HONG KONG CATHOLIC BIBLICAL INSTITUTE
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
An analysis of the
2 Vineyard songs
in Isaiah
Graduation Thesis
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong, OFM
HONG KONG 2007
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Acknowledgments................................................................................................1
Introduction .............................................................................................................3
Part I: Analysis of Isaiah 27:2-6 ...................................................................5
A. Literary analysis of Isaiah 27:2-6 ....................................... 5
B. The Message of Isaiah 27:2-6............................................. 8
C. Thorns ‫ ָשׁ ִמיר‬and Briers ‫ ַשׁיִ ת‬................................................ 9
D. The 2nd vineyard song in the context of Isaiah 27............ 11
E. In the context of Isaiah 24-27 ........................................... 12
Part II: Analysis of Isaiah 5:1-7 ..................................................................13
A. Literary analysis of Isaiah 5:1-7 ....................................... 13
B. The message of the 1st Vineyard Song ............................. 23
Part III: Relation between Isaiah 5:1-7 & 27:2-6 ...............................33
A. Survey of previous interpretations.................................... 33
B. Breaking New Grounds .................................................... 33
C. A hypothesis for the development of this Vineyard Song34
D. The relation with the Vineyard Song of Isaiah 27............ 37
E. The relation with Isaiah 1-39............................................ 39
Part IV: Conclusion ...........................................................................................40
Appendix I: Cantillation Marks in Masoretic Text ...........................42
Appendix II: Determining stresses ............................................................44
Appendix III: A Redaction history of Isaiah 1-39 as discussed in
Sweeney’s paper ............................................................................47
Appendix IV: Tables of verb stem changes ..........................................53
Appendix V: The Genre of Isaiah 5:1-7 by John Willis .................55
Appendix VI: Chanting the songs in Isaiah ..........................................64
Bibliography .........................................................................................................73
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Acknowledgments
As a Religious Studies teacher in a secondary school, I have to prepare my students to
sit for public examinations. Moreover, I need to train them to see things from other
perspectives, to help them become less egocentric. In these three years, I myself have
to sit on the students’ desks instead of lecturing in front of the blackboard. I have to
do assignments, write up essays, learn new languages and go through examinations
like my students. All these experiences help me better understand the difficulties my
students face everyday in the classroom. I hope I will become a more understanding
teacher after going through these three years of ‘student’ life.
Part I of this paper is an expanded version of an oral presentation for course #2303
(Prophetic Writings). It was not done satisfactorily and I hope this version can make
up what I failed to achieve last time.
A number of references are probably not accessible to the general public. Therefore, I
summarize them and put them at the Appendix for any interested readers to pursue.
Appendix I is an adaptation from an article in Wikipeida.org1, a free encyclopaedia on
the Internet. The Internet is really resourceful.
Some years ago, Fr. Gabriel Lajeune, M.E.P., challenged the parishioners of Tuen
Mun to read through the book of Isaiah in Advent. It is he, who never deems himself
too old to learn new things, such as Changjei input method and sending emails, who
inspires my adventure into this study of Isaiah’s vineyard songs. I want to thank him
first and foremost.
I thank my supervisor, Fr. Placid Wong O.F.M., for his critical advice. He has a very
busy teaching schedule in the Seminary, in the Institute, in the formation of aspirants
in the community, in parish work and schoolwork … You name it. Without his
generous opinions, I would have wandered into many unfruitful blind alleys.
I thank John Fok Kwai Chuen, a fellow classmate in the Biblical Institute for his
generosity of allowing me to make use of the Libronix Digital Library System on
which he has spent tens of thousands of dollars to bring to fullness. The System is
very powerful and morphological searching has never been an easier job. John’s mind
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantillation
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
and tongue are sharp and he works extremely fast, just like the System he has invested
in. He is undoubtedly our leader in this study.
I have to thank Hilary, my eldest son, for helping me borrow the books I needed;
Wulstan, my second son for relieving me of some clerical chores during this period of
time and Mr. Francis Yu, a colleague in STC, for logistic supports. Regrettably, he is
leaving us for a more fulfilling job in a Direct Subsidy School. The admirable Mrs.
Eva Yu exemplifies the perfect wife of Proverbs 31:20 by extending her generosity
to provide, lucky me, with unfailing logistic supports. I have to thank another Francis,
Dr. Wong, Principal of STC, for not bothering my pursuit in Biblical studies. Our
brainwaves are different and we keep a healthy distance from each other all these
years. In a curiously negative way, he prods me ahead. God really works in a
mysterious way. Blessed be the Lord.
Last, but not the least, I have to thank Erminia, my wife for her patience, tolerance
and sacrifices such that I am able to pursue my Biblical studies without worries. From
the very first day we met, I know that she, like the BOOK I am presently studying, is
sent from God. It should be her turn to enjoy the study now.
Alex Kwok
October 2007
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Introduction
When we read the story of the Wicked Vinedressers in the Synoptic Gospels together
with the Vineyard Song in Isaiah 5, we will be struck by the creativity of the
Evangelists in making use of the prophetic material and transforming it to suit their
contemporary situations. They did not just interpret a prophetic text, but used it to
champion their cause. Naturally, one may ask whether Isaiah did the same thing,
making use of more primitive materials to pronounce Yahweh’s judgment on his
contemporaries.
The book of Isaiah is a book of judgment as well as salvation. After a lot of critical
studies, scholars generally come to the consensus that the book in its present form is
the result of a long history of redaction. They were able to identify three blocks of
texts, the Proto-Isaiah (Isaiah 1-39), Deutero-Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55) and Trito-Isaiah
(Isaiah 56-66)2. Proto-Isaiah is a book of judgment while the other two are books of
consolation, of salvation. With newer methodologies, the 20th century saw a
proliferation of researches on the book of Isaiah as a unity and the classification
above is becoming less air-tight but porous. Scholars were able to identify influences
from Deutero, or even Trito on Proto-Isaiah.
The Vineyard Song falls within the realm of Proto-Isaiah, which contains a lot of
judgment pronouncements. But it is not the only vineyard song in Isaiah. In fact, there
is one more vineyard song (Isaiah 27:2-6) which falls within the Isaianic Apocalypse
(Isaiah 24-27). But the second Vineyard Song is not a song of judgment but salvation,
probably from the hands of Deutero-Isaiah!
The present writer is not yet capable of engaging in scholarly debates on these highorder redactional criticisms. Taking cue from the parable of Wicked Vinedressers, the
present writer would do some literary analysis on the texts of the two Vineyard Songs,
hoping to identify the ‘original’ song and the prophet’s own additions.
2
C. Stuhlmueller, Deutero-Isaiah, JBC, 22:2
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
The present writer wants to demonstrate the following findings in this thesis.
1. Isaiah 5:1b-2 is the Vineyard Song proper. It was probably a popular
drinking song among the husbandmen.
2. The prophet made use of this drinking song and developed it, through
several generations of redaction, into a ‘Judgment Speech’ to condemn
royal elites in Jerusalem.
Since the second Vineyard Song appears to be more homogeneous, it will be dealt
with first as a warm-up. The procedure employed in dealing with the 2nd song will be
applied to analyse the first Vineyard Song which the parable of Wicked Vinedresser
modelled.
In order to achieve the above aim, this thesis will follow the outline below:
Part I: Analysis of Isaiah 27:2-6
1. Some low criticisms of Isaiah 27:2-6
2. The message of Isaiah 27:2-6
Part II: Analysis of Isaiah 5:1-7
1. Some low criticisms of Isaiah 5:1-7
2. The message of Isaiah 5:1-7
Part III: Relation between Isaiah 5:1-7 & 27:2-6
Part IV: Conclusion
Page 4
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Part I: Analysis of Isaiah 27:2-6
Scholars agree without exception that Isaiah 27:2b-6 is the lyrics of a song. It is
attested by the text itself which begins with “In that day, sing ye unto her, a vineyard
of red wine…”3
This vineyard song falls within the context of the so-called Isaianic Apocalypse
(Isaiah 24-27) which, had contributed to a fresh debate on the origin of Apocalyptic4.
A. Literary analysis of Isaiah 27:2-6
a. A chiastic structure for the 2nd vineyard song
Employing first level “Emperor” disjunctive cantillation marks of the
Masoretic Text, the present writer proposes the following chiastic structure,
for the study of Isaiah 27:2-6. From this very crude structure, we find that
27:4 is the core of the song. If we want a more refined identification of the
core message, we may apply cantillation marks of the second level “Kings” or
even deeper levels. Interested readers may refer to Appendix I to find out how
disjunctive cantillation marks are used in breaking up the text into meaningful
units.
A In that day
sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine.
B I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment:
lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day.
C Fury is not in me:
who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would
go through them. I would burn them together.
B’ Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me;
and he shall make peace with me
A’ He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and
bud
and fill the face of the world with fruit.
3
The present writer would use KJV, as far as possible because, in most cases, this translation preserves
the word order and morphology of the Hebrew Scripture.
4
W.R. Millar, “Isaiah 24-27 and the Origin of Apocalyptic”, Harvard Semitic Monographs no.11,
Missoula, Mont.:Scholar Press 1976, pg 1
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
The following table shows how the Masoretic Text has been broken up, employing
the cantillation marks. Notice the use of atnach to mark off the middle of a verse.
A
‫ַבּיּ֖ וֹם ַה ֑הוּא‬
‫נּוּ־להּ‬
ֽ ָ ‫ֶ ֥כּ ֶרם ֶ ֖ח ֶמד ַע‬
‫ֲא ִ ֤ני יְ הוָ ֙ה ֹֽנ ְצ ָ ֔רהּ ִל ְר ָג ִ ֖עים ַא ְשׁ ֶ ֑ קנָּ ה‬
B
‫יה ַ ֥ליְ ָלה וָ י֖ וֹם ֶא ֳצּ ֶ ֽרנָּ ה‬
ָ ‫ֶ ֚פּן יִ ְפ ֣קֹד ָע ֔ ֶל‬
‫ֵח ָ ֖מה ֵ ֣אין ִ ֑לי‬
C
‫יתנָּ ה ָיּ ַֽח‬
֥ ֶ ‫ִ ֽמי־יִ ְתּ ֜ ֵנ ִני ָשׁ ִ ֥מיר ַ֨שׁיִ ֙ת ַבּ ִמּ ְל ָח ָ֔מה ֶא ְפ ְשׂ ָ ֥עה ָ ֖בהּ ֲא ִצ‬
‫עוּזּי יַ ֲע ֶ ֥שׂה ָשׁ ֖לוֹם ִ ֑לי‬
ִ֔ ‫֚אוֹ יַ ֲח ֵז֣ק ְבּ ָמ‬
‫ה־לּי‬
ֽ ִ ‫ָשׁ ֖לוֹם ֽי ֲַע ֶשׂ‬
B’
A’
‫וּפ ַ ֖רח יִ ְשׂ ָר ֵ ֑אל‬
ָ ‫ַה ָבּ ִא ֙ים יַ ְשׁ ֵ ֣רשׁ ַי ֲֽע ֔קֹב יָ ִ ֥ציץ‬
‫נוּבה‬
ֽ ָ ‫י־ת ֵ ֖בל ְתּ‬
ֵ ‫וּמ ְל ֥אוּ ְפ ֵנ‬
ָ
b. Poetic Devices found in Isaiah 27:2-6
i. Rhymes
The major rhyme is a chain of five Qāmĕṣ running through the whole
poem from 27:2 to 27:6 (‫נּוּ־להּ‬
ֽ ָ ‫ ַע‬in 27:2, ‫ ַא ְשׁ ֶ ֑ קנָּ ה‬and ‫ ֶא ֳצּ ֶ ֽרנָּ ה‬in
27:3,
‫ ָיּ ַֽח‬in
27:4b and the final word
criss-crossed by a
‫נוּבה‬
ֽ ָ ‫ְתּ‬
in 27:6b), which is
‫ ִלי‬in 27:3. This rhyme is completely missing in
27:5. By itself, 27:5 is a tiny lovely pun-line, playing on the phrase
‫ ָשׁ ֖לוֹם ִ ֑לי‬. It sprinkles some icing, a little variation to an otherwise
dull song. As a whole, the song is pleasing to the ears.
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
ii. Parallelism5
1. in meanings
The following verses are examples showing semantic parallelism. The
second halves of the verses repeat similar ideas of the first halves, or
press the idea further.
… I will water it every moment: … I will keep it night and day
(27:3b)
… I would go through them, I would burn them together (27:4b)
… that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.
(27:5b)
… that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud,
(27:6b)
The examples above all show perfect semantic parallelism.
2. in word order
All the examples above, except for 27:5b, also show perfect syntactic
parallelism. The word order of the nouns and verbs of the first halves
of the verses matches those in the second halves. Isaiah 27:5b is
different. It is chiastic:
‫( יַ ֲע ֶ ֥שׂה ָשׁ ֖לוֹם ִ ֑לי‬that he may make peace with me)
‫ה־לּי‬
ֽ ִ ‫( ָשׁ ֖לוֹם ֽי ֲַע ֶשׂ‬peace he shall make with me)
3. in stresses
If we follow the disjunctive cantillation marks, 27:2-6 has the
following stress patterns. (Double slashes delimit the verses. Therefore,
27:2 has a stress pattern of 2/3; 27:3 a pattern of 3/2/3/3 etc.)
Interested readers may refer to Appendix II to find out how the stresses
are determined.
2/3 // 3/2/3/3 // 3/4/4 // 3/3/2 // 3/3/3
5
R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Poetry, Basic Books 1985, pp 7-8
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Meter is a very tricky problem in Hebrew poetry. Different scholars define
meter in very different and loose manners. Some, like Millar, simply count
the syllables6. The present writer prefers to rely on the cantillation marks
on the Masoretic Text to determine the stresses.
In ancient time, people did not have many books. Scriptures were publicly
read and even chanted in assemblies. The congregation attentively listened
to the scriptures as they do today in Jewish synagogues. Chanting was, and
is, employed to facilitate the delivery of the text to the audience. With the
aid of melodies, the audience was better able to memorize the text.
Nowadays, however, it is difficult for us to reconstruct their melodies or
even their stress patterns. With limited resources in hand, the present
writer can only say that this 2nd vineyard song as a whole has a rather
stable and regular stress pattern of 3s.
B. The Message of Isaiah 27:2-6
27:2 ‘In that day’
‫ ַבּיּ֖ וֹם ַה ֑הוּא‬occurs 45 times in the book of Isaiah. Only
once does it fall outside Proto-Isaiah in 52:6, which predicts the day when the
evangelist makes the people of Yahweh recognize Yahweh again. So, this
probably is one of the signature phrases of Proto-Isaiah.
Since this vineyard song is located in the Isaianic Apocalypse, it is natural to
interpret it to mean ‘at the end of time’. However, for the contemporaries of
the disciples of the Isaianic School, it might mean a nearer future. From the
context of Isaiah 24-27, the prophet probably meant a lapse of 70 years after
exile. Therefore, the opening verse proclaims that at the end of time (or a near
future), a new vineyard of choice vine will emerge from somewhere (A).
Unlike the previous vineyard, this one is laudable (thus ‘sing ye unto her’). It
is a vineyard of choice vine and is pleasing to Yahweh ‫ח ֶמד‬
ֶ֖
6
Millar (1976), pg 24
Page 8
‫ ֶ ֥כּ ֶרם‬.
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
27:3 Yahweh takes care of her personally. He does not delegate the
responsibility to anybody else. He waters her all the time. Fearing her safety or
any legal challenges, Yahweh keeps her night and day (B).
27:4 Now, Yahweh will be angry of His vineyard no more. Previously, briers
and thorns ravaged the land because Yahweh had removed His protection of
the land. These briers and thorns became symbols of desolation. Now, He will
take care of His vineyard and drive away desolation, burn out briers and thorns.
This is the key message of the song (C).
27:5 The identity of the 3rd person in this verse remains hidden until the next
verse. It is Jacob (Israel). Furthering the goods in 27:3, Yahweh invites them
to have confidence in His strength and take the opportunity to make peace
with Him. He does not simply water them, providing them for their needs, but
also offers them peace, of which the exiled Israelites have been deprived (B’).
27:6 The identity of the vineyard is revealed. It is Jacob (Israel). In time,
Yahweh will gather the scattered Israelites. A remnant shall return.
Høgenhaven (1988) argued that Isaiah presupposes the right of the house of
David to rule over a united kingdom of Israel and Judah7. So a united Israel
will flourish and fill up the face of the earth. The whole world will become
Yahweh’s vineyard of choice vine (A’).
