The Historical Commentary on the Old Testament is an international series of commentaries which devotes explicit attention to the history of interpretation of biblical tradition in all its stages, both within and without the Hebrew canon. The commentary stands in the Christian exegetical tradition. In this volume the treatment of every pericope is preceded by a new translation and a section called "Essentials and Perspectives" in which the author summarizes the results of the exegesis in non-technical language. Dr. Jan Leunis Koole (1910-1997) was, up to his retirement in 1978, Professor of Old Testament at the Theological University Kampen (The Netherlands). During more than a quarter century he devoted himself to the study of Isaiah 40-66. His tripartite commentary is an unsurpassed guide through the interpretation of the second half of the Book Isaiah.