The Motif of Deafness and Blindness in Isaiah 6:9–10: A Contextual, Literary, and Theological Analysis

Abstract

Isa 6:9–10 is examined in its local (Isaiah 6) and broader (Isaiah 1–12) contexts, as well as in relation to the rest of the book and (briefly) extra-Isaianic passages of Scripture. Following a literary analysis in form, redactional, and rhetorical-critical terms, theological argumentation is developed consistent with the thesis of the paper. It is argued that the motif of deafness and blindness is a metaphor for a spiritual condition that (1) is brought on by the people themselves, (2) comprises a judgment from God, and (3) will ultimately be rectified by God himself "in that day" of salvation.