Comments on Isaiah 54 Note: this chapter appears in 3 Ne. 22. As indicated in the comments on the previous chapter, Isaiah 53- 56 are in an alternating A-B pattern by chapter. Forming the "B" portions of the pattern are chapters 54 and 56. These two chapters present a total of three sets of covenant imagery which draw off classical covenant theology from Genesis (Abrahamic & Noachide in ch. 54) and Exodus (Sinaitic in ch. 56). The fulfillment of the covenants presented in ch. 54 and 56 coincide with 53 and 55 respectively. Chapter 53 presents the condescending servant who suffers for all that they might be justified. The result is He/he will see his seed, fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant of eternal life/lives. Chapter 55 presents the exalted Lord who is the gatherer and caretaker of Israel in fulfillment of the Sinaitic covenant, the subject of ch. 56. This tightly knit text also employs ideas developed in the preceding chapters of Isaiah to further establish the covenant theology scattered throughout the entire book. The result is these four chapters form a synthesis of Isaiah's covenant theology. As chapters 53 and 55 are similarly structured in both text and theme, so are 54 and 56. The structure for 54 is as follows: A - (v. 1) Abrahamic Covenant upon natural Israel proper B - (v. 2-6) Temple/espousal/progeny C - (v. 7-8) Rejection of wicked, redemption of righteous A - (v. 9-10) Noachide Covenant upon all of mankind B - (v. 11-14) Temple/espousal/progeny C - (v. 15-17) Rejection of wicked, redemption of righteous The equation of the Abrahamic and Noachide covenants with the condescending Lord/suffering servant indicate that aspects of the servant's actions were universal as the Noachide covenant covers all the inhabitants of the earth. This would indicate that the fulfillment of the Lord's covenant with Abraham (i.e. the spiritual aspects of it where participation is purely dependant upon personal actions, worthiness, repentance, &c.) also applied to Noah's lineage as well. This makes sense as we know certain aspects of the Atonement are applied to all the lineage of Adam and Eve, but certain covenantal obligations are imposed upon persons involved in those covenants. Thus, the spiritual aspects of the suffering servant's actions were universal and not limited to the lineage of Abraham. However, the physical aspects of the Abrahamic covenant appear to be lineage specific. The lineage based portions of the covenant that deal with natural Israel would then be handled under the Sinaitic covenant, and are yet to be fulfilled. Hence they are separated out in ch. 55-56. It is interesting to note the temple imagery appears in both the spiritually themed ch. 54 and the physically themed ch. 56 indicating its role in both the spiritual and physical gathering of Israel and the redemption of all mankind. v1 Commentators typically equate the woman in this verse with that of 4:1, 26:17-18, 49:20-21, 50:1, which is presented as rebellious Israel. However, here we have strictly a barren wife who is not directly described as rebellious (it is hinted at in v. 7-8, but not blatantly). This woman is not presented as terribly rebellious and there are no direct statements describing her as anything but lamenting over her lack of children. Thus, we have more closely a type of Sarah in her barren condition obtaining a promise of multitudes of children as opposed to a rebellious harlot that has been rejected. The AB states, "The wife hitherto barren, must quickly enlarge her tent for her fabulously numerous children; there is a probable allusion here to Sarah, the historic nomad wife from whom Israel first sprang. The promise in v. 3 echoes the promises to Abraham". Also recall the recent appeal for Israel to look to its source, Abraham and Sarah, in 50:1-2. And finally, Paul interprets this verse to be a reference to Sarah in Gal. 4:21-31. Is Sarah a type of barren Israel? Sure, but I would argue that this verse is intended to refer to Sarah first in order to establish the context of the Abrahamic covenant. Noting the rhetorical devices employed by Isaiah, see the double repetition emphatic in v. 1 "Shout...Shout", "Enlarge...Extend...Lengthen" of v. 2 and the "Fear not...Do not cringe" of v. 4. With regard to the song they sing, cp. 44:23, 49:13, 52:9. As for the type of song that will be sung, cf. ch. 12. The lament of childless Israel is turned to a shout for joy at the fulfillment of all covenants with the servant's acts. See also Ps. 113. v1f "the espoused", I would assume this is a reference to Babylon just prior to her fall (cf. 47:1-2) which is commensurate with Zion's uplift (cp. 52:1-2). v2-3 This is the typical