Isaiah 42:9: From the Absurd to the Sublime

 בס"ד

The prophet Isaiah (42:9) declares, “Behold, the first prophecies have occurred and the new ones I’m declaring, before they flower I will announce them to you”. You means the people of Israel. Concerning the first prophecies (הָרִאשֹׁנוֹת) there are various explanations. Rashi comments that the first ones refers to the prophecy given to Abraham our prophet that his descendents would be in exile in Egypt. This is certainly one of the first prophecies concerning the nation of Israel. The Radak, though, says that the first ones   refers to the invasion of Judea by Sancheriv, which had occurred earlier in the life of Isaiah. Concerning the new prophecies (וַחֲדָשׁוֹת) the Radak continues that these are new prophecies about events that are yet to occur. Just like the early prophecies came to pass so too will the recent prophecies. In this case it is the heralding of an era of universal faith in God with the miracles, travails, and joy that will come at its onset. The metaphor is taken from plants and flowers with the word תִּצְמַחְנָה referring to the springing up of plants which includes things like sending out shoots and flowers budding. The phrase means before there is any growth in the plant or even indications of life. The idea is that God revealed future events before there was anything by which it might be inferred that such occurrences would take place. Therefore it was not a prediction based on human sagacity. Rather the event was based on the omniscience and omnipotence of the holy One, blessed be He.

An example would be the story of a starving city, besieged by a large powerful army. At a time of great travail Elisha the prophet said in the name of God that the next day food would be plentiful and cheap. When an officer of the king rejected this prediction, Elisha replied he would see its fulfillment but not partake of the bounty. That evening the enemy army heard an inexplicable tumult and fled leaving a treasury of food. When the news reached the beleaguered, there was a stampede to the abandoned camp in which the one skeptical of the word of God was trampled. Another example would be the prophecy to Abraham of the imminent birth of a son when his wife was long past child bearing age. Because these events were foretold at a time when they seemed unlikely or even ridiculous, their actual occurrence is proof that they came from God. Likewise the fulfillment of their narrative is a proof of  the sanctity of the books of the books of the Bible. 

לע"נ  האמא מלכה בת חיים ז"ל נלב"ע טז ניסן תשנ"ח

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