80 The Fundamentals Another is the idea of a “remnant”. Cf. 1:9; 6:13; 10:20, 21,22; 11:11, 12, 16; 14:22, 30; 15:9; 16:14; 17:3, 6 ; 21:17; 28:5; 37:3 i ; 46:3; 65:8, 9. Another is the position occupied by “Zion” in the prophet’s thoughts. Cf. 2:3; 4:5; 18:7; 24:23; 27:13; 28:16; 29:8; 30:19; 31:9; 33:5, 20; 34:8; 46:13; 49:14; 51:3, 11; 52:1; 57:13; 59:20; 60:14; 62:1, 11; 65:11, 25; 66:8. Still another is the expression, “pangs of a woman in travail.” Cf. 13:8; 21:3; 26:17, 18; 42:14;54:1; 66:7. All these, and many others which are less distinctive, stamp psychologically the book with an individuality which it is difficult to account for if it be broken up into various sections and distributed, as some do, over the centuries. 2. Literary Style. As negative evidence, literary style is not a very safe argu- ment, for as Professor McCurdy says, “In the case of a writer of Isaiah’s endowments, style is not a sure criterion of author- ship” ( “History, Prophecy and the Monuments,” II, p. 317 n.). Yet it is remarkable that the clause, “for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it”, should be found three times in the Book of Isaiah, and nowhere else in the Old Testament. Cf. 1:20; 40:5; 58:14. It is also singular that the Divine title, “the Mighty One of Israel,” should occur three times in Isaiah and nowhere else in the Old Testament. Cf. 1:24; 49:26; 60:16. And it is noteworthy that the phrase,.“streams of water,” should occur twice in Isaiah and nowhere else. Cf. 30:25; 44:4. And most peculiar is the tendency on the part of the author to emphatic reduplication. Cf. 2:7, 8; 6:3; 8:9; 24:16, 19; 40:1; 43:11, 25; 48:15 ; .51:12; 57:19; 62:10. Isaiah’s style differs widely from that of every other Old Testament prophet and is as far removed as possible from that of Ezekiel and the post-exilic prophets. 3. Historical References.
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