The Theme of Hardening in the Book of Isaiah: An Analysis of Communicative Action (Forschungen Zum Alten Testament 2.Reihe)

Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their hearts and turn and be healed. This call of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 6 has perplexed readers of all times. Torsten Uhlig reconsiders this text and other related passages. Applying a communicative approach and engaging with recent studies on righteousness, the author presents a new interpretation of the theme of hardening in the Book of Isaiah. He argues that hardening is to be understood in the context of the communicative aspect of righteousness and elucidates the communicative acts involved in the hardening of the people. Describing the role of these passages within the communicative strategy of larger units, this monograph offers a distinctive contribution to the interpretation of the Book of Isaiah as a whole. Cover Dedication Acknowledgements Contents Abbreviations Chapter 1 Encountering Hardening in the Present Situation: Hermeneutical and Methodological Considerations 1. Encountering Hardening 2. Situating the Present Study in the History of Research 3. Some Hermeneutical Presuppositions 4. The Genre of a Prophetic Bookand the Method of Communicative Analysis Chapter 2 Encountering Hardening in the Past:The Communicative Situation of the Book of Isaiah 1. The Historical Setting of Isaiah and the Problems it Faces 2. The Agent(s) of Communicative Action in the Book of Isaiah 3. The Addressees of the Book of Isaiah 4. The Communicative Aim of the Book of Isaiah: The Restoration of the People’s Righteousness 4.1 The Concept of ‘Connective Righteousness’ 4.2 The Restoration of ‘Connective Righteousness’ in Isaiah 40–66 5. Notes on the Structure of the Book of Isaiah Chapter 3 The Disposition of Hardening in Isaiah 6 and the Effect of Isaiah’s Proclamation 1. Introduction 2. Structure and Stylistic Features in Isaiah 6 3. Leading to Isaiah’s Commission: Main Aspects in Isaiah 6:1–7 3.1 The Descriptive Framework of Isaiah 6 3.2 A Few Remarks on the Form of Isaiah 6 and Its Position in the Literary Context 3.3 Main Aspects of Isaiah 6:1–7 4. The Dialogue between YHWH and Isaiah in Isaiah 6:9–10 4.1 Individual Aspects and Exegetical Problems in Isaiah 6:9–10 4.2 Why Isaiah 6:9–10 Is not Ironic 4.3 A Complex Unity of Isaiah 6:9–10 against a Simple Distinction 4.4 The Communicative Interaction between YHWH and Isaiahin Isaiah 6:9–10 4.5 Summary 5. The Communicative Roles of the Narrative of Isaiah 6 5.1 The Illocutionary Role of Isaiah 6 5.2 The Perlocutionary Role of Isaiah 6 5.2.1 Isaiah 6 as the ‘Speech of Isaiah’ and the Consequences for Its Perlocutionary Role 5.2.2 The Interpretation of Isaiah 8:16 and the Identity of the 5.2.3 Isaiah 6:11–13, Its Relationship to Isaiah 7–39 and the Duration of Isaiah’s Hardening Ministry 6. Conclusions and Summary Chapter 4 Appointing the Hardened as Witnesses: Isaiah 42:14–44:23 1. Hardening in Isaiah 42:18–25 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Structure and Poetics 1.3 Communicative Analysis of Isaiah 42:18–25 1.3.1 The Illocutionary Role of Isaiah 42:18–25 1.3.2 Supportive Features of the Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 42:18–25 1.4 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 42:18–25 2. Hardening in Isaiah 42:14–44:23 2.1 Notes on Hardening in Isaiah 40:12–42:13 2.2 Notes on Hardening in Isaiah 43:8–13 2.2.1 Structure and Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 43:8–13 2.2.2 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 43:8–13 2.3 Notes on Hardening in Isaiah 44:6–20 2.3.1 Structure and Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 44:6–20 2.3.2 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 44:6–20 2.4 Hardening in Isaiah 42:14–44:23 2.4.1 Structure and Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 42:14–44:23 2.4.2 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 42:14–44:23 3. Summary Chapter 5 Characterizing the Hardened before the Return: Isaiah 44:24–49:13 1. Hardening in Isaiah 48:1–11 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Structure and Poetics 1.3 Communicative Analysis of Isaiah 48:1–11 1.3.1 The Illocutionary Role of Isaiah 48:1–11 1.3.2 Supportive Features of the Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 48:1–11 1.4 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 48:1–11 2. Hardening in Isaiah 44:24–49:13 2.1 Hardening in Isaiah 44:24–49:13 2.1.1 Structure and Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 44:24–49:13 2.1.2 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 44:24–49:13 3. Summary Chapter 6 The Individual Servant and the Overcoming of Hardening: Isaiah 49:14–55:13 1. Hardening in Isaiah 50 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Structure and Poetics 1.3 Communicative Analysis of Isaiah 50 1.3.1 The Illocutionary Role of Isaiah 50 1.3.2 Supportive Features of the Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 50 a. Identification of the Different Speakers 1.4 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 50 2. Hardening in Isaiah 49:14–52:10 2.1 Notes on Hardening in Isaiah 51:1–8 2.2 Hardening in Isaiah 49:14–52:10 2.2.1 Notes on the Structure and Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 49:14–52:10 2.2.2 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 49:14–52:10 3. Hardening in Isaiah 52:11–55:13 3.1 Notes on Hardening in Isaiah 52:13–53:12 3.2 Notes on Hardening in Isaiah 52:11–55:13 4. Summary Chapter 7 The Hardened in the Homeland – Characterization and Reversal: Isaiah 56:9–59:21 1. Hardening in Isaiah 56:9–57:2 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Structure and Poetics 1.3 Communicative Analysis of Isaiah 56:9–57:2 1.3.1 The Illocutionary Role of Isaiah 56:9–57:2 1.3.2 Supportive Features of the Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 56:9–57:2 a. Features Contributing to the DESCRIPTION of the Various Groups of People 1.4 The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 56:9–57:2 2. Hardening in Isaiah 56:9–59:21 2.1 Notes on Hardening in Isaiah 58–59 2.1.1 Structure and Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 58–59 2.1.2 Communication and Hardness – The Theme of Hardeningin Isaiah 58–59 2.2 Hardening in Isaiah 56:9–59:21 2.2.1 Structure and Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 56:9–59:21 2.2.2 Isaiah 57:14–21, a Prophetic Voice and the Theme of Hardeningin Isaiah 56:9–59:21 3. Summary Chapter 8 Disclosing the Still Hardened: Isaiah 63:7–64:11 1. Introduction 2. Structure and Poetics 3. The Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 63:7–64:11 3.1 The Communicative Strategy within Isaiah 63:7–64:11 3.2 The Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 63:7–64:11within the Book of Isaiah 3.2.1 Literary Parallels between Isaiah 63:7–64:11 and the Book of Isaiah 3.2.2 The Communal Lament Isaiah 63:7–64:11 as a Complaint about the Delay of Salvation 3.2.3 The Communal Lament Isaiah 63:7–64:11 as a Disclosureof the Hardened a. Isaiah 40:1–63:6 as a Means of Multiple Communicative Acts 4. The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 63:7–64:11 a. The Theme of Hardening as Part of the Communal Petition b. The Theme of Hardening in Isaiah 63:7–64:11 within the Communicative Strategy of Isaiah 5. Summary Chapter 9 Summary and Conclusion 1. Summary 2. Conclusion Appendix 1 Text-Critical and Exegetical Problemsin Isaiah 42:18–25 Appendix 2 On the Interpretation of the Лιντ Term in Isaiah 50:4 and the Different Interpretations of Isaiah 50:10 Appendix 3 Exegetical Problems in Isaiah 63:7–64:11 Bibliography Source Index Author Index Subject Index