""Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!"" Isaiah's words are deeply loved by many who attend Sunday services. But how many can say that they have actually read this book? This commentary invites you to read Isaiah from the era when it reached its sixty-six-chapter form and came to be part of Israel's sacred writings. Three memories helped to give shape to the Isaiah scroll. The first memory is of the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. How could God have allowed that to happen? The opening section of the scroll addresses that question. The second memory involves the fall of Babylon after 562 BCE. People, nations, and even empires rise and fall. The second section of the scroll addresses war and the sorrows of war. The third memory is of Cyrus of Persia, who allowed the exiles to return home after 539 BCE. His actions are presupposed, not just in the joyful poetry of the latter chapters of the scroll, but also in the confidence in God's love that runs through the entire scroll. God is the Lord of all nations and of all creation. Isaiah is a theological interpretation of past history. It is a passionate call for people to live with integrity, compassion, and hope. ""Joe Everson's scholarship and experience as a teacher of Scripture are on display in his new study of the book of Isaiah. This 'synchronic' reading, as he describes it, provides reliable historical, theological, and literary perspectives on the full book of Isaiah. This commentary is a clear and accessible guide for Bible students and curious readers alike."" --Scott Tunseth, General Editor, Fortress Press ""The strengths of this work are obvious. This is a unified reading of the book of Isaiah that is not uncritical. Full attention is given to the historical context in the post-exilic era and how the message of the book interacts with that. The interpretive comment is succinct, to the point, and well presented. The integration of a translation and comment is appealing."" --Patrick D. Miller, Professor Emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary, ""The in-depth commentary offers an understanding of the book to anyone who wishes to read and learn, and the commentary provides common ground for Jews and Christians to reflect together about the message of Isaiah."" --Belle Michael, California Lutheran University ""This commentary by A. Joseph Everson is concise and to the point. It is not overbearing or tedious; rather, it is insightful and well-focused. This work will assist readers to deeply explore and understand what is most important in the Isaiah scroll. From the post-exilic era, the Isaiah scroll comes into focus as a theological interpretation of past history."" --Jeremy Kays, Journey the Church, Camarillo, California A. Joseph Everson is professor emeritus of religion at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California. He has taught Hebrew and biblical studies for over forty years at Luther College in Iowa; at St. John's University in Minnesota; as a pastor in St. Paul from 1975-1990; and at California Lutheran University, where he was a member of the Religion Department from 1990-2012.

The prophet Isaiah spoke words that reflected God's desire for humanity: victory, hope, comfort, and restoration. His message remains a call to those who long to live in God's realm of glory each day. The Vision offers 365 daily devotions and prayers to usher you into his presence. With Scripture from The Passion Translation(R), this devotional will bring you face to face with the King of love and mercy every day of the year. Encounter the fiery, living breath of the Word and experience a revelation to awaken your heart. It was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced and because of our sins that he was crushed. He endured the punishment hat made us completely whole, and in his wounding we found our healing. Isaiah 53:5

In this lucid study, Berges interprets the scroll of Isaiah as a 'literal cathedral', written by many hands and empowered by the experience of sorrow and disaster, liberation and joy. Methodologically, the book combines synchronic and diachronic perspectives and paves the way to a fruitful conversation between them. The vast reception history of the Book of Isaiah in the Septuagint, the New Testament, and in rabbinic and Christian traditions, as well as in painting and music, is also illustrated by some of the most illuminating examples.

The fall of Samaria is narrated in 2 Kings 17. The cuneiform inscriptions dealing with this event are prima facie contradictory: the conquest is ascribed to both Shalmaneser V and Sargon II. The surmise of H. Tadmor that Samaria was conquered twice is investigated. At the same time the events are interpreted in their socio-historical framework. Tadmor's assumption cannot be falsified, although his theory should be modified as regards the date of the first conquest: 723 B.C.E. The fall of Samaria can be interpreted as an inevitable result of the expansion of the Assyrian Empire in combination with internal struggles in Israel. Evidence of deportation reveals that deportees were treated as normal citizens. Thorough discussion of the sources and their interpretation is a feature of this book.

True religion confronts earth with heaven and brings eternity to bear upon time. The messenger of Christ, though he speaks from God, must also, as the Quakers used to say, "speak to the condition" of his hearers; otherwise he will speak a language known only to himself. His message must be not only timeless but timely. He must speak to his own generation. The message of this book does not grow out of these times but it is appropriate to them. It is called forth by a condition which has existed in the Church for some years and is steadily growing worse. I refer to the loss of the concept of majesty from the popular religious mind. The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshipping men. This she has done not deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic.

This practical, "how-to" literary introduction to Isaiah as a poem is based upon the English text and focuses upon parallelism, figurative language, and the use of imagery.