A False Messiah? A Holistic Literary and Theological Reading of Isaiah’s use of the Hezekiah Narratives - Keith McIlroy

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY A False Messiah? A Holistic Literary and Theological Reading of Isaiah’s use of the Hezekiah Narratives McIlroy, Keith Award date: 2019 Awarding institution: Queen's University Belfast Link to publication Terms of use All those accessing thesis content in Queen’s University Belfast Research Portal are subject to the following terms and conditions of use • Copyright is subject to the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988, or as modified by any successor legislation • Copyright and moral rights for thesis content are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners • A copy of a thesis may be downloaded for personal non-commercial research/study without the need for permission or charge • Distribution or reproduction of thesis content in any format is not permitted without the permission of the copyright holder • When citing this work, full bibliographic details should be supplied, including the author, title, awarding institution and date of thesis Take down policy A thesis can be removed from the Research Portal if there has been a breach of copyright, or a similarly robust reason. If you believe this document breaches copyright, or there is sufficient cause to take down, please contact us, citing details. Email: openaccess@qub.uk Supplementary materials Where possible, we endeavour to provide supplementary materials to theses. This may include video, audio and other types of files.

We endeavour to capture all content and upload as part of the Pure record for each thesis. Note, it may not be possible in all instances to convert analogue formats to usable digital formats for some supplementary materials. We exercise best efforts on our behalf and, in such instances, encourage the individual to consult the physical thesis for further information. 2022 A False Messiah? A Holistic Literary and Theological Reading of Isaiah’s use of the Hezekiah Narratives Keith Derek McIlroy, BA (Hons) - University of Wales, Aberystwyth, MDiv – Queen’s University, Belfast Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) to Queen’s University, Belfast, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Theology September 2019 i ABSTRACT This thesis seeks to investigate whether or not Hezekiah is portrayed as a failing or false Messiah figure in the book of Isaiah in order to set a contrast between him and the ‘true’ Messiah.

Recognising the extensive literature that has already appeared there are still certain key aspects of the Hezekiah narratives, particularly in relation to the concept of the Messiah, that have not been fully explored and therefore warrant further development and refinement. This is particularly the case in relation to the early passages in Isaiah that have often been traditionally designated ‘messianic’ (Isaiah 7, 9, 11) and therefore they will be examined in relation to their messianic character and how they relate to the person of Hezekiah. One of the arguments of this study is that there is a connection between the oracles that speak of a messianic figure and the person of Hezekiah as presented in the book of Isaiah. To demonstrate this the thesis examines the ‘messianic prophecies’ in Isaiah 1-35 and draws out how these connect with or diverge from the image of Hezekiah in chapters 36-39.

The textual warrant for this can be found in the rhetorical parallel interpretative strategy of the hardening hermeneutic of Isaiah 6 that suggests a way forward in understanding Hezekiah’s relationship to the messianic oracles. This relationship is explored intertextually, noting as many of the continuities and discontinuities as possible. These connections present the reader with the portrayal of Hezekiah, both as a good candidate for the expected and prophesied messianic figure (Isaiah 36-38) and as a flawed individual who falls short of all that is entailed in the nature of the Messiah (Isaiah 39). The reason for such a dual portrayal of the character of Hezekiah appears to arise from a desire to leave open the possibility that the figure described in the earlier chapters has not yet appeared on Judah’s horizon and that he is still to be expected.

Hezekiah is set up as a false or failing messianic figure with the rhetorical purpose of introducing the need for an even greater king who will be unswervingly faithful to the will of Yahweh (Isaiah 9:7; 11:2-5). Other chapters will focus on the continuity of theological motifs in Isaiah 12-35 and the Hezekiah narratives and whether or not another messianic figure is present in Isaiah 40-66. ii ABBREVIATIONS AB Anchor Bible AnBib Analecta biblica ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, ed. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969) AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament ASTI Annual of the Swedish Theological Institute AUSS Andrews University Seminary Studies BBR Bulletin for Biblical Research BDB F.

Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon, 1907; repr. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2005) BETL Bibliotheca ephemeridum theologicarum lovaniensium BHS Biblia hebraica stuttgartensia, ed. Rudolph (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelstiftung, 1983) Bib Biblica BibS Biblische Studien Bijdr Bijdragen: Tijdschrift voor filosofie en theologie BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester BJS Brown Judaic Studies BKAT Biblischer Kommentar: Altes Testament BN Biblische Notizen BSac Bibliotheca Sacra BST Bible Speaks Today BWANT Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament BZAW Beihefte zur ZAW CBR Currents in Biblical Research CBC Cambridge Bible Commentary CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CBQMS Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series ConBOT Coniectanea biblica, Old Testament CR:BS Currents in Research: Biblical Studies CTJ Calvin Theological Journal DSB Daily Study Bible Ebib Etudes bibliques ESV English Standard Version ETL Ephemerides theologicae lovanienses EvTh Evangelische Theologie ExpTim Expository Times FOTL Forms of the Old Testament Literature FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments GKC Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar, ed. Cowley HCOT Historical Commentary on the Old Testament HBT Horizons in Biblical Theology HKAT Handkommentar zum Alten Testament iii HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual IB Interpreter's Bible IBS Irish Biblical Studies ICC International Critical Commentary IEJ Israel Exploration Journal Int Interpretation JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JBR Journal of Bible and Religion JCS Journal of Cuneiform Studies JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society JNSL Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages JQR Jewish Quarterly Review JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series JSS Journal of Semitic Studies JSSM Journal of Semitic Studies Monographs JTS Journal of Theological Studies KHC Kurzer Hand-Commentar zum Alten Testament K:NWTS Kerux: The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary LHB/OTS Library of Hebrew Bible / Old Testament Studies LXX Septuagint MT Masoretic Text NAC New American Commentary NASB New American Standard Bible NCB New Century Bible NET New English Translation NIBCOT New International Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament NICOT New International Commentary on the Old Testament NIDOTTE New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis, ed.

(Carlisle: Paternoster; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996) NIV New International Version NLT New Living Translation NRSV New Revised Standard Version NSBT New Studies in Biblical Theology OBT Overtures to Biblical Theology OTL Old Testament Library OTS Oudtestamentische Studien PL Patrologiae Cursus Completus, J. Migne (Patrologia Latina) PRS Perspectives in Religious Studies RB Revue biblique RHPR Revue d'histoire et de philosophie religieuses SBJT The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology SBLDS SBL Dissertation Series SBLSS SBL Semeia Studies SBS Stuttgarter Bibelstudien SBT Studies in Biblical Theology Sem Semitica SJT Scottish Journal of Theology SSN Studia semitica neerlandica iv SVTP Studia in Veteris Testamenti pseudepigraph TB Theologische Bücherei: Neudrucke und Berichte aus dem 20. Jahrhundert TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, eds. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964-76) TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, eds.

(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974-2006) ThSt Theological Studies TrinJ Trinity Journal TynBul Tyndale Bulletin VT Vetus Testamentum VTSup Vetus Testamentum, Supplements WBC Word Biblical Commentary WMANT Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament WTJ Westminster Theological Journal WUNT Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament ZAW Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft v Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………….ii Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………iii-v Chapter I. Introduction – Purpose of the Study and Methodological Approaches 1. The Purpose and Need for the Present Study………………………………1-4 2. Methodological Tools for the Study: A Holistic Literary Approach………5-7 2.

Literary Approaches to the Book of Isaiah…………………………. Redaction Criticism, Relecture, and Unity…………………………. Reader Response Criticism…………………………………………12-15 2. The Messiah in the Old Testament: Surveying the Literature…………….

Defining the Terms…………………………………………………. Typical or Developmental Fulfilment………………………………29-31 4. The Function of Isaiah 36-39 in the Book of Isaiah……………………. Messianic Expectation in the Book of Isaiah – The Early Messianic Oracles……………………………………………….

Isaiah 6 and its Parallel Interpretative Function………………………50-56 Part 2. Messianic Expectation in Isaiah 7:1-17………………………………. Messianic Expectation in Isaiah 8:23b-9:6 (ET 9:1-7)………………. Messianic Expectation in Isaiah 11:1-16…………………………….

