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9. Prophetic Narratives of Isaiah: Isa 36-39

Isaiah 36-39 in General. 1.

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9. Prophetic Narratives of Isaiah: Isa 36-39

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    1. 9. Prophetic Narratives of Isaiah: Isa 36-39 BOT634 Exegesis of Isaiah

    2. Isaiah 36-39 in General 1. “The four chapters of Isa 36-39 are repeated, almost word for word, from 2 Kgs 18.17-20.19. The only really major addition is in the psalm attributed to Hezekiah in 38.9-20." [Clements, 277]

    3. Isaiah 36-39 in General 2. “Chapters 36-39 conclude the section relating to Assyria and the question of trust which that nation’s presence on Judah’s borders posed. They demonstrate that it is not necessary to revoke one’s dependence on God and turn to human powers in order to survive. In this way they constitute a lived-out example of the truths taught in chs. 13-35. The nations of mankind are under God’s hand; he is their ruler and those who trust in him need not, indeed, must not, bow down to those nations.” [Oswalt, 629]

    4. The A and B Narrative Theory “In the first place it is clear that the major groundwork of the trilogy of stories is to be found in 36.1-37.38, which is usually described as narrative B, to distinguish it from the account of Hezekiah’s surrender to Sennacherib in 701 in 2 Kgs 18.13-16, which is described as narrative A. This latter was taken from the royal chronicles of Judah and incorporated into the Deuteronomic History (Jos. - 2 Kgs, cited as DtrG). However, narrative B is made up of two separate accounts which have been woven together (B1, consisting of 36.1-37.9a + 37.37-38; B2, consisting of 37.9b-36).

    5. The A and B Narrative Theory It is evident that these two narratives were combined together into a whole as the end result of an extended process of growth, and they are remarkable for their portrayal of a dramatic defeat of Sennacherib’s army by ‘the angel of the LORD’ outside Jerusalem. This comes into conflict with the picture of Hezekiah’s surrender given in narrative A." [Clements, 278f.]

    6. Historical Problems: Introduction 1. "Sennacherib's campaign against Hezekiah in 701 is well known. We have an unusually complete account of this event told from both sides - if indeed it was a single event. In part because of the very different interpretations put on it by the Biblical and the Assyrian sources, some have argued that there were actually two contexts between Sennacherib and Hezekiah and that the Assyrians won the first but lost the second." [Hallo & Simpson, Ibid., 142]

    7. Historical Problems: Summary of Biblical Material [2 Kgs 18.13-19.37; Isa 36.1-37.38; 2 Chr 32.1-32] 1. 2 Kgs 18.13-16: In the 14th year of Hezekiah Sennacherib seized "all" the fortified cities of Judah and extracts a heavy tribute from Hezekiah. 2. 2 Kgs 18.17-37: Sennacherib sends three officials to Hezekiah and demands the surrender of the city. 3. 2 Kgs 19.1-7: Hezekiah sends for Isaiah and is reassured of God's help. 4. 2 Kgs 19.8-13: The Rabshekah returns to the Assyrian king who has left Lachish and is now at Libnah. Sennacherib sends a second message to Hezekiah after hearing about Tirhakah and demands surrender.

    8. Historical Problems: Summary of Biblical Material 5. 2 Kgs 19.14-33: Hezekiah "spreads it out before YHWH" and Isaiah brings an oracle of salvation. 6. 2 Kgs 19.35-37: Angel of YHWH slays 185,000 and Sennacherib goes back to Nineveh and is assassinated.

    9. Historical Problems: Questions 1. Why did Sennacherib threaten to attack Jerusalem after being paid such a heavy tribute? 2. Why did the Rabshakeh make two trips to Jerusalem only to deliver the same message? 3. What happened in the Assyrian camp?

    10. Historical Problem: Two Campaign Theory "...2 Kgs has telescoped the accounts of two campaigns, one in 701 (ch. 18.13-16), the other later (chs. 18.17 to 19.37). This view...suggest that while Sennacherib was engaged in subduing Babylon after his defeat by the Babylonians and the Elamites in 691, a further rebellion flared in the west, backed by Tirhakah, into which Hezekiah was drawn. Since Sennacherib disposed of Babylon in 689, he possibly moved against it in 688, and it was then that the marvelous deliverance of Jerusalem took place. Hezekiah, however, was doubtless saved from further reprisals by his death approximately a year later (687/6). It is quite true that Assyrian inscriptions mention no such later campaign. But this can hardly be used as evidence one way or the other, since we have no historical records of any sort concerning the last years of Sennacherib's reign (after 689)." [Bright, Ibid., 309]

    11. Historical Problems: Barnes' Conclusion "It was probably not long after the death of Sargon in 705 when Hezekiah helped to instigate a revolt in the Levant: he formally withheld tribute from Assyria (2 Kgs 18.7), and prepared both his capital city and his military forces for war (2 Chr 32.3-5; cf. 2 Kgs 20.20). Meanwhile, soon after Sennacherib's own accession to the Assyrian throne, Merodach-baladan once again seized the Babylonian throne; Assyrian efforts to dislodge him and to pacify the region (the goals of the first two campaigns of Sennacherib) lasted until 702. During this time, revolt continued to spread throughout Syria-Palestine: possibly including Edom, Moab, and Ammon, certainly involving much of Phoenicia, and most notably, heavily involving both the state of Judah and the Philistine cities of Ashkelon and Ekron (where, possibly due to the Judahite pressure [cf. 2 Kgs 18.8], the citizenry deposed Padi, their pro-Assyrian king, and handed him over in chains to Hezekiah).

