Isaiah 400 B. K. Baltzer: Historical Analysis

115 prevalent view, some critical scholars propose a different historical setting for chapter 40 and following. K. Baltzer argues for a later date of Isaiah 40-55, the period of Nehemiah (between 450 and 400 B.C.) by observing the parallels between chapters 40-55 and the book of Nehemiah.93 Watts allocates Isaiah 40-55 into several different historical contexts: 40:1- 44:23 (550-539 B.C.), 44:24-48:22 (539-522 B.C.), 49:1-52:12 (522-486 B.C.), 52:13-57:21 (485-465 B.C.).94 The lack of explicit markers for a geographical, social, chronological setting as well as for the location of the prophet’s ministry increases speculations about an exact historical context of Isaiah 40-55.95 To get beyond the impasse resulting from the paucity of historical
Childs also claims, “Historically First Isaiah spoke mainly of judgment to pre-exilic Israel. Conversely, Second Isaiah’s message was predominantly one of forgiveness. But in their canonical context these historical distinctions have been frequently blurred in order to testify to a theology which was directed to subsequent generations of Israelites.” Isaiah 1-39 proclaims judgment on sinful Israel and subsequent restoration whereas Isaiah 40-55 addresses the end of judgment and the beginning of restoration in Zion. The theological pattern (judgment and restoration) of Isaiah 1-39 is integrally connected with Isaiah
The intertextual references to the earlier corpus of the prophecy are the strongest pieces of evidence for the continuity of chapters 40-55 with chapters 1-39. There are many examples that support this relationship, for example, Israel’s blindness and deafness (6:9-10; 29:18; 35:5; 42:18-19; 43:8; 44:18), the desolate city (1:1- 23; 5:1-30; 6:11; 48:8-26; 51:1-3, 17-23; 54:1-3), the centrality of glorified Zion (2:1-4; 42:4; 45:14-23; 49:8-23; 51:1-11; 52:1-10; 54:11-17), the arrogance of Babylon against God (13:1-14:23; 46:1-13; 47:1-15), the light and darkness (2:5; 8:16-9:6; 42:1-13), etc. For more information on thematic and linguistic linkage between the two sections, see Cf. Williamson, The Book Called Isaiah, 116-239; idem, Variations on a Theme; Clements, “Beyond Tradition-History: Deutero-Isaianic Development of First Isaiah’s Themes,” JSOT (1985): 95-113; M. A. Sweeney, “The Book of Isaiah in Recent Research,” CRBS 1 (1993): 141-62; B. Gosse, Isaïe 13,1-14,23 dans la tradition littéraire du livre d’Isaïe et dans la tradition des oracles contre les nations (OBO 78; Freiburg: Universitätsverlag; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht,