Paper 1

Isaiah 58:1

ISAIAH THE PROPHET (יְשַֽׁעְיָ֣הוּ, yesha'eyahu; “the salvation of Yahweh”). Eighth-century bc prophet who foretells the salvation of Yahweh’s people, including a return from Babylonian captivity and an eventual return to Yahweh.

Overview

Isaiah was the son of Amoz (Isa 1:1; 2:1; 20:2; 21; 2 Kgs 19:2, 20:1; 2 Chr 26:22; 32:20). Although little is known of Amoz, he may be the person mentioned in 2 Chr 25:7–8. Isaiah married “the prophetess” (Isa 8:3). Together they had two sons:

1. Shear-jashub (יָשׁ֣וּב שְׁאָ֖ר, yashuv she'ar; “a remnant shall return”; Isa 7:3). When Shear-jashub accompanied Isaiah to visit Ahaz, his name suggested that the invaders of Judah would be defeated and only a remnant of the enemy forces would return.

2. Maher-shalal-hash-baz (“quickly the plunder; it hurries, the loot”; Isa 8:1, 3). Isaiah interpreted this as a prediction of the demise of Syria and Israel by an Assyrian invasion (Isa 8:4).