Isaiah (2 Kings 19:1–7; 2 Kings 20:1–19; 2 Chronicles 26:16–23; 2 Chronicles 32:20–22; 2 Chronicles 32:32; Isaiah 1:1; Isaiah 6:1–13; Isaiah 7:1–17; Isaiah 8:1–4; Isaiah 8:11–18; Isaiah 20:1–6; Isaiah 37:1–7; Isaiah 37:14–38; Isaiah 38:1–8; Isaiah 39:1–8; Matthew 13:14–15; Luke 4:16–21; John 12:37–41; Acts 8:26–35; Acts 28:25–27; Romans 10:16–21)

Son of Amoz, Prophet to Judah

Isaiah the son of Amoz, who wrote the acts of Uzziah, saw the Lord in the temple in the year Uzziah died, was sent to meet Ahaz with his son Shear-jashub, walked naked and barefoot three years as a sign, and spoke the word of the LORD to Hezekiah when Sennacherib came, when he lay sick, and when envoys came from Babylon.

The book that bears his name opens: “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isaiah 1:1). Of Uzziah the Chronicles say, “Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write” (2 Chronicles 26:22). Scripture records nothing of his birth, his youth or his death.

Isaiah 6 is told in the first person: in the year Uzziah died the prophet saw the Lord on a throne, was cleansed by a live coal, and answered, “Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). John, quoting that chapter, writes, “These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; and he spake of him” (John 12:41). In the days of Ahaz, the LORD sent Isaiah, with his son Shear-jashub, to meet the king (Isaiah 7:3). Isaiah 8, again in the first person, tells of a tablet, faithful witnesses, and “the children whom Jehovah hath given me” (Isaiah 8:18). The LORD spoke by him again, and he walked “naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia” (Isaiah 20:3).

The narratives that name him most are of Hezekiah: when Sennacherib's army came, Hezekiah sent to “Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz” (Isaiah 37:2), and the two “prayed because of this, and cried to heaven” (2 Chronicles 32:20). Isaiah came to the sick king with a word of death and then of fifteen added years (Isaiah 38:1-5), and when envoys from Babylon had seen all his treasures, he told the king that all in his house would be carried to Babylon (Isaiah 39:6). The New Testament names him often: Philip found the Ethiopian “reading the prophet Isaiah” (Acts 8:28), Jesus was handed “the book of the prophet Isaiah” (Luke 4:17) in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:17), and Paul writes, “Isaiah is very bold” (Romans 10:20).

Strengths

• Here am I; send me
• Walked naked and barefoot for a sign
• Spoke the word of the LORD to kings
• Prayed and cried to heaven
• Waited for the LORD
• Very bold

Themes

• The call
• The word to kings
• Signs and wonders
• Sennacherib and Jerusalem
• Hezekiah's sickness
• Babylon foretold

Writes the acts of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16–23)

Chronicles says that Isaiah the prophet wrote the rest of the acts of Uzziah, the king who trespassed in the temple and was a leper unto the day of his death.

The call in the temple (Isaiah 6:1–13)

In the year Uzziah died the prophet sees the Lord on a throne, is cleansed by a live coal from the altar, and answers the call to go to this people.

The call in the temple

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1). The seraphim cried, “Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3).

“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). One of the seraphim flew to him with a live coal from the altar, “and he touched my mouth with it, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin forgiven” (Isaiah 6:7).

“And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8). He was sent with this word: “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not” (Isaiah 6:9). “Then said I, Lord, how long?” (Isaiah 6:11). The answer speaks of cities waste and a land forsaken, yet “the holy seed is the stock thereof” (Isaiah 6:13).

The chapter does not name the speaker. The book is headed “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz” (Isaiah 1:1), and John, after quoting this chapter, writes, “These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory” (John 12:41).

Sent to meet Ahaz (Isaiah 7:1–17)

The LORD sends Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub to Ahaz, who trembles at Syria and Ephraim; Ahaz will not ask a sign, and the Lord himself gives one.

Sent to meet Ahaz

In the days of Ahaz, Syria and Ephraim went up against Jerusalem, and the heart of the house of David “trembled, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest tremble with the wind” (Isaiah 7:2). “Then said Jehovah unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son” (Isaiah 7:3).

His message to the king: “Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy heart be faint” (Isaiah 7:4), and “If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established” (Isaiah 7:9).

The LORD spoke again to Ahaz: “Ask thee a sign of Jehovah thy God” (Isaiah 7:11). “But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt Jehovah. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, that ye will weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:12-14). The chapter ends with the coming of “the king of Assyria” (Isaiah 7:17). The text gives no reason for Ahaz's refusal beyond his own words.

The tablet and the children as signs (Isaiah 8:1–4; Isaiah 8:11–18)

The LORD tells the prophet to write Maher-shalal-hash-baz on a great tablet before faithful witnesses; the prophetess bears a son of that name, and he says that he and the children are for signs in Israel.

