Do we remember people and milestone better if those stories are written down? Or kept in our head?
Chapter 8 gives us a glimpse to how we manage memories — with a paradigm shift that sets up a specific and strange instruction delivered by YHWH to Isaiah:
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י קַח־לְךָ֖ גִּלָּי֣וֹן גָּד֑וֹל וּכְתֹ֤ב עָלָיו֙ בְּחֶ֣רֶט אֱנ֔וֹשׁ לְמַהֵ֥ר שָׁלָ֖ל חָ֥שׁ בַּֽז׃
YHWH said to me, “Get yourself a large sheet and write on it in common script ‘For Maher-shalal-hash-baz’; ( “Pillage hastens, looting speeds)
Isaiah 8:1
Those four words at the end are peculiar - and we will be soon told that this may be the name of one of Isaiah’s sons - chosen for symbolic use. But it isn’t just what words or messages this prophet is delivering - but who he is delivering it to - and how.
Isaiah is one of the first prophets who do so - in writing.
And with this shift that echoes the advances in technology this prophet, as will others after him, not only address the leaders - but the entire population. Previous prophets were religious leaders but their messaging for the most part were intended for the kings. Isaiah uses writing and talks to the masses - it’s a new age in what communication can do. Archaeological data from the 8th Century BCE proves a dramatic rise in the number of written relics - on pottery, on stones, with signature stamps, including many hints at vast use of papyrus scrolls. This was not only the royal use for taxes - this becomes a popular form of commercial, religious, legal and civic use. Gems were used and inscribed with names or spells, pottery, the cheapest, was often repurposed and used with ink or paint. There’s evidence of formal fonts for fancy monuments and faster, daily evidence of missives and invoices. The Assyrian culture introduced many innovations into society - and the prevalence of writing was one of those. And while this invention was not Hebraic in essence - we have many references to how the Hebrew - Judean and Israelite culture - adopted these innovations on mass scale. Isaiah may have been one of the first to write down his vision and messages - but within just one generation this would be the way we would slowly become the people of the book, or rather - the scroll.
The chapter continues with Isaiah’s summoning of two witnesses to make sure he writes down exactly what YHWH wants. He then has coitus with a prophetess (his wife?) and of this union will be born a son with those four words on the scroll - as his name. It’s all an elaborate way to deliver coded messages to the king and the people. By the time this boy will grow old enough to know what’s going on the current military threat will be long gone - therefore -- abstain from any political allegiance. With this message Isaiah wraps up this political campaign and suggests that is written down and sealed:
“Bind up the message, Seal the instruction with My disciples.” (8:16)
Isaiah’s words made it many scrolls, including one of the oldest evidence of biblical writing - nowadays stored in the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. But whatever medium was chosen to deliver the message - most of it was lost on its contemporary listeners, king and community alike. Despite his concern for the future - Isaiah will keep sowing seeds of hope.
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