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Isaiah 55:8-9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways," says Yahweh. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
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Interpretation

The prophet calls a higher ways that is worked out in work and rest in Isaiah 55:8-9—look for "thoughts" and "ways". Align higher ways in the use of resources—season power with mercy.

Context

Isaiah speaks here as prophetic oracle writing, developing higher ways. Read in Isaiah 55, its force becomes clearer. It also intersects prophetic hope & judgment. Listen for “thoughts” alongside “ways”.

Authorship & Historical Background

Long‑standing tradition credits Isaiah to the prophet Isaiah, Amoz’s son. Modern scholarship on Isaiah sees Scholars often distinguish major sections (sometimes called Deutero/Trito‑Isaiah).. Scholars commonly date Isaiah 8th–5th century BC. 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
In the Masoretic tradition the Hebrew text is preserved, standardized between the 6th–10th centuries CE. The Dead Sea Scrolls (1947-1956 discoveries) provide manuscripts 1000+ years older than medieval texts, generally confirming the Masoretic Text's reliability with only minor variations. The Septuagint (Greek translation, 3rd-2nd century BCE) offers an independent textual witness. Variations between manuscripts are typically minor: spelling differences, word order, or clarifications that do not alter the main meaning. Modern translations compare all available manuscripts to reconstruct the most probable original wording text.
Sources & witness notes
MT