Iconographic Exegesis and Third Isaiah

Book excerpt: Although scholars employ pictorial material in biblical exegesis, the question of how images from the Ancient Near East can contribute to a better understanding of the Bible has been left unanswered. This is the first monograph to outline a historical method for iconographic exegesis. The methodological study includes both responses to important theoretical questions such as What is an image? and What is culture? and an interdisciplinary exploration of issues of history, art history, archaeology and cultural anthropology. The three-stage method proposed is embedded in hermeneutical and exegetical reflections. The application of iconographical exegesis to the interpretation of metaphors is also considered. In demonstrating the method and its application, Izaak J. de Hulster focuses on Third Isaiah and develops three iconographical exegetical studies on yad in Isaiah 56:5, light in Isaiah 60 and grape processing in Isaiah 63.