[Avodah] Latest Archeological Finding -- Yeshaiah haNavi's?

[Micha Berger]

https://members.bib-arch.org/biblical-archaeology-review/44/2/7

They found a seal, not far from where they found Chizqiyahu haMelekh's,
in the ofel by Har haBayis.

It reads
_____ (too broken to read, might even be a picture)
LYShYH?
NBY

They're assuming / hoping the mangled letter on the first line is a
vav and an alef on the broken off corner of the second, to read
...
LeYashayah[u]
Nav[i]

Given the letters, and the likelihood it was left in royal precincts in
the right era, there is reason to be optimistic.

Or, as the article's title asks, "Is This the Prophet Isaiah's Signature?"

An e-friend of mine quipped: Now I went them to find evidence of the 2nd
Isaiah!



RYGB shared this on Facebook, and someone expressed skepticism on two
grounds. To paraphrase and answer, since I think they're the likely
skeptical responses:

1- How solid is the provenance? Was it really found incontravertibly alongside
   Chizqiyahu's?

I see no reason to ascribe non-professionalism to the archeologist.

I don't in general know the quality of the provenience (the in situ location
of the find) in the Ofel, but I do know that when they found Chizqiyahu's
bulla some months ago, this was a big deal. The find of the king's seal
wasn't itself the exciting part, they had a number of others. But this is
the first time where the location checked out.

So I think those in the field would consider it a given that Yeshaiah's
signet was actually in Chizqiyahu's environs. (Again, until we find reason
to start suspecting trickery.)

2- Is the final alef just wishful thinking? And who would sign their name
   "navi" even before their predictions become true? Isn't it gaavah?

Nevu'ah is about "giving mussar", not predictions.

But in any case, it was a job in the royal court. Someone had to be there
to "speak truth to power", and in Hashem's name no less! For example,
"Udevar H' hayah el Gad hanavi, chozeih David, leimor" (Shemuel 2 24:1,
after the mid-pasuq pesuchah). Gad is "chozeih David".

And our good kings actually accept the rebuke! David does teshuvah after
Nasan yells at him for Uriah's death. The office is a way to temper some
of the corruptive influence of holding power.

So, if Yeshaiah were "chozeih Chizqiyah", then including his professional
title lacks the problem of ascribing bravado to Yeshaiahu haNavi.

That said, the navi himself does not describe himself that way.
1:1 reeads "asher chazah al Yehudah viYrushalaim biymei Uziyahu, Yosam,
Achaz, Yechizqiyahu, malkhei Yehudah." "About" "in the days of". Similarly
every other occurance of "*MLK*" in a Bar Ilan search of Yashaiah. "Vayhi
biymei Achaz ben Yosam ben Uziyahu meleakh Yehudah..." Things said to
kings, and about kings ("asher chazah al"), or during the reign of a king.

(BTW, "*MLK*" matches "melekh" and "hamelekh", even though my kaf was
kefufah, and the matched one is peshutah. Also the q'ri of "MLKM" for
"Mah lakhem" at 3:15. Antoher BI search tip, "*" will match any piece
of a word.)

My "if" is a guess, a possibility. After all, he has nevu'os in the seifer
that aren't to the melekh. Even if it was his profession, that's not
key to understanding his book. So maybe he didn't bother to spell it out.


And the word could be something else. But that would mean there was another
personal with a name that begins Yeshaiah who was a member of Chizqiyahu's
court or whose signet somehow otherwise ended up among their things.

I think the exciting possibility is the most plausible.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Nearly all men can stand adversity,
micha at aishdas.org        but if you want to test a man's character,
http://www.aishdas.org   give him power.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                      -Abraham Lincoln