Isaiah 40–66

Julia M. O’Brien is Professor Emerita of Biblical Studies and the former Paul H. and Grace L. Stern Chair in Old Testament Studies at Lancaster Theological Seminary. She is associate editor of The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, sixth edition; editor in chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Gender Studies; editor of The Oxford Handbook of the Minor Prophets; and author of Prophets beyond Activism: Rethinking the Prophetic Roots of Social Justice, Challenging Prophetic Metaphor, and Micah in the Wisdom Commentary series.

"O'Brien recognizes the perennial challenges of interpreting Second and Third Isaiah (for example, a longstanding tradition of Christian anti-Judaism) and guides us down a more fruitful path of honest reflection on these profound passages. Thankfully, she is not interested in telling us what the text ‘really says’ as if biblical interpretation strives for an impartial single meaning. Instead, we are invited to explore! And O’Brien serves as a worthy guide for such a rich journey."—Tyler Mayfield, A. B. Rhodes Professor of Old Testament and Director of the Grawemeyer Award in Religion, Louisville Seminary "Julia O'Brien offers a critical, thought-provoking reading of Second and Third Isaiah that invites readers to hear in Isaiah both comfort and critique and to engage these sacred texts in ways that are faithful, self-aware, and responsive to the challenges of our present times. She provides a straightforward assessment of the harmful uses of Isaiah in Christian tradition, especially readings that have marginalized Jewish interpretations, while offering a constructive path forward marked by critical insight, attention to social justice concerns, and pastoral sensitivity. For those preaching and teaching on Isaiah, this volume is a welcomed addition, adding breadth and depth to contemporary interpretations and thereby equipping readers to engage these texts with greater historical awareness, ethical responsibility, and theological care."—Terry Ann Smith, Associate Dean of Certificate Studies and Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, New Brunswick Theological Seminary "This volume offers a clear, elegant explication of the prophetic words in Isaiah 40–66. Julia O'Brien's commentary—enriched by insightful excursuses—responsibly illuminates the text's early meaning while demonstrating its enduring contemporary relevance. Throughout the work, O'Brien intentionally applies constructive interpretive frameworks to challenge and counteract the harmful biases of past scholarship."—Marc Zvi Brettler, Bernice and Morton Lerner Distinguished Professor Emeritus in Judaic Studies, Duke University "It is a great joy to see Julia O'Brien joining the small cadre of feminist scholars singled out to comment on Isaiah, the prophetic book that stands out not only for its complexity and popularity but also for its moments of attention to women’s experience. In Westminster John Knox's new Interpretation commentary series, O'Brien brings her literary acuity and ethical sensibilities to bear on one of the Bible's most misunderstood books. Succinctly slicing through centuries of layered misinterpretation, O'Brien employs close poetic reading to reveal what was at stake for a small community of ancient Judeans in a region dominated by Babylonian and Persian power. At the same time, she scans the contemporary horizon, articulating human and environmental crises threatening a very different society today. Thus she finds wisdom through ancient poetry for shaping contemporary theological reflection."—Patricia K. Tull, A. B. Rhodes Professor Emerita of Old Testament, Louisville Seminary "Julia O'Brien’s beautifully written commentary on Isaiah 40–66 is a gift to preachers and scholars alike! O’Brien weaves together the historical realities that produced the texts with their continued relevance in the contemporary world. The commentary provides a sustained awareness of the legacy of antisemitism in Christian engagements with the book. In its place, the commentary listens to the Isaiah traditions through the voices of those marginalized by gender and racial politics, as well as maintaining a sustained engagement with Earth-centered hermeneutics."—Corrine L. Carvalho, Professor Emerita of Theology, University of St. Thomas