Difference between revisions of "Prophecy to Achaz – Calamity or Consolation/2"
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<li><b>Sancheriv's campaign </b>– R"E of Beaugency, in contrast, assumes that Yeshayahu is referring to Sancheriv's campaign against Yehuda in the time of Chizkiyahu.</li> | <li><b>Sancheriv's campaign </b>– R"E of Beaugency, in contrast, assumes that Yeshayahu is referring to Sancheriv's campaign against Yehuda in the time of Chizkiyahu.</li> | ||
</ul></point> | </ul></point> | ||
− | <point><b>Biblical | + | <point><b>Biblical parallels</b> – Elsewhere in Tanakh, as well, there are similar warnings that seeking foreign aid rather than trusting in Hashem will result in catastrophe (especially when one invites a foreigner to attack one's own brother):<br/> |
<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li>In Divrei HaYamim II 16, when Asa seeks Aram's help against Basha, he is rebuked by the prophet Chanani, "בְּהִשָּׁעֶנְךָ עַל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וְלֹא נִשְׁעַנְתָּ עַל י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל כֵּן נִמְלַט חֵיל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם מִיָּדֶךָ".</li> | <li>In Divrei HaYamim II 16, when Asa seeks Aram's help against Basha, he is rebuked by the prophet Chanani, "בְּהִשָּׁעֶנְךָ עַל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וְלֹא נִשְׁעַנְתָּ עַל י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל כֵּן נִמְלַט חֵיל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם מִיָּדֶךָ".</li> | ||
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<point><b>Flies of Egypt</b> – This approach might suggest that Egypt is mentioned, not because they joined forces with Assyria against Yehuda, but because they were another enemy country which Judean kings relied upon and turned to for assistance when dealing with foreign affairs.<fn>See <a href="Yeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a> and <a href="Yeshayahu31-1-3" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 31:1-3</a> where he warns the people against trusting in Egypt for aid.</fn>  Yeshayahu tells Achaz that any empire in whom he will trust rather than Hashem will ultimately not only fail him, but turn into a foe.<fn>Shadal, instead, suggests that the "flies of Egypt" is simply an analogy, meant to convey a huge army. Since the Nile bred many insects, such swarms were common in Egypt, and served as an apt metaphor for Assyria's army.</fn></point> | <point><b>Flies of Egypt</b> – This approach might suggest that Egypt is mentioned, not because they joined forces with Assyria against Yehuda, but because they were another enemy country which Judean kings relied upon and turned to for assistance when dealing with foreign affairs.<fn>See <a href="Yeshayahu20" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 20</a> and <a href="Yeshayahu31-1-3" data-aht="source">Yeshayahu 31:1-3</a> where he warns the people against trusting in Egypt for aid.</fn>  Yeshayahu tells Achaz that any empire in whom he will trust rather than Hashem will ultimately not only fail him, but turn into a foe.<fn>Shadal, instead, suggests that the "flies of Egypt" is simply an analogy, meant to convey a huge army. Since the Nile bred many insects, such swarms were common in Egypt, and served as an apt metaphor for Assyria's army.</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>Butter and honey</b> – According to Shadal. the same image is used to connote opposite concepts in verses 15 and 22.  In verse 15, the promise that Emanuel will eat fat and honey is a sign of the upcoming salvation from Aram and Israel, while in verse 22 it signifies the devastation to be wrought on Yehuda. Since all the agricultural land will be laid barren by the Assyrian forces, all that will be left to eat will be the milk produced by cattle. It is possible that the prophet intentionally used the same image to highlight how Achaz' lack of belief turned a promise of blessing into a curse.</point> | <point><b>Butter and honey</b> – According to Shadal. the same image is used to connote opposite concepts in verses 15 and 22.  In verse 15, the promise that Emanuel will eat fat and honey is a sign of the upcoming salvation from Aram and Israel, while in verse 22 it signifies the devastation to be wrought on Yehuda. Since all the agricultural land will be laid barren by the Assyrian forces, all that will be left to eat will be the milk produced by cattle. It is possible that the prophet intentionally used the same image to highlight how Achaz' lack of belief turned a promise of blessing into a curse.