C. Thorns ‫שׁ ִמיר‬
ָ and Briers ‫ַשׁיִ ת‬
A search for ‘thorns’ and ‘briers’ in the book of Isaiah shows the following
interesting results. Only seven verses are found and they all fall within the
First Isaiah! Once again, ‘Thorns and briers’ seems to be another signature
phrase of Proto-Isaiah.
7
M.A. Sweeney, “Reevaluating Isaiah 1-39 in Recent Critical Research”, Currents in Research:
Biblical Studies 4 (1996), pg 101
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Thorns and Briers always go in pair in the seven verses found (5:6, 7:23-25,
9:17, 10:17, 27:4)8. They first appear in the first Vineyard Song in Isaiah 5
and vanish from the scene after the 2nd vineyard song in Isaiah 27. The two
vineyard songs act like an inclusio. But the phrase ‘thorns and briers’ takes on
a different meaning with the announcement of the birth of the ‘… Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace’
(Isaiah 9:6).
In 5:6 and the 3 verses in the Book of Immanuel (7:23-25), thorns and briers
symbolize desolation. In Isaiah 5, despite Yahweh’s special care and
provision, the Israelites fell short of His expectations. Therefore, Yahweh
announced His judgment and left the land desolate, only to be filled with
thorns and briers. In Isaiah 7, Ahaz was contemplating an alliance with
Assyria to ward off the Syrio-Ephraimitic threat. Isaiah confronted Ahaz with
his failure to rely on the help of Yahweh. ‘…If ye will not believe, surely ye
shall not be established.’ (Isaiah 7:9) After an exchange of words with Ahaz
concerning Immanuel, Isaiah predicted ruins and depopulation in 7:18-25.
From 9:17(18) on, we read of the burning of thorns and briers. In 9:17(18)-21,
Isaiah lamented the internal conflicts among Manasseh, Ephraim and Judah.
Wickedness among them burnt like wild fire, first the thorns and briers then
the forest. For the first time, it is mentioned that ‘thorns and briers’ are burnt.
Though the verse does not signify who burnt whom, it becomes obvious
because the key message is repeated three times in this strophe:
For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out
still. (9:12, 17, 21)
Yahweh would burn them. Yahweh would make use of the wickedness of the
people, especially those who held high positions in the society, to punish them.
They would eat the cake they baked (Isaiah 3:11).
8
In 32:13, they appear in different terms (
‫ ) ֥קוֹץ ָשׁ ִ ֖מיר‬in the context of warning against complacent
women. Therefore, the present writer will not discuss this particular verse here.
Page 10
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
The context of 10:17 is Yahweh’s punishment of the arrogant Assyrians.
Assyria was the rod of Yahweh’s anger against the hypocritical Israel (10:5-6).
Yet, out of arrogance, Assyria did more than was required from Yahweh
(10:7-14). Yahweh decided to punish Assyria in return. ‘The light of Israel …
his Holy One’, i.e. Yahweh himself, shall burn and devour his thorns and his
briers, shall consume the glory of his forest and of his fruitful land, both soul
and body … (10:17-18). Here, Assyria was Yahweh’s thorns and briers, the
object to be burnt. In this context, the message is crystal clear. Yahweh is in
full control of human history. Assyria, Tyre, Babylon etc. are instruments of
Yahweh’s chastisement of Israel, Yahweh’s beloved Vineyard. Here, the
burning of thorns and briers is for the benefit of Yahweh’s vineyard, Israel.
‘Thorns and briers’ appears for the last time in the 2nd vineyard song. Here,
they are instruments or consequences of the actions of the enemies of Israel
whose keeper is Yahweh. For the sake of Israel, Yahweh would go through
them, burn them up (27:4).
In short, Yahweh is alive, at work and in total control. He has forgiven Israel.
The key phrase is the burning out of briers and thorns. Israel can thrive and
grow and Jerusalem gains in importance and meaning.
D. The 2nd vineyard song in the context of Isaiah 27
After a delay of 70 years (Isaiah 23:17), the day of judgment for Leviathan
(Babylon, Tyre) has come (Isaiah 27:1). So, after 70 years of exile, Israel
would be restored because Assyria and Babylon would be defeated and
punished. Yahweh’s intention is sung out in the 2nd vineyard song (27:2-6).
Yahweh would restore Israel and keep good care of her. However, Israel cast
doubt on her sufferings. She did not understand and was not sure whether her
sufferings were yet to continue. It was explained to her that the removal of
idolatry would expiate her sins (27:7-9). The desolation of Jerusalem (the
‘fortified city’ of 27:10) bore witness that this is a people without
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
understanding (27:10-11) 9 . Yet, Yahweh will gather the exiled Israelites
(27:12) and they will come to worship Yahweh on Zion (27:13).
E. In the context of Isaiah 24-27
Dan Johnson interprets the eschatological scenes in Isaiah 24, the plunging
into chaos, as an image of the catastrophic event, the destruction of Jerusalem
and her Temple, witnessed by the prophet.
Jerusalem was viewed as being the centre of the earth, its destruction
was perceived as the actual return of chaos. For this reason the prophet
drew upon the powerful imagery of the chaos myth in order to
communicate the cosmic sense of loss which the historical events of
587 entailed.10
But the prophet was confident of Yahweh’s triumph. Out of chaos, Yahweh
had restored order. Life in the United Monarchy and even under the Divided
Kingdom would have been orderly, had it not been for the disintegrating
elements introduced into Israelites’ settled urban living by idolatry and
prosperity. Israel needed to go through this Assyrian and Babylonian Captivity
in order to purify herself. Hope is offered in Isaiah 25 where salvation is
promised and a banquet will also be held to entertain all peoples. Yahweh and,
Yahweh alone will bring about this salvation, this national resurrection.
Human efforts would be futile like a pregnant woman who is unable to deliver
her baby on her own (Isaiah 26). The defeat of political hegemonies will
inaugurate the Last Things (Isaiah 27:1). Israel would be restored and became
once more the vineyard of Yahweh (2nd vineyard song). Yahweh would gather
the scattered Israelites and restore them in Zion to worship Him (Isaiah 27).
9
J.D.W. Watts, Isaiah 1-33, Word Biblical Commentary vol.24, Dallas:Word Books 1985, pg 348
10
D.G. Johnson, From Chaos to Restoration, JSOT Supp. 61, Shefied:JOST Press 1988, pg.98
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Part II: Analysis of Isaiah 5:1-7
In the 1970’s, scholars attempted to reconstruct the redaction history of the book of
Isaiah. They usually took Isaiah 5 as part of some early, if not the earliest, materials
upon which more materials would be laid up. For example, Lack’s 1973 monograph
postulates a late 6th century redaction in which the author of Isaiah 56-66 collected
40-55 and 1:1-9:6. 11 Barth (1977) argued for the existence of a late 7th century
redaction of Isaiah, called the ‘Assyrian redaction’ which included much of Isaiah 232, that supported the political and religious reforms of King Josiah.12 Clements’ 1980
commentary accepts Barth’s Assyrian redaction, but prefers to label it ‘Josianic
redaction’ which begins with Isaiah 5:1, not Isaiah 2, and extends up to Isaiah 3637. 13 Interested readers may refer to Appendix III for a more detailed synopsis of
Sweeney’s work on the studies of Isaiah 1-39.
If the First Isaiah is a prophet of judgment, the first Vineyard Song is truly ProtoIsaianic, not just because it was believed to be penned by Isaiah the prophet, but also
because of its judgment theme. We will do a similar structural analysis to uncover its
message.
A. Literary analysis of Isaiah 5:1-7
a. A delimitation of the structure for the 1st Vineyard Song
At first glance, the Vineyard Song consists of the following structure.
5:1a
Invitation
5:1b-2 a song of defrauded husbandmen
5:3-4 a lawsuit against the vineyard
5:5-6 pronouncement of judgment
5:7
Isaiah’s interpretation
When we take a closer look, a sort of parallel structure reveals. This structure
consists of two parts: a parallel structure for 5:1-2 (A&B) and 5:3-4 (A’ & B’)
as well as a chiastic structure for 5:5-6 (CDC’). Refer to the table below.
11
Sweeney 1996, pg 84
Ibid pg 85
13
Ibid pg 87
12
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
When we take a closer look at the part of the actions of Yahweh (D), we will
discover yet another parallel structure at a deeper level. The reason why 5:7 is
dropped off will be explained in the Masoretic Text section.
A 5:1a Invitation to sing
B 5:1b-5:2b a drinking bout
A’ 5:3a Invitation to judge
B’ 5:3b-5:4b a lawsuit
C 5:5a Pronouncement of Judgment
D 5:5b-5:6a Yahweh’s actions
C’ 5:6b Command not to rain
Regrettably, the present writer has to admit that the table below has much
artificiality involved. When one tries to impose any structure on a piece of text,
it can only be hoped that the structure is able to help the readers better
understand the text. By dropping Isaiah 5:7 off, the song is more balanced.
5:1a Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard
5:1b My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill
5:2a And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the
choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress
therein
5:2b and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth
wild grapes
5:3a And now O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
5:3b judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
5:4a What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?
5:4b wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it
forth wild grapes?
5:5a And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard
5:5bα
I will take away the hedge thereof,
5:5 bβ and it shall be burnt down;
5:5 bβ’ and break down the wall thereof,
5:5bγ and it shall become a trampling ground:
5:6aα
And I will lay it waste:
5:6aβ it shall not be pruned, nor digged;
5:6aβ’ but there shall come up briers
5:6aγ and thorns
5:6b I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
b. Justifications for dropping 5:7 off
In 5:5a, the verb (I will tell you, I will cause you to know)
‫ה־נּ֣א‬
ָ ‫יע‬
ָ ‫אוֹד‬
ִֽ
is
a Hiph’il imperfect 14 whereas in 5:7, the verb (he looked for, he intensely
waited for)
‫וַ יְ ַ ֤ קו‬
is a Pi’el imperfect. The two do not match. In 5:6b, the verb
‫ֵמ ַה ְמ ִ ֥טיר‬
(to cause the clouds not to rain)
is a Hiph’il infinitive and it
matches the ‘I will cause you to know’ in 5:5a. Therefore, Isaiah 5:7 has been
dropped from the chiastic structure.
A 5:1a
‫( ָא ִ ֤שׁ ָירה‬let me sing) Qal imperfect 1 c.s. cohortative ‫ה‬
B 5:1b-5:2b
A’ 5:3a
‫יוֹשׁב‬
֥ ֵ (living) Qal active participle
B’ 5:3b-5:4b
C 5:5a
a lawsuit
‫יעה‬
ָ ‫אוֹד‬
ֽ ִ (let me tell) Hiph’il imperfect 1 c.s. cohortative ‫ה‬
D 5:5b-5:6a
C’ 5:6b
A drinking bout
Yahweh’s actions
‫( ֵמ ַה ְמ ִ ֥טיר‬shall not rain) Prep-Hiph’il infinitive construct
The present writer believes that in a piece of text, combinations of verb stems
are employed to express specific thoughts. Moreover, switches in verb stems
in the flow of text usually mark reasonable breaks/ends in the train of thoughts
of the one who penned the text.
Therefore, by applying disjunctive
cantillation marks together with a mismatch with verb stems from 5:5-6, the
present writer deems it reasonable to drop Isaiah 5:7 off and arrange the text
as shown in the structure mentioned above. For a more detailed break down of
verb stems in the drinking bout (B), the lawsuit (B’), Yahweh’s actions (D)
and Isaiah’s interpretation of the song (5:7), interested readers may refer to
Appendix IV.
14
J.J. Owen, Analytical Key to the Old Testament Vol.4, Grand Rapids:Baker Books 1989, pg 13
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Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
To be fair, we should apply the same procedure to Isaiah 27:2-6 where a Pi’el
appears at the beginning of the Song. Can we drop it, like what we have done
to Isaiah 5:7? The answer is negative because it is an invitation to sing praises
to the vineyard and therefore, we cannot drop it. Moreover, all the remaining
four verses contain Hiph’il imperfects, guaranteeing the song as a unity.
A
27:2
‫ַענּוּ‬
B 27:3
(sing) Pi’el imperative 2 m.p.
‫( ַא ְשׁ ֶ ֑ קנָּ ה‬water)
Hiph’il imperfect 1 c.s. – 3 f.s. suffix
C 27:4
(burn)
‫יתנָּ ה‬
֥ ֶ ‫ֲא ִצ‬
Hiph’il imperfect 1 c.s. – 3 f.s. suffix
B’
A’ 27:6
‫( יַ ֲח ֵז֣ק‬take hold of) Hiph’il imperfect 3 m.s.
‫( יַ ְשׁ ֵ ֣רשׁ‬cause) Hiph’il imperfect 3 m.s.
27:5
The following two tables show how Isaiah 5:1-6 is broken up according to
cantillation marks. The first table applies 2nd level disjunctive marks whereas,
in order to reveal the finer parallelism in the strophe of Yahweh’s actions, the
3rd level disjunctive marks are applied to Isaiah 5:5b-6a.
Page 16
‫‪Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM‬‬
‫‪An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah‬‬
‫)‪Kwok Chi Keung (200407‬‬
‫‪Applying only the second level (Kings) disjunctive cantillation marks in the Masoretic Text, we have the following table.‬‬
‫‪5:1a‬‬
‫דּוֹדי ְל ַכ ְר ֑מוֹ‬
‫ירת ִ ֖‬
‫ידי ִשׁ ַ ֥‬
‫ָא ִ ֤שׁ ָירה נָּ ֙א ִ ֽל ִיד ִ ֔‬
‫‪5:1b‬‬
‫ן־שׁ ֶמן‬
‫ידי ְבּ ֶ ֥ ק ֶרן ֶבּ ָ ֽ‬
‫ֶ ֛כּ ֶרם ָה ָי֥ה ִ ֽל ִיד ִ ֖‬
‫וַ יְ ַ ֛ קו ַל ֲע ֥שׂוֹת ֲענָ ִ ֖בים וַ ַ ֥יּ ַעשׂ ְבּ ֻא ִ ֽשׁים‬
‫)‪bout‬‬
‫‪5:2b‬‬
‫‪A’ 5:3a‬‬
‫הוּדה‬
‫רוּשׁ ַל֖םִ וְ ִ ֣אישׁ יְ ָ ֑‬
‫יוֹשׁב יְ ָ‬
‫וְ ַע ָ ֛תּה ֵ ֥‬
‫‪5:3b‬‬
‫וּבין ַכּ ְר ִ ֽמי‬
‫טוּ־נא ֵבּ ִ ֖יני ֵ ֥‬
‫ִשׁ ְפ ָ֕‬
‫‪5:4b‬‬
‫‪5:5a‬‬
‫ר־א ִ ֥ני ע ֶ ֹ֖שׂה ְל ַכ ְר ִ ֑מי‬
‫ה־נּ֣א ֶא ְת ֶ֔כם ֵ ֛את ֲא ֶשׁ ֲ‬
‫יע ָ‬
‫אוֹד ָ‬
‫וְ ַע ָתּ ֙ה ִ ֽ‬
‫תוֹ וְ ָהיָ ֣ה ְל ָב ֔ ֵער ָפּ ֥ר ֹץ ְגּ ֵד ֖רוֹ וְ ָה ָ ֥יה ְל ִמ ְר ָ ֽמס‬
‫שׂוּכּ ֙‬
‫ָה ֵ ֤סר ְמ ָ‬
‫‪5:5b‬‬
‫יתהוּ ָב ָ֗תה ֤ל ֹא יִ זָּ ֵמר וְ ֣ל ֹא יֵ ָע ֵ ֔דר וְ ָע ָ ֥לה ָשׁ ִ ֖מיר וָ ָ ֑שׁיִ ת‬
‫וַ ֲא ִשׁ ֵ ֣‬
‫‪5:6a‬‬
‫וְ ַ ֤על ֶה ָע ִב ֙ים ֲא ַצ ֶ ֔וּה ֵמ ַה ְמ ִ ֥טיר ָע ָל֖יו ָמ ָ ֽטר‬
‫’‪B‬‬
‫)‪(a lawsuit‬‬
‫‪5:4a‬‬
‫עוֹד ְל ַכ ְר ִ֔מי וְ ֥ל ֹא ָע ִ ֖שׂ ִיתי ֑בּוֹ‬
‫ה־לּ ֲע ֥שׂוֹת ֙‬
‫ַמ ַ‬
‫֛יתי ַל ֲע ֥שׂוֹת ֲענָ ִ ֖בים וַ ַיּ ַ֥עשׂ ְבּ ֻא ִ ֽשׁים‬
‫ַמ ֧דּ ַוּע ִקֵוּ ִ‬
‫‪B‬‬
‫‪(a drinking‬‬
‫‪5:2a‬‬
‫ם־י֖ ֶקב ָח ֵצ֣ב ֑בּוֹ‬
‫תוֹכוֹ וְ גַ ֶ‬
‫הוּ שׂ ֵ ֹ֔רק וַ ִ ֤יּ ֶבן ִמ ְג ָדּל֙ ְבּ ֔‬
‫ַוֽ יְ ַעזְּ ֵ ֣ קהוּ ַוֽ יְ ַס ְקּ ֗ ֵלהוּ וַ יִּ ָטּ ֨ ֵע ֙‬
‫‪A‬‬
‫‪C‬‬
‫‪D‬‬
‫‪(Yahweh’s‬‬
‫)‪actions‬‬
‫‪C’ 5:6b‬‬
‫‪Page 17‬‬
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
To reveal a finer structure of Yahweh’s actions (D), we apply the third level (Dukes) disjunctive cantillation marks to Isaiah 5:5b-6a and
obtain the following table.
