The Meaning of Maśśāʾ as a Prophetic Term in Isaiah

Abstract

In contrast with conventional etymological explanations of maśśā’ as a prophetic term, Richard Weis has proposed that this word refers to a genre whose definitive characteristic is the reinterpretation of an already promulgated prophecy. This article counters recent criticisms of Weis’s position and, using a simplified methodology, reaffirms his basic insight with regard to the maśśā’ texts in Isaiah.