Isaiah, 8-9 in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE
8. Isaiah's Prophecies Chronologically Arranged:
The editorial arrangement of Isaiah's prophecies is very
suggestive. In the main they stand in chronological order.
That is to say, all the dates mentioned are in strict
historical sequence; e.g. Isa 6:1, "In the year that king
Uzziah died" (740 BC); 7:1, "In the days of Ahaz" (736 ff
BC); 14:28, "In the year that king Ahaz died" (727 BC);
20:1, "In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, when Sargon
the king of Assyria sent him" (711 BC); 36:1, "In the 14th
year of king Hezekiah" (701 BC). These points are all in
strict chronological order. Taken in groups, also, Isaiah's
great individual messages are likewise arranged in true
historical sequence; thus, Isa 1 through 6 for the most part
belong to the last years of Jotham's reign (740-736 BC); Isa
7 through 12 to the period of the Syro-Ephraimitic war (734
BC); Isa 20, to the year of Sargon's siege of Ashdod (711
BC); Isa 28 through 32, to the invasion of Judah by
Sennacherib (701 BC); while the distinctively promissory
portions (Isa 40 through 66), as is natural, conclude the
collection. In several minor instances, however, there are
notable departures from a rigid chronological order. For
example, Isa 6, which describes the prophet's initial call
to preach, follows the rebukes and denunciations of Isa 1
through 5; but this is probably due to its being used by the
prophet as an apologetic. Again, the oracles against foreign
nations in Isa 13 through 23 belong to various dates, being
grouped together, in part, at least, because of their
subject-matter. Likewise, Isa 38 through 39, which give an
account of Hezekiah's sickness and Merodach-baladan's
embassy to him upon his recovery (714-712 BC),
chronologically precede Isa 36 through 37, which describe
Sennacherib's investment of Jerusalem (701 BC). This
chiastic order, however, in the last instance, is due
probably to the desire to make Isa 36 through 37 (about
Sennacherib, king of Assyria) an appropriate conclusion to
Isa 1 through 35 (which say much about Assyria), and, on the
other hand, to make Isa 38 through 39 (about Merodach-
baladan of Babylon) a suitable introduction to Isa 40
through 66 (which speak of Babylon)...
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