929/Isaiah 37-41: Pseudo-Deutero

(ו) הִנֵּה֮ יָמִ֣ים בָּאִים֒ וְנִשָּׂ֣א ׀ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵיתֶ֗ךָ וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר אָצְר֧וּ אֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ עַד־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה בָּבֶ֑ל לֹֽא־יִוָּתֵ֥ר דָּבָ֖ר אָמַ֥ר יקוק׃ (ז) וּמִבָּנֶ֜יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֵצְא֧וּ מִמְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תּוֹלִ֖יד יִקָּ֑חוּ וְהָיוּ֙ סָרִיסִ֔ים בְּהֵיכַ֖ל מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃ (ח) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר חִזְקִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶֽל־יְשַׁעְיָ֔הוּ ט֥וֹב דְּבַר־יקוק אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֑רְתָּ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֥י יִהְיֶ֛ה שָׁל֥וֹם וֶאֱמֶ֖ת בְּיָמָֽי׃ (פ)

(6) A time is coming when everything in your palace, which your ancestors have stored up to this day, will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left behind, said the LORD. (7) And sons, you have fathered, will be taken to serve as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (8) Hezekiah declared to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “It means that safety is assured for my time.”

(טז) צ֖וֹר תְּעוּדָ֑ה חֲת֥וֹם תּוֹרָ֖ה בְּלִמֻּדָֽי׃

(16) Bind up the message, Seal the instruction with My disciples.”

(יא) וַתְּהִ֨י לָכֶ֜ם חָז֣וּת הַכֹּ֗ל כְּדִבְרֵי֮ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הֶֽחָתוּם֒ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִתְּנ֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ אֶל־יוֹדֵ֥עַ הספר [סֵ֛פֶר] לֵאמֹ֖ר קְרָ֣א נָא־זֶ֑ה וְאָמַר֙ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֔ל כִּ֥י חָת֖וּם הֽוּא׃ (יב) וְנִתַּ֣ן הַסֵּ֗פֶר עַל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע סֵ֛פֶר לֵאמֹ֖ר קְרָ֣א נָא־זֶ֑ה וְאָמַ֕ר לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְתִּי סֵֽפֶר׃ (ס)

(11) So that all prophecy has been to you Like the words of a sealed document. If it is handed to one who can read and he is asked to read it, he will say, “I can’t, because it is sealed”; (12) and if the document is handed to one who cannot read and he is asked to read it, he will say, “I can’t read.”

חזקיה וסיעתו כתבו (ימש"ק סימן) ישעיה משלי שיר השירים וקהלת

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שמואל כתב ספרו והכתיב (שמואל א כח, ג) ושמואל מת דאסקיה גד החוזה ונתן הנביא

Hezekiah and his colleagues wrote Isaiah, Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes.

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It is also stated in the baraita that Samuel wrote his own book. The Gemara asks: But isn’t it written: “And Samuel died” (I Samuel 28:3)? The Gemara answers: Gad the seer and Nathan the prophet finished it.

(כב) כי עשה יחזקיהו את הטוב, ויחזק בדרכי דוד. (כב) [כאשר צוהו ישעיה הנביא, המהלל בנביאים.](כג) [בימיו עמד השמש, ונוסף על חיי המלך.] (כד) ברוח גבורה חזה אחרית, וינחם אבלי ציון. (כה) עד עולם הגיד נהיות, ונסתרות לפני בואן.

(22) Thus did Yeḥizqiyahu good, and was strong in the ways of David [as Yeshayahu the prophet commanded him, praised among the prophets.] (23) [In his days the sun stood, and added to the life of the king.] (24) With a great spirit he saw the end, and comforted the mourners of Zion. (25) Eternally he told them what would be, and secrets before they occured.

מכדי ישעיה קדים מירמיה ויחזקאל ליקדמיה לישעיה ברישא כיון דמלכים סופיה חורבנא וירמיה כוליה חורבנא ויחזקאל רישיה חורבנא וסיפיה נחמתא וישעיה כוליה נחמתא סמכינן חורבנא לחורבנא ונחמתא לנחמתא:

[the order in Talmudic times: Kings, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah.] Consider: Isaiah preceded Jeremiah and Ezekiel; let Isaiah precede their books? Since the book of Kings ends with the destruction, and the book of Jeremiah deals entirely with the destruction, and Ezekiel begins with the destruction but ends with consolation, and Isaiah deals entirely with consolation, we juxtapose destruction to destruction and consolation to consolation.

