah ).

Structure of Isaiah 16 712 1323 2427 2833 3435 3639 4048 4955 5666 Judgment on rebellious Judah. The war with Israel and Aram. Oracles against the nations. The Apocalypse of Isaiah. The six woes upon the nations. The future cosmic Judgment. The invasion of Sennacherib and the siege of Jerusalem. Deliverance and restoration of Israel. The Suffering Servant. Everlasting deliverance.

Importance of Isaiah Isaiah is the most quoted Old Testament prophet in the rest of scripture: It is the most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament (142 of 799 OT passages in the NT are from Isaiah). One-third of Isaiah is quoted in the Book of Mormon. It is the most quoted by general authorities in General Conference; it has been quoted nearly 1,000 times since 1942 and nearly 4,000 times since Joseph Smith. Specific commandments in scripture to study Isaiah: By Jesus Christ (3 Nephi 23:13). By Moroni (Mormon 8:23). No other book is specifically mentioned in scripture as required reading. Understanding Isaiah Nephi 1s four keys to understanding Isaiah (2 Nephi 25:18): 1. Learn the manner of prophesying among the Jews (25:1). This would include understand Jewish history, culture, beliefs, language, and writing style. 2. Nephi promised that the words of Isaiahare plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy (25:4). Obtain the spirit of prophecy. This starts with having a testimony of Jesus (Revelation 19:10). It comes through much prayer and fasting (Alma 17:3). 3. Become familiar with the regions round about Jerusalem (25:6). Learn the geography and geopolitical history of the kingdom of Judah, its capital city Jerusalem, and its neighboring states. 4. Live in the last days, for in that day shall they understand [Isaiahs words]; wherefore, for their good have I written them (25:8). (This ones easyyouve already done it!)
For personal use only. Not a Church publication.

2014, Mike Parker

http://bit.ly/ldsarc

Isaiah in the Book of Mormon

Of all the prophetic writings on the plates of brass, Isaiah is the major source quoted throughout the Book of Mormon. About one-third of Isaiahs 66 chapters are found in the Book of Mormon, in long blocks, brief quotations, paraphrases, and allusions to Isaiahs writings. Nephi1, Jacob 2, Abinadi, and the resurrected Jesus Christ all quoted extensively from the prophecies of Isaiah in their teachings. From the passages they chose, and their own statements of why they chose them, it seems their purpose was to highlight four major themes: (1) repentance and the judgments of God, (2) Gods covenants and promises to the house of Israel, (3) messianic prophecies, and (4) key events relating to the latter days. The following list attempts to capture where Isaiah is used in the Book of Mormon. Many of these passages are subtly (or sometimes dramatically) different from the versions in the King James Bible. The Book of Mormon authors also frequently gave new meaning and interpretation to Isaiah, based on their own unique circumstances (see 1 Nephi 19:23). Quotations of long passages (chapter-length or greater) Isaiah 214 2 Nephi 1224 Isaiah 29 2 Nephi 27 Isaiah 4849 1 Nephi 2021 Isaiah 49:2452:2 2 Nephi 6:168:25 Isaiah 52 3 Nephi 20 Isaiah 53 Mosiah 14 Isaiah 54 3 Nephi 22 Quotations of shorter passages Isaiah 9:1213 2 Nephi 28:32 Isaiah 11:4 2 Nephi 30:9 Isaiah 11:59 2 Nephi 30:1115 Isaiah 29:611a 2 Nephi 27:26a Isaiah 29:1324 2 Nephi 27:2535 Isaiah 49:2223 2 Nephi 6:67 Isaiah 49:2426 2 Nephi 6:1618 Isaiah 52:12 2 Nephi 8:2425 Isaiah 52:13 3 Nephi 20:3638 Isaiah 52:67 3 Nephi 20:3940 Isaiah 52:710 Mosiah 12:2124 Isaiah 52:810 Mosiah 15:2931; 3 Nephi 16:1820; 20:32, 3435 Isaiah 52:1115 3 Nephi 20:4145 Isaiah 52:12 3 Nephi 21:29 Isaiah 52:15 3 Nephi 21:8 Isaiah 53:7b Mosiah 15:6b Isaiah 55:12 2 Nephi 9:5051 Paraphrases or allusions Isaiah 5:26 2 Nephi 29:2 Isaiah 5:26 2 Nephi 29:3 Isaiah 11:11a 2 Nephi 25:17a; 29:1b; Jacob 6:2 Isaiah 22:13b 2 Nephi 28:78 Isaiah 25:12 2 Nephi 26:15 Isaiah 28:10, 13 2 Nephi 28:30 Isaiah 29:34 2 Nephi 26:1516 Isaiah 29:4 2 Nephi 3:20; 27:9; 33:13; Mormon 8:23; Moroni 10:27 Isaiah 29:5 2 Nephi 26:18 Isaiah 29:6 2 Nephi 6:15 Isaiah 29:11 2 Nephi 26:17 Isaiah 29:1112 2 Nephi 27:721 Isaiah 29:14 1 Nephi 14:7; 22:8; 2 Nephi 25:17, 26; 29:1; 3 Nephi 21:9; 28:32 Isaiah 29:15a 2 Nephi 28:9b Isaiah 29:21b 2 Nephi 28:16a Isaiah 40:3 1 Nephi 10:78 Isaiah 44:27 Helaman 12:16 Isaiah 45:18 1 Nephi 17:36 Isaiah 49:22 1 Nephi 22:6, 8b; 2 Nephi 29:2b Isaiah 49:23a 2 Nephi 10:9a Isaiah 52:12 Moroni 10:31a Isaiah 52:7 1 Nephi 13:37; Mosiah 15:1418 Isaiah 52:10a 1 Nephi 22:1011 Isaiah 52:1314 3 Nephi 21:10 Isaiah 53:8, 10 Mosiah 15:1011 Isaiah 54:2b Moroni 10:31a Isaiah 55:1 2 Nephi 26:25; Alma 1:20

Chapters not quoted in the Book of Mormon Isaiah 1 Isaiah 3039 Isaiah 1521 Isaiah 4143 Isaiah 2324 Isaiah 4647 Isaiah 2627 Isaiah 5666