Isaiah's Political Message: An Appraisal of His Alleged Social Critique (Forschungen Zum Alten Testament 2.Reihe)

Olof Backersten presents an attempt to call into question the scholarly consensus that Isaiah 1-39 contains a social-critical discourse, i.e. passages where the Jerusalemite elite is condemned for their complacent attitudes, their decadent life-style, and their more or less systematic oppression of the poor. He argues that the texts that have been proffered as proofs belong instead, with surprisingly few although notable exceptions, to a foreign-political discourse where the target for the critique is Judah's decision to rebel against Assyria (not social injustice). The author also makes a novel suggestion concerning why and how a social-critical outlook has been related to a foreign-political discourse in the book of Isaiah as a whole. Cover Preface Contents Part One. Introduction Chapter 1. The Task Some Methodological Presuppositions A Few Remarks on Terminology Chapter 2. Israel’s Drunkenness Proves the Lord Strong: Isa 28:1–4 Introduction Why the Drunkenness Is Metaphorical The Meaning of the Metaphor Proving the Lord Strong (and Isaiah Right) Conclusion: From Social Critique to Foreign Politics Part Two. Analysis Chapter 3. A Waste of Space: Isa 5:8–10 Departing from a Social-Critical Reading Preparing for a Foreign-Political Reading On Dates of Composition and Implied Historical Situations Conclusion: Proposing a Foreign-Political Reading Excursus: Isa 8:5–8 and Ahaz’ Appeal to Assyria Chapter 4. Delusion, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll: Isa 5:11–17 Introduction The Fundamental Mistake Is Heavy Drinking Still a Mistake? Conclusion: Neither Drugs nor Music, but Delusion Chapter 5. You Can’t Hurry Hate: Isa 5:18–19 Introduction Human Sins and Divine Plans Conclusion: You’ll Just Have to Wait Chapter 6. Variations on the Theme: Isa 5:20–21 Darkness and Light: Isa 5:20 Wisdom and Stupidity: Isa 5:21 Chapter 7. Drunken Soldiers and Corrupt Judges: Isa 5:22–24 Ridiculing the Military: Isa 5:22 On Perverting the Course of Justice: Isa 5:23 A Suitable Conclusion: Isa 5:24 Conclusion Chapter 8. Your Money or Your Life? Isa 10:1–4 Who Does What? Who is Threatened and Why? The Literary Context On Isa 5:8–24 and 10:1–11 Conclusion Chapter 9. Outlook The Song of the Vineyard: Isa 5:1–7 The Drunkenness in Isa 28:7–8 Isaiah 3:1–4:1 Isaiah 1 On Isaiah 5–12 Part Three. Conclusion Abbreviations and Technical Remarks Bibliography Index of Selected Biblical Passages Index of Authors Index of Subjects Scholars have traditionally identified two fundamental, and somewhat separate, discourses in Isaiah 1-39. In what might be labelled the social-critical discourse, we supposedly encounter a prophet who condemns the Jerusalemite elite for their complacent attitudes and decadent life-style in general, and for their more or less systematic oppression of the less fortunate in particular. This lack of social justice, Isaiah emphasises, will indeed be punished by YHWH. In the discourse that might preferably be labelled foreign-political, scholars have found that the prophet repeatedly discourages Judahite participation in anti-Assyrian rebellions, since such strategies are offensive to YHWH and their plans will therefore come to nothing. Olof Bäckersten presents an attempt to question the existence of a social-critical discourse in Isaiah 1-39. He argues that the texts that have been proffered as proofs for such a discourse relate instead, with surprisingly few although notable exceptions, to the critique of Judah's anti-Assyrian policy. The result of this investigation has implications for our understanding of the book of Isaiah as a whole. A social-critical emphasis can only be detected in Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 56-66, whereas Isaiah 2-39(55) provides variations on a foreign-political theme in the sense that the focus falls on the relationship between nations in general and Judah's position on the international arena in particular. HauptbeschreibungScholars have traditionally identified two fundamental, and somewhat separate, discourses in Isaiah 1-39. In what might be labelled the social-critical discourse, we supposedly encounter a prophet who condemns the Jerusalemite elite for their complacent attitudes and decadent life-style in general, and for their more or less systematic oppression of the less fortunate in particular. This lack of social justice, Isaiah emphasises, will indeed be punished by YHWH. In the discourse that might preferably be labelled foreign-political, scholars have found that the prophet repeatedl Hauptbeschreibung Scholars have traditionally identified two fundamental, and somewhat separate, discourses in Isaiah 1-39. In what might be labelled the social-critical discourse, we supposedly encounter a prophet who condemns the Jerusalemite elite for their complacent attitudes and decadent life-style in general, and for their more or less systematic oppression of the less fortunate in particular. This lack of social justice, Isaiah emphasises, will indeed be punished by YHWH. In the discourse that might preferably be labelled foreign-political, scholars have found that the prophet r

Olof Backersten analyses the alleged social-critical passages in Isaiah 1-39. He argues that the vast majority of these texts instead belong to a foreign-political discourse. The result of the investigation has implications for our understanding of the book of Isaiah as a whole.