For the Comfort of Zion

Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, D.Phil. (2002) in Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford, is Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at the University of Aberdeen, UK. She has published on the prophetic literature including Priestly Rites and Prophetic Rage (2006).

“In this book, by means of extensive and detailed (often word by word) exegesis of the text, including discussion of semantics and textual variants, Tiemeyer presents a carefully constructed and clearly stated case for a Judahite provenance for Isaiah 40-55. Her conclusion has wide repercussions for future Isaiah studies, as Tiemeyer herself notes in her concluding remarks.”Hilary Marlow, Cambridge"Tiemeyer's examination is extremely detailed and thoroughly engaging. She treats the evidence in a judicious and fair manner, and remains flexible enough in the evaluation of details to allow for variations in interpretation. Her proposal and analysis of the source material significantly challenge scholarly assumptions regarding the social and geographic location of the author/s of Isaiah 40–55. [...] The overall impact of Tiemeyer's discussion forces the reader to ask serious questions not only regarding the assumptions one brings to the formation of the book of Isaiah but, indeed, to other texts often dated axiomatically to this-or-that period. For this reason and others, future research into Isaiah 40–55 (and other texts from the exilic or early Persian period) will need to reckon with Tiemeyer's substantial contribution to the ongoing conversation."Mark Leuchter, Temple University

