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Isaiah 40-66

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There are several challenges with the historical background and political setting of Isaiah 40-66 concerning author, date, time and situation of life for the Jews. LaSor notes that traditional views that Isaiah authored the entire book are held by very few scholars. More and more critics are accepting a two book theory with chapters 1-39 as book one and chapters 40-66 as book two. Moreover, there are further refinements resulting in three books, dividing chapters 40-66 into 40-55 (Deutero-Isaiah) and 56-66 (Trito-Isaiah). (LaSor, William 1996., 281)
Since the argument for multiple authorships and time periods directly affect the historical and political setting, it is necessary to briefly review them now. As noted by Laser, Internal evidence …show more content…

Additionally, he acknowledges that some scholars argue for a sole author to maintain continuity of the book. He, on the other hand, argues the point of Isaiah speaking prophetically to persons 150 years in the future. (Oswalt 2012, 33)
Uwe Becker in his article, “Isaiah 40-66: translation and commentary,” disagree with the idea of a second Isaiah citing that there is no empirical evidence or conclusive reason to attribute authorship of 55-66 to and unknown prophet. (Becker 2013, 367)
The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible (IDB) agrees with LaSor noting, the start of a new beginning in the late exilic period came from …show more content…

This would be sufficient to account for the introduction of later viewpoints resonating with its origins. (LaSor, William 1996., 285)
Thus, the historical and political setting for Isaiah 40-66 could be spread across the rule of three dominant nations, Assyria, Babylon, and Persia. Boadt notes that while the theme of Deutero-Isaiah was Consolation, the overall theme of the book centered on God as the Holy One of Israel; foreign rule was God’s disciplinary tool, and God’s makes Zion the Divine dwelling place. (Boadt 1984, 417)
The IDB provides a brief overview of Israel’s political setting after the invasions of Assyria in the first century.

“From the late 8th to the late 2nd cent., under Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Greek domination, the sovereignty of monarchic Israel was confined to Jerusalem and its hinterland. This small colonial sovereignty was embodied first in a vassal monarchy, then in an exiled monarchy, which was briefly restored, then in a monarchic priesthood.” (Sakenfeld 2006 2009,

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