Vindication of the violated woman: a feminist reading of Isaiah 54.

Imagine a petrified, heap of a woman in a dingy corner of the house, cringing in fear, wondering when and where the next blow will fall. Not an uncommon sight in many parts of the world. To such a storm-tossed, frightened woman comes the divine oracle (Isaiah 44:7) commanding, `Sing!' It is mind boggling. Has the prophet lost his wits? Is it not adding insult to injury? No! Deutero Isaiah,who is supposed to have composed this section, follows this imperative with an even more startling series of commands, commands never before addressed to dejected women.

   Break forth into singing!
   Shout aloud!
   Enlarge!
   Stretch out!
   Do not spare!
   Lengthen your cords!
   Strengthen your stakes!

(vv:1,2)

Many mainstream/male exegists would say that Isaiahis to be understood as a prophecy about the church or about the redemption of historical Zion. They have analyzed this chapter as an allegory;, a metaphor, using historical, biographical, eschatological or Christological perspective. But the Word of God is beyond these analyses and is dynamic, multifaceted, ever new and yet unchanging. No one can deny or limit the richness of its life-affirming power to any one who wants to apply it to his or her life.

What is presented here is a reader-based hermeneutics from the personal perspective of a harassed woman who has intuitively found great healing and empowerment from it. This kind of interpretation is not just the outcome of a passionate whim of a deluded mind. In feminist theology such an interpretation is valid and acceptable, and is done from a "perspective which prizes and advocates the full human dignity of woman in contrast to those perspectives which ignore or even oppose the full humanity of woman". (1) Fiorenza explains the strategies of feminist interpretation in terms of a hermeneutics of experience, of change and transformation and of proclamation. Many other women scholars also subscribe to a similar stance. So I present how I had intuitively interpreted the passage and received empowerment long before I knew the word `hermeneutics', though I am gratified by the scholarly support of theologians.

The chapter begins with a preposterous command to the barren woman to "sing" in an unbelievably joyous way because God promises a new era of peace (shalom) and God's never failing love (hesed). The verse assures that the victim's humiliation will be transformed into glory, not for her alone, but would start with her and extend and envelop all nations. So this chapter is a special treasure not just to the symbolic Zion but to every woman who opens her bleeding heart to the healing and restoration offered by the life giving Word of God. It is an amazing chapter because it addresses all types of women who are subject to all kinds of oppression and violence.

It addresses (according to the amplified Bible)

* The desolate, barren woman who bears the stigma of being accursed (v.1)

* A homeless destitute who lives in a cramped hovel (v.2)

* Anyone who is ashamed, confounded, depressed--perhaps ashamed over sexual abuse as a child or as a rape victim (v.4)

* The rejected and scorned young wife (v.6)

* The accused, inauspicious widow (v.4)

* The depressed divorcee (v.6)

* The emotionally, economically, and socially ostracized woman (v.7)

* The deserted, distressed, rejected woman (v.6)

* The woman whose heart and reputation have been shattered by slander and malicious words (v17)

The Cambridge Bible Commentary of the New English Bible (1980:115,116), includes other phrases such as the insulted, caused to blush (in shame) reproached, deserted, heart broken, forsaken, rejected and one who is banished from God's presence.

The traditional exegists, using some phrases have drawn parallels to Israel's history as follows.

* barren-Jerusalem, laid waste by Babylonian brutality

* shame of youth-slavery in Egypt, affliction under the Assyrians.

* scorned young wife--in the land of Canaan.

* divorcee--Israel's apostasy and consequent destruction by wars.

* widowhood--Babylonian exile

But tragedies in an individual's life are as life-threatening as national calamities. Therefore women, based on their personal experiences, can draw parallels from hereto their own life situation. No other chapter in the Bible is so women-supportive and women-affirming as Isaiah 54.

Another remarkable feature of this chapter is the astounding titles used for God--astounding because such an omnipotent God is concerned about such social rejects as these women. Deutero Isaiah explicitly uses such transcendent titles for God as--Husband, Maker, Lord of Hosts, the Holy One of Israel (v.5). He implicitly assigns other roles as Ransomer (v5,8) Inviter (v.6) Home Bringer (v.7), the Never Failing Lover (vs.5, 8, 10), the Instructor par excellence (v.12), the Peace Giver (v.10), the indomitable Destroyer of the aggressor (v.15) and our wonderful Vindicator (v.17) One must bear in mind that these titles are not just name tags, not just designations but definitions; not facile empty promises but acts in history,, for God also acknowledges that he abandoned Zion for a moment.

Often the world accuses the victim of bringing tragedy upon herself by being inefficient, intolerant, self-seeking or impure. But in Isaiah 54 and in Isaiah 42:24-25, God is identified as the cause of tragedy. This poses formidable theological challenge but can be understood against the backdrop of the overall redemptive purpose of God. Hosea also expresses a similar concept. (Hosea 11:8-9) though there is also the promise of restoration. Martin Luther referred to such abandonment as "God's alien acts or to God's left hand, that is say, to tactics dedicated to God's ultimate salvific purposes but due to human resistance to grace necessitating that seem to contradict God's nature." (2) These words may not placate a woman undergoing a harrowing experience, but gradually one learns to develop a theology of suffering, modeled on Jesus, to suffer for the sake of others--their children and their families--as many of our foresisters in faith did through the ages. Theology of the cross might lay heavy burdens on women who might renounce the possibility of actively resisting their suffering. But Jesus' crucifixion does not sanctify suffering. It remains a witness to the horror of violence done to another. It is not a model of how suffering should be borne but a witness to God's desire that no one should have to suffer such violence again." (3)

Another reassuring feature of this chapter is the range of phrases used to capture the magnitude of God's love and compassion such as "with tender affection, I will bring you home again with a love that never fails, I swear to you never again to be angry with you, my love shall be immovable my covenant of peace shall not be broken." (v.10)

The term `shalom' as Webb remarks is perhaps the richest word in the Old Testament. It stands for complete wholeness, welfare, prosperity, the sum total of covenant blessing, but elusive since it depends on the right relationship with God. Isaiah reiterates this offer of the Prince of Peace in 9:6,7, 26:1,2, 52:7, 48:12, 54:13, 55:12.

`Hesed' stands for unfailing love, unswerving loyalty. (Hos. 2:18-20) It is the deepest possible expression of the personality and of the closeness of personal relation ... This love is spontaneous, not evoked by any intrinsic worth in its object but rather creating that worth.

(J.D. Douglas et al, 1990:711)

This love of God moves to forgive(Ps. 86:5), to deliver (Ps. 17:7),to protect God's own (Ps.32:10), to answer prayers (Ps.66:20), and ultimately to restore Israel. (Is.55:3, Jer.31:3,4) The compassion that God promises is not just pity but could be translated: "I have hugged you close like a mother." Many of us can vouch for the assurance of love, comfort and security we derive from the hug of a mother and that is what God assures to all the violated women!

(1) Elizabeth A. Johnson, 1988, p124

(2) Paul D. Hanson, 1995, p. 196

(3) The Transformation of Suffering: A Biblical and Theological Perspective" in Christiani04, Patriarchy and Abuse. Ed. Joanne Carlson Brown and Carole R. Bohn, New York: Pilgrim, 1989, p. 145.