D (Yahweh’s actions) 5:5b
‫תוֹ‬
֙ ‫שׂוּכּ‬
ָ ‫ָה ֵ ֤סר ְמ‬
‫וְ ָה ָי֣ה ְל ָב ֔ ֵער‬
‫ָפּ ֥ר ֹץ ְגּ ֵד ֖רוֹ‬
‫וְ ָה ָ ֥יה ְל ִמ ְר ָ ֽמס‬
5:6a
‫יתהוּ ָב ָ֗תה‬
֣ ֵ ‫וַ ֲא ִשׁ‬
‫֤ל ֹא יִ זָּ ֵמר וְ ֣ל ֹא יֵ ָע ֵ ֔דר‬
‫וְ ָע ָ ֥לה ָשׁ ִ ֖מיר‬
‫וָ ָ ֑שׁיִ ת‬
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
c. Poetic devices found in the 1st Vineyard Song
i.
Rhymes
If we follow the cantillation marks to chant the song, we will discover
two chains of smoothly changing rhymes interrupted, in 5:5-6,
naturally by Yahweh’s punishments.
5:2 It is the liveliest verse. 15 words are fully packed with eight verbs
and three rhymes are smoothly passing from one to the next:
‫ הוּ‬x3 ‫ כוֹ‬x2 ‫ ִ◌ים‬x2. The last ‫ ם‬links skillfully to the next verse.
5:3 There are 2 rhymes. Like verse 5:2, the second rhyme provides a
link to the next verse.
‫ ָדם‬x3 ‫ ִמי‬x2.
5:4 This verse starts with
‫ ִמי‬the link from verse 5:3. It then closes off
the first chain of rhymes by repeating the last rhyme of verse 5:2. It
repeats the question of why sour grapes have sprung up instead of good
grapes.
5:5-6 Nine verbs are packed within the 17 words of verse 5:5b-6a,
second only to verse 5:2! The rhymes in these verses are chaotic (
‫ ֶכם‬,
‫ ֶשׂה‬, ‫ ִמי‬, ‫ ֵער‬, ‫רוֹ‬, ‫ ָמס‬, ‫ ֵדר‬, ‫ ִמיר‬, ‫יִ ת‬, ‫וֶּ ה‬, ‫ ָליו‬and ‫) ָטר‬. Such
rhymes, or rather the lack of them, are very appropriate for conveying
Yahweh’s punishments. Together, they convey a rather pessimistic
outlook or probably they painted a depressing picture of what the
prophet had actually witnessed. Rhyme analysis of the 1st vineyard
song stops here. But the present writer would like to analyse Isaiah 5:7
because of its vigour and beauty.
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
5:7 This is a verse with the lowest density of verbs. There are only 3
verbs in this 17-word verse. (Verses 5:1 and 5:3 have 2 verbs in 11 and
10 words respectively). But the last chain of rhymes consists of six
Qāmĕṣ with various consonants. There are also 2 pairs of word-play of
puns, which also show how the Qāmĕṣ paired with various consonants:
‫ ִמ ְשׁ ָפּ ֙ט‬+ ‫ ִמ ְשׂ ָ֔פּח‬and‫ ְצ ָד ָ ֖ קה‬+ ‫ ְצ ָע ָ ֽ קה‬.
In summary, Isaiah 5:1b-6 is musically a more accomplished song
than the second one. It carries a long rhyme chain of six different
rhymes spanning across fifteen words, from 5:1b to 5:4. In itself,
Isaiah 5:7 is a very forceful verse. It carries a single rhyme spanning
across six words. Linking rhymes are shown in blankets in the table
below.
5:1b-4
‫ הוּ‬x3 ‫ כוֹ‬x2 ‫ ִ◌ים‬x2 ‫ ָדם‬x(3) ‫ ִמי‬x(3) ‫ ִ◌ים‬x2
5:7
‫ ָדה‬x6
ii.
Parallelism
1. in meanings
The following verses are examples showing semantic parallelism. The
second halves of the verses repeat similar ideas, or press an idea further.
and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress
therein (5:2b)
O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah (5:3a)
take away the hedge thereof, …; and break down the wall
thereof … (5:5b)
the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men
of Judah his pleasant plant: (5:7a)
he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness,
but behold a cry. (5:7b)
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
2. in word order
The verses 5:2b, 5:5b and 5:7b quoted above show a perfect syntactic
parallelism in that the word order of the second half mirrors the first
half. Moreover, 5:7b shows an ellipsis and 5:7a shows a chiasm within
the line.
3. in stresses
From Appendix II, we can see that Isaiah 5:1-7 has the following
stress pattern.
Original
5:1 3/3/3/2
Adjusted
5:1b-2a 3/2/2/2
5:2 2/2/3/3/3/2
5:2b
3/3/3/2
5:3 3/2/2/2
5:3
3/2/2/2
5:4 3/3/4/2
5:4
3/3/4/2
5:5 3/4/4/4
5:5
3/4/4/4
5:6 6/3/3/3
5:6
6/3/3/3
5:7 6/2/2/4/3
5:7
6/2/2/4/3
In sticking himself to cantillation marks, the present writer can detect
two stress clusters in 5:1b; six stress clusters in 5:2, and four in 5:3 etc.
In fact, after removing 5:1a, one can obtain a perfect pattern of clusters
of 4-stress all the way from 5:1b to 5:6! This makes perfect sense
because we saw above that 5:1b-2, 3-4 and 5-6 form three different
semantic units. Now, we see that even their stress clusters match
beautifully.
If we take a closer look at the clusters themselves, we can see that
5:1b-2 contains equal number of 2-stresses and 3-stresses. This strophe
carries a very melodic stress pattern of 3/2/2/2 + 3/3/3/2. It is very
balanced and not boring at all. 5:3-4 is nearly identical with 5:1b-2,
except that it has a 4-stress near the end, creating a kind of tension.
However, 5:5-6 contains stresses of 3, 4 and even 6! It is very different
from the previous 2 strophes. Musically speaking, one may argue that
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
the final redactor was trying to build up a climax by squeezing more
stresses within the strophe.
Isaiah 5:7 has five stress clusters, an odd-man out. Moreover, the
stresses are very irregular. This confirms the present writer’s decision
to drop it out of the 1st Vineyard Song.
Musically speaking, one may argue that the final redactor had created
the climax at the 6-stress which is immediately followed by an
anticlimax of 2-stresses. This makes perfect sense and shows that the
final redactor was musically very skilful.
After analyzing the formal aspects of the 1st Vineyard Song, let us
study its meaning and message.
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
B. The message of the 1st Vineyard Song
5:1a The prophet invited the wellbeloved
beloved
‫ ִל ִיד ִידי‬to listen to the song of his
‫דּוֹדי‬
ִ ‫ ִשׁ ַירת‬. Several questions immediately spring to our mind:
the identities of the people involved.
1. Who was the audience, the wellbeloved? a bride15, her bridegroom, a
group of friends, the inhabitants of Jerusalem or even Yahweh16?
2. Who was the beloved of the prophet? This ‘beloved’ has a song or a
song about him (and his vineyard). He owns a vineyard. Therefore, he
may be the prophet himself who happened to own a vineyard, a
(husbandman) friend of his or Yahweh?
3. His vineyard, whose? the wellbeloved (from 5:1b) or the beloved?
4. What was the Sitz im Leben (life situation)? a wedding banquet in
which a love song was sung to entertain the guests or to exhort the
bride? a harvest feast in which the farmers laughed off the misfortunes
of a frustrated fellow husbandman? or an assembly in the Temple
where the prophet was delivering, in a novel way, his oracles against
idolatry or criticizing, in a veiled fashion, the social injustice
engendered by the greed of the people in high offices?
A lot of ink has been spilt and consensus is yet to reach. The choice at the
beginning will determine the conclusion in the end. But the redactor of Isaiah
had already chosen to make use of this Vineyard Song to rebuke the people of
Jerusalem for their injustice and bloodshed (5:7). Probably at the end of this
study, we will achieve no more than we have started with. Anyway, the beauty
15
In view of the sexual imagery of a vineyard, it is reasonable to think of a love song being sung to a
bride, to exhort her to be faithful to her future husband.
16
We can imagine a situation in which the prophet sings to Yahweh the good deeds He has done to
Israel, His vineyard. Yet, Israel betrayed Yahweh. The prophet, working for Yahweh, tried to console
Him or even to divert His anger.
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
of this song (excluding 5:7 of course) lies in the latitude of imagination it
stimulates in the audiences.
5:1b In light of 5:7, the vineyard is Israel and therefore the prophet’s
wellbeloved is Yahweh. The fruitful hill is the fertile land of Canaan. That
Israel was the beloved vine, plant, or vineyard of Yahweh and that Yahweh
had driven out the Canaanites to transplant this beloved twig were popular
images called up by the other prophets (Hosea, Jeremiah and Ezekiel) as well.
Such an interpretation can also be found in Psalm 80, which is classified a
communal petition by Drijvers17. Other than the prophets and wisdom writings,
we can also find the ‘vine’ in Jacob’s parting blessing on Judah, promising
him sovereignty (Genesis 49:11). The vine is one of the three good and useful
trees (olive that gives fatness, fig that gives sweetness and vine that cheers
gods and men) in the parable poem in (Judges 9:7-15). Love scenes also took
place in vineyards (Song of Songs 7). All these images (sexual, proverbial and
theological) had been so deeply itched into the psyche of Israelites that it is
pointless to argue otherwise. Israel is the vine or vineyard of Yahweh.
5:2 An understanding of the socio-political background will help us
understand this Vineyard Song better. This particular verse will supply us with
the crucial material we need. Chaney (1999) tried to identify whom Isaiah
criticized in this Vineyard Song. First of all, in broad stroke, Chaney painted
the contradictions in the economic life of 8th century Israel vividly in the
following:
Eighth-century Israel and Judah saw an increase in international
trade, in which their leaders imported luxury goods, military materiel,
and the wherewithal of monumental architecture. To pay for these
imports, food-stuffs --- particularly the triad of wheat, olive oil, and
wine --- were exported. Imports mostly benefited an elite minority,
while the exports necessary to procure them cut deeply into the
sustenance of the peasant majority.18
17
P. Drijvers, The Psalms:Their structure and meaning, Montreal:Herder Palm 1965, pg 248
M.L. Chaney, “Whose Sour Grapes? The Addressees of Isaiah 5:1-7 in the light of political
economy”, SEMEIA 87 (1999), pg 107
18
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Therefore, the urban elites, the high officials in Jerusalem engineered a change
in land use. This resulted in an exploitation of the peasant majority by the
urban elites. In Isaiah 5:2, we find
‫( וַ יְ ַעזְּ ֵקהוּ‬he fenced/dug it) and ‫וַ יְ ַס ְקּ ֵלהוּ‬
(and gathered out the stones). These two verbs show how a piece of farmland
was converted into a vineyard.
Verbin concurred that
As such, the two verbs describe the initial labour required to
transform a plot of land from a previously uncultivated state into a
state suitable for the cultivation of vines19
The building of a watchtower
‫ִמ ְג ָדּל‬
and a winepress
‫יֶ ֶקב‬
would mean
tremendous investment of effort and capital,
… and would be unnecessary if commercial or communal presses
were available nearby.20
While ancient people would allegorize all these actions as Yahweh’s actions
(removal of stones: driving out Gentiles, building of a tower: Temple,
winepress: sanctuary etc.), modern scholars have no difficulty in seeing
exploitative actions in the digging and the removing of stones instead. Of
course, this is a modern reading of the text. But how can such a reading
squares with the fact that Yahweh has always been understood as the
executioner of all these ‘exploitative’ actions? The present writer has no good
defense for these scholars. But they may argue that people in the 8th century
Israel would very likely equate the actions of the ruling class with the actions
of Yahweh. Though the peasant majority felt the pinch of exploitation, they
would be more willing to accept such a treatment, if these exploitative actions
were clothed in Yahweh’s name!
19
J.K. Verbin, “Egyptian Viticultural Practices and the Citation of Isa 5:1-7 in Mark 12:1-9”, Novum
Testamentum 44 (2002), pg 140
20
Ibid pg 141
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Before we proceed further, take note that the word ‘to fence/dig’ (‫)עזק‬
appears only here in the whole of Hebrew Scripture whereas the word ‘to clear
off stones’ (‫ )סקל‬appears only here and in 62:10!
The choicest vine
grapes
‫ ֲענָ ִבים‬.
‫ שׂ ֵֹרק‬was planted in the vineyard. It was expected to yield
Instead, it gave forth
‫ ְבּ ֻא ִ ֽשׁים‬.
KJV translates it as ‘wild
grapes’. Verbin disagreed and argued that it
… should be translated as “stinking (or diseased) grapes.” It is not a
matter of the contamination of a plot of land with some foreign plants,
but of the corruption of what had been planted.21
The choicest vine had been corrupted. Israel, Yahweh’s vine, was unable to
resist the temptations of fertile Canaan and fell into idolatry. This point will be
made explicit in Isaiah 5:7. The interpretation in 5:7 imposes a limit on the
possible choices available to scholars. It makes the sociological readings
irrelevant however fashionable they may be.
This song is typically Proto-Isaiah. The frequency table below will show how
Proto-Isaiah 5:1b-2 is. All terms appear only once within 5:1b-2.
Term
Frequency in 1-39 Frequency in 40-66
Vineyard ‫ֶכּ ֶרם‬
14
2
Fruitful/fat ‫ָשׁ ֵמן‬
9
3
Hill (horn) ‫ֶק ֶרן‬
1
0
Fenced/dug ‫ָעזַ ק‬
1
0
Gathered out stones ‫ַס ְקּלוּ‬
1
1
Planted ‫נָ ַטע‬
5
5
Choicest vine ‫שׂ ֵֹרק‬
4
0
Built ‫ָבּנָ ה‬
3
9
(Watch) tower ‫ִמ ְג ָדּל‬
4
0
Hewed out ‫ָח ֵצב‬
3
2
Winepress ‫יֶ ֶקב‬
2
0
Grapes ‫ֵענָ ב‬
2
0
Wild grapes ‫ְב ֻא ִשׁים‬
2
0
21
Ibid pg 142
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We can safely speculate that Isaiah, or his disciples or the redactor of ProtoIsaiah must have written the song because many of the key words of this song
distribute with a high concentration within Isaiah 1-39 except for two
common words ‘to plant’ and ‘to build’.
5:3 So far, the song has been sung in the 3rd person. Here, it switches to the
first person. The owner of the vineyard could no longer maintain his silence. It
is not enough for his friend to speak of his frustration. He called upon his
audiences, the inhabitants of Jerusalem
‫רוּשׁ ַלם‬
ָ ְ‫יוֹשׁב י‬
ֵ and men of Judah
‫הוּדה‬
ָ ְ‫וְ ִאישׁ י‬, to pass judgment between him and his vineyard. However,
both
‫יוֹשׁב‬
ֵ
and
‫ ִאישׁ‬are singular! Of
course, these words can carry a
collective sense. However, on the basis of lexicographical analysis, Chaney
has argued that these two terms refer to royal and /or elite figures.22 He argued
convincingly, through a study of the political economy of viticulture in
Isaiah’s time; a form-critical analysis of the Vineyard Song as a juridical
parable and a lexicographical analysis of the terms used, that
[T]hose trapped into self-condemnation by the parable were the
ruling elites of Judah and Israel, led by the two dynastic houses and
their sitting dynasts, not the general populations of Jerusalem, Judah,
and Israel.23
Though it sounds funny for a vineyard to take up a personality and stand trial,
it is totally acceptable if the audiences understand the story to be a fable or a
parable. Usually, three parties are involved in the settlement of a dispute: an
impartial judge (e.g. King Solomon) and two disputants (two harlots).
