Isaiah 8:23–9:6 And Its Greek Translation

Abstract

In this chapter, the author surveys past and present understandings of the famous Isaiah prophecy of a child who is born unto us (Isaiah 8:23-9:6). He studies the meaning of the prophecy in its historical context in the 8th century B.C.E.; the passage was composed for Hezekiah's coronation and expressed what ideal kingship is about. In the post-exilic period, this ideal was transformed into the expectation of a future king, the Messiah. The LXX translation of the passage is in many ways influenced by the Hellenistic context but does not increase its messianic implications. It is often claimed that the LXX enhances the messianic implications of the Hebrew text. Isaianic passages, however, it does not appear that the translator sought either to enhance or to diminish the status of the messiah, although his understanding of the passage in Isaiah 9 differed somewhat from that of modern scholarship. Keywords: Greek Translation; Hebrew text; Isaiah 8:23-9:6; Isaianic passages; Messiah