As I have mentioned (here) I am participating in “Greek Isaiah in a Year” reading group. These are my notes from this week (7:1-25).
It is interesting to see the LXX chose to translate לבב as ψυχὴ in 7:2. The word πνεύματος can be translated something like “spirit”, “wind”, “breath”, or similar ideas. What interest me is that while my concepts of “spirit”, “wind”, et al., are shaped by the English language, the Greek authors, and Hebrew authors using רוח, felt no obligation to differentiate. So while this passage is describing what I call “wind” clearly, it uses the same word as if it were describing the action of a spirit.
Does the LXX translator miss the function of Isaiah’s son’s hyphenated name translating שאר ישוב as ὁ καταλειφθεὶς Ιασουβ?
In v. 4 the ending of the LXX excludes the names of the MT. In v. 4 we have לבב as ψυχὴ again. Interesting reiteration in the LXX: πάλιν ἰάσομαι.
In v. 6 MT seems more focused on breaking through the walls (ונבקענה) while LXX is focused on chasing away the enemy (ἀποστρέψομεν).
In v. 7 the 3fs תקום and תהיה are identified as ἡ βουλὴ.
Fun place on word at the end of v. 9 MT: If you will not support/believe (תאמינו) you will not be supported (תאמנו).
Ahaz’s response in v. 12 seems to have good intention in that he does not want to test YHWH by asking for a sign. Yet Isaiah’s response in v. 13 agues YHWH doesn’t react positively. The address “House of David” (LXX: οἶκος Δαυιδ; MT: בית דוד) is interesting.
Isaiah 7:14 is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, when it comes to public discussion on the difference between the LXX and the MT. The LXX uses ἡ παρθένος to translate העלמה. I’ve included important discussions on this here.
The LXX transliterates עמנו אל as Εμμανουηλ.
The language of 7:15 sounds like Genesis 2:16-17. In that passage Adam can eat (φάγῃ, v. 16) from any tree, but he cannot eat (οὐ φάγεσθε, v. 17) from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (οῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν). In Isaiah 7:15 the child is described as eating “butter and honey” (βούτυρον καὶ μέλι φάγεται). This is a time when he is quite young. At that point, before he knows how to choose evil deliberately choose evil (πρὶν ἢ γνῶναι αὐτὸν ἢ προελέσθαι πονηρὰ) he chooses good (ἐκλέξεται τὸ ἀγαθόν).
This seems to work in the MT as well. The child will eat (יאכל) curdled milk and honey till the time he knows (לדעתו) to reject evil (ברע) and to chose good (בטוב).
In 7:18 it seems ὃ κυριεύει is interpretive. The flies of Egypt are their rulers as are the bees of Assyria.
In v. 20 the phrase ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ appears. I will continue to look for it because it seems to be an important marker in this book. It appears again in v. 21, 23.
The “the great and drunken razor” (τῷ ξυρῷ τῷ μεγάλῳ καὶ μεμεθυσμένῳ) of the LXX is quite funny.
the archives near Emmaus 
I find your link in Isaiah 7:15 interesting. I have noticed that 7:24 ἄκανθα (also mentioned in 23 and 25) may implicitly evoke Genesis 3:18 ἀκάνθας signifying a cursed land.
Gary
That is a great observation. I didn’t see that at all, but now that you mention it, there is definitely what seems to be a continued Genesis 3 motif here. The author is depicting the forthcoming invasion as a sort of end of Eden, part 2. Are you participating in the reading group by chance?
The address to the House of David is a clue .. how does Revelation start off? (Doesn’t it start off with the addresses to the seven assemblies?). Afterwards, what does Revelation do? (Isn’t Revelation kind of defined by its two halves, the second being prophetic narrative (devoid of references to the Ekklesia), the first the only place we see references to the Ekklesia)
Notice that before Revelation held this form, Isaiah’s structure, exactly the same, was the same .. The Prophecy has two halves, the difference of style for the second has caused some to see “the two Isaiahs” except that is really a function of not understanding the purpose and structure of the prophecy:
Ch. 1-6. Address to the House of Judah (and Jerusalem)
Ch. 7-12 Address to the House of David
Ch. 13 Address to Babylon and its burden (as the first of Daniel beast nations), Ch. 14 and its role as punisher of Israel
Ch. 15-16 Address to the Hebrew House of Moab ([Gen 19:37])
Ch. 18 Address to Damascus (and Syria)
Ch. 19-20 Address to Kush (or Kish) beyond Assyria (often mistaken for Ethaeopia). Kush/Kish who would serve as the new ‘wilderness of Egypt’ for the House of Israel
Ch. 21. Address to the House of Esau (Edom)
These addresses lay down the theme of the narrative that is spoken to until chapter 40. I would suggest that this narrative is the first 1260 days (or 3 and one half times which is the same as ‘time, times and half a time’). At chapter 40 the theme changes and so does the narrative. Given that this is where we see the Messiah (Ch. 53’s Suffering Servant), clearly the Messiah is the seminal event that seeds the second 1260 days (3.5 times)
It’s astute you noticed the address to the House of David.
Brian, I wish I were doing it. But I am vicariously taking it up through yours and others posts. Maybe I should pick up at ch. 8 because I am roused with envy that I am not doing this.
If the insight your provided here is an indication, then you are depriving the group by not participating!
I’ll look into it… I think I may try to open a spot for it in my schedule this coming semester!
Also check out [Isa 5:5-7] and [Hos 2:6] …