Poetry of Reconciliation
When Yahweh returns to abandoned Zion, she breaks into song. He breaks into poetry (Isaiah 54).
He describes Zion as a “woman forsaken and grieved in Spirit, a wife of youth refused” (v. 6). “Forsaken” translates ‘azuvah , and “grieved” translates ‘atzuvat , and the assonance in Hebrew continues, though less pronounced, with the word “youth,” ne’uriym .
He explains, “With little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment” (v. 8). “Little wrath” is shetzef qetzef . You can almost see the dismissive hand-wave that accompanies the phrase: “Pish, posh; it was nothing, because now we’ll be together forever.”
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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