Difference between revisions of "Historical Backdrop of Yeshayahu 1/2"
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<category>During the reign of Uziyahu | <category>During the reign of Uziyahu | ||
<p>The prophecy of Yeshayahu 1 was given during the reign of Uziyahu regarding the sins of his era, and the punishment that was to come to the people in the future.</p> | <p>The prophecy of Yeshayahu 1 was given during the reign of Uziyahu regarding the sins of his era, and the punishment that was to come to the people in the future.</p> | ||
| + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu1-5-10" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:5-10</a><a href="REliezerofBeaugencyYeshayahu2-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 2:1</a><a href="R. Eliezer of Beaugency" data-aht="parshan">About R. Eliezer of Beaugency</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
<point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b> – This approach assumes that the Book of Yeshayahu is written in chronological order.<fn>Chapters 1-5 were given during Uziyahu's reign, chapter 6 during Yotam's reign (6:1 begins with Uziyahu's death "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ"), 7-14:27 were during Achaz's reign (7:1 begins with Achaz "בִּימֵי אָחָז בֶּן יוֹתָם בֶּן עֻזִּיָּהוּ"), and finally chapters 14:28 until the end were during Chizkiyahu's reign (14:28 tells of the death of Achaz "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז").</fn> Since the heading of Chapter 6 reads, "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ", it assumes that the previous chapters occurred during Uziyahu's reign.  This creates a difficulty, as it is hard to understand the need for special mission resembling an initiation prophecy / call to prophecy.  Therefore, R. Eliezer of Beaugency suggests that a lot of time passed between prophesying chapters 1-5 and 6.</point> | <point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b> – This approach assumes that the Book of Yeshayahu is written in chronological order.<fn>Chapters 1-5 were given during Uziyahu's reign, chapter 6 during Yotam's reign (6:1 begins with Uziyahu's death "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ"), 7-14:27 were during Achaz's reign (7:1 begins with Achaz "בִּימֵי אָחָז בֶּן יוֹתָם בֶּן עֻזִּיָּהוּ"), and finally chapters 14:28 until the end were during Chizkiyahu's reign (14:28 tells of the death of Achaz "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אָחָז").</fn> Since the heading of Chapter 6 reads, "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ", it assumes that the previous chapters occurred during Uziyahu's reign.  This creates a difficulty, as it is hard to understand the need for special mission resembling an initiation prophecy / call to prophecy.  Therefore, R. Eliezer of Beaugency suggests that a lot of time passed between prophesying chapters 1-5 and 6.</point> | ||
<point><b>Relationship to time period</b></point> | <point><b>Relationship to time period</b></point> | ||
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</category> | </category> | ||
<category>During the reign of Achaz | <category>During the reign of Achaz | ||
| + | <mekorot>Gesenius cited in <multilink><a href="ShadalYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
<point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b></point> | <point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b></point> | ||
<point><b>Relationship to time period</b></point> | <point><b>Relationship to time period</b></point> | ||
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</category> | </category> | ||
<category>During the reign of Chizkiyahu | <category>During the reign of Chizkiyahu | ||
| − | <point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b></point> | + | <opinion>After the ten tribes exiled |
| − | + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RashiYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink></mekorot> | |
| − | + | <point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b></point> | |
| − | + | <point><b>Relationship to time period</b> – Yeshayahu is talking to the tribe of Yehuda so they will learn from the overthrow of the kingdom of Yisrael, to do good virtues.</point> | |
| − | <point><b>Description of | + | <point><b>Description of sin</b></point> |
| + | <point><b>Description of destruction</b> – Rashi reads these verses to be talking of the present desolation, resulting from the exile of most of the population.</point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Description of consolation</b></point> | ||
| + | </opinion> | ||
| + | <opinion>In the beginning of his reign | ||
| + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="ShadalYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Shadal</a><a href="ShadalYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Shemuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
| + | <point><b>Description of destruction</b> – Shadal also reads it in the present, but describing the destruction left from the time of Achaz from the battles he fougt and lost against Aram, Pekach, Pelishtim, and Ashur. Shadal notes a parallel description to Divrei HaYamim 29:9 where Chizkiyahu says, "וְהִנֵּה נָפְלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בֶּחָרֶב וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנוֹתֵינוּ וְנָשֵׁינוּ בַּשְּׁבִי עַל זֹאת".</point> | ||
| + | </opinion> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
<category>During the reign of all four kings | <category>During the reign of all four kings | ||
| + | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RadakYeshayahu1-2" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu1-2" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:2</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu1-8" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:8</a><a href="RadakYeshayahu1-29" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:29</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="AbarbanelYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Abarbanel</a><a href="AbarbanelYeshayahu1-1" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 1:1</a><a href="R. Yitzchak Abarbanel" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel</a></multilink></mekorot> | ||
<point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b></point> | <point><b>Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu</b></point> | ||
<point><b>Relationship to time period</b></point> | <point><b>Relationship to time period</b></point> | ||
Version as of 01:10, 21 June 2016
Chronology of Yeshayahu 1
Exegetical Approaches
During the reign of Uziyahu
The prophecy of Yeshayahu 1 was given during the reign of Uziyahu regarding the sins of his era, and the punishment that was to come to the people in the future.
