First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods

Isaiah 1–39 uses the unique term אלילים—usually translated as “idols”— more than anywhere else in the Hebrew Bible. Using this linguistic phenomenon as a point of departure, Matthew J. Lynch reexamines the rhetorical strategies of First Isaiah, revealing a stronger monotheizing rhetoric than previously recognized.

Standard accounts of Israelite religion frequently insist that monotheism reached its apex during the exile, and especially in Deutero-Isaiah. By contrast, Lynch’s study brings to light an equally potent mode of monotheizing in First Isaiah. Lynch identifies three related rhetorical tendencies that emphasize yhwh’s supreme uniqueness: a rhetoric of avoidance, referring to other deities as idols (אלילים) to avoid conferring on them the status of gods (אלוהים); a rhetoric of exaltation, emphasizing yhwh’s truly exalted status in opposition to all that which exalted itself; and a rhetoric of abasement, fully subjugating all other claimants to absolute power—whether human or divine—before the divine king.

Succinctly and persuasively argued, Lynch’s book will change how biblical scholars understand the nature and development of Israelite monotheism.

“The references to idols in the first half of the book of Isaiah have never before been studied together in detail. Given the prominence of the subject in the second half of the book, this is a surprising gap that Lynch here fills with great insight. This will prove to be an enduring contribution to the wider topic of the development of monotheism in Israel.”—H. G. M. Williamson, Emeritus Regius Professor of Hebrew, University of Oxford

“This book is certainly a very important contribution to the study of ‘the remarkable theological contributions of the prophet we call First Isaiah.’ Marshalling literary analysis into rhetorical arguments, it demonstrates the underlying theological postulates of this composition.”—Shawn Zelig Aster, Biblica

“. . . the subtle and sensible approach Lynch adopts for examining the fraught issue of biblical monotheism renders this book a real contribution to the field. Its methodological implications, especially in regard to the models provided by the history of religion and the phenomenology of religion, provide useful and refreshing guidance for all of us who work on these issues.”—Benjamin D. Sommer, Review of Biblical Literature

Matthew J. Lynch is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Regent College. He is the author of Monotheism and Institutions in the Books of Chronicles and Portraying Violence in the Hebrew Bible: A Literary and Cultural Study.

Abbreviations

Acknowledgements

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1. Rhetoric of Exaltation and Abasement in First Isaiah

Chapter 2. Yahweh’s Exaltation in Isaiah 2:6-22

Chapter 3. Enemy Boasts and Prophetic Response in Isaiah 10

Chapter 4. The Folly of the Gods in Isaiah 19

Chapter 5. Conclusions and Comparison

Appendixes

Bibliography

Index of Subjects

Index of Authors

Index of Scripture

Download a PDF sample chapter here: Introduction