Historical Backdrop of Yeshayahu 1/2

Chronology of Yeshayahu 1

Exegetical Approaches

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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 BeaugencyYeshayahu 1:1Yeshayahu 1:5-10Yeshayahu 2:1About 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 in chapter 6.  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.  "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 ShadalYeshayahu 1:1About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto

Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu – Not in chronological order

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.  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

This approach subdivides regarding

In the beginning of his reign

Sources:ShadalYeshayahu 1:1About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto

Description of sin – This approach can read the verses describing the sin of idolatry, as the first years, before Chizkiyahu's reformation, when the nation was still worshiping idolatry.  In contrast, Shadal chose to explain them as focusing on the interpersonal issues during Chizkiyahu's time.  He says that Chizkiyahu worked to restore the worship of Hashem, but not the justice.

Verses that argue for a sin of idolatry: – This approach must reread verses which rebuke of the sin of idolatry which was not the main sin during Chizkiyahu's time:

• "וְהֵם פָּשְׁעוּ בִי"‎ (2-4) – The nation did not follow Hashem's path of doing justice and righteousness, and acted unjustly.
• "כִּי יֵבֹשׁוּ מֵאֵילִים אֲשֶׁר חֲמַדְתֶּם"‎ (29-31) – These words of "מֵאֵילִים" and "מֵהַגַּנּוֹת" refer to trees parallel to ministers and kings, who the rogue judges relied on.  The judges will be ashamed of the tall trees that appointed them and whom they trusted and sat in their shade to allow them to do injustice and violence.

Description of destruction – Shadal also reads it in the present, but describing the destruction left from the time of Achaz from the battles he fought 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".

Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu – Shadal explains why this prophecy is first even though chronologically it belongs later, because of the importance of the rebuke which includes major ethics and believing in Hashem.

After the ten tribes exiled

Sources:RashiYeshayahu 1:1About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki

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 – Rashi can posit like Shadal above, that the focus of the rebuke was on the sins between man and fellow man, specifically the injustice in the country, occurring during the time of Chizkiyahu.

Description of destruction – Rashi reads these verses to be talking of the present desolation, resulting from the exile of most of the population.  At the time Yeshayahu is talking, the land is desolated.  Shadal notes a difficulty that one would have assumes the prophecy would mention somewhere at least incidentally the fact that the ten tribes exiled to Ashur, as it is the grounds for the whole prophecy.

Description of consolation

"אַרְצְכֶם שְׁמָמָה" – Shadal questions this reading as to why would Yeshayahu refer to the land of the ten tribes, Shomron, as "אַרְצְכֶם" of Yehuda.  He suggests the possibility of saying that once there were no longer two competing kingdoms, the prophet combined them to one.

Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu – Rashi says explicitly that chapter one is out of chronological order, as chapter six recounts Yeshayahu's call for prophecy and this chapter was said afterwords.  He proves from the language of "אֲשֶׁר חָזָה עַל יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָ‍ִם" which is not inclusive of all the visions regarding other nations, so it must be an introduction just for the chapter and not for the book.³

During the Reign of All Four Kings

Sources:RadakYeshayahu 1:2Yeshayahu 1:8Yeshayahu 1:29About R. David Kimchi, AbarbanelYeshayahu 1:1About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel

Chronology of Sefer Yeshayahu – Abarbanel suggests that the reason this prophecy is first, is because it was repeated so many times during the reign of each of the four kings.

Relationship to time period

Description of sin – Radak notes that the representation of the sins of the people matches the time period of all the four kings, since none of them were perfect.⁴  Shadal asks how can one say the same prophecy for a different situation, since the sin of the people is different in each time period.  Additionally, he questions that the main focus in the chapter is not about worshiping idols, and it even sounds like the people were bringing sacrifices to the temple.

Description of destruction

Description of consolation

¹ 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").

² Radak and others there explain it about the time of the Mashiach, while Ibn Kaspi proposes it to be in the time of Chizkiyahu.

³ See Ibn Ezra who reads it as generally speaking, since most of the prophecies were intended to Yehuda.

⁴ By Uziyahu we read, "וּכְחֶזְקָתוֹ גָּבַהּ לִבּוֹ עַד לְהַשְׁחִית" (Divrei HaYamim II 26:16), and by Yotam the nation is described as "וְעוֹד הָעָם מַשְׁחִיתִים" (Divrei HaYamim II 27:2) in addition to worshiping on high altars during both of their reign's.  The suitability of the verses to the time period of Achaz is obvious, "וְלֹא עָשָׂה הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי י"י" (Melakhim II 16:2).  Radak explains the fitness to Chizkiyahu's reign, that the people didn't fully worship Hashem even during his reign, or possibly until he removed the idols from the land.