The Intertextual Relationship of the Royal Narratives in Isaiah…………………………………………………………116-119 1. Isaiah 7 and 36-39: Intertextual Continuities………………………. Isaiah 8 and 36-39: Intertextual Continuities………………………. Isaiah 9 and 36-39: Intertextual Continuities…………………………129-130 1.

Isaiah 10 and 36-39: Intertextual Continuities………………………. Isaiah 11 and 36-39: Intertextual Continuities………………………. Isaiah 7 and 36-39: Intertextual Discontinuities………………………136-138 2. Isaiah 9 and 36-39: Intertextual Discontinuities………………………138-139 3.

The Relationship of the Intertextual Affinities in the Book of Isaiah to the Present Study………………………………………………………………139-140 Chapter IV. The Relationship of Isaiah 13-35 and Isaiah 36-39…141 1. The Literary Function of Isaiah 13-35 in the Book as a Whole………. Prosecution of the Whole Earth – The Isaiah Apocalypse (Isaiah 24:1- 27:13)………………………………………………………………….

The Judgment and Restoration of Israel (Isaiah 28-35)………………. The Structure and Function of Isaiah 36-39: The Hezekiah Narratives……………………………………………………. Isaiah 36-39: A Literary and Theological Reading……………………168-185 2. Isaiah 39:8 – Hezekiah’s Response; Pious Acceptance or Self-interested Arrogance?.

Hezekiah and Messianic Expectation in Isaiah 40-66 …………………………………………………………………………. The Final Act of Isaiah………………………………………………. The Literary and Theological Context for the Servant Songs Part 1 (Isa. The Literary and Theological Context for the Servant Songs Part 2 (Isa.

The Introduction of the Servant Songs (Isa. The Servant Songs as the Fulfilment of the Messianic Expectations in Isa. Summary and Findings…………………………….237-341 Appendix to Chapter III…………………………………………………242-275 Bibliography………………………………………………………………276-307 vii Chapter I. – Introduction - Purpose of the Study and Methodological Approach 1.

- The Purpose and Need for the Present Study The present study recognises that a great deal of research has already been produced on the Hezekiah narratives.1 However, there are still certain key aspects of the Hezekiah narratives, particularly in relation to the concept of the Messiah, that have not been fully explored and this warrants further development and refinement. There are several passages that have been seen in some way to be messianic in nature2 and yet the Hezekiah narratives (chapters 36-39) are almost universally neglected for consideration in this regard. The only relationship that has been drawn between the Messiah and the Hezekiah narratives relates to an ancient Jewish3 and modern scholarly claim that Hezekiah may in some fashion fulfil earlier messianic prophecies or at least be the referent of the oracles.4 The fact that this has been recognised and yet has not received any sustained exploration seems somewhat puzzling. One would 1 See Peter R.

Ackroyd, ‘Isaiah 36-39: Structure and Function,’ in W. Nelis, et al (eds.) Von Kanaan bis Kerala: Festschrift für Prof. van der Ploeg, O. zur Vollendung des siebzigsten Lebensjahres am 4.

Reprinted in Robert P.) The Place is Too Small: The Israelite Prophets in Recent Scholarship (Sources for Biblical and Theological Study Vol. 5, Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1995) 478-494; Ronald Clements, Isaiah 1-39 (NCB, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980); R. Clements, ‘The Unity of the Book of Isaiah,’ Interpretation 36 (1982): 117-29; R. E Clements, ‘Beyond Tradition Criticism: Deutero-Isaianic Development of First Isaiah’s Themes,’ JSOT 31 (1985) 95-113; Joseph Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1983) 109- 110; Christopher R.

Seitz, ‘Isaiah 1-66: Making Sense of the Whole,’ in C.) Reading and Preaching the Book of Isaiah (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988) 105-126; Christopher. Seitz, Zion’s Final Destiny: The Development of the Book of Isaiah (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991); Edgar W. Conrad, ‘The Royal Narratives and the Structure of the Book of Isaiah,’ JSOT 41 (1988) 67-81; Edgar W. Conrad, Reading Isaiah (OBT, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991) 34-51; H.