However, when the judge (e.g. King David) ‘merges’ with one of the
disputants, especially the guilty party (the rich man), a trap is being laid. The
audiences, or more specifically, the ruling elites in Jerusalem (the judge and
the vineyard), would be led to condemn themselves. This is a reasonable
option.
22
23
Chaney (1999), pp 112-117
Ibid pg 117
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However, inviting the audiences to pass judgment is only the first step to make
the Vineyard Song a juridical parable. When the interpretation 5:7 is dropped,
the Song cannot justifiably be classified a juridical parable! If 5:1b-6 is not a
juridical parable, what would it be?
5:4a is a rhetorical question, challenging the audiences to come up with any
failures on the part of the vineyard owner (Yahweh). Of course, there is none.
The owner has done everything he is supposed to do. Therefore, the blame is
laid squarely on the corrupted vine, at the feet of the Israelite elites. Out of
sympathy for criminals, people nowadays would put the blame on the social
environment to explain away the crimes committed by individuals. These
criminals are victims of social forces beyond their control! Such is the
mentality of modern men which people in ancient times would not share.
5:4b is the accusation in the form of a question. It paraphrases all the contents
of Isaiah 5:2b into a question. While 5:4a summarizes all the efforts and
energy in 5:2a, 5:4b needs to repeat all the contents of 5:2b in order to form
an inclusio, making 5:3-4 a part of the original song.
5:5 Yahweh pronounces His judgment in 5:5a. But His identity remains
hidden throughout this verse. In 5:5b, two new features, not mentioned before
in 5:2, are introduced: the hedge
‫שׂוּכּתוֹ‬
ָ ‫ְמ‬
and the wall
‫ ְגּ ֵדרוֹ‬. From our
delimitation of the text above (page 14), we see that the word ‘hedge’ is a key
element in this pronouncement of punishment, but it is an ambiguous image. It
means protection in Job 1:10; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Ezekiel 13:5 and 22:30. But
it can also mean hindrance or troubles as in the cases of Proverbs 15:19;
Hosea 2:6 and Micah 7:4. Here it means protection. When this protection is
taken away, the vineyard shall be eaten up/devoured
Of the 16 verses in Isaiah in which
‫וְ ָהיָ ה ְל ָב ֵער‬.
‫ בער‬appears, 14 of them mean ‘to burn’!
So, why should this entry be translated ‘eaten up/devoured’ instead? Scholars
like to quote their answer in Isaiah 3:14 which contains both ‘vineyard’ and
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‘devoured’
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
‫ ִבּ ַע ְר ֶתּם ַה ֶכּ ֶרם‬. There, Yahweh enters judgment with the
elders and princes of His people because they have devoured the vineyard! So,
all along, Isaiah (or the scholars) had the royal elites in mind to condemn
because of their greed and injustice. This is how Chaney insisted to interpret
the text. Scholars like to go against obvious understandings and insist on
breaking new grounds.
Let us read the text again and understand it in an obvious and natural way.
When the hedge is taken away, the vineyard shall be eaten up. Who will eat it
up? Could the Jerusalem elites eat up Israel? Does it make any sense to
imagine Yahweh removing the protection and then the royal elites ate up Israel?
In hindsight, the Isaianic School should have no difficulty in understanding
their own exilic or even post-exilic situations and wrote these two verses as a
prediction of Yahweh’s making use of Assyria and Babylon to punish Israel
and Judah respectively. If we interpret it this way, it will be reasonable to
translate the verse into ‘…I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be
burnt down’. This applied to the Babylonian Captivity (of Judah) in which the
first Temple was burnt down.
When the wall is broken down, the vineyard shall (be trodden down) become a
trampling place. Who will do this? The present writer offers to interpret this as
the Assyrian Conquer because the term
‫‘ ִמ ְר ָמס‬trampling’ appears in Isaiah
5:5; 7:25; 10:6 and 28:18. All of these verses are related to Assyria and fall
within Proto-Isaiah.
In Isaiah 7, Ahaz was entertaining the thought of courting Assyrian support to
fight against the Syrio-Ephraimitic Alliance. By forfeiting Yahweh’s support,
Israel was inviting Assyrian invasion. Isaiah 7:25 speaks indirectly, saying
that as a result of Assyrian invasion, even if the land was not filled with briers
and thorns, it would be trodden by unattended oxen and cattle. In 10:6,
Yahweh officially announces that He gave the Assyrians a charge to take the
spoil, to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. The
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oracle in Isaiah 28 warns Israel (Ephraim) against their making covenant with
death (Assyria or other foreign powers), an insurance policy to ward off
imminent threats. 28:18 predicts that this reliance on foreign powers would
fail them and that ‘the overflowing scourge’, the Assyrians, would overrun
them.
Therefore, the present writer offers to translate Isaiah 5:5 in this way:
And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will
take away the hedge thereof, and Judah shall be burnt down; and
break down the wall thereof, and Israel shall become a trampling
place:
5:6 Following the chiastic structure suggested above in page 14, let us turn to
another core message: ‘And I will lay it waste:’ (5:6aα
α). Israel and Judah
would be conquered and their inhabitants would be carried off into exiles. The
land would be depopulated and become a piece of wasteland. This
interpretation finds further support in Isaiah 7:19 after ‘the Immanuel Oracle’.
The word
‫ ָב ָתה‬appears again for only once more there in the whole of
Hebrew Scripture. This probably is yet another signature word for Proto-Isaiah.
It is said in that pericope that the Lord would summon a fly from Egypt and a
bee from Assyria and these insects would lay the land waste and put the
people in shame by shaving off their hair and beard, a vivid image of prisoners
being led off into exiles.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the
fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee
that is in the land of Assyria.
And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys,
and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all
bushes.
In the same day shall the Lord shave with a rasor that is hired,
namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head,
and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.
(Isaiah 7:18-20).
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Another word
Supervisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
‫‘ ָע ֵדר‬hoed, dug’ appears here and 7:25 only, again in the
context of ‘the Immanuel Oracle’. Though the land had been dug and been
taken care of and there was no fear of thorns and briers, it would still be laid
wasted, leaving only cattle to trample the ground. Indeed, Israel would become
a depopulated trampling ground.
The famous clause “I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain
upon it” (5:6b) is typically Proto-Isaiah because the word ‘to rain’ (‫) ָמ ַטר‬
appears in Isaiah 4:6, 5:6 and 30:23 only. It closes off the judgment
pronouncement. This verse also betrays the identity of the owner who can
command the clouds not to rain. Who else but Yahweh can do this? However,
in order to defend their suggestion of assigning this Vineyard Song as a love
song of a frustrated husband, some scholars insisted on an allegorical reading
and come up with a fanciful interpretation of a defrauded husband cursing an
unfaithful wife to be infertile! The present writer thinks that such a defence
would be totally unnecessary because 5:7 makes it clear that Yahweh is this
defrauded husband and Israel the unfaithful wife24.
5:7 The present writer has argued in Section A above that Isaiah 5:7 is not
part of the ‘original’ Vineyard Song (parts b & c). It is an interpretation
inserted by the Isaianic School. The key words ‘righteousness’
‘justice’
‫ ִמ ְשׁ ָפּט‬and
‫ ְצ ָד ָקה‬reveal the prophet’s concern for social justice. The prophet
declared for good that ‘the house of Israel’ was the vineyard he had been
singing about all along. As such, it imposes a limiting factor into the range of
possible interpretations of this Vineyard Song. Any innovative interpretation
needs to comply with it.
24
Willis (1977) pg 355 (See Appendix V pg 59 footnote 79)
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A very crude search of the phrase “house of XXX”25, where XXX stands for
Jacob (9), the Lord (5), Israel (4), David (3), Judah (2), Nisroch (1), shows a
distribution of 18:6 in Proto-Isaiah and the rest of Isaiah. Proto-Isaiah is three
times more likely to use such an expression.
To round off the discussion of the message of Isaiah 5:1b-6, let us take stock
of the signature phrases we have collected in this Vineyard Song. The first two
are unique and appear only once (and twice for
‫ )סקל‬in the whole book of
Isaiah. This is explicable because 5:1b-2 is the original drinking song and
Isaiah is not a hymnal or psaltery. This drinking song is an alien element.
They may or may not be Proto-Isaiah.
The absence of signature phrases from Isaiah 5:3-4 is more difficult to explain.
The invitation to pass judgment between two disputants (Isaiah 5:3b) and the
rhetorical question that begins with
‫ַמ ֧דּ ַוּע‬
to accuse (Isaiah 5:4b) are
popular literary devices commonly found in the Hebrew Scripture. Therefore,
the present writer has no explanation to offer in this respect.
The rest are closely related to Isaiah 7:18-25. Therefore it is possible that
Isaiah 5:5-6 had been written by the same hands that wrote Isaiah 7:18-25.
But this relation would require another thesis to explore.
Signature phrases
Verse
Other locations
5:2
Nil
To clear off stones ‫סקל‬
5:2
62:10
Trampling ‫מרמס‬
5:5
7:25, 10:6, 28:18
Waste ‫בתה‬
5:6
7:19
Thorns ‫ ׁשמיר‬and Briers ‫ׁשית‬
Hoed ‫עדר‬
5:6
7:23-25, 9:17, 10:17, 27:4
5:6
7:25
To rain ‫מטר‬
5:6
4:6, 30:23
To dig ‫עזק‬
25
http://cf.blb.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=%22house+of%22&Version=KJV
Numbers in brackets are frequencies. E.g. ‘house of Jacob’ appears 9 times in the book of Isaiah.
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Part III: Relation between Isaiah 5:1-7 & 27:2-6
A. Survey of previous interpretations
Unlike the 2nd vineyard song, scholars have never come to any consensus as to
the genre of the 1st Vineyard Song in Isaiah 5. Therefore, it is good to start the
discussion of the 1st Vineyard Song with a summary of John Willis’ paper
“The Genre of Isaiah 5:1-7” (1977)26. For a more detailed synopsis, interested
readers are advised to refer to Appendix V.
Willis found that scholars came up with divergent views of Isaiah 5:1-7
because they focussed exclusively on its content (the prophet’s song
concerning his own vineyard), or its occasion (a drinking song in harvest time),
or its purpose (a lawsuit or accusation) or its literary type (a fable, an allegory
or a parable). After discussing the strengths and weaknesses of various
classifications of the first Vineyard Song, Willis suggested that a parabolic
song of a disappointed husbandman27 is the best description.
B. Breaking New Grounds
Scholars of the previous generations limited themselves to one genre. This
pursuit of theoretical ‘purity’ was not necessarily a good approach to the
understanding of the problem. It is too limiting and is unable to encompass the
text as a unit. For example, the interpretation in Isaiah 5:7 does not fit
comfortably in an Uncle’s Song; an anti-fertility polemic does not need to call
up a third party to pass judgment; the singer must be suffering from an identify
crisis for (s)he has been viewed variously as the prophet himself, a bride, a
bridegroom, the friend of the groom or even a drunkard! The effort to explain
the Vineyard Song in a single type of genre is not too far off from that of the
blind men touching an elephant.28
26
J.T. Willis, “The Genre of Isaiah 5:1-7”, JBL 96 (1977), pg 337-362
Ibid pg 359
28
M.A. Kazlev, “The Parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant”,
http://www.kheper.net/topics/blind_men_and_elephant/Buddhist.html, June 28, 2004
27
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Recently, scholars began to combine genres into newer breeds, e.g. juridical
parables. Gale Yee, for one, wrote in 1981 that Isaiah 5:1-7 consisted of a
song and a juridical parable29. Nathan’s and the Tekoa woman’s are examples
of juridical parables found in the Hebrew Scripture. Yee disagreed with Willis
who thought that the song element made the pericope unlikely to be a lawsuit.
Yee thought otherwise. She believed that it was possible to combine the two,
to embed a lawsuit in a song, and she further suggested that the Vineyard Song
be studied in the light of the formal aspects of Deuteronomy 32, which
contains a lawsuit. She concludes that Isaiah 5:1-7 is a song as well as a
juridical parable.
Both types have formal and functional similarities. Within the overall
framework of a song the parabolic element operates covertly to bring about
the hearers’ own judgment against themselves.30
This was a commendable effort. At last, scholars began to appreciate the
artistry of the author(s) of the prophetic book. Indeed, a number of literary
devices were available to the Isaianic School: songs, oracles, visions, lawsuit
speech, judgment speech and historical narratives etc. Isaiah’s disciples were
free to press home their points in whichever forms they found most
appropriate.
C. A hypothesis for the development of this Vineyard Song
It is possible to classify Isaiah 5:1b-7 a juridical parable only if 5:7 is
included. If we drop 5:7 off, what can we make of Isaiah 5:1b-6 without an
interpretation? The present writer would argue that the Vineyard Song cannot
be a juridical parable.
In a juridical parable, the audience (e.g. King David) was trapped into
pronouncing judgment on himself or others (2 Samuel 12:5-6, 14:8-11). But
this song is a monologue. The audiences could not enter into a dialogue with
29
G.A. Yee, “A Formal-Critical Study of Isaiah 5:1-7 as a Song and a Juridical Parable”, CBQ (1981)
30-41.
30
Ibid pg 40
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the Prophet. They were on the receiving end and did not have a chance to
speak up. They never had the chance to pass judgment on themselves or on
others. Here Gale Yee was guilty of being untidy in treating Isaiah 5:3 as a
judgment31. The present writer would only accept it as an invitation to pass
judgment because no judgment was pronounced in 5:3. If we really look for
judgment, 5:7 is the best candidate.
Gale Yee also found a major departure from form32 in the Vineyard Song --the interpretation of the parable has been placed at the end instead of being
placed in the middle like the other juridical parables did. Despite such a flaw,
she still maintained that the Vineyard Song is a judicial parable.
The present writer would offer another scenario:
Before the fall of Israel in 721 B.C., the Isaianic School had collected a
drinking song about a frustrated husbandman (5:1b-2). Isaiah or his disciples
could have composed the song because from the frequency table above (page
24), we found that many of the words in the song concentrate in Isaiah 1-39.
The Isaianic School found the song very useful in helping them condemn the
high officials who exploited the farm owners. Therefore, Isaiah put on the role
as a third person and framed the song with 5:1a. He then added a “Complaint
Speech” 33 in 5:3-4. Such a speech-form consists of summons to witnesses
(here an invitation to pass judgment); a reference to benefits conferred by the
plaintiff (in this case, it is in the form of a rhetorical question) and the
accusation (again in the form of a rhetorical question). Ramsey (1977) agreed
that
Isa 5:1-6(7), a passage similar in many respects to those discussed
above, provides a good example of the way in which a prophet,
speaking for Yahweh and imitating the proceedings of a secular court,
could assume the posture at one point (vv. 1-4) of speaking as a
plaintiff to a panel of judges other than himself, …34
31
Ibid pg 36
ditto
33
G.W. Ramsey, “Speech-Forms in Hebrew Law and Prophetic Oracles”, JBL 96 (1997), pg 46
34
Ibid pg 57
32
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Ramsey had bracketed out Isaiah 5:7 but did not explain why. Did he consider
it part of the song or not? He was probably more concerned with the legal
speech form of the Song than with proving the Vineyard Song a juridical
parable. Therefore, Ramsey was hesitant and ambiguous here.
Isaiah 5:1-4 was only a ‘Complaint Speech’ and not yet a ‘Judgment Speech’
because the Prophet still entertained the hope that the ‘inhabitants in
Jerusalem’ would repent. Israel had not yet fallen into the hands of Assyria.
Therefore, no forthcoming punishment was announced. But how could this
‘Complaint Speech’, attached to a drinking song, finish with a rhetorical
question? Here, Isaiah 5:7 made an unexpected comeback. It interpreted and
explained Yahweh’s complaint, thus resolving the tension and bringing the
song-speech to a proper end. Indeed, the decision to drop 5:7 off hinges on the
presence of 5:5-6 (see page 15 above). If 5:5-6 had not been there in the first
place, 5:7 would have fitted well. So, the present writer boldly hypothesizes
that Isaiah 5:7 was previously Isaiah 5:5! Its function was to round off the
‘Complaint Speech’ appended to a song. Though the present writer is unable
to retract his justification for dropping 5:7 off, its strong rhyme affiliation
‫ ) ָדה‬with 5:3 (‫ ָדם‬see page 19 above) strongly suggests that it was put there
(
together with 5:3-4.
