Unit 5
Nevi’im II: The Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and “The Twelve”)

Learning Objectives

After completing Unit 5 you should be able to

1. sketch the roles and characteristics of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel as portrayed in the Latter Prophets.
2. discuss the relationship between prophetic proclamation, the covenant and the future of Israel-Judah.
3. discuss how “layers” of successive interpretations may have been incorporated into the prophetic books.
4. list several distinctive contributions of the “The Twelve” to the development of the themes of the Hebrew Bible.

Introduction

In this unit we will read and reflect on the Latter Prophets, books that are quite different from the Former Prophets. The Latter Prophets are more “prophetic” in the current sense of the word than the Former Prophets, in that the Latter Prophets make predictions. Other differences are that the Former Prophets tell a story, whereas the Latter Prophets do not. Instead, they record the oracles and sayings of fifteen Hebrew prophets and only occasionally provide narratives. Unlike the Former Prophets, the books of the Latter Prophets are not interconnected to form a single work: each book of the Latter Prophets is a unified work in itself. The Latter Prophets include three longer books (Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel) and several shorter books collected into “The Twelve.” As well as predictions and other sayings of the prophets, these books provide interpretive comments that apply the sayings to particular situations in the history of Israel-Judah. The Latter Prophets encompass several centuries of history and involve different political regimes and distinctive religious conditions.

This unit will highlight the themes and features that scholars have emphasized in their analyses of the Latter Prophets. We will examine the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel with a view to understanding the concepts of prophet and prophecy in their ancient context. We will distinguish between the prophet as the central character in a book and the traditional view of the prophet as author. The social-critical nature of the prophetic books will also be explored.