Naked and barefoot three years (Isaiah 20:1–6)

The LORD speaks by Isaiah, who looses his sackcloth and puts off his shoe, walking naked and barefoot as a sign and wonder concerning Egypt and Ethiopia.

Hezekiah sends to Isaiah (Isaiah 36:1–3; Isaiah 37:1–7)

When Rabshakeh comes with a great army from Sennacherib, Hezekiah rends his clothes, goes into the house of the LORD, and sends his officials in sackcloth to Isaiah, who tells them not to be afraid.

The prayer and the word against Sennacherib (Isaiah 37:9–38; 2 Chronicles 32:20–22)

Hezekiah spreads Sennacherib's letter before the LORD; Isaiah sends him the word of the LORD, and the angel of the LORD smites the Assyrian camp.

The prayer and the word against Sennacherib

After Isaiah's first answer, the king of Assyria sent messengers with a letter to Hezekiah, who “went up unto the house of Jehovah, and spread it before Jehovah” (Isaiah 37:14) and prayed (Isaiah 37:15-20).

“Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, this is the word which Jehovah hath spoken concerning him” (Isaiah 37:21-22). The word closes: “For I will defend this city to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake” (Isaiah 37:35).

“And the angel of Jehovah went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand” (Isaiah 37:36). Chronicles adds, “And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven” (2 Chronicles 32:20); the words of Isaiah's own prayer are not given.

Hezekiah's sickness and the sign of the shadow (Isaiah 38:1–8; Isaiah 38:21–22; 2 Kings 20:1–11)

Isaiah tells the sick Hezekiah to set his house in order; Hezekiah prays and weeps, Isaiah returns with fifteen added years, and the shadow goes back ten steps.

Hezekiah's sickness and the sign of the shadow

“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live” (Isaiah 38:1). Hezekiah “turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto Jehovah” (Isaiah 38:2), and “wept sore” (Isaiah 38:3).

Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah (Isaiah 38:4); 2 Kings says this was “before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city” (2 Kings 20:4): “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the prince of my people … I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee” (2 Kings 20:5). The word went on, “I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria” (2 Kings 20:6).

“And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered” (2 Kings 20:7). Hezekiah asked for a sign. Isaiah said, “shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” (2 Kings 20:9). Hezekiah chose that it return backward (2 Kings 20:10). “And Isaiah the prophet cried unto Jehovah; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz” (2 Kings 20:11).

The envoys from Babylon (Isaiah 39:1–8; 2 Kings 20:12–19)

Hezekiah shows the envoys from Babylon all his treasures; Isaiah asks what they saw and tells him that all will be carried to Babylon, and Hezekiah calls the word good.

The envoys from Babylon

Merodach-baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, “for he heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and showed them the house of his precious things” (Isaiah 39:1-2).

“Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon. Then said he, What have they seen in thy house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in my house have they seen” (Isaiah 39:3-4).

“Hear the word of Jehovah of hosts: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in thy house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith Jehovah” (Isaiah 39:5-6). Hezekiah answered, “Good is the word of Jehovah which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days” (Isaiah 39:8).

The LORD (Isaiah 6:8; Isaiah 7:3; Isaiah 20:3)

Asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8), sent him to meet Ahaz, and called him “my servant Isaiah” (Isaiah 20:3).

Jesus (John 12:38–41; Luke 4:16–21)

John says Isaiah “saw his glory; and he spake of him” (John 12:41); at Nazareth Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah and said, “To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:21)

Amoz (Isaiah 1:1; 2 Kings 19:2)

His father; he is called “Isaiah the son of Amoz” (Isaiah 1:1).

Shear-jashub (Isaiah 7:3)

His son, whom the LORD told him to take when he went to meet Ahaz.

Ahaz (Isaiah 7:1–17)

King of Judah whom Isaiah was sent to meet; Ahaz said he would not ask a sign.

Hezekiah (Isaiah 37:1–7; Isaiah 38:1–8; Isaiah 39:1–8; 2 Chronicles 32:20)

The king who sent to Isaiah, prayed with him, was told to set his house in order, and was told of Babylon.

Uzziah (Isaiah 6:1; 2 Chronicles 26:22)

In the year that king Uzziah died he saw the Lord; Isaiah wrote the rest of Uzziah's acts.

Sennacherib (Isaiah 37:21–35)

King of Assyria against whom Isaiah sent the word of the LORD to Hezekiah.

Uriah and Zechariah (Isaiah 8:1–2)

The faithful witnesses to record the tablet: Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

The prophetess (Isaiah 8:3–4; Isaiah 8:18)

He went unto the prophetess, and she bare a son whom the LORD told him to call Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

Major sections

• 2 Kings 19–20
• 2 Chronicles 26:16–23
• 2 Chronicles 32:20–32
• Isaiah 6–8
• Isaiah 20
• Isaiah 36–39

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