The exile experience made the Isaianic School rework on this Vineyard Song
again. It was not enough to complain to the ‘inhabitants in Jerusalem’ that
their fruit was sour and stinking. The house of Israel needed to be taught that
the exiles were Yahweh’s punishment for their apostasy. Therefore, the School
inserted the present 5:5-6 before the interpretation, the disastrous destructions
the prophet’s disciples had witnessed themselves. Sentence had been
pronounced. The Vineyard Song has become a typical Proto-Isaianic
‘Judgment Speech’ now. Furthermore, the lack of rhymes discussed above in
page 19 strongly suggests that this announcement of punishment was an
addition from a later generation.
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Some time later, with the first Vineyard Song fully compiled before them, the
post-exilic prophets worked on another Vineyard Song to console and
encourage the returnees that Yahweh would, at the end of time, make Israel
flourish all over the face of the earth. This is Isaiah 27:2-6.
D. The relation with the Vineyard Song of Isaiah 27
Given that the Vineyard Song in Isaiah 5 is a juridical parable or a ‘Judgment
Speech’ embedded in the form of a song, how does it relate to the Vineyard
Song in Isaiah 27, which is a song per se? No doubt, both songs are related
because they take ‘vineyard’ as its subject matter. As Tucker puts it when he
comments on Isaiah 27:2-6,
[D]oubtless the inspiration for these lines comes from 5:1-7. The vineyard
sung about here is the one in the song of the vineyard. So an author from the
post-exilic period has reinterpreted the earlier prophetic text.35
Like many of his contemporary colleagues, Tucker would agree that, though
the 2nd vineyard song is located within Proto-Isaiah, the song was penned by a
post-exilic author because of its optimistic outlook and that the author had
truly experienced the return from exile.
First of all, both of them portray Israel to be precious to Yahweh. In Isaiah 5,
Yahweh had invested a lot of time and energy in this beloved vineyard. He
drove out local inhabitants to make room for Israel. In Isaiah 27, Yahweh
would restore and protect Israel night and day. Israel is precious to Yahweh.
Secondly, in both songs, the author(s) did not reveal the identity of Israel until
the very last verse (Isaiah 5:7, 27:6). Beyond these two, all similarities end
here.
In sharp contrast with the 1st Vineyard Song, Isaiah 27:2-6 pronounces, not
judgment, but an end of judgment. Instead of punishing Israel by removing
His protection, Yahweh would keep it night and day. Though thorns and briers
threaten the vineyard, there is a difference. In Isaiah 5, thorns and briers were
the result of Yahweh’s punishments on Israel whereas in Isaiah 27, they were
enemies of Israel, objects of Yahweh’s destruction for the good of Israel.
35
G.M. Tucker, The Book of Isaiah 1-39, New Interpreter’s Bible vol. 6, Nashville:Abingdon Press
2002, pg 226
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Instead of allowing thorns and briers to ravage the land waste, Yahweh would
take the initiatives to remove the enemies of Israel, to burn the briers and
thorns. Instead of withholding rain in Isaiah 5:6, Yahweh waters the vineyard
every moment in Isaiah 27:3. Instead of demanding justice and righteousness,
only to find outcries and bloodshed, Yahweh offers them protection and peace
unconditionally in Isaiah 27:5. Instead of being corrupted in the fertile land,
Canaan, Israel is a people in exile in Isaiah 27, scattered all over the face of
the earth. They are undergoing a process of purification. And they are destined
to fill the surface of the earth, bringing along with them God’s watchful care
and peace.
In summary, the vineyard song in Isaiah 5 is a song of judgment whereas that
in Isaiah 27 a song of salvation, a counterpoint to the 1st Vineyard Song. The
song in Isaiah 27 was written as a point-by-point ‘refutation’ to the
punishments announced in Isaiah 5. A post-exilic disciple of the Isaianic
School had written it with the fully compiled Isaiah 5 Vineyard Song before
him.
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
E. The relation with Isaiah 1-39
Prophetic books are made up of collections of oracles spanning across several
generations. There are only a small number of narratives that would offer
some sort of signposts to help date the text. Disciples and disciples of disciples
from later generations reworked earlier oracles to suit their situations.
Therefore, it is notoriously difficult to pinpoint the time of composition for
even a tiny pericope in prophetic books.
Despite this, Seitz suggested that the Song was written
… somewhere after both the fall of the Northern Kingdom and the 701
assault on Judah and Jerusalem36.
Cross-referencing with texts found in 2 Kings, Seitz claims that Isaiah 5 is the
starting point of pre-Uzziah-period proclamation in the presentation of
chapters 1–12, the prophecies concerning Judah and Jerusalem
37
. It
specifically focuses on the Northern Kingdom whose fate was meant to be a
warning to Judah/Jerusalem. The “in that day” perspective of chapters 2–4
gives way to present indictment. A series of woe sayings follow.
The long history of redaction results in Isaiah having several ‘starting points’.
People normally expect the call of a prophet, or a vision of some sort, to be
found at the beginning of a prophetic book (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel and
Amos etc.) Isaiah’s is located in Isaiah 6!
36
C.R. Seitz, Isaiah 1-39: Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching & Preaching,
Louisville:John Knox Press 1993, pg 25
37
Interested readers may refer to Clement’s proposed redaction history on pg 47, Appendix III.
Page 39
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Part IV: Conclusion
For generations, scholars were unable to agree on the genre of the 1st Vineyard Song.
Around 1977, scholars gradually came to accept it as a parable, and later a juridical
parable. The existence of Isaiah 5:7 has set a boundary on what scholars can possibly
read out of the song. There is no more room for any fanciful interpretations.
The present writer does not try to break any new ground. But he ventures with a
gambit to drop Isaiah 5:7 off the 1st Vineyard Song. He based this decision on
grammatical and literary grounds. This step enables him to see that Isaiah 1b-6
cannot be a juridical parable so popularly classified by scholars. It is a song, a
monologue. Additional layers of ‘Complaint Speech’ and ‘Judgment Speech’ have
been appended in the long history of redaction Isaiah has gone through.
In the course of analysis, the present writer has isolated ‘signature phrases’ which
make the song typically Proto-Isaianic. However, since Isaiah has gone through a
long history of redaction, it is impossible to date with any certainty when which part
was composed. Without denying the ability of the Prophet to predict the future, the
present writer boldly proposes that the song was originally a drinking song (5:1b-2).
A ‘Complaint Speech’ (5:3-4) and an interpretation (5:7) were added, very likely
before the fall of Israel in 721 B.C. To make sense of the experience in Babylonian
Captivity, Yahweh’s punishment (5:5-6) was inserted and the Vineyard Song in the
present form was finalized.
After the Babylonian exile, the prophetic school would see a bright future on the
horizon. A 2nd vineyard song was written to answer the punishments pronounced in
Isaiah 5, to encourage and console the returned remnants. Though it is located in
Isaiah 27, it does not guarantee that it belongs to Proto-Isaiah. Scholars cannot date it
for certain, but they can be sure that it was written after the 1st Vineyard Song had
been fully compiled in the present form.
The present writer bases the above conclusion/hypothesis on the ground of
grammatical and literary exercises. His speculation needs further support from a more
detailed study of Hebrew verbal aspects in prophetic discourses. Another possible line
Page 40
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
of attack can be launched along the chanting of the text, especially Isaiah 5:5-6. If
these two verses can be proven to be melodically different from the other part of the
song, it will lend support to the present writer’s hypothesis. But the chance is
extremely slim. (Interested readers may refer to the discussion in Appendix VI). Of
course, if the study of Ancient Near East Texts is able to come up with a similar
drinking song like 5:1-2, that would shed more light on ‘Vineyard Song’ as an
independent genre.
Nevertheless, the present writer still insists on categorizing the 1st Vineyard Song as a
‘Judgment Speech’ embedded in a song, rather than a juridical parable. While you
could only trap your audiences once with a juridical parable, you can always
reprimand your audiences by singing them this ‘Judgment Speech’ everyday!
Page 41
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Appendix I: Cantillation Marks in Masoretic Text
A primary purpose of the cantillation signs is to guide the chanting of the sacred texts
during public worship in the synagogues 38 . The cantillation signs also provide
information on the syntactical structure of the text and some say they are a
commentary on the text itself, highlighting important ideas musically.
The cantillation signs serve three functions:
Syntax: They divide biblical verses into smaller units of meaning, a function
which also gives them a limited but sometimes important role as a source for
exegesis. This function is accomplished through the use of various conjunctive
signs (which indicate that words should be connected in a single phrase) and
especially a hierarchy of dividing signs of various strengths which divide each
verse into smaller phrases. The function of the disjunctive cantillation signs may
be roughly compared to modern punctuation signs such as periods, commas,
semicolons, etc.
Phonetics: Most of the cantillation signs indicate the specific syllable where the
stress (accent) falls in the pronunciation of a word.
Music: The cantillation signs have musical value: reading the Hebrew Bible with
cantillation becomes a musical chant, where the music itself serves as a tool to
emphasise the proper accentuation and syntax (as mentioned previously).
The disjunctives are traditionally divided into four levels, with lower level
disjunctives marking less important breaks.
1. The first level, known as "Emperors", includes
‫ ֽהוא׃‬sof pasuq, marking the
end of the verse, and ‫ ֑אשׁ‬atnach / etnachta, marking the middle.
2. The second level is known as "Kings". The usual second level disjunctive is
‫עליה‬
֔ zaqef qaton (when on its own, this becomes ‫ויסרני‬
֕
zaqef gadol). This
is replaced by ‫ בי֖ ום‬tifcha when in the immediate neighbourhood of sof pasuq
or atnach. A stronger second level disjunctive, used in very long verses, is ‫ה‬
֒ ‫ל‬
38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantillation
Appendix I
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
segol. When it occurs on its own (more often in Psalms), this may be replaced
֓
shalshelet.
by ‫יתפשׂוּ‬
3. The third level is known as "Dukes". The usual third level disjunctive is
‫כפיכם‬
֗
revia. For musical reasons, this is replaced by ‫אמר‬
֘ zarqa when in
the vicinity of segol, by ‫בנים‬
֙ pashta or ‫למה־לי‬
֤
yetiv when in the vicinity of
zakef, and by ‫ האז֛ ינוּ‬tevir when in the vicinity of tifcha.
4. The fourth level is known as "Counts". These are found mainly in longer
verses, and tend to cluster near the beginning of a half-verse: for this reason
their musical realisation is usually more elaborate than that of higher level
‫בקראי‬
֡
pazer, ‫ על־י֝הוה‬geresh, ‫מפני‬
֞ gershayim,
‫ ֠אחז‬telishah gedolah, ‫ ֣הוֹי׀‬munach legarmeh and ‫ ֟בב‬qarne farah.
disjunctives. They are
‫אשׁר‬
֣ munach. Depending on which disjunctive follows,
this may be replaced by ‫אחז‬
֥ mercha, ‫ ֤כי‬mahpach, ‫ עזי֧ הו‬darga, ‫ותחפרו‬
֨ qadma,
‫אברם‬
֩
telisha qetannah or ‫ ֪בב‬yerach ben yomo.
The general conjunctive is
One other symbol is
‫ ֦בב‬mercha kefulah, double mercha. There is some argument
about whether this is another conjunctive or an occasional replacement for tevir.
Disjunctives have a function somewhat similar to punctuation in Western languages.
Sof pasuq could be thought of as a full stop, atnach as a semi-colon, second level
disjunctives as commas and third level disjunctives as commas or unmarked. Where
two words are syntactically bound together (for example,
"the
‫ל־פּ ֵנ֥י ַה ָ ֽמּיִ ם׃‬
ְ ‫ַע‬
face of the waters" in Genesis 1:2), the first invariably carries a conjunctive.
Appendix I
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An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Appendix II: Determining stresses
Isaiah 5:1-7
Disjunctive cantillation marks up to Level 2 (Kings) are used to divide the verse into
meaningful units. Words with conjunctive and disjunctive marks are counted as one
stress no matter how many syllables the words have. Maqqēph words (e.g.
‫ן־שׁ ֶמן‬
ֽ ָ ‫ֶבּ‬
in 5:1) are counted as one stress. Words with no cantillation marks (e.g. ‫ יִ זָּ ֵמר‬in 5:6
and ‫ ְצ ָבאוֹת‬in 5:7) are assumed not to carry any stress.
Stresses
KJV
5:1
3
Now will I sing to my
wellbeloved
3
a song of my beloved touching
his vineyard
3
My wellbeloved hath a vineyard
2
5:2
2
2
3
3
3
2
5:3
3
in a very fruitful hill
‫ידי‬
֔ ִ ‫ָא ִ ֤שׁ ָירה נָּ ֙א ִ ֽל ִיד‬
‫דּוֹדי ְל ַכ ְר ֑מוֹ‬
֖ ִ ‫ירת‬
֥ ַ ‫ִשׁ‬
‫ידי‬
֖ ִ ‫ֶ ֛כּ ֶרם ָה ָי֥ה ִ ֽל ִיד‬
‫ן־שׁ ֶמן‬
ֽ ָ ‫ְבּ ֶ ֥ ק ֶרן ֶבּ‬
And he fenced it, and gathered
out the stones thereof,
and planted it with the choicest
vine,
and built a tower in the midst of
it,
and also made a winepress
therein
and he looked that it should
bring forth grapes,
and it brought forth wild grapes
2
And now O inhabitants of
Jerusalem
and men of Judah
2
judge, I pray you, betwixt me
Appendix II
MT
Page 44
‫ַ ֽו יְ ַעזְּ ֵ ֣ קהוּ ַוֽ יְ ַס ְקּ ֗ ֵלהוּ‬
‫הוּ שׂ ֵ ֹ֔רק‬
֙ ‫וַ יִּ ָטּ ֙ ֵע‬
‫תוֹכוֹ‬
֔ ‫וַ ִ ֤יּ ֶבן ִמ ְג ָדּל֙ ְבּ‬
‫ם־י ֶקב ָח ֵצ֣ב ֑בּוֹ‬
֖ ֶ ַ‫וְ ג‬
‫וַ יְ ַ ֛ קו ַל ֲע ֥שׂוֹת ֲענָ ִ ֖בים‬
‫וַ ַ ֥יּ ַעשׂ ְבּ ֻא ִ ֽשׁים‬
ִ‫רוּשׁ ַל֖ם‬
ָ ְ‫יוֹשׁב י‬
֥ ֵ ‫וְ ַע ָ ֛תּה‬
‫הוּדה‬
֑ ָ ְ‫וְ ִ ֣אישׁ י‬
‫טוּ־נא ֵבּ ִ ֖יני‬
ָ ֕ ‫ִשׁ ְפ‬
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
2
5:4
3
3
4
2
and my vineyard
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
‫וּבין ַכּ ְר ִ ֽמי‬
ֵ֥
What could have been done
more to my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
wherefore, when I looked that it
should bring forth grapes,
brought it forth wild grapes?
‫עוֹד ְל ַכ ְר ִ֔מי‬
֙ ‫ה־לּ ֲע ֥שׂוֹת‬
ַ ‫ַמ‬
‫וְ ֥ל ֹא ָע ִ ֖שׂ ִיתי ֑בּוֹ‬
‫֛יתי ַל ֲע ֥שׂוֹת ֲענָ ִ ֖בים‬
ִ ‫ַמ ֧דּ ַוּע ִקֵוּ‬
‫וַ ַ ֥יּ ַעשׂ ְבּ ֻא ִ ֽשׁים‬
5:5
3
And now go to; I will tell you
‫ה־נּ֣א ֶא ְת ֶ֔כם‬
ָ ‫יע‬
ָ ‫אוֹד‬
ֽ ִ ‫וְ ַע ָתּ ֙ה‬
4
what I will do to my vineyard
‫ר־א ִ ֥ני ע ֶ ֹ֖שׂה ְל ַכ ְר ִ ֑מי‬
ֲ ‫ֵ ֛את ֲא ֶשׁ‬
4
I will take away the hedge
thereof, and it shall be eaten up;
and break down the wall
thereof, and it shall be trodden
down:
4
5:6
6
3
And I will lay it waste: it shall
not be pruned, nor digged;
3
but there shall come up briers
and thorns
I will also command the clouds
3
that they rain no rain upon it.
