3. ISAIAH THE STATESMAN

JERUSALEM, CIRCA 740-701 B. C.

SYNOPSIS

ACT I. Scene 1. In the throne-room of King Uzziah's palace. Uzziah alone.

Scene 2. The Temple of Jehovah, Court of the Priests. Uzziah, Attendant, Azariah, and Priests.

ACT II. Scene 1. The Temple of Jehovah, Court of the People. Isaiah, Angel, Voice of the Lord.

ACT III. Scene 1. Public square of the city. Isaiah and Crowd. Scene 2. Conduit of the Upper Pool, in the Highway of the King's Field. Ahaz, Attendant, Isaiah, and Shear-jashub.

ACT IV. Scene 1. Public square of the city. Isaiah and Twelve Disciples. Crowd of Bystanders.

ACT V. Scene 1. Public square of the city, near the Great Gate. Bystanders, Fugitives, Isaiah.

Scene 2. Eliakim, Shebna, Joah, the Rabshakeh.

Scene 3. Throne-room of King Hezekiah's palace. Hezekiah, Eliakim, Shebna, Joah, Isaiah.

Scene 4. Public square of the City, near Great Gate. Messenger, Isaiah, Hezekiah, Eliakim, Shebna, Joah, People.

CHARACTERS

(In order of appearance.)

Uzziah, King of Jerusalem and Judah. Cape, blue or red, over blue and white costume.

Azariah, High Priest. White under blue cape; short breastplate, gold fringe; turban, white and blue.

Ten Subordinate Priests. Number may be changed if necessary. Ordinary costumes. White turbans.

hair.

Isaiah, the Statesman-Prophet. Yellow and white, with mantle.
Angel. White flowing gown, no scarf; white silk ribbon around

Crowd of Citizens of Jerusalem. Number may vary.

Both

men and women, and a few children.

Two Speakers from Crowd.

King Ahaz. Blue and white undergarment; red overgarment; red turban.

Attendant.

Isaiah's Son, Shear-jashub.

Disciples of Isaiah. Twelve is suggested as number, though this may be varied.

vary.

Two Speakers.

Four Bystanders and Fugitives. Number of Fugitives may

Eliakim, the Steward, Shebna the Scribe, and Joah the Re

corder.

The Rabshakeh, Chief of Staff of the King of Assyria.
King Hezekiah.

Messenger.

SUGGESTIONS AS TO SCENERY AND PROPERTIES

ACT I. Scene 1. Throne-room of palace. Walls of room may be made by hanging Oriental rugs around three sides of platform. Throne on raised platform covered with Oriental couch cover. A few palms in the background will complete the setting.

Scene 2. Temple of Jehovah. Portion of Altar of Burnt Offering at extreme right. Curtain looped back at center of platform in rear, show suggestion of Holy Place, with Table of Showbread on right. Golden Candlesticks on left, and Golden Altar in center in front of curtain suggesting the Veil. Dim lights within.

ACT II. Same as last scene, except that Altar of Burnt Offering is in center, and curtains of Holy Place are drawn a little more closely.

ACT III. Scene 1. Public square of city. Suggestion of houses on sides and rear. Fronts of Oriental houses can easily be made by tacking gray building paper on wooden frames, and lining with marking ink to represent stones.

Scene 2. Conduit of the Upper Pool. Curtain or screen at rear. Suggestion of conduit may be made of stones-gray building paper tacked over small wooden boxes-leading into "pool"enlargement of circle of stones.

ACT IV. Same as Act III, Scene 1. Isaiah should have large roll. Some of his disciples might have smaller rolls.

ACT V. Scene 1. Same as above, with addition of Gateway and Gate. These may be built in same manner as the houses.

Scene 2. Wall of city. Gate closed. Actors stand on chairs or tables behind wall, so that heads and shoulders show above wall. Parapet over gate should be about one-third higher than rest of wall.

Scene 3. Same as Act I, Scene 1.

Scene 4. Same as Scene 2, with gate wide open.

ACT I
SCENE 1

(In the throne-room of the KING'S palace.)

KING UZZIAH: Behold, how great things I have done! Lo, there hath been no king like unto me in all of the days since Solomon and David! For have I not warred against the Philistines, and broken down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Ashdod? And have I not built cities in the country of Ashdod, and among the Philistines? And have I not defeated the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Meunim? And do not the Ammonites pay tribute unto me?

