The Canonical Column, Book 23: Isaiah

We continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the twenty-third book of the biblical canon—Isaiah. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the mystery, the Canonical Column is the name I have given to a framework embedded within the Bible that bears dual-witness to the divinely sanctioned biblical canon through an organized network of witnessing chapters in three key books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Leviticus, and Isaiah.¹ For a deeper understanding of this framework, I highly recommend reading the introductory article linked above, which provides the foundational context for the insights explored in this post.²

Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.

As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).³ In the case of Isaiah, its two witnesses are Genesis 34 and Isaiah 23. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the book of Isaiah. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within the book of Isaiah and intentionally sequenced as the twenty-third chapter in its branch of the framework, reflecting Isaiah’s ordinal position as the twenty-third book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. As we will see, it is by the mouth of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of the book of Isaiah are firmly established.

Table of Contents anchor

The book of Isaiah

The book of Isaiah, the twenty-third book in the biblical canon, is among the most theologically rich and far-reaching of all the prophetic writings. Isaiah ministered in Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, spanning a period of political upheaval and growing threat from the Assyrian empire. The book begins by confronting the nation’s moral and spiritual corruption, calling out its covenant unfaithfulness, idolatry, and reliance on alliances with pagan nations.

Yet Isaiah is not solely a book of judgment. It also contains some of the clearest promises of hope, redemption, and the coming Messiah found anywhere in the Old Testament. The prophet looks ahead to the purification of a remnant, the restoration of Zion, and the eventual reign of the Holy One of Israel over a renewed creation. Because of its sixty-six chapters — and the way its structure shifts from messages of judgment (chapters 1–39) to messages of comfort and restoration (chapters 40–66) — Isaiah is often called a “miniature Bible.” It unites sweeping visions of God’s holiness and justice with profound promises of forgiveness and salvation.

The book’s blend of historical context, poetic imagery, and Messianic prophecy has made it one of the most quoted Old Testament books in the New Testament and foundational to the faith and hope of generations of believers.

Authorship & Dating

The book of Isaiah is traditionally attributed to Isaiah son of Amoz, who prophesied in the southern kingdom of Judah during the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (approximately 740–686 BC). Isaiah’s long ministry spanned a period of significant political upheaval for Judah, including the rise and expansion of the Assyrian empire, the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, and the looming threat against Jerusalem itself. He was a contemporary of the prophets Hosea and Micah.

The opening verse of the book (Isaiah 1:1) explicitly identifies Isaiah as the source of the visions contained within: “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem…” Throughout the text, numerous first-person sections and historical accounts connect his words with the royal court and major events of his time (e.g., the Syro-Ephraimite War, the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, and Hezekiah’s illness).

Jewish tradition and the early church consistently upheld Isaiah’s single authorship. The New Testament authors frequently quote from both the early and later chapters of Isaiah, always attributing them to the same prophet (e.g., Matthew 3:3 cites Isaiah 40:3; Acts 8:28–30 quotes Isaiah 53).

Modern-critical scholarship has long debated the possibility of multiple contributors — often proposing that chapters 40–66 reflect a later period, sometimes called “Deutero-Isaiah,” because of the shift in tone and historical context. However, the book’s consistent prophetic voice, theological themes, and the unifying vision of judgment and redemption support the traditional view that the entire work stems from the ministry of Isaiah son of Amoz, whether compiled during his lifetime or shortly after by his disciples (cf. Isaiah 8:16).

Isaiah’s witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column

The two witnessing chapters of Isaiah within the Canonical Column are Genesis 34 and Isaiah 23. These chapters have been divinely embedded with various allusions to scenes, imagery, and language from the book of Isaiah. As with every book attested by the Canonical Column, these chapters have been intentionally designed and meticulously placed within their respective branches of the Canonical Column to bear witness to the canonicity of the book of Isaiah–establishing it as the twenty-third book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon.⁴

Context of Genesis 34

Genesis 34 records the troubling account of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, and her violation by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, a prince of the land. The chapter unfolds during Jacob’s sojourn in the land of Canaan and stands out as one of the most morally complex episodes in the patriarchal narratives. After Dinah is defiled, Shechem seeks to make a treaty with Jacob’s family through intermarriage, offering trade and peaceful settlement among the Canaanites.

Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, respond with deceit and violence: they agree to the alliance on the condition that all the men of Shechem be circumcised, then attack the city while the men are vulnerable, killing every male and taking the women, children, livestock, and wealth as spoil. The chapter closes with Jacob’s rebuke of Simeon and Levi, fearing their actions will provoke the surrounding Canaanite peoples and bring ruin upon his household.

This story highlights the tensions of living among the Canaanites, the dangers of compromise, and the deep moral implications of deceit and vengeance within the covenant family.

Genesis 34 -> Isaiah

As the twenty-third chapter of The Circumcision (which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the Old Testament canon), Genesis 34 has been deliberately designed by God to function as a figurative type of the book of Isaiah–ordained before the foundation of the world to become the twenty-third book of the Old Testament (and the Bible). Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be found in the book of Isaiah. The comparative table below documents just a few of what I deem to be the most notable of these allusions (explanations provided in the footnotes).

Note that Genesis 34’s story mirrors Isaiah’s larger pattern of covenant defilement, false alliances, betrayal, and judgment—the same thematic emphasis and moral structure developed throughout the entire book. Yet these broader connections remain thematic rather than textual, and therefore the primary structural witness is found in direct allusions to Isaiah 23 specifically—the other witnessing chapter of Isaiah located within the parallel scaffolding branch of the Canonical Column. That is to say, because Isaiah 23 was divinely designed to function as a figurative type of the book of Isaiah as a whole, the strongest and most obvious allusions to the book of Isaiah in Genesis 34 appear specifically within this chapter. Hence the reason for our exclusive focus on Isaiah 23 in the comparative table below.⁵

Genesis 34	Isaiah
And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.6 (Genesis 34:1–2)	Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? (Isaiah 23:8)
And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.7 (Genesis 34:10)	And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. (Isaiah 23:3)
And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.8 (Genesis 34:19)	Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. (Isaiah 23:8-9)
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.9 (Genesis 34:25)	As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. (Isaiah 23:5)
And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.10 (Genesis 34:20-21)	He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strongholds thereof. (Isaiah 23:11)
The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister. They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field. And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.11 (Genesis 34:27–29)	And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. (Isaiah 23:18)
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?12 (Genesis 34:30–31)	And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. (Isaiah 23:15–16)

Context of Isaiah 23

Isaiah 23 is a prophetic oracle, or “burden,” against the ancient maritime city of Tyre. As one of the principal trading centers of the ancient Near East, Tyre was renowned for its wealth, its far-reaching commerce, and its influence among the nations—described in the oracle as a “crowning city” whose merchants and traffickers were considered the honourable of the earth. Tyre’s prosperity depended on its mastery of the seas and its role as a mart of nations, importing and exporting goods from Egypt, Tarshish, Sidon, and beyond.

In this chapter, the prophet Isaiah declares that the LORD of hosts has purposed to stain the pride of all glory, shaking kingdoms and laying waste the strongholds of the merchant city. The destruction of Tyre’s trade network brings howling and lamentation to its allies and trading partners, who mourn the loss of their wealth and security. Yet the oracle ends with a striking note of future hope: after seventy years of desolation, Tyre’s merchandise and hire will be holiness to the LORD, no longer hoarded but dedicated to those who dwell before Him.

Isaiah 23 thus captures both the judgment and the ultimate sanctification of a proud city whose wealth had once been a source of corruption among the nations.

Isaiah 23 -> Isaiah

As the twenty-third chapter of First Isaiah (which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the Old Testament canon), Isaiah 23 has been deliberately designed by God to function as a figurative type of the book of Isaiah itself–which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the twenty-third book of the Old Testament (and the Bible). Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be found throughout the entire book of Isaiah. The comparative table below documents just a few of what I deem to be the most notable of these (explanations provided in the footnotes).

Isaiah 23	Isaiah
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.13 (Isaiah 23:1)	Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste. (Isaiah 64:11)
Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.14 (Isaiah 23:2)	Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment. (Isaiah 41:1)
And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.15 (Isaiah 23:3)	Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass. (Isaiah 32:20)
As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.16 (Isaiah 23:5)	In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it. (Isaiah 19:16)
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.17 (Isaiah 23:6)	Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. (Isaiah 65:14)
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.18 (Isaiah 23:7)	Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle. (Isaiah 22:2)
The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.19 (Isaiah 23:9)	Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. (Isaiah 63:1-3)
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.20 (Isaiah 23:11)	And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. (Isaiah 2:19)
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.21 (Isaiah 23:13)	And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. (Isaiah 30:25)
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.22 (Isaiah 23:14)	The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off. In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. (Isaiah 15:1-3)
And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.23 (Isaiah 23:18)	The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. (Isaiah 60:6-7)

Conclusion: The Canonical Column affirms the canonicity and ordinal position of Isaiah as the twenty-third book of the biblical canon.

The canonicity of the book of Isaiah is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 34 and Isaiah 23. These two chapters have been deliberately structured and sequenced as the twenty-third chapter within their respective branches of the Canonical Column, in order to function as individual figurative types of the book of Isaiah–the twenty-third book of the Old Testament and the Bible at large. To this end, both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be contained within the book of Isaiah, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the twenty-third book of the Old Testament and biblical canon. Accordingly, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the book of Isaiah are established by the Canonical Column–being witnessed by both the Law & the Prophets.

