Wilson de Angelo Cunha, «A Brief Discussion of MT Isaiah 24,14-16», Vol. 90 (2009) 530-544
Recent scholarship interprets Isaiah 24,14-16 in light of a “prophetic disputation pattern” genre, which sees the praise in vv. 14-15 as an assertion and the “I” statement in v. 16b as the counter-assertion, thus, correcting the assertion in vv. 14-15. This article seeks to challenge this interpretation and argue that the “I” statement in v. 16b does not need to function as a “counter-assertion” to the praise in vv. 14-15 but, rather, as introducing the proclamation of judgment for the unrighteous (v. 16c).
A Brief Discussion of MT Isaiah 24,14-16 (*)
Isaiah 24,14-16 is a problematical text with one commentator deeming
its interpretation as “one of the most controversial in chapter 24â€(1).
This Isaianic text presents three main problems: first, the identification
of the hmh in v. 14a; second, the interpretation of the phrase qydxl ybx in
v. 16a; and, third, the function of the “I†statement introduced by rm'aow:
in v. 16b. This paper will discuss how these difficult matters were
resolved in LXX Isa and will show how this Greek document offers
insights and corroborates our interpretation of MT Isa 24,14-16.
LXX Isa was a translation from Hebrew into Greek carried out in
Egypt, in the second century B.C.E. Although LXX Isa is a translation,
previous scholarship has demonstrated that this document has a strong
interpretative character (2). As such, this article will approach LXX Isa
as a document that offers clues for how Hebrew Isa 24,14-16 was
received and read, thus, providing insights for our reading of the text
under discussion.
For clarity sake, this article was divided into three sections. The
first briefly discusses the three main problems of Isa 24,14-16 named
above. The second shows how these problems are dealt with in LXX
Isa; the last part builds on the results of the previous section and
attempts to show how it provides support for our reading of MT Isa
24,14-16.
(∗) I would like to thank my advisor, Prof. Arie van der Kooij, and the
Editorial Board of Biblica for their careful reading and valuable suggestions. I
take, however, full responsibility for all remaining mistakes that may still appear
in this article.
(1) B.S. CHILDS, Isaiah (OTL; Louisville, KY 2001) 180.
(2) Cf. I.L. SEELIGMANN, The Septuagint Version of Isaiah and Cognate
Studies (FAT 40; Tübingen 2004) 258-293; J. COSTE, “Le texte grec d’Isaie XXV,
1-5â€, RB 61 (1954) 36-66; J.C.M. DAS NEVES, A Teologia da Tradução Grega dos
Setenta no Livro de IsaÃas (Cap. 24 de IsaÃas) (Lisboa 1973); A. VAN DER KOOIJ,
Die alten Textzeugen des Jesajabuches. Ein Beitrag zur Textgeschichte des Alten
Testaments (OBO 35; Göttingen 1981) 33-60; A. VAN DER KOOIJ, The Oracle of
Tyre. The Septuagint of Isaiah 23 as Version and Vision (VTSup 71; Leiden
1998).