The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

Lesson 9 – Chapters 47 – 50

Isaiah Chapter 47

• A taunt-song, mocking Babylon, once

queen of the nations, now a mere slave.

• it uses sophisticated language; over forty words occur here that are not found elsewhere in the Bible

Conflicting Commentaries

• NABre footnote credits Cyrus as saying this

• Fr. Hoppe also credits Cyrus

• The Navarre Commentary says that the verse “has been interpreted in Christian tradition as a veiled revelation of the Holy Trinity, because the Son is sent by the Father and his Spirit to redeem men”

Conflicting Commentaries

• The New St. Jerome commentary suggests that the speaker is Deutero-Isaiah himself.

• The Church is silent on the issue

Little Rock’s Opinion

• Fr. Hoppe says “but the ‘commandments’ in verse 18 probably refer to the prophet’s words rather than stipulations of the Torah.”

• The Collegeville Commentary draws the same conclusion.