Review of Balogh, Csaba, The Stele of YHWH in Egypt: The Prophecies of Isaiah 18–20 Concerning Egypt and Kush

Drawing inspiration from Isa. 19.19, which speaks of a ‘stele of Yhwh’ at the border of Egypt, B. argues that the assemblage of prophecies against foreign nations in Isaiah 13–23, of which Isaiah 18–20 is a part, is intended to function in the same way as an Assyrian victory stele, listing the nations subdued and proclaiming that Yhwh is ruler of the world. The book is well written and cogently argued, with detailed text-critical, exegetical, literary, theological and historical analysis of Isaiah 18–20, together with discussion focused more broadly on the oracles against foreign nations in Isaiah and elsewhere in the biblical corpus. An interesting feature is B.'s comparison of certain Isaianic passages in the MT with the readings of the LXX, which often differ significantly. He has not, apparently, compared these (or other) passages with the reading of the Qumran Scrolls; so far as I can detect, however, the variants there seen, although interesting for other reasons, have no effect upon his arguments. The latter may not find favour with all readers, but the theories advanced by B. are well worth careful reflection and are a refreshing reconsideration of the problems of composition and assembly of the book of Isaiah.