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>"לַשָּׁמִיר וְלַשַּׁיִת יִהְיֶה"</b> – This description of devastation refers to the aftermath of Assyria's attack on Yehuda. Yehuda will be barren, her fruitful vines laid to waste and her land filled with thorns.<fn>According to this position, the description of plentiful fat and honey in verse 22 is intrinsically related to this description of desolation. The former is an outgrowth of the latter.</fn>  This description | + | <point><b>"לַשָּׁמִיר וְלַשַּׁיִת יִהְיֶה"</b> – This description of devastation refers to the aftermath of Assyria's attack on Yehuda. Yehuda will be barren, her fruitful vines laid to waste and her land filled with thorns.<fn>According to this position, the description of plentiful fat and honey in verse 22 is intrinsically related to this description of desolation. The former is an outgrowth of the latter.</fn>  This description could match either the end of Achaz' era, as Chizkiyahu says of his father's reign: "וַיְהִי קֶצֶף י"י עַל יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם וַיִּתְּנֵם [לְזַעֲוָה] (לזועה) לְשַׁמָּה וְלִשְׁרֵקָה " (Divrei haYamim II 29:8)., or it could refer to the aftermath of Sancheriv's campaign.</point> |
</category> | </category> | ||
</approaches> | </approaches> | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> |
Version as of 13:06, 2 September 2018
Prophecy of Calamity or Consolation?
Exegetical Approaches
Consolation
Yeshayahu's words constitute a prophecy of consolation and encouragement. This approach subdivides regarding the event about which Achaz is being comforted:
The Aramean-Israelite Threat
All of Yeshayahu's words relate to the threat posed by the Aramean-Israelite alliance. Yeshayahu tells Achaz that he need not worry since both countries are soon to be destroyed by Assyria.
- In both verses 15 and 22, the eating of "butter and honey" is considered a blessing. Yeshayahu declares that after Aram and Israel are defeated, the cattle of the Judeans will give forth so much milk that butter will be made from the leftovers.7 This positive understanding of the image might be supported by its similarity to the phrase "אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ", a description which consistently has a positive connotation in Tanakh.
- Alternatively, while the image in verse 15 is meant positively, in verse 22 the excessive butter is really a sign of the desolation in Aram and Israel.8 Due to the Assyrian invasion, all agricultural produce will be ruined, so that the refugees from war will have only milk to consume.
Both the Aramean-Israelite and the Assyrian Threat
Yeshayahu tells Achaz that he has nothing to fear from Aram and Israel, since Assyria is soon to ravage both countries. Though Assyria will invade Yehuda as well, Yehuda will survive and Sancheriv's army will be defeated.
Rebuke
Yeshayahu's words constitute a rebuke to Achaz for not trusting in Hashem's promise that He will aid Yehuda. As punishment for seeking human assistance, Achaz is told that Assyria will smite not only Aram and Israel, but Yehuda as well.
- Tiglat Pilesser's invasion – According to Shadal, Yeshayahu is speaking of Tiglat Pilesser himself, who attacked Yehuda as Divrei HaYamim shares, "וַיָּבֹא עָלָיו תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנְאֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיָּצַר לוֹ וְלֹא חֲזָקוֹ".
- Sancheriv's campaign – R"E of Beaugency, in contrast, assumes that Yeshayahu is referring to Sancheriv's campaign against Yehuda in the time of Chizkiyahu.
- In Divrei HaYamim II 16, when Asa seeks Aram's help against Basha, he is rebuked by the prophet Chanani, "בְּהִשָּׁעֶנְךָ עַל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וְלֹא נִשְׁעַנְתָּ עַל י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל כֵּן נִמְלַט חֵיל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם מִיָּדֶךָ".
- Chizkiyahu's showing of his treasures to Merodakh Baladan of Bavel has been understood as an attempt to join an alliance against Assyria.10 Yeshayahu reacts in anger, warning Chizkiyahu, "הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים וְנִשָּׂא כׇּל אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵיתֶךָ וַאֲשֶׁר אָצְרוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּבֶלָה". 11