Isaiah 32
# Isaiah 32

Isaiah 32 is the thirty-second chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. The Jerusalem Bible groups chapters 28-35 together as a collection of "poems on Israel and Judah". Unlike the previous chapters, this chapter makes no reference to "the overthrow of the Assyrians".

## Text

The original text was written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 20 verses.

### Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (3rd century BC or later):

* $1QIsa^a:$ complete
* $1QIsa^b:$ extant: verses 17‑18, 20

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\mathfrak {G}}$$^B;$ 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\mathfrak {G}}$$^S;$ 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\mathfrak {G}}$$^A;$ 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\mathfrak {G}}$$^Q;$ 6th century).

## Parashot

The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex. Isaiah 32 is a part of the Prophecies about Judah and Israel (Isaiah 24–35). {P}: open parashah; {S}: closed parashah.

    {P} 32:1-8 {S} 32:9-20 {S}

## Structure

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges describes verses 1 to 8 as "the ideal commonwealth of the Messianic Age" and dates this section "to the close of Isaiah’s ministry, when his mind was occupied with the hope of the ideal future".

## The Kingdom of Righteousness (32:1–8)

### Verse 1

    Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness,
       and princes shall rule in judgment.

## Warning to the women of Jerusalem (32:9–15)

This "threatening oration" is linked in the Jerusalem Bible to other "oracles of the return from exile". Verse 9 shows that "what roused the ire of the prophet was the careless unconcern and indifference of the women in face of the reiterated warnings he had uttered".

## The peace of God’s reign (32:16–20)

### Verse 17

    And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
* "Quietness and assurance": "calmness and security"
