Isaiah 40-66

Benjamin D. Sommer
-- Jewish Theological Seminary
"A work of massive erudition deftly wed to literary sensitivity. . . . An outstanding contribution not only to our appreciation for one poet's work but to our understanding of prophecy and the state of Israelite religion in the late sixth century."

Gary A. Rendsburg
-- Rutgers University
"Shalom Paul's commentary constitutes as rich a treatment of Second Isaiah as exists today. The work builds from a firm philological base to address with equal excellence the larger literary, historical, and theological issues central to the work of this crucial prophet at the turning point of ancient Judaism. Evidence is garnered from every corner of biblical studies -- Mesopotamia, Qumran, medieval Jewish commentators, modern researchers of every stripe, and more -- and is then digested in an exceedingly readable explication of the ancient text. This volume is destined to remain a valuable work for years to come, for both students and scholars alike."

Jeffrey H. Tigay
-- University of Pennsylvania
"A superb commentary. Not only does Shalom Paul bring to Isaiah 40–66 his great exegetical skill and all the resources of contemporary biblical scholarship, but he also brings a mastery of the important and often neglected insights of the pioneering medieval Hebrew grammarians and commentators, an acute sensitivity to the book's indebtedness and allusions to other parts of the Bible, and an unsurpassed knowledge of the ancient Near Eastern literary heritage and the culture of sixth-century BCE Babylonia in which the prophet and his audience lived."

Ziony Zevit
-- American Jewish University
"Paul's sensitivity to the linguistic nuances of the prophet's sophisticated Hebrew and to the richness of his allusions is shared with readers in clear, accessible prose. The freshness of his original observations and insights makes this commentary an important milestone in scholarship on Isaiah 40–66 that will have a lasting influence on how the book is taught, preached, and understood."

Journal of Jewish Studies
“Paul excels at detailed and technical philological and textual analysis, and it is for these types of exercises rather than broader historical and literary exegesis that his work will be valued for a long time to come. . . . His arguments always deserve the most careful attention.”

Journal of Ancient Judaism 
“Paul’s commentary to Isaiah 40-66 distinguishes itself from other commentaries to Isaiah by its careful text critical work and its analysis of the literary and stylistic features of the text. Also more than welcome is Paul’s inclusion of the work of medieval Jewish commentators.”

Religious Studies Review
“Paul’s expert analysis and original contributions will make this volume mandatory reading for all future scholarship on Isaiah 40–66.”
 
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
“An excellent, useful, and valuable source to advance scholars’ and research students’ exegetical, philological, and literary readings of Isaiah 40–66.”
 
The Bible Today
“Paul’s grasp of the history of interpretation of this prophetic tradition as well as related literature is remarkable.”
 
Review of Biblical Literature
“A remarkably rich resource. . . . Paul’s commentary is a unique and valuable resource.”
 
Hebrew Studies
“The work is the culmination of a lifetime of study and scholarship by Shalom Paul, and it is both comprehensive in scope and detailed in execution.”