5:7
5
For the vineyard of the LORD
of hosts is the house of Israel,
2
and the men of Judah
2
his pleasant plant:
4
and he looked for judgment, but
behold oppression;
for righteousness, but behold a
cry.
3
Appendix II
‫תוֹ וְ ָה ָי֣ה ְל ָב ֔ ֵער‬
֙ ‫שׂוּכּ‬
ָ ‫ָה ֵ ֤סר ְמ‬
‫ָפּ ֥ר ֹץ ְגּ ֵד ֖רוֹ וְ ָה ָ ֥יה ְל ִמ ְר ָ ֽמס‬
‫יתהוּ ָב ָ֗תה ֤ל ֹא יִ זָּ ֵמ ֙ר‬
֣ ֵ ‫וַ ֲא ִשׁ‬
‫וְ ֣ל ֹא יֵ ָע ֵ ֔דר‬
‫וְ ָע ָ ֥לה ָשׁ ִ ֖מיר וָ ָ ֑שׁיִ ת‬
‫וְ ַ ֤על ֶה ָע ִב ֙ים ֲא ַצ ֶ ֔וּה‬
‫ֵמ ַה ְמ ִ ֥טיר ָע ָל֖יו ָמ ָ ֽטר‬
‫הו֤ה ְצ ָבאוֹת ֵ ֣בּית‬
ָ ְ‫ִ ֣כּי ֶ֜כ ֶרם י‬
‫יִ ְשׂ ָר ֵ֔אל‬
‫הוּדה‬
֔ ָ ְ‫וְ ִ ֣אישׁ י‬
‫שׁוּעיו‬
֑ ָ ‫נְ ַ ֖טע ַשׁ ֲע‬
Page 45
‫וַ יְ ַ ֤ קו ְל ִמ ְשׁ ָפּ ֙ט וְ ִה ֵ ֣נּה ִמ ְשׂ ֔ ָפּח‬
‫ִל ְצ ָד ָ ֖ קה וְ ִה ֵ ֥נּה ְצ ָע ָ ֽ קה‬
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Isaiah 27:2-6
Stresses
27:2
KJV
MT
2
In that day
3
sing ye unto her, a vineyard of red
wine.
‫ַבּיּ֖ וֹם ַה ֑הוּא‬
‫נּוּ־להּ‬
ֽ ָ ‫ֶ ֥כּ ֶרם ֶ ֖ח ֶמד ַע‬
27:3
3
I the LORD do keep it
2
every moment I will water it
3
lest any hurt it
3
I will keep it night and day
‫ֲא ִ ֤ני יְ הוָ ֙ה ֹֽנ ְצ ָ ֔רהּ‬
‫ִל ְר ָג ִ ֖עים ַא ְשׁ ֶ ֑ קנָּ ה‬
‫יה‬
ָ ‫ֶ ֚פּן יִ ְפ ֣קֹד ָע ֔ ֶל‬
‫ַ ֥ליְ ָלה וָ י֖ וֹם ֶא ֳצּ ֶ ֽרנָּ ה‬
27:4
3
Fury is not in me
4
who would set thorns and the briers
against me in battle?
4
I would go through them I would
burn them together
‫ֵח ָ ֖מה ֵ ֣אין ִ ֑לי‬
‫ִ ֽמי־יִ ְתּ ֜ ֵנ ִני ָשׁ ִ ֥מיר ַ֨שׁיִ ֙ת‬
‫ַבּ ִמּ ְל ָח ָ֔מה‬
‫יתנָּ ה‬
֥ ֶ ‫ֶא ְפ ְשׂ ָ ֥עה ָ ֖בהּ ֲא ִצ‬
‫ָיּ ַֽחד‬
27:5
3
Or let him take hold of my strength
3
that he may make peace with me
‫יַ ֲע ֶ ֥שׂה ָשׁ ֖לוֹם ִ ֑לי‬
2
and he shall make peace with me
‫ה־לּי‬
ֽ ִ ‫ָשׁ ֖לוֹם ֽי ֲַע ֶשׂ‬
He shall cause them that come of
Jacob to take root
Israel shall blossom and bud
‫ַה ָבּ ִא ֙ים יַ ְשׁ ֵ ֣רשׁ ַי ֲֽע ֔קֹב‬
and fill the face of the world with
fruit
‫י־ת ֵ ֖בל‬
ֵ ‫וּמ ְל ֥אוּ ְפ ֵנ‬
ָ
‫נוּבה‬
ֽ ָ ‫ְתּ‬
‫עוּזּי‬
ִ֔ ‫֚אוֹ יַ ֲח ֵ ֣זק ְבּ ָמ‬
27:6
3
3
3
Appendix II
Page 46
‫וּפ ַ ֖רח יִ ְשׂ ָר ֵ ֑אל‬
ָ ‫יָ ִ ֥ציץ‬
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Appendix III: A Redaction history of Isaiah 1-39
as discussed in Sweeney’s paper
Many scholars have abandoned attempts to reconstruct the ‘historical Isaiah’ and his
writings or message and instead concentrate on defining the literary or textual
character of the book as a whole and its ideology.39
L.J. Liebreich (1955-56, 1956-57) attempted to explain the structure of Isaiah by
catchword and phrase associations. He was able to identify Isaiah 1-39 into 4
subsections: 1-12; 13-27; 28-35 and 36-39. With the same techniques, he claimed that
Isaiah 40-66 comprises 2 subsections: 40-49 and 50-66.40
D. Jones (1955) proposed the hypothesis of an Isaianic school which did not merely
preserve the sayings of Isaiah, but reapplied these sayings to contemporary
situations.41
J. Becker (1968) claims that the Isaianic school preserved the prophet’s oracles intact
but a redactional activity which applies Isaiah’s oracles to later circumstances took
place at the Babylonian exile.42
R. Lack (1973) claims that the final form of the book was created by a redactor
concerned with eschatology at the end of the fifth century. He postulated a late 6th
century redaction in which the author of Isaiah 56-66 collected 40-55 and 1:1-9:6. On
this redaction, a fifth century redactor added much of Isaiah 6:1-9:6; 13-23; 24-27;
33 and 34-35.43
Isaiah 1-39 is not purely concerned with judgment. A great deal of salvation oriented
materials, such as 7:1-17 and 9:1-16 as well as anti-Assyrian materials 10:5-32;
14:4b-23, 24-27 have been identified. While the salvation materials appear to derive
from exilic or post-exilic periods, the anti-Assyrian materials do not.
39
M.A. Sweeney, “Reevaluating Isaiah 1-39 in Recent Critical Research”, Currents in Research:
Biblical Studies 4 (1996), pg 81
40
Ibid pg 83
41
Ibid pp 83-84
42
Ibid pg 84
43
ditto
Appendix III
Page 47
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
H. Barth (1977) argues for the existence of a later 7th century “Assyrian redaction”
that supported the political and religious reforms of King Josiah.44
J. Vermeylen (1977-78) stressed how the redactors reread the earlier Isaianic text in
relation to later times. He reconstructed 7 major stages of the formation of Isaiah 1-35.
The first 2 stages are pre-exilic.
1. The first stage sees the formation of Isaianic oracles into 5 collections:
Syro-Ephraimitic War; the abasement of human pride and the exaltation of
Yahweh; the arrogance and social injustice of the leading citizens of
Jerusalem; the obstinacy of Israel and Yahweh’s lack of confidence in
Judah’s foreign policy.
2. The second stage extends from the time of Mannesseh’s reign to the exile
and is concerned about Yahweh’s defence of Jerusalem and the role of the
king of Judah.
3. This stage is concerned with why Yahweh brought about the Babylonian
exile.
4. It is concerned with the conversion of Gentiles to Judaism.
5. It is concerned with the revenge on the impious among the post-exilic
Judean community.
6. It is concerned with the conversion of pagans.
7. It is concerned with anti-Samaritan polemic and the ingathering of
dispersed Jews.45
R.E. Clements (1980a) also subscribes to a similar position. For him, later additions
were not spurious, but reflect the interests of later redaction in preserving the message
of Isaiah and in integrating it in relation to the subsequent history of Israel, Judah and
44
45
Ibid pg 85
Ibid pp 86-87
Appendix III
Page 48
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Jerusalem. Clements suggested the earliest material includes the Isaiah ‘Memoir’
(6:1-8:18); oracles threatening Judah and Jerusalem (2:6-4:1; 28-31) and material in
5:1-14:27. Then there was the ‘Josianic redaction’ (Isaiah 5:1-32:20; Isaiah 36-37).
An exilic redaction placed Isaiah 2-4 at the head of the book to explain the
Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Then a subsequent 5th century redaction added
the apocalyptic materials of Isaiah 24-27 and 34-35.46
As a result, a structure of Proto-Isaiah chapters emerges:
Chapters
1
Contents
Introduction
2-12
Prophecies concerning Judah and Jerusalem
13-23
Prophecies concerning foreign nations
24-27
Apocalypse of Isaiah
28-33
Further prophecies concerning Judah and Jerusalem
34-35
‘Little Apocalypse’ of Isaiah
36-39
Narrative concerning Isaiah, Hezekiah and Jerusalem
O. Kaiser (1983) claims that Isaiah ben Amoz is essentially a legendary figure. The
book of Isaiah has been thoroughly reworked by Levitical circles of the
Deuteronomistic movement that it is impossible to trace any material back to the
prophet. He claims that
… the basic deposit of the book is a small collection in chs. 1 and 28-31 from
the beginning of the fifth century that reflects the Deuteronomistic viewpoint
with respect to the fall of the kingdom and the destruction of Jerusalem.47
The book continued to grow under the influence of later generations who looked
alternatively for world judgment and salvation. By the end of the fifth century, a
pseudepigraphic impulse brought about an Assyrian redaction analogous to that
envisioned by Barth. Under the influence of Deutero-Isaiah and Trito-Isaiah, the book
ultimately took on an eschatological character by the time of its final formation in the
Hellenistic period.
46
47
Ibid pp 87-88
Ibid pg 88
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H. Wildberger (1972-82) painted a slightly different picture. He proposed two original
Isaianic complexes up to 701 BCE:
•
Isaiah 2:6-11:9 dates to 717-711, reflecting the prophet’s words from his
earliest period through the Syro-Ephraimitic War;
•
Isaiah 28-31 reflecting his statements concerning Hezekiah’s revolt in 705701;
•
Isaiah 1:2-2:4(5) was added by a disciple as an introduction after the death of
Isaiah;
•
Isaiah 13-23 were oracles against other nations added by a later redactor;
•
The so-called 7th century “Assyrian redaction” was actually various recensions
made during exilic and early post-exilic periods.
•
Isaiah 11:11-16; 12; 19:16-25; 24-27 and 33-35 were added and completed at
around 400 BCE.
•
Isaiah 36-39 were added from 2 Kings
•
Isaiah 40-46 were appended48
Scholars were getting more and more focussed on the formation of the book of Isaiah
as a whole, the interrelationship between Isaiah 1-39 and Isaiah 40-66 and its
influence of the latter on the redaction and presentation of the former. For example, in
discussing the formation of Isaiah 5:1-10:4, Vermeylen (1977), arguing on the basis
of his discussion of individual words and phrases, was able to demarcate 4 basic
textual units: Song of the Vineyard (5:1-7); Woe sayings (5:8-23, 10:1-4);
Outstretched Hand series (5:24-30, 9:7-20) and the Emmanuel booklet (6:1-9:6).
However, C.E. L’Heureux (1984) looked at the text block in relation to the poetic
structure of the larger compositional units. He argued for the existence of an original
six-strophe poem to encase the Emmanuel booklet in a chiastically constructed double
inclusion that combines both the Outstretched Hand series (5:25-29 and 9:7-10:4) and
the Woe series (5:8-24) in a text introduced by the Song of the Vineyard (5:1-7). The
block as a whole focuses on the issue of social justice and the coming punishment by
Assyria is caused by the failure of the upper classes. The continuation of this block of
48
Ibid pp 88-89
Appendix III
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text with 10:5-34 and 14:24-27 demonstrates the existence of a ‘Primary Redactor’
who worked in association with the nationalistic reforms of Hezekiah or Josiah.49
G.T. Sheppard (1985) started with the editorial displacements of textual units in the
course of the forming the “Assyrian redaction”. He focussed on the influence of these
displacements (the splitting up of Woe sayings and Outstretched Hand series) on the
meaning of the oracles in Isaiah 1-39. The application of the ‘outstretched arm’ of
Yahweh against Israel, Judah and Syria points to the universal implication of God’s
wrath and anticipates the declarations of Isaiah 14:24-27 and the oracles against the
nations in Isaiah 13-23. The exilic insertion of Isaiah 12 provides a retrospective
synopsis of Isaiah 2-11 and anticipates the theme of comfort in Deutero- and TritoIsaiah. He ably demonstrates that redaction as an activity
… does not simply supplement and recast an earlier tradition, but does so on the
basis of internal signals and motifs from the pre-existing text, so that later
redaction expands, reapplies, and thereby continues the message of the earlier
text.50
B.W. Anderson (1988) examines the editorial structure of Isaiah 5-10 in an effort to
clarify the theological outlook of this text block. The use of double ‘therefore’ in
5:13-14 and 24-25 provides a special emphasis on Yahweh’s outstretched hand,
summoning the Assyrian Empire (5:26-30), pointed to God’s ‘outstretched hand’ of
judgment (9:7-10:4). The ‘Memoirs of Isaiah’ (6:1-9:6) points to the judgment to be
suffered by Israel and Judah, and to the coming relief of a people who will see a great
light following a period of darkness (9:1). The editorial structure of Isaiah 5-10
ultimately demonstrates that Yahweh is with us in judgment and in mercy.51
Studies in other directions opened up newer understandings of the Proto-Isaiah
traditions. Assyriological studies, methodological shift to larger literary units
influenced the historical study of the First Isaiah traditions. Isaiah must be understood
as a prophet of salvation as well as of judgment.52
49
Ibid pg 91
Ibid pg 92
51
Ibid pp 92-93
52
Ibid pg 95
50
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Y. Gitay (1983b) studied Isaiah 1:2-20 as an example of a unified communicative
discourse that demonstrates the prophet’s interaction with an audience.53
J. Høgenhaven (1988) studied Isaiah’s political outlook as shown in the Davidic/Zion
tradition and concluded that Isaiah presupposed the right of the house of David to rule
over a united kingdom of Israel and Judah. His theology is politically oriented.54
P.R. Ackroyd (1982) studied Isaiah 36-39 and argued that Hezekiah is idealized as a
righteous monarch who turns to Yahweh in time of crisis, resulting in the deliverance
of Jerusalem. Taking cue from Ackroyd, scholars began to treat Isaiah 36-39 more as
an introduction to Isaiah 40-66 than a conclusion to Isaiah 1-39.55
C. Hardmeier (1990) put the setting of the Hezekiah narrative during the course of the
debate within Judah over its relationship to Babylon.56
K.A.D. Smelik (1992) argues that the Hezekiah narratives of 2 Kings 18-20/Isaiah
36-39 were not originally composed for 2 Kings but for Isaiah.57
In the end, Sweeney drew up three conclusions:
1. Scholars may no longer focus exclusively on short, self-contained formcritical units as the basis for interpretation;
2. The historical Isaiah may no longer be viewed exclusively as a
theologically motivated prophet of judgment; rather his theological
message of hope is explicitly motivated by political factors and the
David/Zion ideology of Yahweh’s support for Jerusalem and the house of
David;
3. The interrelationship between First Isaiah tradition and others must be
accounted for, including those of Second and Third Isaiah as well as that
of Jeremiah.58
53
Ibid pg 98
Ibid pg 101
55
Ibid pg 104
56
Ibid pg 106
57
Ibid pg 105
58
Ibid pp 107-108
54
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Appendix IV: Tables of verb stem changes
1. The drinking bout, the Song proper (Isaiah 5:1-2)
‫ָא ִ ֤שׁ ָירה‬
‫ָה ָי֥ה‬
‫ַוֽ יְ ַעזְּ ֵ ֣ קהוּ‬
‫ַוֽ יְ ַס ְקּ ֗ ֵלהוּ‬
‫הוּ‬
֙ ‫וַ יִּ ָטּ ֨ ֵע‬
‫וַ ִ ֤יּ ֶבן‬
‫ָח ֵצ֣ב‬
‫וַ יְ ַ ֛ קו‬
‫ַל ֲע ֥שׂוֹת‬
‫וַ ַ ֥יּ ַעשׂ‬
Qal imperfect 1 c.s. cohortative ‫ה‬
Let me sing
Qal perfect 3 m.s.
had
Waw-Pi’el imperfect 3 m.s.-3 m.s. suffix
digged
ditto
cleared of stones
Waw-Qal imperfect 3 m.s. – 3 m.s. suffix planted
Waw-Qal imperfect 3 m.s.
built
Qal perfect 3 m.s.
hewed out
Waw-Pi’el imperfect 3 m.s.
looked for
Prep.-Qal infinitive construct
to yield
Waw-Qal imperfect 3 m.s.
yielded
The drinking bout consists mainly of Qal stems, sandwiching some Pi’el stems,
showing how intensely and diligently the owner worked on the vineyard and
how highly he expected the yield.