• PrefaceTable of ContentsAbbreviationsPreliminary MattersIntroduction1. History of Research2. Layout of the Monograph3. TerminologyChapter 1: Authorship, Dating, Redactional Development and Final FormIntroduction1. Authorship of Isaiah 40-551.1. A prophetic individual or a group of prophets?1.2. A female author of Isaiah 40-55?1.3. A temple-singer author of Isaiah 40-55?1.4. Summary2. Geography and Date3. The Final Form of Isaiah 40-55: A Rhetorical Unity4. The Final Form of Isaiah 40-55: A Reading Drama5. ConclusionChapter 2: Life in Judah and Babylon in the Sixth Century BCIntroduction1. Life in Judah during the Exile: The Biblical Accounts2. Life in Judah: The Archaeological and Sociological Evidence3. The Literary Ability of the People of Judah4. Life in Babylon: The Textual Evidence5. Life in Babylon: The Archaeological Evidence6. ConclusionChapter 3: Isaiah 40-55 and Babylonian InfluenceIntroduction1. Methods in Comparative Studies2. Neo-Babylonian Imperialism3. Akkadian Influence in Isaiah 40-55: Loanwords and Literary Style3.1. Loanwords3.2. Akkadian influence over the language of Isaiah 40-553.3. Isaiah 44:28-45:8 and the Cyrus Cylinder3.4. The “self predication” formula3.5. The trial speeches3.6. Excursion: The quality of the Hebrew language of Isaiah 40-553.7. Akkadian Influence – Conclusion4. Specific Texts in Isaiah 40-554.1. The so-called Idol-Fabrication Passages4.2. Babylon in Isaiah 40-554.3. Enûma Elîš and YHWH’s incomparability5. Couleur Locale (Isaiah 44:27; 45:1-3)6. ConclusionChapter 4: A Judahite Perspective in Isaiah 40-55Introduction1. Passages that Betray a Judahite Point of Reference1.1. Isaiah 41:8-101.2. Isaiah 41:251.3. Isaiah 43:1-71.4. Isaiah 43:141.5. Isaiah 45:131.6. Isaiah 46:111.7. Isaiah 49:121.8. Isaiah 49:171.9. Isaiah 52:111.10. Conclusion2. Temple and Sacrifices2.1. Isaiah 40:162.2. Isaiah 43:23-24, 282.3. Conclusion3. ConclusionChapter 5: The Exodus Motif and the Journey through the Wilderness MotifIntroduction1. History of Interpretation: The Centrality of the Exodus Theme2. History of Interpretation: The Peripheral Character of the Exodus Theme3. Exegesis of the Passages said to contain References to a Second Exodus3.1. Isaiah 40:3-5, 9-113.2. Isaiah 41:17-203.3. Isaiah 42:10-163.4. Isaiah 43:23.5. Isaiah 43:16-213.6. Isaiah 48:20-213.7. Isaiah 49:7, 8-123.8. Isaiah 49:24-263.9. Isaiah 50:2-33.10. Isaiah 51:9-163.11. Isaiah 52:4-63.12. Isaiah 52:10-123.13. Isaiah 55:12-134. ConclusionChapter 6: Isaiah 40-55 as a Judahite Reading Drama: Preliminary IssuesIntroduction1. Personification and Historical Reality2. Metaphors and Geographic Setting3. Geography and Theology4. Outline of Chapters 7-9Chapter 7: Jacob-Israel in Isaiah 40-55Introduction1. Isaiah 40:272. Isaiah 41:8-163. Isaiah 42:18-254. Isaiah 43:1-75. Isaiah 43:22-286. Isaiah 44:1-57. Isaiah 44:21-238. Isaiah 45:49. Isaiah 45:14-1910. Isaiah 45:2511. Isaiah 4612. Isaiah 4813. Isaiah 49:1-614. YHWH, the God of Israel-Jacob (Isaiah 44:6; 45:15; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7; 49:26; 52:12; 55:5)15. ConclusionChapter 8: Zion-Jerusalem in Isaiah 40-55Introduction1. History of Research1.1. Zion-Jerusalem in Isaiah 40-55: physical city or symbol?1.2. Zion, a symbol of the exilic community?1.3. Zion-Jerusalem, a symbol of the post-exilic Judahite community of returned exiles?1.4. Conclusion2. Exegetical Overview2.1. Zion-Jerusalem as God’s people – Isaiah 40:1-2; 51:16, 22; 52:92.2. Zion-Jerusalem as the recipient of comfort – Isaiah 51:3; 51:19; 54:11-172.3. Zion-Jerusalem and the herald – Isaiah 40:9; 41:27; 52:7-9; 44:26, 282.4. Personified Zion-Jerusalem – Isaiah 49:14-26; 50:1; 51:17-52:3; 54:1-103. The Judahite Timbre of Zion’s Voice4. ConclusionChapter 9: God, the Prophet and the Servant – Competing Judahite PerspectivesIntroduction1. The Servant1.1. The Servant and Zion-Jerusalem1.2. Geographical Information in the Servant songs1.3. The theology expressed by the Servant within Isaiah 40-551.4. The Portrayal of the Servant and the גבר of Lamentations 32. The Prophetic Persona3. The Theology of God’s Voice in Isaiah 40-55 and Ezekiel5. Conclusion6. Excursus: Did Ezekiel and Isaiah 40-55 influence each other?Chapter 10: Isaiah 40:1-11 – The Prologue of Isaiah 40-55Introduction1. Isaiah 40:1-11 – A Prologue2. Isaiah 40:1-11 – A Literary unit3. Allusions in Isaiah 40:1-11 to the Rest of Isaiah 40-553.1. Isaiah 40:1-11 – A conglomeration of themes from Isaiah 40-553.2. A Corresponding epilogue to Isaiah 40:13.3. Conclusion4. Exegetical Consequences5. ConclusionChapter 11: Isaiah 40-55 and LamentationsIntroduction1. Inner-Biblical Textual Allusions2. Allusions in Isaiah 40-55 to Lamentations: History of Research3. Reading the Allusions to Lamentations through Judahite Eyes3.1 Comfort My people – Isaiah 40:1; 49:13 and 51:12.3.2. Forsaken and Childless to Remembered and Mother – Isaiah 49:14-263.3. Jerusalem’s starving and dying children – Isaiah 51:17-233.4. The return of the exiles4. ConclusionConcluding RemarksBibliographySource IndexAuthor IndexSubject Index