Structural Chart for Isaiah 40:1 through 44:22 

The chart below presents the proposed structure of Isaiah 40:1 - 44:22, and contains two major units with inclusio as shown by the left most connectors on the left hand side. Typically, each row of the chart is a stanza.  

The chart below is a portion of one of several charts from The Near and Far Theme and the Literary Structure of Isaiah, and this one is comparable to Figure 9.2, page 179, but with more recent updates.  An important thing to observe is that verses containing the words “near” and/or “far” tend to fall in structural locations, that is, the words are found in verses that are bounding units. Particularly significant is the “far” block of the three verses of Isaiah 43:5-7.

Major units further subdivide into units. For example, Isaiah 43:8 - 44:11 is a unit. Detailed understanding of each of the larger units requires a further and more detailed chart for just that unit. For example, a chart for Isaiah 43:8 - 44:11 is provided elsewhere on this website or by clicking here.

Written in 2017, The Near and Far Theme seriously needs to be updated with additional understanding gained from Scriptures written prior to Isaiah, and slight chart modifications made, but the book has continuing technical value for serious students and commentary writers (please get the errata sheet and stay tuned to this website).   Most individuals are better off with Isaiah Revisited. 

To see the consistently structural use of the words “near” and “far,” readers should be sure to observe the chart for Isaiah 44:23 - 52:12 found elsewhere on this website by backing up a level and clicking on an appropriate link. The use of “near” and “far” is ubiquitous through Isaiah, and these words are inextricably interlinked with the theme of the book.