ISAIAH.

Isaiah (in Hebrew, Yeshayahu, "Salvation of God"), theearliest and most sublime of the four greater Hebrew prophets,was the son of Amoz (2 Kings xix, 2-20; Isaiah xxxvii, 2), and heuttered his oracles during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The dates of his birth and deathare unknown, but he lived from about 760 B.C. to about 700 B.C.He was married and had three sons—the children referred to inIsaiah viii, 18; and he appears to have resided nearJerusalem.

But by most competent critics it is now held that the lasttwenty-seven chapters (40-66) of the book bearing his name werethe work, not of the prophet, but of a later writer who iscommonly styled the second or Deutero-Isaiah. In this portion ofthe book, Cyrus, who was not born till after 600 B.C., ismentioned by name (Isaiah, xliv, 28; xlv, i); and events whichdid not take place till a century after the prophet's death arereferred to as happening contemporaneously with the writer'saccount of them. The style of these last twenty-seven chapters,also, is different, and the tone is more elevated andspiritual.

Dore's ideal portrait is more suited to the second orpseudo-Isaiah, than to the real one.