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Isaiah 40:1Comfort prologue
"Comfort, comfort my people," says your God.
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Interpretation

The prophet calls a comfort ye that is worked out in relationships and commitments in Isaiah 40:1—look for "comfort" and "people". Choose comfort ye in the use of resources—season power with mercy.

Context

Isaiah speaks here as prophetic oracle writing, developing comfort ye. Read in Isaiah 40, its force becomes clearer. It also intersects prophetic hope & judgment. Listen for “comfort” alongside “people”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Isaiah to Isaiah (son of Amoz). Introductions to Isaiah often note: Many propose layered composition across exilic and post‑exilic periods.. Date: 8th–5th century BC. Genre and setting: prophetic oracle, in the Comfort prologue. This verse leans into prophetic hope & judgment. Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero). Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito). Exilic and post‑exilic horizons color sections of the book.

More details
Traditional:Isaiah son of Amoz
Modern scholarship:Multiple authors (Proto‑, Deutero‑, Trito‑Isaiah).
Date:8th–5th century BC
  • Chs 40–55 commonly exilic (Deutero).
  • Chs 56–66 commonly post‑exilic (Trito).
Manuscripts & Textual Witnesses
The Hebrew text is preserved in the Masoretic tradition with remarkable accuracy. The the Dead Sea Scrolls (found 1947-1956) confirm the Hebrew text's reliability, showing minimal variation over 1000+ years of transmission.