Isaiah 2

Isaiah 2 is the second chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.Template:Sfn This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah, and is one of the Books of the Prophets.Template:Sfn

Text

The original text was written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 22 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).Template:Sfn

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (3rd century BC or later):Template:Sfn

• 1QIsa^a: complete
• 4QIsa^a (4Q55): extant: verses 7-10
• 4QIsa^b (4Q56): extant: verses 3-16
• 4QIsa^f (4Q60): extant: verses 1-3
• 4QIsa^l (4Q65): extant: verses 1-4

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; $𝔊$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: $𝔊$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; $𝔊$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; $𝔊$^Q; 6th century).Template:Sfn

Old Testament references

Template:Bibleverse is very similar to Isaiah 2:2-4.Template:Sfn

Parashot

The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex. Isaiah 2 is a part of the Prophecies about Judah and Israel (Isaiah 1-12). {P}: open parashah.

{P} 2:1-4 {P} 2:5-11 {P} 2:12-22 {P}

The mountain of the Lord's house (2:1–4)

This part is the beginning of an oracle which comprises chapters 2-4, with the basic theme of the glorious future of Jerusalem.Template:Sfn

Verse 1

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

A new superscription inserted here may serve to emphasize the originality of this prophecy as Isaiah's, as the subsequent words of oracle (verses 2–4) can also be found, with minor differences, in the Book of Micah.Template:Sfn

Verse 2

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

The oracle in verses 2–4 bears a close similarity to Template:Bibleverse but with a different conclusion.Template:Sfn

Verse 3

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of JEHOVAH, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of JEHOVAH from Jerusalem.

• Cross reference: Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 43:6; Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 66:12

Verse 4

Bible verse Isaiah 2:4 (KJV) written on a wall across the street from the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

• Cross reference: Micah 4:3

Many speeches and movements concerned with peace and the adaptation of military technology to peaceful uses have adopted the phrase "swords into plowshares". The verse is a reversal of Template:Bibleverse, where the ploughshares and pruning hooks are to become swords and spears, as it is related to 'the need for continued conflict'.Template:Sfn

The day of Jehovah (2:5–22)

This section contains an oracle about "the day of Jehovah" which brings together two basic themes in the book of Isaiah: "the vanity of human self-confidence" and "the folly of worshipping false gods".Template:Sfn

Verse 5

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah.

The first part of this verse in Hebrew: "בית יעקב לכו ונלכה" Beit Ya'akov Lekhu Venelkha ("House of Jacob, let us go [up]") is the basis of the acronym "Bilu" (Hebrew בילו) which became the name of a twentieth-century movement in Israel.

Verse 6

Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

• "They be replenished from the east" (King James Version) or "They are filled with eastern ways" (New King James Version): This phrase is rendered in the Revised Version as "they be filled with customs from the east", which is consistent with the following words:

... and of soothsayers like the Philistines.

This verse starts the actual new section, following verse 5 which is only linked by the phrase 'house of Jacob'.Template:Sfn

Verse 22

Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of ?

The New King James Version renders this verse:

Sever yourselves from such a man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?

This verse is not found in the Septuagint,Template:Sfn and could be a later insertion in Isaiah's prophecy.

See also

• Christian messianic prophecies
• Guns into Plowshares
• Jewish messianism
• Messianic prophecies of Jesus
• Starry Plough (flag) or Plough flag
• Swords to ploughshares
• Related Bible parts: Isaiah 51, Micah 2, Micah 4, Ephesians 2

Sources

• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book
• Template:Cite book

External links

Jewish

• Isaiah 2: Hebrew with Parallel English

Christian

• Isaiah 2 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate Template:Webarchive