Isaiah 40–55: a drama of Judahite voices

This paper investigates the different voices in Isa 40-55. First, a close reading of Isa 40-55 reveals that the city of Jerusalem is the intended recipient of most of the oracles. This is true not only for those oracles addressing Zion/Jerusalem but also for those addressing Israel/Jacob. Furthermore, the notion of Lady Zion is best understood as referring to the flesh and blood Judahite population of the physical city rather than as a symbol of the exiles’ conceptual destination as has often been argued. Secondly, the positive portrayal of Lady Zion, as well as the frequent use of metaphors related to childbirth and motherhood in the divine speech, suggests that a group of both male and female Judahites, standing in the tradition of Isaiah ben Amos, were responsible for the composition of Isa 40-55. This group sought to respond to the grief of the people of Jerusalem, as expressed in the book of Lamentations, with words of comfort.