Rachel Margalioth, The Indivisible Isaiah, p.17 (1964)

"One of the principle incentives for splitting up the book is the anti-Semitic factor. The German professors, Marti, Duhm, and their colleagues, evolved a system proclaiming the "true" Isaiah, who lived in the days of Hezekiah, the prophet of doom of the Jewish people: 'der Prophet des Endes dieses Volkes Judas.'In the opinion of Marti and his colleagues the people of Israel have no future whatsoever in the outlook of the 'true' Isaiah. He prophesied utter doom and destruction, leaving them no remnant, name, or vestige. Thus all expressions of consolation scattered through the book must necessarily be later additions..."

(כח) הָאֹמֵ֤ר לְכ֙וֹרֶשׁ֙ רֹעִ֔י וְכָל־חֶפְצִ֖י יַשְׁלִ֑ם וְלֵאמֹ֤ר לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ תִּבָּנֶ֔ה וְהֵיכָ֖ל תִּוָּסֵֽד׃ (ס) (א) כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יקוק לִמְשִׁיחוֹ֮ לְכ֣וֹרֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱזַ֣קְתִּי בִֽימִינ֗וֹ לְרַד־לְפָנָיו֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם וּמָתְנֵ֥י מְלָכִ֖ים אֲפַתֵּ֑חַ לִפְתֹּ֤חַ לְפָנָיו֙ דְּלָתַ֔יִם וּשְׁעָרִ֖ים לֹ֥א יִסָּגֵֽרוּ׃

(28) Am the same who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd; He shall fulfill all My purposes! He shall say of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be rebuilt,’ And to the Temple: ‘You shall be founded again.’” (1) Thus said the LORD to Cyrus, His anointed one— Whose right hand He has grasped, Treading down nations before him, Ungirding the loins of kings, Opening doors before him And letting no gate stay shut:

(א) וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֱלֹקִ֗ים בָּ֧א מִיהוּדָ֛ה בִּדְבַ֥ר יקוק אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרָבְעָ֛ם עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לְהַקְטִֽיר׃ (ב) וַיִּקְרָ֤א עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יקוק וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מִזְבֵּ֣חַ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יקוק הִנֵּֽה־בֵ֞ן נוֹלָ֤ד לְבֵית־דָּוִד֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ שְׁמ֔וֹ וְזָבַ֣ח עָלֶ֗יךָ אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֤י הַבָּמוֹת֙ הַמַּקְטִרִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ וְעַצְמ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם יִשְׂרְפ֥וּ עָלֶֽיךָ׃

(1) a man of God arrived at Bethel from Judah at the command of the LORD. While Jeroboam was standing on the altar to present the offering, the man of God, at the command of the LORD, cried out against the altar: (2) “O altar, altar! Thus said the LORD: A son shall be born to the House of David, Josiah by name; and he shall slaughter upon you the priests of the shrines who bring offerings upon you. And human bones shall be burned upon you.”

(ה) הַנֵּֽחָמִים֙ בָּֽאֵלִ֔ים תַּ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֑ן שֹׁחֲטֵ֤י הַיְלָדִים֙ בַּנְּחָלִ֔ים תַּ֖חַת סְעִפֵ֥י הַסְּלָעִֽים׃...׃ (ח) וְאַחַ֤ר הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙ וְהַמְּזוּזָ֔ה שַׂ֖מְתְּ זִכְרוֹנֵ֑ךְ כִּ֣י מֵאִתִּ֞י גִּלִּ֣ית וַֽתַּעֲלִ֗י הִרְחַ֤בְתְּ מִשְׁכָּבֵךְ֙ וַתִּכְרָת־לָ֣ךְ מֵהֶ֔ם אָהַ֥בְתְּ מִשְׁכָּבָ֖ם יָ֥ד חָזִֽית׃

(5) You inflame yourselves under terebinths and every verdant tree; and slaughter children in the wadis, Among the clefts of the rocks. ... (8) Behind the door and doorpost You have directed your thoughts; You deserted me and bound yourself to them with love and lust.

