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Isaiah the prophet and the Book of Isaiah
active c. 740–700 BC; chs. 40–66 added in and after the exile (most scholars)· Person· People
Mostly agreed by scholarsMost historians agree; some details uncertain.
Isaiah was a Jerusalem prophet of the late 700s BC whose 66-chapter book is the prophetic book most quoted in the New Testament.
See it on the Bible & Christianity map →What it is
Isaiah sees God enthroned in the Temple, with seraphs crying 'Holy, holy, holy' (Isaiah 6). He advises kings Ahaz and Hezekiah through Assyria's wars, promising a child called Immanuel (7:14) and a 'Prince of Peace' (9:6). Chapters 40–55 speak to exiles in Babylon ('Comfort, comfort my people') and describe a suffering servant 'wounded for our transgressions' (53:5). Chapters 56–66 address the community after the return.
Why it matters
Christians call Isaiah 'the fifth gospel': its child, servant and new-creation passages frame Jesus' birth, death and mission. Handel's Messiah draws heavily on it.
Life, legacy and sources
The Great Isaiah Scroll from Qumran (c. 125 BC) is nearly identical to medieval copies. A seal impression possibly reading 'Isaiah, prophet', published in 2018, was found near Hezekiah's; the reading is uncertain.
Questions and debates
Most scholars see two or three authors ('First', 'Second', 'Third' Isaiah); many traditional Jews and Christians hold to one. Whether 7:14 means 'virgin' or 'young woman' is also debated.
Connections (6)
▸King Hezekiah and Sennacherib's siege was advised by Isaiah the prophet and the Book of IsaiahMostly agreed by scholars
The connection
As Sennacherib's envoy demanded surrender, Hezekiah sent officials to Isaiah, who answered that the Assyrian king 'shall not come into this city' (2 Kings 19:32). Isaiah also opposed relying on Egypt, and when Hezekiah fell ill, promised him fifteen more years (2 Kings 20).
When and where
Jerusalem, during the 701 BC Assyrian invasion; told in both 2 Kings 18–20 and Isaiah 36–39, nearly word for word.
How do we know?
Assyrian records confirm the siege. Ophel excavations in Jerusalem turned up Hezekiah's seal impression and one possibly reading 'Isaiah, prophet' about 3 m apart (published 2015 and 2018).
Questions and debates
The second seal is damaged and missing a final letter, so 'prophet' is uncertain. Whether Isaiah's promises were written before or after 701 BC is debated.
▸Isaiah the prophet and the Book of Isaiah voiced The hope of a Messiah (anointed king)Mostly agreed by scholars
The connection
Isaiah gave the hope its classic images: a child named Immanuel, 'God with us' (7:14); 'unto us a child is born... Prince of Peace' (9:6); a shoot from Jesse's stump who rules with justice (11:1). The later 'suffering servant' (52:13–53:12) added a figure who suffers for others.
When and where
Jerusalem, about 735–700 BC, under kings Ahaz and Hezekiah; chapters 40–55 among exiles in Babylon in the 540s BC, by most scholars' dating.
How do we know?
The Great Isaiah Scroll (c. 125 BC) shows these texts predate Jesus. The New Testament quotes Isaiah more than 50 times to explain him.
Questions and debates
Jewish tradition often sees Immanuel as a child of Isaiah's own time and the servant as Israel; Christians see both as Jesus.
▸Isaiah the prophet and the Book of Isaiah has its book preserved complete among Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran)Historical record
The connection
Qumran Cave 1 yielded the Great Isaiah Scroll, a leather scroll about 7.3 meters long holding all 66 chapters of Isaiah, the only complete biblical book among the scrolls. About 20 other copies of Isaiah were found in the caves, a sign of how much the community prized the book.
When and where
Found in Qumran Cave 1 in 1947; copied around 125 BC. It is kept in Jerusalem, with a facsimile on show at the Shrine of the Book.
Historical evidence
Handwriting style and radiocarbon dating place it in the 2nd century BC. Its text closely matches medieval copies, differing mostly in spelling.
Questions and debates
It shows all 66 chapters read as one book by about 125 BC, but cannot settle whether chapters 40–66 came from later authors.
▸Isaiah the prophet and the Book of Isaiah describes a Suffering Servant Christians see in Crucifixion of Jesus under Pontius PilateFaith & scripture
The connection
Isaiah 52:13–53:12 describes a Servant of God who is 'despised and rejected', 'wounded for our transgressions', silent 'like a lamb that is led to the slaughter', and buried with the rich. From the start Christians read it as Jesus suffering and dying for others' sins.
When and where
Quoted in Acts 8:32–35, where Philip explains the passage to an Ethiopian official, and in 1 Peter 2:22–25, Matthew 8:17 and Luke 22:37.
How do we know?
The New Testament quotes the passage directly, so this Christian reading goes back to the first generation. Whether Isaiah meant a future individual is a separate question.
Questions and debates
Jewish interpretation usually sees the Servant as the people of Israel suffering in exile; most scholars date these chapters to about 540 BC. Christians see a prophecy of Christ.
▸Isaiah the prophet and the Book of Isaiah is quoted by Matthew about Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Christmas)Mostly agreed by scholars
The connection
Matthew 1:22–23 says Jesus' birth fulfilled Isaiah 7:14: 'the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' ('God with us'). Matthew quotes the Greek Septuagint, which uses parthenos, 'virgin'. Christians also read Isaiah 9:6, 'For unto us a child is born', as a nativity prophecy.
When and where
Isaiah spoke c. 735 BC to King Ahaz of Judah; Matthew wrote c. AD 80–90.
How do we know?
The quotation is explicit in Matthew, and the Hebrew and Greek wording can be compared directly.
Questions and debates
Isaiah's Hebrew word, almah, means 'young woman', and the sign was given to Ahaz in his own crisis. Jews and many scholars read it that way; Christians see a fuller fulfillment.
▸Cyrus the Great of Persia is named God's 'anointed' in Isaiah the prophet and the Book of IsaiahMostly agreed by scholars
The connection
Isaiah 44:28 calls Cyrus God's 'shepherd' who will order the Temple rebuilt, and 45:1 calls him God's 'anointed', the Hebrew word messiah. A foreign king becomes God's instrument to free the exiles, 'though you do not know me' (45:4).
When and where
Isaiah 44–45, written around 545–539 BC as Cyrus advanced on Babylon, by most scholars' dating.
How do we know?
Cyrus is named in the text. That he is named about 150 years after Isaiah of Jerusalem is a main reason most scholars date chapters 40–55 to the exile.
Questions and debates
Traditional readers see a genuine prophecy naming Cyrus in advance (Josephus says Cyrus read it); critical scholars see a contemporary author. The answer depends on method.