    12. Historical Problems: Barnes' Conclusion It seems probable that pharaoh Shabako promised Egyptian military support to the rebels as well; in any case, Hezekiah (over the strong objections of Isaiah the prophet) apparently relied upon the backing of Egypt as he continued to play a central role as one of the leaders of the revolt. By the spring of 701 Sennacherib was ready to march to the west. Quickly subduing Phoenicia, he moved down the coast to Philistia and punished Ekron especially severely for her insurrection. It is probably around this time that the battle of Eltekeh took place; according to Sennacherib's annals, he overcame both forces from Egypt and from Nubia (it remains unclear, however, whether this battle corresponds with the Tirhakah reference in 2 Kgs 19.9). At any rate, Sennacherib was then able to turn his full attention toward Judah; according to his annals he reduced some 46 Judahite cities and shut Hezekiah up in Jerusalem ‘like a bird in a cage.'

    13. Historical Problems: Barnes' Conclusion The fall of Lachish, although not specifically mentioned in the annals, must have been especially gratifying to the Assyrian king, for he later had it portrayed in striking detail on the palace reliefs in Nineveh. At one point (very possibly after the fall of Lachish and the [initial?] defeat of the Egyptians at Eltekeh), Hezekiah sued for peace. The terms were severe. Padi was eventually restored to his throne, and portions of western Judah were annexed to Ashdod, Ekron, and Gaza. Unhappily, both the Assyrian annals as well as the biblical narratives are unclear as to the final outcome of the campaign. Sennacherib did not claim that he captured Jerusalem; rather he ends his annalistic entry with a description in loving detail of Hezekiah's tribute! As for the biblical narratives... they too become hazy. One thing, however, remains clear: Jerusalem, although probably besieged, was not captured.

    14. Historical Problems: Barnes' Conclusion Suspect that some sort of renewed Egyptian military activity may well have had something to do with this remarkable deliverance, although our sources are essentially mute. Indeed, a sudden outbreak of plague (quite possible in the hot Palestinian summer, especially in a location lacking a regular water supply), perhaps coupled with the threat (or actuality) of renewed Egyptian pressure may well have forced Sennacherib to break off the siege. At any rate, in the year 700 we find him campaigning elsewhere, once again against the ever resilient Merodach-baladan." [Barnes, Ibid., 119-124]

    15. THE ASSYRIAN THREAT: 36.1-37.38 THE RABSHAQEH’S CHALLENGE 36.1-37.7 36.1-20 THE ULTIMATUM 36.21-37.7 RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE THE KING’S CHALLENGE 37.8-35 37.8-13 THE ROYAL LETTER 37.14-35 RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE 37.16-20 Hezekiah’s prayer 37.21-35 Isaiah’s Pronouncement THE ARMY OF ASSYRIA DESTROYED 37.36-38

    16. Where Does the OT refer to “the Living God”? The expression “the living God” is not among the most common divine designations of the Old Testament. It occurs 13 times in the Hebrew Old Testament and 2 times in the Aramaic section of Daniel: Deut 5:26; Josh 3.10; 1 Sam 17.26, 36; 2 Kgs 19.4, 16; Isa 37.4, 17; Jer 10.10; 23.36; Hos 1.10 [2.1]; Pss 42.2 [3]; 84.2 [3]; Dan 6.20, 26 [Aram vv. 21, 27]. In all passages we find either la or ~ylha (or Aram ahla) used for God. In addition to this 2 occurrences of the expression “the Lord lives”: 2 Sam 22.47; Ps 18.46 [47]. One should also note Job 19.25 (“that my Redeemer lives”).

    17. Where Does the OT refer to “the Living God”? The Old Testament contains some oath formulas in which God’s “life” is an element, that is, oaths of the type “as the Lord lives.” Such oaths occur 67 times in the Old Testament. la and ~ylha occur only twice (in Job 27.2 and 2 Sam 2.27, respectively), while we meet the formula “he who lives for ever” once (Dan 12.7). YHWH dominates with 41 occurrences in such oaths (e.g., Judg 8.19; 1 Sam 14.39, 45; 19.6). There are also 23 occasions in which God swears by himself, that is, “as I live.” [Mettinger, In Search of God, 91]

    18. The Significance of the "Living God" The God of Israel was “the living God.” This confession demarcated Israelite thought form the conception of a dying and rising god whose cyclical biographical reflected the vegetational seasons, and which was ubiquitous in Israel’s surroundings. The characterization of YHWH as “the living God” does not signify that fertility and agricultural abundance were his preeminent manifestation. Rather, the field of expression of “the living God” was history. YHWH intervened in the fates of both individuals and nation.” [Mettinger, In Search of God, 90-91]

    19. HUMAN LIMITS OF TRUST: 38.1-39.8 HEZEKIAH’S ILLNESS 38.1-22 38.1-8 PROPHECY AND RESPONSE 38.9-20 HEZEKIAH’S PSALM 38.21-22 ADDITIONAL NOTES BABYLONIAN SEDUCTION 39.1-8

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