(ג) וְאַל־יֹאמַ֣ר בֶּן־הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוָ֤ה אֶל־יקוק לֵאמֹ֔ר הַבְדֵּ֧ל יַבְדִּילַ֛נִי יקוק מֵעַ֣ל עַמּ֑וֹ וְאַל־יֹאמַר֙ הַסָּרִ֔יס הֵ֥ן אֲנִ֖י עֵ֥ץ יָבֵֽשׁ׃... (ו) וּבְנֵ֣י הַנֵּכָ֗ר הַנִּלְוִ֤ים עַל־יקוק לְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וּֽלְאַהֲבָה֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם יקוק לִהְי֥וֹת ל֖וֹ לַעֲבָדִ֑ים כָּל־שֹׁמֵ֤ר שַׁבָּת֙ מֵֽחַלְּל֔וֹ וּמַחֲזִיקִ֖ים בִּבְרִיתִֽי׃

(3) Let not the foreigner say, Who has attached himself to the LORD, “The LORD will keep me apart from His people”; .... (6) As for the foreigners Who attach themselves to the LORD, To minister to Him, And to love the name of the LORD, To be His servants— All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it, And who hold fast to My covenant—

(יח) וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֣י מְנַשֶּׁה֮ וּתְפִלָּת֣וֹ אֶל־אֱלֹקָיו֒ וְדִבְרֵי֙ הַֽחֹזִ֔ים הַֽמְדַבְּרִ֣ים אֵלָ֔יו בְּשֵׁ֥ם יקוק אֱלֹקֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִנָּ֕ם עַל־דִּבְרֵ֖י מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

(18) The other events of Manasseh’s reign, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel are found in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

(כה) וַיְהִ֗י בִּתְחִלַּת֙ שִׁבְתָּ֣ם שָׁ֔ם לֹ֥א יָרְא֖וּ אֶת־יקוק וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח יקוק בָּהֶם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲרָי֔וֹת וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ הֹרְגִ֖ים בָּהֶֽם׃ (כו) וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁוּר֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַגּוֹיִ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִגְלִ֙יתָ֙ וַתּ֙וֹשֶׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י שֹׁמְר֔וֹן לֹ֣א יָֽדְע֔וּ אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹקֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיְשַׁלַּח־בָּ֣ם אֶת־הָאֲרָי֗וֹת וְהִנָּם֙ מְמִיתִ֣ים אוֹתָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ אֵינָ֣ם יֹדְעִ֔ים אֶת ־מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹקֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כז) וַיְצַ֨ו מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֜וּר לֵאמֹ֗ר הֹלִ֤יכוּ שָׁ֙מָּה֙ אֶחָ֤ד מֵהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִגְלִיתֶ֣ם מִשָּׁ֔ם וְיֵלְכ֖וּ וְיֵ֣שְׁבוּ שָׁ֑ם וְיֹרֵ֕ם אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹקֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(25) When they first settled there, they did not worship the LORD; so the LORD sent lions against them which killed some of them. (26) They said to the king of Assyria: “The nations which you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know the rules of the God of the land; therefore He has let lions loose against them which are killing them—for they do not know the rules of the God of the land.” (27) The king of Assyria gave an order: “Send there one of the priests whom you have deported; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the practices of the God of the land.”

(א) וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ צָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּֽי־בְנֵ֤י הַגּוֹלָה֙ בּוֹנִ֣ים הֵיכָ֔ל לַיקוק אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ב) וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּ אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל וְאֶל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הָֽאָב֗וֹת וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נִבְנֶ֣ה עִמָּכֶ֔ם כִּ֣י כָכֶ֔ם נִדְר֖וֹשׁ לֵֽאלֹקֵיכֶ֑ם ולא [וְל֣וֹ ׀] אֲנַ֣חְנוּ זֹבְחִ֗ים מִימֵי֙ אֵסַ֤ר חַדֹּן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה אֹתָ֖נוּ פֹּֽה׃

(1) The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that returnees from exile were building the Lord's temple, (2) and they said to Zerubabel and the clan chiefs “Let us build with you, since we too worship your God, having offered sacrifices to Him since the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”