S.W. Flynn, «Where Is YHWH in Isaiah 57,14-15?», Vol. 87 (2006) 358-370
This study suggests a reading of Isaiah 57, 14-15 in the Hebrew Bible which goes
against the theological Tendenz of some Versions and the interpretation of some
contemporary scholars. It explores how both the Versions and contemporary
scholarship have interpreted the passage, draws a parallel between the two
interpretations, and suggests that their either/or distinction of what the passage
means may not reflect the complex nature of sacred space and Divine Presence in
the BH. This study suggests that the text holds two meanings that are
complementary. Yet these meanings are placed in a respective foreground and
background which reveals their levels of emphasis intended by the
author/redactor of Trito-Isaiah.
368 S.W. Flynn
by rendering µwrm “Exalted One†(21) as a Divine title giving Isa 57,15
as an example. Yet there are problems with this. First, it does not deal
with the adjective vwdqw. Second, this seems an odd place to have a
Divine title after the lengthy, “For thus He says, the one who is high
and exalted dwelling forever and holy is His name, Exalted One
[?](µwrm) and holy (vwdqw) I will dwell†(Isa 57,15). Furthermore, each
example the dictionary gives of the Divine title for µwrm either has a
construct form (Jer 31, 12) — but in Isa 57, 15 we have the w — or a
preposition (Jer 31, 12; Ps 7,8; 75,6) (22). Both are absent in Isa 57,15.
The only exception in the examples cited could be Ps 92,9
translated as a Divine title or as a location given its context. Yet none
of these cases have the description of YHWH, or contain the burden of
the adjective or imply a context describing a tangible location. The
dictionary’s suggestion of a Divine title would only be acceptable if
the entries 1 (height where people are), 2 (height of heaven or sky) —
as in KB — and 5 (as an adverb) are left out. Despite the use of the
term in contexts suggesting a temple, none of these options allow for
the earthly temple to be a possibility. Since we know it is not the first
or the third options, given the above considerations could it be the
second? Yet as we saw from the examples in KB this is not the case.
Thus, it seems probable that µwrm is not limited to heaven (Ps 102,20)
but has associations with the temple (Isa 33,16-17? Ps 7,8; Mic 6,6),
rather than being a Divine title.
b) Reconciling Figurative and Literal
On the basis of some simple contextual and terminological
considerations, we have reasons to believe that this post-exilic
community would have thought of an earthly temple in reading such a
text. Yet it is a fact that a temple is not mentioned in the text and it is
not the centre of the discussion. Further, we would be foolish to ignore
the dominant metaphorical uses of the “path/way†in the BH. Given
these factors I believe it reasonable to understand that the “path†could
have both the literal and figurative meanings and that the ‘either/or’
interpretation of the “way†may not be the best here. In the context of
Trito-Isaiah the road could lead to the temple and confirm the access
granted in Isaiah 56. Also the road can simultaneously refer to the
moral actions of those who are on their way to the temple and of the
(21) D.J.A CLINES, The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew (Sheffield 2001)
V, 483.
(22) Ibid., 483-484.