Isaiah
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Isaiah
Old TestamentIsaiah
Isaiah
Lived in the eighth century B.C. in Jerusalem. The first of the so-called major prophets of the Old Testament.
Isaiah’s first sermon dates from before 733 B.C.; his last are dated exactly at 701. Although he belonged to a noble (some think to a royal) family, Isaiah spoke out in sharp condemnation of social inequality and oppression of the poor and advocated the independence and self sufficiency of Judah. His ideal was universal peace and social justice, the realization of which he connected with the future rule of an ideal king.
Isaiah was the author of Chapters 1–33 and 36–39 of the Old Testament book bearing his name. The remaining chapters belong to an anonymous prophet who lived a century and a half after Isaiah and has arbitrarily been called Deutero-Isaiah.