promise of increase of offspring and land assigned to the ancient patriarchs (cp. Gen. 15:1-5) and to Israel as well (cp. Exod. 3:8). We also cannot fail to recognize the parallel of this tent here to the Tabernacle in the wilderness (cf. Exod. 33:7), given the blatant references to the eschatological temple in v. 11-12 and 56:5. Also compare 4:4-6 where a protecting canopy is cast over the Bride Israel on the day of her cleansing/wedding. If we interpret this to be a temple reference, then the people flooding to the temple would be along the lines of 2:2-4. v2 appears to be paraphrased in part in combination with 52:1 in Moroni 10:31. v3b "Your offspring shall dispossess nations", alternatively translated, "your descendants possess nations". The later reading tends to follow Isaiah's theme of Israel's absorbing all remnant nations (cp. 49:18-23). The former reading would tend to present a fulfillment of the promise to Abraham of his seed inheriting the ancestral lands of the Canaan valley. One could develop a more pugilistic reading by cross referencing this passage with 41:15-16 and Micah 5:6-8. v4-6 Contrast the statements made here with that of ch. 4. We have an obvious curse reversal theme where Isaiah uses imagery from preceding text to contrast the two cases of Israel: the first is rebellious, the last is redeemed. v5 We once again see some pretty strong statements here that it is the Lord who is Israel's Husband and Redeemer. Given the proximity to the ch. 53 references of the suffering servant who is the expiator of Israel's sins, its seems impossible to not equate the "Lord of Hosts...the Holy One of Israel [who] will redeem you" with the suffering servant. For additional references to the espousal, cp. 49:18, 61:10, 62:5. v6 is similar in content and rhetoric to 49:14-16. Both there and here we have a statement of comparison presented in a rhetorical question. Where mortals fail, the Lord does not. This connection further emphasizes the fulfillment of covenants theme. This deliberate contrasting of the frailties of mortals with the consistent trustworthiness of the Lord builds upon the temporal versus eternal themes established in 40:28-31. This connection again emphasizes the salvation and redemption theme of covenant fulfillment as the Lord is described as condescending to exalt man in that passage. v6c "wife of his youth", the AB states, "A Hebrew phrase which echoes polygamy; it designates the first of the wives, the one who had the privileged position". Again, similar to the Abraham, Sarah and Hagar account. v7-8 The Lord states He was angered with Israel for a time and hid His face from her as a result of her rebellion, a classical covenant malediction/benediction statement. However, He is now redeeming her with eternal love. Note the contrasting of the fleeting anger with the eternal love. Compare Ps. 30. These two verses are also derivative of the 42:1-44:28 alternating strophes of the Justice versus Merciful aspects of the Lord. v8b "I hid my face from you", a semitism for being angry with or showing disfavor towards, cp. Exod. 33:20, Deut. 31:17-18. v9-10 echoes the Gen. 9:11, 15 comments on the covenant the Lord made with Noah. As all people living on the earth are descendants of Noah, the covenant struck with Noah affects all of its inhabitants. This forces a broader interpretation upon the intercessory acts of the suffering servant than simply being applied to natural Israel alone. With regard to the application of the Noachide covenant in Isaiah, cp. my notes on 24:5. Consider Isaiah's previous usage of flood imagery in describing the Day of the Lord (cf. 24:18, 27:12, 43:2) and his equation of this imagery with the king of Assyria (cf. 8:7). Cross referencing v. 10 with 51:6 (cp. the similar references to the eternal nature of the Lord's word in comparison to even the ancient things of the earth), we can determine that after the Day of the Lord a covenant type promise will be issued by the Lord to never again raze the earth with a "flood". This interpretation is supported by v. 10c-d which blatantly reference covenant making. This kind of establishment, or re- establishment of covenant as the case may be, is evidenced in Exod. 34:10-27 and Josh. 24:14-28. v9a "waters of Noah", this verse espouses a view favorably disposed towards the historicity of Noah's Flood. Also cp. Alma 10:22, Ether 6:7 and 13:2. v11-12 The AB presents a figurative spiritual interpretation on the structures described in these verses, "The vision of the prophet here approaches the eschatological; the lasting city of Yahweh's good pleasure is not a material reality of walls and buildings located at a definite point...it is the