2. The Law Suit (Isaiah 5:3-4)
‫יוֹשׁב‬
ֵ֥
‫ִשׁ ְפטוּ‬
‫ַלּ ֲע ֥שׂוֹת‬
‫ָע ִ ֖שׂ ִיתי‬
‫֛יתי‬
ִ ‫ִקֵוּ‬
‫ַלּ ֲע ֥שׂוֹת‬
‫וַ ַיּ ַ֥עשׂ‬
Qal active participle
living
Qal imperative 2 m.p.
Judge
Prep.-Qal infinitive construct to do
Qal perfect 1 c.s.
have done
Pi’el perfect 1 c.s.
looked
Prep.-Qal infinitive construct to yield
Waw-Qal imperfect 3 m.s.
yielded
The Lawsuit consists mostly of Qal stems sandwiching just one Pi’el stem,
which signals that it is an echo of the drinking bout. Notice that the last 3 rows
are nearly identical with those of the drinking bout. Attention should be drawn
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to 5:4, which is a carefully designed line. Four of the five verbs found in this
verse are variations on the same verb ‫( ָע ָשׂה‬do/yield).
3. Yahweh’s actions (Isaiah 5:5-6)
‫יעה‬
ָ ‫אוֹד‬
ִֽ
‫ע ֶ ֹ֖שׂה‬
‫ָה ֵ ֤סר‬
‫וְ ָה ָי֣ה‬
‫ְל ָב ֔ ֵער‬
‫ָפּ ֥ר ֹץ‬
‫וְ ָה ָי֣ה‬
‫יתהוּ‬
֣ ֵ ‫וַ ֲא ִשׁ‬
‫יִ זָּ ֵמר‬
‫יֵ ָע ֵ ֔דר‬
‫וְ ָע ָ ֥לה‬
‫ֲא ַצ ֶ ֔וּה‬
‫ֵמ ַה ְמ ִ ֥טיר‬
Hiph’il imperfect 1 c.s. cohortative ‫ה‬
tell
Qal active participle
will do
Hiph’il infinitive absolute
will remove
Waw-Qal perfect 3 m.s.
it shall be
Prep.-Pi’el infinitive absolute
devoured
Qal infinitive absolute
will break down
Waw-Qal perfect 3 m.s.
it shall be
Waw-Qal imperfect 1 c.s.- 3 m.s. suffix shall make
Niph’al imperfect 3 m.s.
ditto
shall be pruned
shall be hoed
Waw-Qal perfect 3 m.s.
shall grow up
Pi’el imperfect 1 c.s.
I will command
Prep.-Hiph’il infinitive construct
shall not rain
Within this section, we find a mixture of Hiph’il, Niph’al, Pi’el and Qal stems
enveloped by a pair of Hiph’il stems. It is radically different from the previous
two sections and is very likely to be a later addition.
4. Isaiah’s interpretation (Isaiah 5:7)
‫וַ יְ ַ ֤ קו‬
‫וְ ִה ֵנּ֣ה‬
Waw-Pi’el imperfect 3 m.s. looked
Waw-Interjection (x2)
behold
This line consists simply of one Pi’el stem and two interjections. Had 5:5-6 not
been there, it would have fitted harmoniously with the drinking bout and the
lawsuit.
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Appendix V: The Genre of Isaiah 5:1-7 by John Willis
John Willis surveyed commentaries on Isaiah 1-39 from the end of 19th century up to
his days. He broadly divided the classification into love songs (uncle’s, polemic,
prophet’s, drunkard’s, bride’s, bridegroom’s and groom’s friend); a lawsuit and
stories (fable, allegory and parable) and discussed the strengths and weaknesses of
each such classification. Since the paper is not available to the general public,
hopefully the following summary will satisfy the needs of more critical readers.
I. An Uncle’s Song
Aquila (130)59, Ewald (1876) & Ehrlich (1912) translated (
‫דּוֹדי‬
֖ ִ ) in Isaiah
5:1 by ‘my (paternal) uncle’, making the Song an uncle’s song. However,
This ingenious view must be rejected. … because the following line (Isa 5:1c) does not
say “My uncle had a vineyard, etc.,” but “My beloved (
‫ידי‬
֖ ִ ‫ ) ִ ֽל ִיד‬had a vineyard,
etc.”60
II. A Satirical Polemic against Palestinian Fertility Cults
Graham (1928/29) picked up a few details in the Song: vineyard (
pruning (
‫) ֶ ֛כּ ֶרם‬,
‫ )זָּ ֵמ ֙ר‬and the choicest vine (‫ )שׂ ֵ ֹ֔רק‬as fertility cult language and
claimed that the prophet composed this Vineyard Song to hit back against the
fertility cult tendencies in Israel.
“…he seeks moral and ethical righteousness (v 7) and it is this that differentiates true
Yahwism from the fertility cults.”
61
However, Willis brushed aside Graham’s view for
59
J.F. Fenlon, “Hexapla”, in The Catholic Encyclopaedia, vol. VII, New York:Robert Appleton 1910,
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07316a.htm
60
J.T. Willis, “The Genre of Isaiah 5:1-7”, JBL 96 (1997), page 338
61
Ibid pg 339
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His strong disposition for finding allusions to the fertility cults in the OT, even in the
most unlikely places!
III.
62
The Prophet’s Song concerning His Own Vineyard
The LXX reads my vineyard (τῷ ἀµπελῶνί µου) in v 5:1b and first person
singular of the verbs in v 5:2 (περιέθηκα, ἐχαράκωσα, ἐφύτευσα,
ᾠκοδόµησα, ὤρυξα, ἔµεινα). Therefore Gray (1912) made a number of
suggested changes and argued that
“… the prophet is able to conceal his real message from his hearers by pretending to
describe the plight that he had had with his own vineyard, until he is ready to reveal
that he had actually been talking about Yahweh and Israel all along.”
63
However, Willis found Gray’s proposal unsatisfactory because it
“… is based on one ancient version, and requires an extraordinarily large number of
emendations and interpretations.”
IV.
64
The Prophet’s Song Expressing Sympathy for His Friend Yahweh
Cersoy (1899) argued that the whole periscope is a mix of poetry (vv 1b-2)
and prose (vv 3-7). His view was that
“… the prophet composed this song for the specific purpose of expressing his sympathy
for and interest in his friend (Yahweh), who had worked so hard to provide his vineyard
with the best opportunities for growth and fruitfulness, but who was greatly
disappointed at its yield of inferior and useless grapes.”
65
de Orbiso (1960) describes the whole pericope as a mixed parable with
allegorical elements, containing characteristics of a lawsuit (vv 3-4) and
threats (vv 5-6).
62
Ibid pg 340
Ibid pg 340
64
Ibid pp 340-341
65
Ibid pg 341
63
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“… the prophet is showing his love for his beloved’s (Yahweh’s) vineyard in order to
console him in his feeling of great disappointment.”
66
Stade (1906) believes that
“…all along the prophet was actually communicating to his audience a song of Dod
(Yahweh) concerning his vineyard.”
67
Willis argued that the shift from the 3rd person to the 1st person and then back
to the 3rd was commonplace in prophetic oracles. He admitted that it was
possible that a prophet expressed his sympathy for Yahweh to an Israelite or
Judean audience, but
“… it is more in keeping with a prophet’s role for him to proclaim Yahweh’s message
to them in his name or on his behalf.”
V.
68
A Drinking Song
Cheyne (1884) suggested that the Vineyard Song might be a drinking song
because of its spirited melody and dancing rhythm. However, Willis criticized
that it was not clear
“… whether Cheyne thinks Isaiah assumed the role of a drunkard singing a drinking
song to get the people’s attention, or whether he adapted a popular song that was
normally sung at a celebration of a large grape harvest …”69
Moreover, had it been a drinking song, the owner of the vineyard should have
complained about not having good wine to drink rather than not producing
good fruit.
VI.
A Bride’s Love Song
Schmidt (1923) suggested that in Isaiah 5:1,
66
Ibid pg 342
Ibid pg 343
68
Ibid pg 343
69
Ibid pg 344
67
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“… the prophet assumed the role of a young maiden or a new bride under the figure of
a vineyard in order to get the attention of his hearers, as it was customary for a young
maiden to sing such songs.”70
Willis objected that
“The bride would not begin a song which has the express purpose of emphasizing her
own sin and of announcing her own rejection and destruction … At best, vv 1-2 could
be labelled a bride’s love song, but not vv 3-7; …”71
VII.
A Groom’s Love Song
In the Old Testament as well as in ancient near eastern literature, the vineyard,
the garden and the field all carried erotic sexual connotations between two
lovers. Mowinckel (1925) proposed that the speaker in Isaiah 5:1a-b was
Yahweh, and that his “beloved” was His bride, Israel. However, this
explanation led to two awkward situations: the bride did the work in the
vineyard in v 2, and was the owner while Yahweh was the owner in vv 3-6.
Later, Mowinckel (1944) modified his position so that in 5:1-b, the prophet
was speaking of his “friend” Yahweh, who had a vineyard, Israel. This song
had been understood as a song of a disappointed lover (Yahweh).
Willis did not think it the most natural interpretation. He offered seven
arguments against understanding Isaiah 5:1-7 as a song of frustrated love. In
particular, he noted that
“… Isaiah, like his northern contemporary Hosea, frequently uses the relationship of a
groom and bride or husband and wife in speaking of the relationship between Yahweh
and Israel …, and thus would have been quite capable of making it clear that this is
what he had in mind in Isaiah 5:1-7, if that were indeed the case.”72
70
Ibid pg 344
Ibid pg 345
72
Ibid pg 348
71
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VIII.
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
A Song of the Friend of the Bridegroom
To avoid referring to Yahweh as ‘my beloved’ (
‫ידי‬
֔ ִ ‫ ) ִ ֽל ִיד‬in an erotic sense,
Junker (1903) proposed to interpret it as ‘the friend of the bridegroom’ to act
as a go-between for the groom and the bride. He had to make proper
preparations for bringing the bride to the groom’s home.
“The prophet used this figure in order to emphasize the intimate relationship between
Yahweh and Israel, and his own function in that relationship.”73
This view has been adopted by such heavyweight figures as Eichrodt,
Wildberger, Schedl and Schottroff that Willis could only offer reservation, not
objection, on this interpretation. He was not firm enough.
“If Isaiah is depicting himself as the friend of the bridegroom Yahweh, this is the only
passage in the OT where a prophet’s relationship to Yahweh is described in this way.
Besides, this is not the most natural interpretation of Isaiah 5:1-7”74
IX.
A Lawsuit or Accusation
Scholars also suggested that the Song was a lawsuit or legal accusation for the
following reasons:
1. There is an appeal to the Judean community to act as arbiters or
judges in Isaiah 5:3.
2. The concern for ‘justice’ and ‘righteousness’ in Isaiah 5:7 is a legal
concern.
3. The structure of the pericope follows that of a Speech of Accusation.
Willis admitted that this interpretation was compelling but did not think that
the Song needed to be categorized on the whole as a lawsuit. He argued thus,
1. It is strange to speak of a husbandman bringing a lawsuit against his
vineyard.
73
74
Ibid pg 349
Ibid pg 349
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2. The title ‘song’, the detailed description of the care for (vv 1b-2) and
demolition of (vv 5-6) his vineyard lie outside what is usually
considered to be basic elements of a lawsuit.
Willis feels that
“…the legal aspect should be emphasized, but placed within the framework of a larger
genre, viz., the parable.”75
X.
A Fable
Schottroff (1963) argued that the Vineyard Song was a fable.
“Since the subject matter of a fable is inanimate natural objects, plants, and animals, a
conflict between a man and his vineyard certainly fits this genre.”76
Moreover, it has a structural parallel with ancient near eastern fables of
conflict:
1. A mythological introduction
2. A dispute
3. An appeal to the deity who renders a decision and reconciles the
disputants
Willis agreed. But he argued that these points could also be assigned to an
allegory or a parable.
XI.
An Allegory
Willis explains the difference between an allegory and a parable in the
following manner. An allegory differs from a parable in that each
metaphorical element of the allegory represents a corresponding reality,
whereas the parable conveys a single truth. It reads into or finds in an ancient
75
76
Ibid pg 350
Ibid pg 352
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historical event, story, or literary production meanings that were not originally
intended.77
Interpreting the Song as an allegory has a long history. The Targumic
paraphrase is a vivid example. Here, every detail is mapped into a historical
reality. For example, Israel became the vineyard, the seed of Abraham who
was God’s friend. God gave them inheritance in a lofty mountain, a fruitful
land. God made His sanctuary among them and gave them the altar to make
atonement for their sins. To punish them for their rebellion against the law,
God would remove His presence from them and they shall be for a spoil. God
would break down their sanctuaries. They would be cast out and forsaken and
God would also command His prophets not to utter a prophecy concerning
them etc.78
Following similar lines, Ruffenach and Bentzen (1927) argued that the
Vineyard Song depicted a defrauded husband’s lament over his unfaithful wife.
‘A vineyard on a very fertile hill’ meant a beautiful and fruitful Israel God
brought into the land of Canaan; ‘the protection around the vineyard’ angels
that guarded God’s people; ‘the tower’ the Temple; the wine vat the altar; the
bad grapes were all kinds of sin, especially idolatry etc. They explained “I will
also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it” (5:6) to mean the wish
of the groom that his unfaithful wife no longer be able to bear children.79
Clearly, the latitude is wide for readers to interpret the text in their own ways.
Some have good grounds but others may want to be different just for the sake
of being different! Can we find an ‘objective’ criterion to decide which one
interpretation is better?
77
Ibid pg 353
Ibid pg 354
79
Ibid pg 355
78
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Similarly, Willis did not like the idea of allegory and for 3 reasons:
1. The alleged allegorical meanings of specific elements in the text do
not come naturally from the text itself, but betray a great deal of
ingenuity on the part of the interpreter.
2. It is impossible to explain each element in Isaiah 5:1-7 allegorically
without being fanciful.
3. Allegory in the true sense of the word is of Greek origin and it is
anachronistic to label Isaiah 5:1-7 an allegory.
XII.
A Parable
A parable intends to convey a single thought. It relates a realistic story, not
fanciful. It portrays a specific or particular situation. It contains an intentional
decoy or camouflage to distract the hearers. It makes the hearers participants
in the event, empathizers with a certain character and forces them naturally to
pass judgment on themselves. Nathan’s story of a poor man with a little ewe
lamb (1 Samuel 12:1-7), Tekoa woman’s story of her two sons (2 Samuel
14:1-24),
an
anonymous
prophet’s
story
of
an
escaped
prisoner
(1 Kings 20:35-42), Amos’ oracles against the nations (Amos 1:3-2:3) and
Isaiah’s Vineyard Song are examples of parables according to the definition
above80.
In Willis’ view, scholars had so focussed exclusively on one of the elements of
the text, viz., its content, its occasion, its purpose and its literary type, that they
came up with very different opinions about the genre of the Vineyard Song.
“… with various scholars working on the same or similar texts, that which escapes one
may be suggested by another, and that which is not clearly defined by one may be
stated in a more polished form by another.”81
Willis thought it best to classify the literary type of this pericope as a parable
and to describe its contents as a parabolic song of a disappointed husbandman.