Moreover, have I not built towers in the wilderness, and hewed out many cisterns, for I have much cattle; in the lowland also, and in the plain: and have I not husbandmen and vine-dressers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields? For I love husbandry.

Yea, and behold how mighty an army I have gathered and trained and equipped! An army that goeth out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of my captains. The whole number of the heads of fathers' houses, even the mighty men of valor, is two thousand and six hundred. And have I not prepared for them, even for all this host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, and stones for slinging? And what king before me ever made such engines of war for the towers and the battlements!

Lo, the nation is prosperous, and the fame of Judah and the power of Jerusalem hath gone forth into many lands.

I, even I, have done all this great work!

SCENE 2

Characters: Ten Priests, clothed in white; High Priest, blue robe over white clothes; King Uzziah with attendant.

(PRIESTS crossing Court as if on regular duties. HIGH PRIEST standing near entrance of Holy Place. Enter KING UZZIAH with attendant.)

UZZIAH: Behold now, ye priests!

(PRIESTS bow low before the KING. HIGH PRIEST alone standing erect, with folded arms.)

UZZIAH: Hear me now, ye priests: am I not, even I, the great King over Judah and over Jerusalem, and hath not my strong arm gotten me many mighty victories, and hath not my cunning devised many wonderful works? Why should I, the mighty King whose hand hath wrought such wonders, be made to stand in the outer court with the common herd, whilst ye priests offer incense upon the golden altar in token of prayers unto Jehovah? Behold I, even I, will offer incense for myself! No longer will I stand and wait while Azariah, the High Priest, yonder, entereth into the Holy Place in my stead. I will enter in for myself, and for myself and for my people I will offer incense.

(UZZIAH starts as though to enter the Holy Place. AZARIAH, the High Priest, steps forward to center of the entrance and stands there with folded arms to block the King's entrance. The other priests move forward across the doorway.)

UZZIAH: Away, ye priests! Away, Azariah! Didst thou not hear me? I, the King, have spoken! And my word is law! Thinkest thou to stop me from entering this Holy Place in Jehovah's Temple? Dost thou not know that I am King, and that beside me there is none else? Away, I say!

AZARIAH (in quiet tone): It is true, O Uzziah, even as thou hast said, that thou art King in Judah and in Jerusalem. And it is even true that thou art a great king, even like unto King Solomon, whose mighty hand builded this beautiful Temple. And there are many things which thou canst do. But one thing thou mayest not do, even though thou art king-thou mayest not take the place of the priest of Jehovah! Thou mayest not enter into this Holy

Place to burn incense upon the Golden Altar unto Jehovah, for this pertaineth not to thee, Uzziah, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go thou out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed.

UZZIAH (very angry): What meanest thou, Azariah? How darest thou speak thus unto thy King? Knowest thou not that I have power over thy life, even to take it away from thee? And dost thou dare tell me, thy King, that I have trespassed? Away with thee! I will go in, thou shalt not stop me.

(Steps forward and seizes AZARIAH by the arm; attempts to pull him away from Temple entrance. Other priests attempt to force UZZIAH back.)

head!

AZARIAH (lifting hands in horror): Behold! The King's fore

(All stand still and gaze at KING'S forehead.)

Behold! The punishment of Jehovah! Uzziah, thou art a leper! (UZZIAH turns toward audience, revealing a large white spot in center of forehead.)

Haste thee to depart from the presence of Jehovah. He hath visited his wrath upon thee for thy presumption. Haste thee! Away!

(UZZIAH covers his face with his mantle and hurries out.)

Music, organ," Chanson Triste," Tschaikowsky.

ACT II

(In the Temple Court.)

ISAIAH: Alas! Alas! My heart is sad, and my soul is bowed down with bitterness. Lo, these many years hath the great King Uzziah been the champion of this people, and many and wonderful have been the things which he hath accomplished. The borders of our land hath he extended; he hath made the nations round about to bow down before us. For he was marvelously helped by Jehovah until he became strong.

But alas! alas! In the height of his strength he became proud and claimed all the glory of his mighty achievements for himself, and Jehovah hath punished him, punished him most terribly; for Uzziah hath died a leper.