community of the redeemed, of all those who are `instructed of Yahweh' and are `established in righteousness'. Such a community will outlast any material structure in which it happens to be incorporated at a given moment of history.... The righteousness of Yahweh is a foundation stronger than any material foundation." For a more literal interpretation see the description of New Jerusalem in Rev. 21:18-21. We should also remember that Zion is to rise in splendor and glory (cp. 52:1-2) at the same time of Babylon's collapse (cp. 47:1-2). Both the physical and the spiritual interpretations seem to go hand in hand to me. For various cross references dealing with precious things (they are a mixed bag of literal physical and figurative spiritual presentations) cp. 45:14, 49:18, 52:1-3, 60:1-18, 62:3, Exod. 28:17- 21, Haggai 2:6-9, Micah 4:13, Zech. 9:16, 3 Ne. 24:17, D&C 42:39, D&C 60:4. In the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran some text was found commenting on these two verses. I will index their interpretations against the JPS translation: v11b "carbuncles", this is Israel, v11c "sapphires", these are the priests and the elect who founded the community [i.e. those at Qumran], v12a "rubies", the twelve chief priests who are enlightened by the Urim and Thumim, and v12b "precious stones", these are the chiefs of the tribes of Israel. Taken from _The Dead Sea Scrolls in English_ by G. Vermes, page 269. v13a "disciples of the Lord", the line is variously translated "instructed by the Lord". A similar statement is made in Jer. 31:33- 34 which is significant as Jer. 31:27-40 represent the eschatological establishment of a new covenant (see comments on v. 9-10 above). Also cp. D&C 45:58. Following the descriptions of the glorious construction described in v. 11-12, we would also see a parallel between these persons here instructed by the Lord and the various persons taught by the Lord to build the Tabernacle in the wilderness, cp. Exod. 31:1-11 and 36:8. v14-15 present some classical covenant blessings of protection and good fortune, cp. Lev. 26, Deut. 28. v16-17 Those hostile towards the Lord's people will not prosper in their efforts against them, cp. 1 Ne. 22:17-25. A dichotomy of the wicked versus the righteous is presented. This one is quite a bit more hostile than its parallel in v. 7-8, but both a much less hostile than their parallel in 56:9-12. v15 The BofM version has some differences: KJV BofM --- ---- Behold, they shall surely Behold, they shall surely gather together, gather together against thee, but not by me: not by me; whosoever shall gather whosoever shall gather together against thee shall together against thee shall fall for thy sake. fall for thy sake. The BofM rendering emphasizes the hostile nature of those who gather against the Lord's people. v15d "Shall fall because of you", the AB considers this to mean Israel's enemies will fall because of what they did to her. v16 The AB interprets this verse to have three characters as opposed to the two (or possibly just one) of the JPS. The AB translation: See, I have created the smith, who blows upon the charcoal fire, and produces a weapon for its purpose; And I have created the destroyer for ruin. And offers the interpretation: An affirmation on the sovereign providence of Yahweh. He creates the smith who makes the weapons for the aggressor, and a destroyer to match the aggressor. Whether it be two characters or three does not matter a great deal to the overall meaning of the verse: the Lord is the Creator and exercise His will over creation, so don't worry about the seemingly intimidating forces of men. The only time it would matter if there were two or three characters is if one is attempting to determine who these characters are in developing an eschatological interpretation. Given the scant details, attempting to do so on this text would be difficult. Cross referencing it to other statements about the king of Assyria (cp. 10:5-7 for example) would be easy enough, but it wouldn't yield anything that isn't already stated elsewhere in Isaiah. v16a Compare 51:15 for a similar statement. v17 The BofM account of this verse is identical to the KJV. The D&C paraphrases this verse and adds on a rider that the Lord will take care of their enemies in His own due time, cf. D&C 71:9-10. See also D&C 109:25. v17c-d Compare 50:7-9 for a similar statement applied to Isaiah and other prophets like him. v17e "the servants of the Lord", note the plural "servants" where the previous chapter had the singular "suffering servant" and its connection to v. 17c-d implies that the target is the Lord's prophets. Thus additional evidence that the servant in ch. 53 is unique.