80
81
Ibid pg 357
Ibid pg 359
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A vintage festival is the natural and suitable Sitz im Leben. While others
celebrate the harvest of good grapes, Yahweh bemoans the disappointing
produce of His vineyard, calls on His hearers to decide whether He is at fault
or His vineyard, and announces His decision to abandon His vineyard because
of its lack of response to His labour.82
82
Ibid pg 362
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Appendix VI: Chanting the songs in Isaiah
The cantillation marks are not simply stress marks that guide a proper reading, or
connection marks that clarify ambiguous texts. According to Jacobson,
Associated with each punctuation mark was a unique musical motif, called a ta‘am.83
Therefore, these cantillation marks form a musical notation system that guides the
chanting of the Hebrew Scripture in synagogues. However, the same mark carries
different motifs under different liturgical contexts. That is to say, the same tevir will
be chanted differently in Genesis (Torah), The Book of Lamentations (Lamentations),
Isaiah (Haftarah), Ruth (Megillot) and Esther which is chanted on the Festival of
Purim. Moreover, different Jewish communities have different traditions in chanting
these motifs84.
A few songs have been collected from Isaiah. With the help of musical notation
software85 downloaded from the Internet, the present writer tries to transcribe these
songs according to the motifs indicated by those cantillation marks. However, most of
these programs cater only for music of fixed time signature, which means they are not
suitable to write scores for chanting whose tempo is free! Therefore, the notes in the
resulting scores do not show the actual chanting duration, but a suggested relative
duration. The pitch, however, is reliable. There is another shortcoming. These
programs are not word processors and therefore they are unable to display shewa and
underline properly.
Bearing these limitations in mind, the present writer still hopes to recover how these
songs are chanted in order to decide on the sonority of the individual verses of the 1st
Vineyard Song. Let us take a look at some of the motifs used.
83
J.R. Jacobson, Chanting the Hebrew Bible, Student Edition, Philadelphia:Jewish Publication Society
2005, pg. 1
84
Ibid pg 10
85
http://www.dgalaxy.net/download/magicsetup.zip
Appendix VI
Page 64
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
From the above diagram, one can see that some of the motifs change when they
combine with different motifs. For example, the mereKHA and muNAH motifs. They
act more like adjectives, modifying the following disjunctives. The tippeHA and
zaKEF motifs also change, depending on whether they stand alone or pair up with
others.
Let us start with a simple song.
1. Isaiah 6:3b
This is the famous song sung by the seraphims in the court of heaven. One can
even hear it sung on the Internet.86
The table below shows the motifs on the left hand column. They are the names of
the cantillation marks under/above the Hebrew words on the right column. The
stresses are printed in BLOCK LETTERS. However, the melody is different from
86
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1006.htm
Appendix VI
Page 65
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
what one can hear from the website above. Probably, it belongs to a different
tradition.
Cantillation motifs
darGA teVÍR tippeḤA87
MT
muNAḤ ’etnaḥTA
méreKHA tippeḤA síLUK
‫ָק ֧דוֹשׁ׀ ָק ֛דוֹשׁ ָק ֖דוֹשׁ‬
‫הוה ְצ ָב ֑אוֹת‬
֣ ָ ְ‫י‬
‫בוֹדוֹ‬
ֽ ‫ל־ה ָ ֖א ֶרץ ְכּ‬
ָ ‫ְמ ֥ל ֹא ָכ‬
Unfortunately, these pages do not sing. Otherwise, one can better appreciate
its majesty, its drama, its historical/mythological depth, its sweetness.88
2. Isaiah 23:16
This is the song Tyre would sing as a harlot after the end of 70 years (23:15).
Cantillation motifs
méreKHA teVÍR89
MT
méreKHA tippeḤA muNAḤ ’etnaḥTA
mahPAKH pashTA90 zaKÉF
tippeḤA síLUK
87
Jacobson (2005) pg 114
Ibid pg 1
89
Ibid pg 113
90
Ibid pg 119
88
Appendix VI
Page 66
‫ְק ִ ֥חי ִכנּ֛ וֹר‬
‫זוֹנ֣ה נִ ְשׁ ָכּ ָ ֑חה‬
ָ ‫ס ִבּי ִ ֖עיר‬
ֹ֥
‫י־שׁיר‬
ִ֔ ‫יט ִיבי נַ גֵּ ֙ן ַה ְר ִבּ‬
֤ ִ ‫ֵה‬
‫ְל ַ ֖מ ַען ִתּזָּ ֵ ֽכ ִרי‬
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
3. Isaiah 27:2-6
Let us look at the 2nd vineyard Song first.
Cantillation motifs
MT
27:2
‫ַבּיּ֖ וֹם ַה ֑הוּא‬
tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
‫נּוּ־להּ‬
ֽ ָ ‫ֶ ֥כּ ֶרם ֶ ֖ח ֶמד ַע‬
méreKHA tippeḤA síLUK
27:3
‫ֲא ִ ֤ני יְ הוָ ֙ה ֹֽנ ְצ ָ ֔רהּ‬
mahPAKH pashTA zaKÉF
‫ִל ְר ָג ִ ֖עים ַא ְשׁ ֶ ֑ קנָּ ה‬
tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
(ye)TÍV91 muNAḤ zaKÉF
‫יה‬
ָ ‫ֶ ֚פּן יִ ְפ ֣קֹד ָע ֔ ֶל‬
méreKHA tippeḤA síLUK
‫ַ ֥ליְ ָלה וָ י֖ וֹם ֶא ֳצּ ֶ ֽרנָּ ה‬
27:4
‫ֵח ָ ֖מה ֵ ֣אין ִ ֑לי‬
tippeḤA muNAḤ ’etnaḥTA
(ve) GEresh92 méreKHA pashTA
zeKÉF
‫ִ ֽמי־יִ ְתּ ֵ֜ננִ י ָשׁ ִ ֥מיר ַ֨שׁיִ ֙ת‬
‫ַבּ ִמּ ְל ָח ָ֔מה‬
méreKHA tippeḤA méreKHA síLUK
‫יתנָּ ה ָיּ ַֽחד‬
֥ ֶ ‫ֶא ְפ ְשׂ ָ ֥עה ָ ֖בהּ ֲא ִצ‬
27:5
‫עוּזּי‬
ִ֔ ‫֚אוֹ יַ ֲח ֵז֣ק ְבּ ָמ‬
(ye)TÍV muNAḤ zaKÉF
méreKHA tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
‫יַ ֲע ֶ ֥שׂה ָשׁל֖ וֹם ִ ֑לי‬
tippeḤA síLUK
‫ה־לּי‬
ֽ ִ ‫ָשׁל֖ וֹם ֽי ֲַע ֶשׂ‬
27:6
‫ַה ָבּ ִא ֙ים יַ ְשׁ ֵ ֣רשׁ ַי ֲֽע ֔קֹב‬
pashTA muNAḤ zaKÉF
‫וּפ ַ ֖רח ִי ְשׂ ָר ֵ ֑אל‬
ָ ‫יָ ִ ֥ציץ‬
méreKHA tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
‫נוּבה‬
ֽ ָ ‫י־ת ֵ ֖בל ְתּ‬
ֵ ֵ‫וּמ ְל ֥אוּ ְפנ‬
ָ
méreKHA tippeḤA síLUK
91
92
Ibid pg 121
Ibid pg 130
Appendix VI
Page 67
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
A special melody is used to signal the end of a haftarah. The final cadence is sung
differently from other verses though they end with the same tippeḤA and síLUK.93
The present writer has left the music files in the following links. Interested readers
may follow these links to listen to the melodies.
http://www.stc.edu.hk/engdepartment/Hebrew/cbi/isaiah6.mp3
http://www.stc.edu.hk/engdepartment/Hebrew/cbi/isaiah23.mp3
http://www.stc.edu.hk/engdepartment/Hebrew/cbi/isaiah27.mp3
http://www.stc.edu.hk/engdepartment/Hebrew/cbi/isaiah5_1.mp3
http://www.stc.edu.hk/engdepartment/Hebrew/cbi/isaiah5_5.mp3
93
Ibid pg 138
Appendix VI
Page 68
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Isaiah 5:1b-7
This is our target song. What can we make out of it? It will be displayed in 2 parts.
Cantillation motifs
MT
5:1b
‫ידי‬
֖ ִ ‫ֶ ֛כּ ֶרם ָה ָי֥ה ִ ֽל ִיד‬
teVÍR méreKHA tippeḤA
méreKHA síLUK
‫ן־שׁ ֶמן‬
ֽ ָ ‫ְבּ ֶ ֥ ק ֶרן ֶבּ‬
5:2
muNAḤ reVÍa‘
‫ַוֽ יְ ַעזְּ ֵ ֣ קהוּ ַוֽ יְ ַס ְקּ ֗ ֵלהוּ‬
‫הוּ שׂ ֵ ֹ֔רק‬
֙ ‫וַ יִּ ָטּ ֨ ֵע‬
pashTA zaKÉF
mahPAKH pashTA zaKÉF
‫תוֹכוֹ‬
֔ ‫וַ ִ ֤יּ ֶבן ִמ ְג ָדּל֙ ְבּ‬
tippeḤA muNAḤ ’etnaḥTA
‫ם־י֖ ֶקב ָח ֵצ֣ב ֑בּוֹ‬
ֶ ַ‫וְ ג‬
‫וַ יְ ַ ֛ קו ַל ֲע ֥שׂוֹת ֲענָ ִ ֖בים‬
teVÍR méreKHA tippeḤA
méreKHA síLUK
‫וַ ַ ֥יּ ַעשׂ ְבּ ֻא ִ ֽשׁים‬
5:3
ִ‫רוּשׁ ַל֖ם‬
ָ ְ‫יוֹשׁב י‬
֥ ֵ ‫וְ ַע ָ ֛תּה‬
teVÍR méreKHA tippeḤA
‫הוּדה‬
֑ ָ ְ‫וְ ִ ֣אישׁ י‬
muNAḤ ’etnaḥTA
‫טוּ־נא ֵבּ ִ ֖יני‬
ָ֕ ‫ִשׁ ְפ‬
zaKÉF tippeḤA
méreKHA síLUK
‫וּבין ַכּ ְר ִ ֽמי‬
ֵ֥
5:4
méreKHA pashTA zaKÉF
‫עוֹד ְל ַכ ְר ִ֔מי‬
֙ ‫ה־לּ ֲע ֥שׂוֹת‬
ַ ‫ַמ‬
‫וְ ֥ל ֹא ָע ִ ֖שׂ ִיתי ֑בּוֹ‬
méreKHA tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
darGA teVÍR méreKHA tippeḤA
‫֛יתי ַל ֲע ֥שׂוֹת ֲענָ ִ ֖בים‬
ִ ‫ַמ ֧דּ ַוּע ִקֵוּ‬
méreKHA síLUK
Appendix VI
‫וַ ַ ֥יּ ַעשׂ ְבּ ֻא ִ ֽשׁים‬
Page 69
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
Is it possible to isolate the original drinking song? After this long exercise of
reconstructing the melodies, the present writer finds it rather hopeless to recover the
‘original’ melody. The Masoretes of the academy of Ben-Asher in Tiberias worked
diligently to give us the Masoretic Text we have today. Not only did they invent a
convention to write down the vowels, they had also created a musical notation system
of cantillation marks to help chanting in the liturgy. Therefore, the melodies recorded
with these notations are for liturgical services only. Any profane, secular or
sensational tunes would be discarded.
Just a case in point. In response to the call of Vatican II to use vernacular in Sunday
Mass, there arose a tide of controversial experimentations in Hong Kong. Unable to
chunk out enough quality sacred music to meet the demand, enthusiasts, especially
undergraduates, even ‘stuck’ sacred lyrics to popular tunes, sometimes even theme
songs of TV series, and sang them in Sunday Masses! E.g., the tune of ‘Butterfly
Lovers’ was sung at “The Mystery of Faith”. Many in the congregation found them
distasteful and the popularity of these vernacular songs did not last for more than 10
Appendix VI
Page 70
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
years. “滿江紅” (【頌恩】#124), “採蓮謠” (【頌恩】#169) were more respectable
tunes and survived in the Hong Kong Catholic Hymnal from 1985 to 2005. However,
they are purged from the latest version. After all, sacred music is sacred music. There
is a certain quality appropriate to it. If any scholars in the future generations hold the
latest hymnal in their hands, they will never be able to know that such folk tunes ever
existed in the church music of Hong Kong.
Our present situation is similar. After reconstructing the melody from these
cantillation marks, the present writer wonders if it be possible to recover the ‘original’
tune of the drinking song.
Now, let us turn to part 2.
Cantillation motifs
MT
5:5
‫ה־נּ֣א ֶא ְת ֶ֔כם‬
ָ ‫יע‬
ָ ‫אוֹד‬
ֽ ִ ‫וְ ַע ָתּ ֙ה‬
pashTA muNAḤ zaKÉF
teVÍR méreKHA tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
‫ר־א ִ ֥ני ע ֶ ֹ֖שׂה ְל ַכ ְר ִ ֑מי‬
ֲ ‫ֵ ֛את ֲא ֶשׁ‬
mahPAKH pashTA muNAḤ zaKÉF
‫תוֹ וְ ָהיָ ֣ה ְל ָב ֔ ֵער‬
֙ ‫שׂוּכּ‬
ָ ‫ָה ֵ ֤סר ְמ‬
méreKHA tippeḤA méreKHA síLUK
‫ָפּ ֥ר ֹץ ְגּ ֵד ֖רוֹ וְ ָה ָ ֥יה ְל ִמ ְר ָ ֽמס‬
5:6
muNAḤ
reVÍa‘
(ye)TÍV
pashTA
muNAḤ zaKÉF
‫יתהוּ ָב ָ֗תה ֤ל ֹא יִ זָּ ֵמ ֙ר‬
֣ ֵ ‫וַ ֲא ִשׁ‬
‫וְ ֣ל ֹא יֵ ָע ֵ ֔דר‬
méreKHA tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
‫וְ ָע ָ ֥לה ָשׁ ִ ֖מיר וָ ָ ֑שׁיִ ת‬
mahPAKH pashTA zaKÉF
‫וְ ַ ֤על ֶה ָע ִב ֙ים ֲא ַצ ֶ ֔וּה‬
‫ֵמ ַה ְמ ִ ֥טיר ָע ָל֖יו ָמ ָ ֽטר‬
méreKHA tippeḤA síLUK
5:7
‫ִ ֣כּי ֶ֜כ ֶרם‬
muNAḤ GEresh
mahPAKH pashTA muNAḤ zaKÉF
Appendix VI
Page 71
‫אוֹת ֵבּ֣ית יִ ְשׂ ָר ֵ֔אל‬
֙ ‫הו֤ה ְצ ָב‬
ָ ְ‫י‬
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
‫הוּדה‬
֔ ָ ְ‫וְ ִ ֣אישׁ י‬
muNAḤ zaKÉF
‫שׁוּעיו‬
֑ ָ ‫נְ ַ ֖טע ַשׁ ֲע‬
tippeḤA ’etnaḥTA
mahPAKH pashTA muNAḤ zaKÉF
‫וַ יְ ַ ֤ קו ְל ִמ ְשׁ ָפּ ֙ט וְ ִה ֵנּ֣ה ִמ ְשׂ ָ֔פּח‬
‫ִל ְצ ָד ָ ֖ קה וְ ִה ֵ ֥נּה ְצ ָע ָ ֽ קה‬
tippeḤA méreKHA síLUK
Even if 5:5-6 had been written after exile, the Masoretic rendition from the 7th to 10th
century would have ironed out its differences with the previous verses.
Appendix VI
Page 72
An analysis of the 2 Vineyard songs in Isaiah
Kwok Chi Keung (200407)
Supersisor: Fr. Placid Wong OFM
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Chaney, M.L., “Whose Sour Grapes? The Addressees of Isaiah 5:1-7 in the Light of
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Drijvers, P., The Psalms: Their structure and meaning, Montreal:Herder Palm 1965
Gottwald, N.K., “Social Class as an Analytic and Hermeneutical Category in Biblical
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Jacobson, J.R., Chanting the Hebrew Bible, Student Edition, Philadelphia:Jewish
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Millar, W.R., Isaiah 24-27 and the Origin of Apocalyptic, (Harvard Semitic
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1989
Ramsey, G.W., “Speech-Forms in Hebrew Law and Prophetic Oracles”, Journal of
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Sweeney, Marvin A., “Re-evaluating Isaiah 1-39 in recent Critical Research”,
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Tucker, G.M., The Book of Isaiah 1-39, New Interpreter’s Bible vol. 6,
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Watts, J.D.W., Isaiah 1-33, Word Biblical Commentary vol.24, Dallas:Word Books
1985
Willis, John T., “The Genre of Isaiah 5:1-7”, Journal of Biblical Literature 96 (1977)
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Page 73