Sections of Isaiah

This webpage does not divide Isaiah into two or three parts such as Isaiah 1 - 39 and Isaiah 40 - 66. While the proposed structure roughly matches with those recognized major divisions, an overall theme based upon Menorah structures has been proposed to exist in the text. The eight parts shown below are a good place to start, but these can be further divided into major units, and then units that are typically chiasmus exhibiting parallelism at a multi stanza level.

Description of the Sections of Isaiah

The concept that there are Menorah structures in the text of Isaiah has significant consequence to the structure.  The theoretical viewpoint herein for the organizational flow of Isaiah could be described as a theme related to the tree in Genesis 3:22-24, combined with an “architectonic” flavor of events occurring in the heavenly tabernacle and around it on a Passover day, and in a return to this heavenly tabernacle. 

Although the chart above is relatively easy to use, readers are likely to find the breakout below extremely terse. It will require some digging into Isaiah.   The outline should be viewed as a highly condensed working model or hypothesis:  

Isaiah 1 -12.    This is well accepted as an introductory section to Isaiah (although there is much content).  You can think of Isaiah 1 – 12 as a wide sweeping overview or introduction before a magnificent prophetic lecture, as is provided to us in Isaiah 13 – 66.  Most commentaries place a significant break after Chapter 4.  The many finer divisions are described in papers, commentaries, and also in Isaiah Revisited, A Structural View. 

Isaiah 13 – 23.    This is a well agreed upon as a section because there are ten Oracles or Burdens in these chapters.  

Isaiah 24 – 35.    A significant feature of this section are the six woes in Isaiah 28 – 33 which occur at the start of stanzas.  Although many commentators will list Isaiah 24 – 27 as a separate section, this author views these chapters as a prelude to the Menorah structure or tree in Isaiah 28 – 33 (where the side branches are composed of the “woe stanzas”).   To see the Menorah or Tree chart for Isaiah 28 - 33, click here.   Additionally, Isaiah 34 – 35, is taken to be a postlude to the tree, with Isaiah 35 hypothesized to be related to a water flow (spiritual flow) from the tree or temple out into the desert.    

Isaiah 36 – 39.    This is a historical section that is mostly prose rather than poetry.

Isaiah 40 – 53.    This is a difficult section to summarize in an overall manner, although the finer structure has highly structured chiasmus well identified by verses employing “near” and “far” and other markers.   Isaiah 40 contains magnificent poetry.  For a chart on Isaiah 40 - 44 click here. Isaiah 45 – 48 could be read as the explanation as to why the Ancient Hebrews would go into captivity.  It is suggested that Isaiah 47 – 48 may be constructed around or related to the use of “saying” in Deuteronomy 11:26 – 30:20. One view for Isaiah 51:17 – 52:12 (or a way to highly condense it) might be to say that the hero (our Savior) is coming.  Isaiah 52:12 – 53:12 is well known as a prophecy of the suffering of Christ. For further details on Major Units and Chiastic Units Click Here.

Isaiah 54 – 62:10.    Following Isaiah 53, the poetry can be viewed as having correspondence to the return to a new and better temple, and a new tree. Thus, Isaiah 54:1 – 57:13 is hypothesized to contain very sublime poetry related to a new era or a “return” to the spiritual temple or an approach to the vicinity of a new temple.  The text appears to contain poetry in which a new or spiritual temple, a new leader, and new water are abstractly (or sublimely) presented.  Not all approaching the new lampstand-tree are believers.  For a chart on Isaiah 53 to 57 click here. So then one comes to a new Menorah-tree representing the Kingdom of Christ, found in the literary structure of Isaiah 57:14 - 62:10. To see the Menorah or Tree chart for Isaiah 57 - 62, click here.

Isaiah 62:11 – 66:24.   This is a concluding section to the Book of Isaiah which perhaps could partially be considered as an ode to the tree of Isaiah 28 – 33.

More explanation of the outline above

Two sections are too few, and the granularity of eight sections is about right to begin more serious study.  As mentioned, these 8 sections further divide into major units, and then even further into many units which typically are chiastic structures or chiasmus. These units employ various inclusio like marker verses containing the words “near” and “far.”   Hymn verses are also used structurally.   The words “near” and “far” were used structurally by Isaiah in every section described above.

Note also that the very process of making an outline presupposes modern or Western style of linear sequential thinking and superimposes these thought patterns onto an ancient text.  Thus, making an outline for Isaiah is inherently and fundamentally flawed.  None-the-less, since almost all readers think of things in this linear manner, the outline or list above is offered. As stated, the outline is well researched but should be viewed as a highly condensed working model or hypothesis.