Who Was Isaiah in the Bible? Prophet of Judah and the Coming Messiah

Isaiah was a prophet in the kingdom of Judah, the son of Amoz, who prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1). He warned Judah and the surrounding nations of God's judgment, counseled kings in times of crisis, and wrote extensively about a coming Messiah. The Book of Isaiah, the first of the Major Prophets, carries his name.

The New Testament quotes Isaiah many times and applies his prophecies to Jesus, including the virgin birth, the ministry in Galilee, and the suffering servant (Matthew 1:22-23; Matthew 4:14-16; Acts 8:32-35).

Quick Facts About Isaiah

Fact	Details
Name meaning	"The LORD is salvation"
Testament	Old Testament
Key books	Isaiah, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles
Time period	About 740 to 681 BC
Known for	His vision of the Lord's throne, prophecies of the Messiah, counsel to King Hezekiah

Isaiah's Background and Family

Isaiah lived in Jerusalem and had direct access to the royal court. He met King Ahaz at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool (Isaiah 7:3) and later delivered messages to Hezekiah inside the palace (Isaiah 38:1; 39:3).

He was married, and he refers to his wife as a prophetess (Isaiah 8:3). He had at least two sons whose names were messages to the nation. Shear-Jashub means "a remnant will return" (Isaiah 7:3). Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz means "quick to the plunder, swift to the spoil," a sign that Assyria would soon carry off the wealth of Damascus and Samaria (Isaiah 8:1-4). Isaiah said that he and his children were signs to Israel (Isaiah 8:18).

Isaiah's Call to Be a Prophet

In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a high throne, with seraphim calling to one another that the LORD Almighty is holy and that his glory fills the whole earth (Isaiah 6:1-3). Isaiah cried out that he was ruined because he was a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5).

One of the seraphim touched his mouth with a live coal from the altar and told him his guilt was taken away (Isaiah 6:6-7). Then Isaiah heard God's question and answered it:

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8, NIV)

God told Isaiah in advance that the people would not listen, and that the message would continue until the cities lay ruined (Isaiah 6:9-12). Jesus later quoted this passage to explain why many did not understand his parables (Matthew 13:13-15).

Could you name Isaiah from a single clue? Test yourself in Who Am I? Bible Edition.

Who Was Isaiah in the Bible to the Kings of Judah?

Isaiah and King Ahaz

Around 735 BC, the kings of Aram and Israel attacked Judah (Isaiah 7:1-2). Isaiah told Ahaz to stay calm and trust God, and invited him to ask for a sign. Ahaz refused (Isaiah 7:4-12). Isaiah then announced that the virgin would conceive and give birth to a son called Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). Matthew applies this prophecy to the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:22-23).

Ahaz chose instead to ask Assyria for help and sent temple silver and gold to the Assyrian king (2 Kings 16:7-8).

Isaiah and King Hezekiah

Hezekiah was a different kind of king. When the Assyrian king Sennacherib surrounded Jerusalem in 701 BC, his field commander mocked Judah's trust in the Lord (Isaiah 36:1-20). Hezekiah tore his clothes, went to the temple, and sent officials to Isaiah (Isaiah 37:1-2).

Isaiah told the king not to be afraid (Isaiah 37:6-7). That night the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp, and Sennacherib returned to Nineveh, where his own sons later killed him (Isaiah 37:36-38).

When Hezekiah became ill, Isaiah first told him he would die. Hezekiah prayed, and God sent Isaiah back to say fifteen years would be added to his life. As a sign, the shadow moved back ten steps on the stairway of Ahaz (Isaiah 38:1-8; 2 Kings 20:1-11).

Later, Hezekiah showed his treasures to envoys from Babylon. Isaiah told him that everything in the palace would one day be carried off to Babylon (Isaiah 39:1-7). This happened more than a century later (2 Kings 24:13).

Walking Stripped and Barefoot

At God's command, Isaiah went about stripped and barefoot for three years. This was a sign that Assyria would lead away captives from Egypt and Cush, the nations Judah was tempted to rely on (Isaiah 20:2-6).

