The Martyrdom of Isaiah

Illustration of The Martyrdom of Isaiah
Era
Kings and Prophets
Date
Reign of Manasseh ○ Traditional
Reference
The Ascension of Isaiah 5:1-16

The Ascension of Isaiah says that Isaiah foretold his own death to King Hezekiah, declaring that Manasseh would undo his father's commands and that he himself would be sawn in two by Manasseh's hands. After Hezekiah died, Manasseh served Beliar, and Isaiah withdrew from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and then to a mountain in the desert, where he lived with other prophets for two years.

Belchira, a false prophet from Samaria, found their hiding place and accused Isaiah before the king of prophesying against Jerusalem and of claiming to have seen God. Manasseh seized Isaiah and had him sawn in two with a wooden saw while the king, the princes, the false prophets and the people looked on. Belchira urged him to say he had lied. Isaiah cursed him, and neither cried out nor wept, his lips speaking with the Holy Spirit to the end.

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Did You Know?

1

The book says twice in one chapter that Isaiah was sawn in two with a wooden saw.

2

Belchira offered to make Manasseh, the princes of Judah and all Jerusalem reverence Isaiah if he would say that he had lied.

3

Isaiah told Belchira that he could take nothing from him except the skin of his body.

4

Before the sawing, Isaiah sent his fellow prophets to the region of Tyre and Sidon, saying God had mixed the cup for him alone.

5

While being sawn, Isaiah was absorbed in a vision of the Lord and did not see his tormentors, though his eyes were open.

Key Passage

The Martyrdom of Isaiah

The Ascension of Isaiah 5:1-16

On account of these visions, therefore, Beliar was wroth with Isaiah, and he dwelt in the heart of Manasseh and he sawed...

O1n account of these visions, therefore, Beliar was wroth with Isaiah, and he dwelt in the heart of Manasseh and he sawed him in sunder with a wooden saw.

2 And when Isaiah was being sawn in sunder Balchira stood up, accusing him, and all the false prophets stood up, laughing: and rejoicing because of Isaiah. 3 And Balchira, with the aid of Mechémbéchis, stood up before Isaiah, laughing deriding; 4 And Balchira said to Isaiah: ‘Say: “I have lied in all that I have spoken, and likewise the ways of Manasseh are good and right. 5 And the ways also of Balchira and of his associates are good.”’ 6 And this he said to him when he began to be sawn in sunder. 7 But Isaiah was (absorbed) in a vision of the Lord, and though his eyes were open, he saw them (not). 8 And Balchira spake thus to Isaiah: ‘Say what I say unto thee and I will turn their heart, and I will compel Manasseh and the princes of Judah and the people and all Jerusalem to reverence thee. 9 And Isaiah answered and said: ‘So far as I have utterance (I say): Damned and accursed be thou and all thy powers and all thy house. 10 For thou canst not take (from me) aught save the skin of my body.’ 11 And they seized and sawed in sunder Isaiah, the son of Amoz, with a wooden saw. 12 And Manasseh and Balchira and the false prophets and the princes and the people and all stood looking on. 13 And to the prophets who were with him he said before he had been sawn in sunder: ‘Go ye to the region of Tyre and Sidon; for for me only hath God mingled the cup.’ 14 And when Isaiah was being sawn in sunder, he neither cried aloud nor wept, but his lips spake with the Holy Spirit until he was sawn in twain. 15 This Beliar did to Isaiah through Balchira and Manasseh; for Sammael was very wrathful against Isaiah from the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, on account of the things which he had seen regarding the Beloved, 16 And on account of the destruction of Sammael, which he had seen through the Lord, while Hezekiah his father was still king. And he did according to the will of Satan.

Read full chapter: The Ascension of Isaiah 5 →

Did You Know?

1

The book says twice in one chapter that Isaiah was sawn in two with a wooden saw.

2

Belchira offered to make Manasseh, the princes of Judah and all Jerusalem reverence Isaiah if he would say that he had lied.

3

Isaiah told Belchira that he could take nothing from him except the skin of his body.

4

Before the sawing, Isaiah sent his fellow prophets to the region of Tyre and Sidon, saying God had mixed the cup for him alone.

5

While being sawn, Isaiah was absorbed in a vision of the Lord and did not see his tormentors, though his eyes were open.

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