First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods

First Isaiah and the Disappearance of the Gods, Volume 1, examines the complex evolution of Israelite monotheism through a linguistic lens. Matthew J. Lynch investigates the frequent use of the term אלילים in Isaiah 1-39, a word typically translated as idols. This biblical commentary challenges traditional views that suggest monotheism only reached its peak during the exile. Instead, the text argues that First Isaiah employs a powerful monotheizing rhetoric much earlier than previously recognized by scholars of the Old Testament.

This work in biblical studies identifies three specific rhetorical strategies used to emphasize the supreme uniqueness of YHWH. Lynch explores a rhetoric of avoidance, a rhetoric of exaltation, and a rhetoric of abasement to show how other deities and human rulers are subjugated. As a significant contribution to religious history and biblical criticism, this volume provides a new perspective on the development of monotheistic thought within ancient Israelite religion.