Isaiah's Major Prophecies

Judgment and Hope

Isaiah opens by charging Judah with rebellion and empty religious ritual (Isaiah 1:2-15). He also calls the people to wash and be cleansed, promising that sins like scarlet can become white as snow (Isaiah 1:16-18). He pronounced oracles against Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Damascus, Egypt, Tyre, and others (Isaiah 13-23).

The Coming King

Isaiah described a child to be born who would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, and who would reign on David's throne forever (Isaiah 9:6-7). He foretold a shoot from the stump of Jesse on whom the Spirit of the Lord would rest (Isaiah 11:1-2).

Comfort and the Servant

Isaiah 40 begins a section of comfort for God's people. It includes the voice calling in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord (Isaiah 40:3), which all four Gospels apply to John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:4-6; John 1:23). Isaiah even named Cyrus as the one who would allow Jerusalem to be rebuilt (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1).

The servant songs describe a servant of the Lord who suffers for others (Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). The fourth song says:

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5, NIV)

Philip explained Isaiah 53 to the Ethiopian official and told him the good news about Jesus (Acts 8:30-35). Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue at Nazareth and said the Scripture was fulfilled that day (Luke 4:16-21).

New Heavens and New Earth

The book ends with God's promise to create new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22), language repeated in Revelation 21:1.

Who Wrote the Book of Isaiah?

The traditional view is that Isaiah son of Amoz wrote the whole book. The New Testament quotes from both the early and later chapters and attributes them to Isaiah by name (John 12:38-41, quoting Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10). Some modern scholars divide the book among multiple authors, but that theory is a critical proposal, not something the text states.

How Did Isaiah Die?

The Bible does not record Isaiah's death. A Jewish tradition, found in writings outside the Bible, says he was sawn in two under King Manasseh. Some readers connect this tradition to Hebrews 11:37, which mentions faithful people who were sawn apart, but Hebrews does not name Isaiah.

Key Lessons From Isaiah's Life

• God's holiness comes first. Isaiah's ministry began with a vision of God's holiness and his own need for cleansing (Isaiah 6:3-7).
• Willingness to go. Isaiah volunteered before he knew how hard the assignment would be (Isaiah 6:8-11).
• Trust over alliances. Isaiah repeatedly urged kings to rely on God rather than Egypt or Assyria (Isaiah 7:9; 30:1-3; 31:1).
• Prayer in crisis. Hezekiah's prayer in the Assyrian siege was answered through Isaiah (Isaiah 37:14-21).

Where Isaiah Appears in the Bible

• Isaiah: chapters 1-66 (narrative sections in 6-8, 20, 36-39)
• 2 Kings: 19:2-20:19
• 2 Chronicles: 26:22; 32:20, 32
• Gospels: Matthew 3:3; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:14; 15:7; Mark 1:2; 7:6; Luke 3:4; 4:17; John 1:23; 12:38-41
• Acts and Romans: Acts 8:28-30; 28:25; Romans 9:27-29; 10:16, 20; 15:12

Isaiah's book is one of the longest in the Bible; see our post on the longest book in the Bible. For other prophets, read about Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Isaiah's prophecies of Christ's birth also appear in our Christmas Bible trivia.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Isaiah best known for?

Isaiah is known for his vision of the Lord on his throne (Isaiah 6) and for his prophecies of the Messiah, including Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-7, and 53. The New Testament applies these passages to Jesus.

Which kings did Isaiah serve under?

Isaiah prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (Isaiah 1:1). His ministry lasted roughly from 740 BC to at least 701 BC.

How many chapters are in the Book of Isaiah?

The Book of Isaiah has 66 chapters. It is the first of the Major Prophets in the Protestant Old Testament.

Did Isaiah have children?

Yes. Isaiah had two sons named in Scripture, Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz, whose names served as prophetic signs to Judah (Isaiah 7:3; 8:3-4, 18).

Is Isaiah quoted in the New Testament?

Yes. Isaiah is quoted and named in the Gospels, Acts, and Romans, often in connection with Jesus and John the Baptist (Matthew 3:3; Luke 4:17-21; Acts 8:32-35; Romans 10:16).