The Historical Background of “Deutero-Isaiah.”

        Assyria has disappeared. Nineveh fell to the confederate armies of Babylon and the Medes in 612 B.C., and these two countries with Lydia formed a triple alliance dominating the Near East.

        Jerusalem was captured and the Jews led into captivity in 587 B.C. Some thirty years later Cyrus, the Persian prince of Anshan — part of Elam, due east of Babylon (Isa. 41:2) — was extending his power over Persia. Alarmed, Astyages king of Media attacked him in 550 B.C., but was betrayed into his hands. By 546 B.C. Cyrus had the whole of the Median empire under his control, and this brought him to the north of Babylon (Isa. 41:25).

        An initial attack on Babylon in 546 B.C. was quickly checked by the need to deal with Croesus king of Lydia. He was defeated and captured in one short campaign, but Cyrus needed three years to subdue the Greek cities of Ionia.

        Babylon was attacked in 539 B.C. The king, Nabonidus, “the first archaeologist,” offered little opposition. The Babylonian army was routed in the field, and Babylon itself betrayed into the hands of the Persians. Only the citadel held out. This was stormed and Belshazzar, Nabonidus’ son, killed (Dan. 5).

        Cyrus gave the exiled Jews permission to return and re­build the Temple — a permission which may well have been given to other deported peoples as well; but only a relatively small part, in which priests formed a high proportion, took advantage of the king’s kindness (Ezra 1, 2). Obstacles and disappointments led to religious laxness, and these conditions may be reflected in some of the chapters of “Trito-Isaiah.”