1In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.
2In that day: “Sing about a fruitful vineyard.
3I, the LORD, am its keeper; I water it continually. I guard it night and day so no one can disturb it;
4I am not angry. If only thorns and briers confronted Me, I would march and trample them, I would burn them to the ground.
5Or let them lay claim to My protection; let them make peace with Me—yes, let them make peace with Me.”
6In the days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit.
7Has the LORD struck Israel as He struck her oppressors? Was she killed like those who slayed her?
8By warfare and exile You contended with her and removed her with a fierce wind, as on the day the east wind blows.
9Therefore Jacob’s guilt will be atoned for, and the full fruit of the removal of his sin will be this: When he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.
10For the fortified city lies deserted—a homestead abandoned, a wilderness forsaken. There the calves graze, and there they lie down; they strip its branches bare.
11When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.
12In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered one by one.
13And in that day a great ram’s horn will sound, and those who were perishing in Assyria will come forth with those who were exiles in Egypt. And they will worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
Isaiah 27 Verse Notes
Isa 27:1
Revelation's 'ancient serpent' refers to mythological combat serpents, not Genesis 3
While Revelation 12:9 calls Satan 'the ancient serpent,' this phrase likely refers to the great mythological combat serpents found in ancient Near Eastern traditions, such as Leviathan in Isaiah 27, Yam in Canaanite texts, or Tiamat in Babylonian myth. These figures represent cosmic disorder defeated by a creator god, and the author of Revelation draws on this myth rather than the talking snake in the Garden of Eden.
Summarized by AI · Digging Up Eden: The Immortality of Adam and Eve · Lecture 8: Serpents, Satan, and More Sin · watch the clip
The Final Slaying of Leviathan
Isaiah 27 speaks of the Lord slaying 'Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, the dragon that is in the sea.' This draws on ancient Near Eastern creation myths where a divine figure conquers a sea monster. In this prophetic context, it is projected into the future, symbolizing the final suppression of all evil and unsatisfactory aspects of the world.
Summarized by AI · Judaism Before Jesus · Lecture 2: Prophecy After the Exile · watch the clip
Yahweh's assimilation of Canaanite deities
Yahweh's characteristics evolved by incorporating traits from other Canaanite deities, such as El (the chief, judging deity) and Baal (the storm and military deity). This syncretism is evident in various biblical texts, including some Psalms that may have originally been written for Canaanite gods like Baal before Yahweh's name was substituted. The mythology of Yahweh, such as the defeat of Leviathan, also borrows themes from Canaanite and Mesopotamian myths, indicating a blending of religious traditions.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · God’s Real Name Isn’t in Your Bible · watch the clip
Isa 27:9
Deuteronomistic condemnation of Asherah
The only biblical texts condemning Asherah or her worship are found in the Deuteronomistic literature, composed during and after Josiah's reign (640 BCE). This suggests that prior to Josiah, there was no widespread issue with Asherah. The condemnation likely arose from Josiah's efforts to centralize worship in Jerusalem and institutionalize a single object of worship, Yahweh, serving his political and priestly interests.
Summarized by AI · The Israelite Goddess Asherah · The Israelite Goddess Asherah · watch the clip
