Historical Backdrop of Yeshayahu 1/1/he

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הרקע ההיסטורי לישעיהו א'

הקדמה

נבואה בלתי מתוארכת

הפסוק הפותח את ספר ישעיהו מלמד כי ישעיהו ניבא בתקופות שלטונם של עוזיהו, יותם, אחז וחזקיהו. However, most of the individual prophecies in the book are undated, leaving the historical background of each of them uncertain. ישעיהו א' is a case in point. Which of the four kings was the intended audience of this rebuke? Does the fact that the prophecy opens the book suggest that it was the first prophecy received and that therefore it should be dated to the reign of Uzziyahu, or might the book be achronological with this being a much later prophecy? What clues does the chapter provide which might allow one to reconstruct the era of which it speaks? Do the sins described fit one king's reign more than another?  Do Yeshayahu's descriptions of destruction match what we know about a particular era?

סקירה של המלכים

To determine which era best corresponds to Yeshayahu's rebuke, a brief overview of the spiritual and political state during each reign might be helpful:

  • המצב הרוחני – גם מלכים וגם דברי הימים מעידים שעוזיהו, יותם, וחזקיהו היו מלכים צדיקים, while Achaz followed in the idolatrous path of the Israelite kingdom, going so far as to sacrifice his son1 and shut the doors to the Beit HaMikdash2. Even the righteous kings, however, were not fault-free, and each of Uzziyahu and Chizkiyahu sinned in the area of arrogance.3 Additionally, we are told that despite Yotam's own upright behavior, the nation did not follow in his path.4 The descriptions of the kings' reigns say nothing of the nation's behavior in the interpersonal realm, making it difficult to know if worship of Hashem was accompanied by social justice or not (and the people's interpersonal behavior is a focus of much של ישעיהו א').
  • המצב הפוליטי – In the political realm, both Uzziyahu and Yotam enjoyed prosperity and victories over their enemies,5 while Achaz and Chizkiyahu suffered at the hands of foreign invaders. Achaz was attacked by Aram, Israel, Edom, and the Philistines, resulting in the devastation of much of the country.  Chizkiyahu ruled in an even more tumultuous period, as the ten tribes were exiled and Yehuda itself was attacked by Sancheriv, leaving the kingdom in ruins and Yerushalayim besieged.

חטאים נגד א-להים ואדם

Yeshayahu rebukes the people on multiple levels:

  • חטאים בין אדם לחברו – Much of the chapter focuses on sins in the interpersonal realm, as Yeshayahu chastises the nation for its mistreatment of unfortunates, perversion of justice, and corrupt leaders.  He calls on them to correct their ways: "לִמְדוּ הֵיטֵב דִּרְשׁוּ מִשְׁפָּט...  שִׁפְטוּ יָתוֹם רִיבוּ אַלְמָנָה" (‎פסוק י"ז), bemoans how a once righteous city is now filled with murderers (פסוק כ"א), and attacks the dishonesty of the country's officers: "שָׂרַיִךְ סוֹרְרִים וְחַבְרֵי גַּנָּבִים" (פסוק כ"ג).
  • חטאים נגד ה' – Yeshayahu's words regarding the people's spiritual state are ambiguous. On one hand, Yeshayahu's cry בפסוקים י"א-י"ג ("לָמָּה לִּי רֹב זִבְחֵיכֶם" וגו') imply that, at the time of the rebuke, the nation was worshiping Hashem and bringing sacrifices.6   At the same time, several other verses suggest that the people had turned away from Hashem.  The prophet laments: "וְהֵם פָּשְׁעוּ בִי" ‎(פסוק ב'), "יָדַע שׁוֹר קֹנֵהוּ... יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יָדַע"‎ (פסוק ג'), ו"עָזְבוּ אֶת י"י"‎ (פסוק ד'). תוכחה אחרונה, "כִּי יֵבֹשׁוּ מֵאֵילִים אֲשֶׁר חֲמַדְתֶּם" ‎(פסוק כ"ט), is open to interpretation, but might refer to idol worship under trees. 

Although it is clear from this that the people addressed בישעיהו א' sinned in the interpersonal sphere, it is not clear where they stood on the religious plane.  Were they worshiping Hashem or idols?  How can the contrasting portraits in the chapter be reconciled?  Finally, under whose reign did the nation sin in the manner described?7

חורבן: בעבר או בעתיד?

Yeshayahu's words depict a desolate and destroyed country.  However, as the various descriptions are formulated at times in the present or past tense, and at other times in the future tense, it is hard to know if Yeshayahu is pointing to punishment already received, or warning the nation about the devastation destined to come in the future. 

  • "עַל מֶה תֻכּוּ עוֹד תּוֹסִיפוּ סָרָה" – האם מלת "עוֹד" מחוברת למלים שקדמו לה ("עַל מֶה תֻכּוּ") או למלים שבאו לאחריה ("תּוֹסִיפוּ סָרָה")?  Is the prophet suggesting that the people have already been smitten and questioning why they would want to be hit yet again, or is he warning them that they will be struck if they continue to stray?
  • "אַרְצְכֶם שְׁמָמָה...  אַדְמַתְכֶם לְנֶגְדְּכֶם זָרִים אֹכְלִים אֹתָהּ" – This appears to be a description of the present desolation, שהרי ישעיהו מדבר בלשון הווה ("אֹכְלִים"), describing what is happening to the land right in front of the people's eyes ("לְנֶגְדְּכֶם").
  • "וְנוֹתְרָה בַת צִיּוֹן כְּסֻכָּה בְכָרֶם" – This clause, on the other hand, is cast in the future: ציון תיוותר ("וְנוֹתְרָה") כסוכה בכרם.
  • "לוּלֵי י"י צְבָאוֹת הוֹתִיר לָנוּ שָׂרִיד כִּמְעָט כִּסְדֹם הָיִינוּ " – Finally, this verse reverts back to the past, as the people say that Hashem השאיר ("הוֹתִיר") להם שריד.

Given this vacillation between past and future tenses, how can we determine during and about whose reign Yeshayahu is prophesying?  Might some of these terms be reinterpreted, thereby casting the entire description in one tense or the other? Which ones can grammatically be read in another way?

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