An Addenda to The Study of Chapter 8

An Isaiah Poem  

The Waters of Shiloah

Chapter 8:6-11

This poetic unit is appended to the “Mahar” prophesy, 1-4.  It is remarkable metaphorically, rhythmically and theologically.  Since there is every reason to assign this poem to the young Isaiah, we have the evidence to consider him to be among the skilled poets of the Prophetic School of Jerusalem.

 

 

       ינן כי מאס העם הזה את מי השלח ההלכים לאט

משוש את רצין ובן-רמליהו             

ולכן הנה אדמי מעלהם אתמי הנהר העצומים והרבים

            את-מלך אשור ואת-כל-כהודו

 

ועלה על-כל-אפיקיו והלך על-כל-גדותיו

וחלף היהודה שטף           

     ועבר עד-צוואר           

יגיע והיה מטות כנפיו          

מלא רחב ארצך          

 עמנו אל

 

רעו עמים וחתו                 

והאזיני כל מריקי—ארץ        

התאזרו וחתו התאזרו וחתו        

עצו עצה ותפרו דברו דבר ולא יקום        

כי עמנו אל

       

 

This poem, addressed to the Northern Kingdom, begins with a metaphor, the flow of water, and unfold in a pattern three stanza.  The first stanza addresses the northern kingdom with reproach or warning and puts the chief metaphor into play.  In the first instance, it references the flow of water that is the source of Jerusalem’s water that flows softly down the conduit from the Gihon Spring to pool in the lower city call Shiloh.  This links the poem to the event is chapter 7 in which Isaiah encountered Ahaz at the Gihon spring.  This water has been rejected by the northern kingdom in favor of Rezin and Pekah, the kings of Damascus and Samaria.  As a result, they will be engulfed in a flow of water that is mighty and vast, which are known as the Euphrates, simply referred to here as “the river.”

Two stanzas follow which change the rhythm of the soft flow in the long opening lines, to staccato of short verb driven lines.  The Water of the river is identified as the Assyria Empire (the king of Assyria and his glory) who is flooding the northern kingdom and is even pass beyond it, right up the neck of Jerusalem, to its very wing tips.  The new metaphors, neck, wings, address the geography of Jerusalem. 

The second stanza ends with a refrain: Emmanuel.  This is the name of the child promised in chapter 7, and which again links this poem with the chapter 7 event.  The third stanza is addressed to “peoples,” to “distant lands,” all of whom will share in the rise of the Assyrian Empire.  The are called to be broken in an intense play on the words “harken,” “gird,” and “broken” which literally sounds like breaking glass or wood collapsing!  And, of course, the stanza ends with refrain, “Emmanuel.”

This makes us ask, is this young Isaiah an accomplished poet as well as a seasoned prophet.

My attempt at translation.

How Waters Flow

 Because this people rejected the waters of Shiloah which flows softly,

                and have rejoiced in Rezin and the son of Remaliah,

The Lord will cause to flow over them the river water which flows strong and broadly out,

                                The king of Assyria and his all his glory.

 

Up over all the feeder streams and out over all the banks 

                                Gushing out upon Judah

                                Flowing up to its neck

                                Reaching tips of its wings

                                                                                                Emmanuel

             The peoples gather, but will be broken

                                                Harken, all you distant lands

                                gird yourselves and be broken

                                                harken and be broken  

                                Counsel intensely, speak crafted words,

                                                they will not stand.

                                                                                                Emmanuel