1. I received the knowledge of this great mystery by the light of divine revelation way back in 2009 (1 Chron. 28:19; Num. 8:4; cf. 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:12). ↩︎
2. Alternatively, if that article is too long, you can read a summarized version here. ↩︎
3. Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework–testifying to their divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement within the completed biblical canon. ↩︎
4. The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval.  ↩︎
5. This pattern holds true for every book witnessed by the Canonical Column: its two witnessing chapters not only allude to the book they witness, but also allude to each other. For example, Genesis 44 and Isaiah 33 are the witnessing chapters of the book of Micah; these two chapters both echo the book of Micah and contain clear allusions to one another. ↩︎
6. Genesis 34:1–2 describes Dinah’s defilement by Shechem, “prince of the country,” highlighting the irony of a Canaanite city known for its local trade and alliances being corrupted from within by a figure of honour. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 23:8, where Tyre’s merchants (literally called “Canaanites” in the Hebrew) are depicted as princes and traffickers—the honourable of the earth. ↩︎
7. Genesis 34:10 records Shechem’s offer to Jacob’s family to “dwell and trade… and get you possessions,” presenting the city as a center for economic alliance. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 23:3’s depiction of Tyre as “a mart of nations,” showing the pattern that trade with Canaanite cities serves as a source of moral compromise and eventual judgment. ↩︎
8. Genesis 34:19 states that Shechem was “more honourable than all the house of his father,” despite his act of defilement. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 23:8–9, which declares that the LORD will bring into contempt “all the honourable of the earth.” ↩︎
9. Genesis 34:25 recounts how Simeon and Levi struck the city when the men “were sore,” using the vulnerability caused by circumcision to bring sudden ruin. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as a clever linguistic allusion to Isaiah 23:5, which declares that Egypt and others “shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.” ↩︎
10. Genesis 34:20–21 describes Hamor and Shechem’s negotiation at the city gate, offering open trade and intermarriage to strengthen the city. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 23:11’s prophecy that the LORD will stretch out His hand against the “merchant city” to destroy its strongholds, showing that cities built on corrupt alliances and trade are brought low by divine decree. ↩︎
11. Genesis 34:27–29 details how Jacob’s sons spoiled Shechem’s wealth, livestock, and possessions as retribution for their sister’s defilement. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 23:18’s promise that Tyre’s “merchandise and hire shall be holiness to the LORD,” revealing the pattern that the wealth of the defiled is reclaimed and redirected to sustain the covenant people. ↩︎
12. Genesis 34:30–31 closes with Jacob’s fear of disgrace among the Canaanites and the brothers’ rhetorical question, “Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 23:15–16, where Tyre is personified as a forgotten harlot. ↩︎
13. Isaiah 23:1 opens with the ships of Tarshish howling because Tyre is “laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 64:11, which laments that “our holy and beautiful house… is burned up with fire, and all our pleasant things are laid waste.” ↩︎
14. Isaiah 23:2 calls the inhabitants of the isle to be still — דּמּוּ, meaning “be silent” — while the merchants of Zidon pass over the sea. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 41:1, which opens with “Keep silence before me, O islands.” ↩︎
15. Isaiah 23:3 describes Tyre as a mart of nations, gathering revenue “by great waters” from the harvest of the river. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 32:20, which blesses those “that sow beside all waters.” ↩︎
16. Isaiah 23:5 states that, as with Egypt, people will be “sorely pained at the report of Tyre.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 19:16, which declares that “Egypt shall be like unto women… afraid because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD.” ↩︎
17. Isaiah 23:6 calls the inhabitants of the isle to howl in lamentation. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 65:14, which contrasts the joyful singing of the LORD’s servants with the howling of those judged, underscoring the pattern of sorrow for the unrepentant. ↩︎
18. Isaiah 23:7 asks whether Tyre is the joyous city “whose antiquity is of ancient days,” whose people go afar to sojourn. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 22:2, which calls Jerusalem a “joyous city” full of stirs and tumult. ↩︎
19. Isaiah 23:9 declares that the LORD has purposed to stain the pride of all glory and bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 63:1–3, which describes the LORD treading the winepress of judgment, staining His garments with the blood of the proud, reinforcing the pattern that human glory is stained and brought to contempt by divine wrath. ↩︎
20. Isaiah 23:11 describes the LORD stretching out His hand to shake kingdoms and destroy the strongholds of Tyre. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 2:19, which foretells that people will hide in the rocks “for fear of the LORD… when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth,” echoing the motif of the LORD shaking nations in judgment. ↩︎
21. Isaiah 23:13 notes that the Assyrian founded the land of the Chaldeans, set up towers, and brought it to ruin. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 30:25, which speaks of rivers and streams “in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall,” reinforcing the imagery of proud towers toppled in the day of judgment. ↩︎
22. Isaiah 23:14 calls the ships of Tarshish to howl because their strength is laid waste. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 15:1–3, where Moab howls in lamentation over cities laid waste and people mourn in sackcloth, highlighting the prophetic pattern of howling over sudden desolation. ↩︎
23. Isaiah 23:18 promises that Tyre’s merchandise and hire shall be holiness to the LORD, no longer hoarded but used to sustain those who dwell before Him. Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Isaiah 60:6–7, which describes the wealth of the nations being gathered and offered on the altar to glorify the LORD, illustrating the transformation of defiled wealth into consecrated provision. ↩︎

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