Gary Smith Isaiah 1–39 New American Commentary 15A

Gary Smith, Isaiah 1–39 (New American Commentary 15A), B & H Publishing Group, 2007

Review in: SOUTHEASTERN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW 2/1

Gevonden op: http://apps.sebts.edu/str/wp-content/uploads/Book-Reviews.pdf

Gary Smith, Isaiah 1–39. (New American Commentary 15A), B & H Publishing Group, 2007. 696 pp. Hardcover. ISBN: 978-0-8054-0115-8. $19.79. Hardcover.

Dr. Smith has written an up-to-date and resourceful commentary on the book of Isaiah in two volumes. It engages an impressive bibliography of secondary literature (even for an Isaiah commentary) and covers all of the important aspects of the study of the book. In this first volume on chapters 1–39, Dr. Smith quickly establishes his command of the various critical discussions (dating, authorship/unity, the book’s historical scope relative to its genre as prophetic literature, the nature of prophetic literature itself ), often taking a conservative line, but never apparently afraid to leave contested matters open (e.g., the degree to which the composition of Isaiah is riveted to the prophet himself, pp. 43, 68).

The commentary is easy to use, whether for extended reading or for quick reference. Though the NAC series uses the NIV, Smith is engaged at every point in a close reading of the Masoretic Text. The commentary portion of each volume is generally organized according to the discernible literary units in Isaiah, with the NIV translation in bold preceding the comments. The comments then progress by verse, with verse headings in bold for easy spotting. Each section of comments is further organized by various capitalized headings, (e.g., HISTORICAL SETTING, STRUCTURE, and THEOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS). Though the headings do not follow a consistent order and seem to be used in an ad hoc fashion, they serve to specify the particular focus of their paragraphs from the general interpretation of a text which itself resists a singular mode of reading or engagement. Smith keeps most of his even more detailed exegesis and scholarly interaction up in the main body of each page, with footnotes typically reserved for subsidiary points and citation. (Interestingly, Hebrew words and phrases are always transliterated up in the main body and left in their traditional script down in the footnotes, but this seems to be a consistent practice of the NAC series. In any case, a solid knowledge of Hebrew is required to benefit fully from all the comments.)

One obvious feature which distinguishes Smith’s commentary among the 17 others this reviewer consulted is the enormous amount of front matter to introduce the book of Isaiah – 71 pages! (Sweeney and Oswalt were next longest at 62 pages each. John Barton’s 127-page Isaiah 1–39 is singularly concerned with introductory matters and offers no commentary on the text itself.) The usual methodologies are summarized (Source Criticism, Redactional Approaches, Rhetorical Argumentation, the Canonical Perspective) and the tone is fair and even-handed.

Part of the reason for the extended introduction is Smith’s thorough analysis of the primary literature involved in the book of Isaiah, and the issues this complex dynamic raises for interpreting it. Readers will find his engagement with text-critical issues between the MT and other text traditions (Dead Sea scrolls, Greek, Aramaic Targum) to be an illuminating resource, as he finds a way to be specific without being tedious. For example, on p. 44, he offers nine examples throughout chapters 1–39 (more are covered in the commentary section) in which there is clearly a textual problem which can nonetheless be engaged in a way that does not call into question the ability of the text to deliver up its inspired message.

Another laudable feature is the manner in which Smith maintains his attention to his interlocutors throughout both commentaries. This is often more at issue in monographs where a specific argument is being advanced, but it is refreshing to see in the commentary genre as well. Chief among Smith’s influences on interpretive decisions are Wildberger and Beuken, despite the theological distance between them and himself (p.€10). The tone is consistently charitable and descriptive rather than polemical. Smith does not hesitate to draw heavily from those with whom he parts ways elsewhere. For example, his appreciation for Beuken and Wildberger puts him in close company with Childs (who also singles out Beuken as particularly formative for his own commentary), though Smith and Childs (and Beuken) handle questions of authorship and dating differently.

Although it does not pursue a particular angle in its reading of Isaiah that might make it especially useful in a given niche environment, this is a strong contribution to the general study of the book, and it ought to be on the shelf of anyone researching Isaiah. Again, high marks especially are due for the extended introductory discussion which will function as a resource we are likely to see increasingly cited alongside Barton in future Isaiah studies.

Chad Steiner

Lincoln, Nebraska

BACK: ADVANCED OT 'ORTHODOX PROTESTANT'

BACK: NAAR OVERZICHT