Isaiah is book 23 of the 39 books of the Old Testament and belongs to the Major Prophets section. See how it fits with the rest in our guide to all 66 books of the Bible.
Quick facts
- Section
- Old Testament · Major Prophets
- Genre
- Prophecy: oracles, poetry and some narrative
- Author (traditional)
- Isaiah son of Amoz, a prophet in Jerusalem, according to Jewish and Christian tradition and the book's own heading (Isaiah 1:1).
- Other views on authorship
- Many scholars see chapters 1–39 as largely from Isaiah of Jerusalem, with chapters 40–55 and 56–66 coming from later prophets in his tradition during and after the exile; others defend the unity of the whole book under Isaiah.
- Date (traditional)
- About 740–680 BC, from the death of King Uzziah into the reign of Hezekiah and possibly Manasseh.
- Other views on dating
- The core of chapters 1–39 in the late 8th century BC; chapters 40–55 around 550–539 BC; chapters 56–66 after the return from exile, late 6th century BC.
- Chapters
- 66
- Verses
- 1,292
- Reading time
- About 170 minutes (33,975 words in the BSB)
What is Isaiah about?
Isaiah prophesied in Jerusalem while the Assyrian empire swallowed the northern kingdom of Israel and threatened Judah. Chapters 1–39 confront a nation that kept up its worship while neglecting the poor, and they call kings like Ahaz and Hezekiah to trust God rather than military alliances. Woven through the warnings are bright promises of a coming king from David's line, a child called Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace.
With chapter 40 the tone changes to comfort. The setting is the Babylonian exile, and the message is that God has not forgotten his people: he will raise up Cyrus of Persia to send them home. These chapters also introduce the mysterious Servant of the LORD, who brings justice to the nations and, in chapter 53, is wounded for the sins of others.
The final chapters speak to a community back in the land but still struggling. They contrast empty religion with true fasting, invite outsiders into God's house, and end with a vision of a renewed Jerusalem and a new creation. Isaiah is one of the most quoted Old Testament books in the New Testament.
Outline of Isaiah
| ChaptersCh. | Section |
|---|---|
| 1–5 | Judah on trial God's case against his people, the song of the vineyard, and woes on injustice. |
| 6 | Isaiah's call A vision of God's holiness in the temple; Isaiah answers, 'Here am I.' |
| 7–12 | The sign of Immanuel King Ahaz faces invasion; promises of a child and a righteous branch from Jesse. |
| 13–23 | Oracles against the nations Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Egypt, Tyre and others are under God's rule and judgment. |
| 24–27 | The world's judgment and feast A cosmic picture of judgment, death swallowed up, and God's banquet for all peoples. |
| 28–35 | Woes and hope Warnings against trusting Egypt, then a coming righteous king and a desert in bloom. |
| 36–39 | Hezekiah and Assyria Jerusalem is spared from Sennacherib; Hezekiah's illness and the shadow of Babylon. |
| 40–48 | Comfort and the one true God God the Creator will free his people from Babylon through Cyrus; idols are powerless. |
| 49–55 | The Servant and restoration The Servant's mission and suffering, Zion restored, and a free invitation to all who thirst. |
| 56–66 | New Jerusalem, new creation True worship, outsiders welcomed, God as warrior and redeemer, and new heavens and earth. |
Key themes
- The Holy One of Israel. Isaiah's favourite title for God stresses his holiness. The vision of chapter 6 shapes the whole book: a holy God cannot ignore sin, yet he purifies and sends.
- Judgment and justice. Isaiah condemns worship that ignores the oppressed. God wants justice for orphans and widows more than sacrifices (Isaiah 1:17).
- Comfort and return. From chapter 40 on, God speaks tenderly to exiles, promising strength to the weary (see Isaiah 40:31) and his presence in fear (see Isaiah 41:10).
- The coming King and the Servant. Isaiah describes a royal child from David's line and a Servant who suffers for others. Christians read both as pointing to Jesus; Jewish interpreters often read the Servant as Israel or a faithful remnant.
- A blessing for the nations. Isaiah repeatedly pictures foreign peoples streaming to God's mountain and learning his ways, a hope bigger than one nation.
Key people and places
- Isaiah — Prophet in Jerusalem for about forty years.
- Ahaz — King of Judah who refused to trust God and turned to Assyria.
- Hezekiah — Reforming king who prayed when Assyria besieged Jerusalem.
- Sennacherib — Assyrian king whose army withdrew from Jerusalem.
- Cyrus — Persian king named as God's instrument to free the exiles.
- The Servant of the LORD — Figure in chapters 42–53 who brings justice and suffers for others.
Places: Jerusalem (Zion), Judah, Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Persia.
Key verses in Isaiah
Quoted from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!””
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
“But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.”
“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
“For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
How Isaiah fits the big story
Isaiah stands at the turning point of Israel's history: the fall of the north to Assyria and, later, Judah's exile to Babylon, told in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. His contemporaries include Micah and Hosea. The promises of return are lived out in Ezra and Nehemiah. The New Testament quotes Isaiah constantly: the gospels open with the voice in the wilderness, the nativity story recalls Immanuel, and the early church read the Suffering Servant as a portrait of Jesus. Isaiah's closing vision of a new creation is picked up again in Revelation.
How to read Isaiah
At 3 chapters a day you can read Isaiah in 22 days. Read chapters 1–12 and 40–55 first; they hold the book's core. Mark each time God is called 'the Holy One of Israel' and notice how the tone shifts at chapter 40.