Isaiah 39 and the Motif of Human Trust in First Isaiah

Abstract

A standard view suggests that Isa 39 occupies its present location in chapters 36–39 for ideological reasons, providing a link with exile presupposed in chapters 40–66. Without denying Isa 39's connection with Isa 40–66, I show that Isa 39 also belongs to the motif of human trust prevalent in First Isaiah by tracking the triad “silver, gold, and treasures” in chapters 2, 30–31, and 39. I further argue that chapter 39 was purposefully assigned its current literary location to round off First Isaiah's political critique of foreign alliances. As a necessary implication, Isa 39 does not present a pious Hezekiah. Instead, First Isaiah ends with a paradigmatic negative version of the Davidic dynasty, highlighting its failure to trust YHWH as the main reason for the reality of exile.