Sources:R. Eliezer of Beaugency
Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu – This approach assumes that the Book of Yeshayahu is written in chronological order.1 Since the heading of Chapter 6 reads, "בִּשְׁנַת מוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ עֻזִּיָּהוּ", it assumes that the previous chapters occurred during Uziyahu's reign. This creates a difficulty, as it is hard to understand the need for special mission resembling an initiation prophecy / call to prophecy. Therefore, R. Eliezer of Beaugency suggests that a lot of time passed between prophesying chapters 1-5 and 6.
Relationship to time period
Description of sin – We do not know much about the situation of the nation during Uziyahu's reign, other than that they continued to sacrifice on outside alters. Uziyahu himself is depicted as a good king who followed in Yoshiyahu's path, besides that he got leprosy, which according to Divrei HaYamim II 26:16 was because "גָּבַהּ לִבּוֹ עַד־לְהַשְׁחִית וַיִּמְעַל בַּיהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו". This does not seem to match the portrait Yeshayahu paints of "עָזְבוּ אֶת י"י" and "שָׂרַיִךְ סוֹרְרִים וְחַבְרֵי גַּנָּבִים".
Description of destruction – R. Eliezer of Beaugency reads the description of destruction to be speaking of the future, Sancheriv's rise on Chizkiyahu and the capturing of the fortified cities of Yehuda described in Melakhim II 18:13. "וְנוֹתְרָה בַת צִיּוֹן כְּסֻכָּה בְכָרֶם" describes the besiegement of Yerushalayim, which was almost the only city left not captured. And "אַרְצְכֶם שְׁמָמָה" can relate to the way the whole country will look after the ten tribes exile to Ashur.
Description of consolation – R. Eliezer of Beaugency seems to read the verses of נחמה to be during the time of "אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים" mentioned in the next chapter (2:2), which he does not explicate when it is.2 "אֲשֶׁר חָזָה" in 2:1 regards the prophecy told right beforehand.
During the reign of Achaz
Sources:Gesenius cited in Shadal
Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu
Relationship to time period
Description of sin – The description of the sin of idolatry matches Achaz's time period. Shadal questions this approach, however, because the focus of the verses seems to be more on the interpersonal sins, as the verses do describe that sacrifices were brought to Hashem just for the wrong purpose. And the only explicit hint that they worshiped idols which certainly was the central sin in the time of Achaz are the words "כִּי יֵבֹשׁוּ מֵאֵילִים אֲשֶׁר חֲמַדְתֶּם" (in verse 29).
Description of destruction – These verses can be read about the present, the desolation that resulted from the battles Achaz fought and lost against Aram, Pekach, Pelishtim, and Ashur.
Description of consolation
During the reign of Chizkiyahu
After the ten tribes exiled
Sources:Rashi
Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu
Relationship to time period – Yeshayahu is talking to the tribe of Yehuda so they will learn from the overthrow of the kingdom of Yisrael, to do good virtues.
Description of sin
Description of destruction – Rashi reads these verses to be talking of the present desolation, resulting from the exile of most of the population.
Description of consolation
In the beginning of his reign
Sources:Shadal
Description of destruction – Shadal also reads it in the present, but describing the destruction left from the time of Achaz from the battles he fougt and lost against Aram, Pekach, Pelishtim, and Ashur. Shadal notes a parallel description to Divrei HaYamim 29:9 where Chizkiyahu says, "וְהִנֵּה נָפְלוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ בֶּחָרֶב וּבָנֵינוּ וּבְנוֹתֵינוּ וְנָשֵׁינוּ בַּשְּׁבִי עַל זֹאת".
