Further, when Part.s I. ·e.nd III, a.re oa.refully examined, they a.re found to resemble compilations rather tha.n continuous and connected composi- tiomi. Pa.rt I. manifestly divides it.self into a. number of sectiomi, each of which is complete in itself, and but slightly connected with wha.t precedes or follows. Part Ill. has less appearance of discontinuity, but ree.lly con- tains so m&ny and snch abrupt transitions, that it is almost impossible to regard it as a continuous whole. The entire book thus presents the charao- teristics of a collection or compilation-e.n artificial gathering into one of prophecies, uttered at various times and on •various occe.sions, each of which was complete in it.self, and originally intended to sta.:qd. by itself, without proem or sequel. , The general arra.ngement of the book, by whomsoever it was compil~d, which will be considered later,1 seems to be chronological. AU the notes of time contained in Part I. are in their proper order,' and all are anterior to the period considered in Part II., which again belongs probably to an earlier date than the composition of Part III. It is not cle~, howe'\Ter, that chronological order has always been observed in the arrangement of the sections whereof Parts I. and III. are compo~ed. T~e: p~ophecies w~re apparently delivered orally at t~~ fir~t, .i:i,nd ;i:-edu.ced ~ writing subsequently, sometimes at a considerable interval. In their earlie~t written form they were thus a number of separate aocnments. From tim~ to time collections seem to have been made, and in some of these' an order other than the chronological may have been followed. For 'instanco,:-in the "_Book of Burdens," extending from eh. xiii. to eh. xxiii., the opening burden, that of Babylon, is not likely to have been composed nearly so early as several of the others; and the fifth bnrden, that of Egypt, contains indications of still later authorship. The compiler would seem to have thrown together prophecies that were similar in character, whatever might have been the date of their composition. •• To enter a. little more into detail, Part I. seems to contain eleven sections- Section I., whl.ch is eh. 1. in the Hebrew text, is a sort of general h;1troductlon, reproachful and minatory. Section II., which forID!l eh. ii-v., opens with an announcement of Christ's kingdom, and then contains a series of denunciations of the. various sins of God's people. Section m, which corresponds to eh. vL, records a vision vouchsafed to Isaiah, an<l a special mission given to him. . • Section JV., which extends from eh. viL l to eh. L 4, contains a series of prophecies, largely Messianic, delivered in connection with the Byro-Israelite war. Section V., which begins with eh. x. 5 and extends to the close of eh. u:iii., has been called the "Book of Bur<iens," and consists of a series of denunciations of woe upon different nations, chiefly upon the ene.mics of Israel. 1 Bee below,§ 6. , • • . • .. • E.g. eh. vi. I (n.c. 759); eh. vii 1 (B.o. 734-730); eh. xiv. 28 (B. o. 727); eh. u; t {a.c. 711). THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. xt
Bcction VI., which comprises eh. xxiv.-xuii., consists of denunciations of woe upon the world o.t large, relieved by promises of the salvation of a remnant. Section VII., which extends from eh. xxviii. to eh. xxxi., consists of renewed dennnci~ ations of woe npon Israel o.nd Judah. Section VIII., which is limited to the first eight verses of eh. xxxii., is a prophecy of Messinh's kingdom. Section IX., which forms the remainder of eh. xxxii., is a renewal of denunciations of woe upon Israel, joined with promises. Section X., which coincides with eh. xxxiii., is a prophecy of judgment on Assyria. Section XI., which comprises eh. xxxiv. and xxxv., declares the Divine judgment upon the world, and th~ glory: of the Church consequent upon it, Pa.rt II. consists 0£ two sections- Section I. is formed of eh. xxxvi. and xxxvii., and contains an account of the threaten- ing embassy of Rabshakeh, the letter of Sennacherib to Hezekiah, and the miraculous destruction of Sennacherib's army. (It corresponds closely with eh. xviii. and xix. of 2 Kings.) Section II. is formed of eh. xxxviii. and xxxix. It contains an account of Hezekiah's illness and recovery, of the embassy of Merodach-Baladan, and of Isaiah's prediction of the ultimate conquest of Judrea by Babylon. (It corresponds with eh. xx. of 2 Kings.) Pa.rt III. appears at first sight to be divided into three equal sections, each composed 0£ _nine chapters-(!) eh. :xl.-xlviii.; (2) oh. xlix.-lviii.; (3) eh. lviii.-b:vi.;, the same refrain (" There is no peace, saith my God, t~ the wicked"). terminating both the first and the second portions ; and it is almost certain that w_hoever made the present arrangement into chapters must have intended this division. Bnt such a division of Part ill, would be one according to form, and not according to substance. Considered in respect 0£ its subject-matter, the "Part" divides, like Part I., not into ~hree, •but into a much larger number 0£ sections. No doubt different arrangements might be made; but the following seems to us the most free from objection:- • . Section I. coincides with eh. xl., o.nd is an address of consolation to the people of God in some deep affliction-presumably the Babylonian captivity. Section II. extends from eh. xii. to eh. xlviii., nnd is a prophecy of the recovery of the people.of God from their sin, and from their bondage in Babylon. S~tion III. extends from eh. xlix. to eh. liii., and is a.n account of tba mission of a great Deliverer who is called the "Servant of Jehovah." Section IV. extends from eh. liv. to eh. lvi. 8, and consists of promises to Turael, com- bined with exhortations. Section V. begins with ver. 9 of eh. lvi., and extends to the close of eh. lvii. It is an address of -warning to the wicked. Section VI. consists of eh. lviii. and lix.,' and contains practical instructions aud warnings, followed by a confession and a promise. s~ction VIL coincides with eh, Ix., and consists of a description of the glories of the restored Jerusalem. Section VIII. comprises eh. lxi. and lxii., and is a soliloquy of the "Servant of Jehovah," who promises peace and prosperity to the restored Jerusalem. xii INTRODUCTION TO
Section IX. contains the first six verses only of eh, lxiii., and givea a picture of God'• judgment upon his enemies. Section X. extends from ver. 7 of eh. lxiii. to the close of ob. h::iv,, h.tid is an- addreaa of the Jewish Church in Babylonia to God, including thanksgiving, confession of sin, and prayer. _, Section XI. coincides with eh. lxv., and contains God's answer t.o hi1 exiled Ohurch's prayer. Section XII. coincides with eh. lxvi., and consists of very solemn final threatenings and promises.