Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Tony Costa" <tmcos AT hotmail.com>]

Dear Friends,

 I was wondering about Isaiah 13-14 and its application to Babylon, 
(BABEL). It is believed that Isaiah 1-39 is part of "proto-Isaiah", whom 
scholars place before the fall of the northern kingdom to Assyria in 722 
BCE. Babylon only  comes into the picture over a hundred years later as a 
threat to Judah, the southern kingdom. Prior to 722 BCE, Assyria was the 
world power. Some scholars have speculated that originally Isaiah addressed 
the words in chapters 13-14 to Assyria and then later it was applied to 
Babylon when it became a threat. I have some problems with this. Is there 
any MS support for this? Is there any oral or rabbinic tradition that 
supports this argument? The MT of Isa 13-14 clearly says BABEL. Any comments 
on this?

                                            Tony Costa, B.A.
                                            University of Toronto
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