20 NOVEMBER 1897, Page 12

Isaiah, in the series of "The Modern Reader's Bible," edited

by Richard G. Moulton (Macmillan and Co.), will be found a peculiarly interesting and useful volume. Professor Moulton arranges the prophecies in seven books. An account of Book I., as it appears in this arrangement, will give an idea of the editor's method. Chap. i. v. 1 is the " Title-page ; " then follow " General Prophecies," which are thus headed :—" The Great Arraignment" (i. 2—end), "Through Judgment to Glory" (ii. 2 —end, iii. iv.), "The Parable of the Vineyard" (v. 1-7), "A Sevenfold Woe" (v. 8—end), "The Call of the Prophet" (vi.) The portion of the book often spoken of as the " Deutero- Isaiah " appears here as "The Rhapsody of Zion Redeemed in Seven Visions," with Jehovah, the Celestial Hosts, the Nations, the Servant of Jehovah, &c., as dramatis persona'. The question of authorship the editor considers as beyond his province, but he may be taken as accepting the common view of critics. The specially important passage, lii. 13—liii., appears as "The Fourth Vision : The Servant of Jehovah Exalted." We may quote what Professor Moulton says of this passage in his introduction : —" In the fourth [vision] he [the Servant of Jehovah] is announced by Jehovah as highly exalted, to the astonishment of the nations which had misread his humiliation. As the chorus of astonishment follows, we are able to see how the Servant of Jehovah has grown into a mystic personality, with which are associated in the clearest of language the idea of vicarious sufferings, and a soul made an offering for sin."