Sawed in Two: The Apocryphal Martyrdom of Isaiah in Jewish and Christian Tradition

## The Biblical Clue in Hebrews 11 {#hebrews-clue}

Hebrews 11, often called the "Hall of Faith," contains a striking phrase in verse 37 regarding the fates of Old Testament prophets:

*"They were stoned, **they were sawn in two**, they were put to death by the sword."* — Hebrews 11:37

Nowhere in the Protestant Old Testament narrative is a prophet sawn in two. This passage directly references an established historical tradition recorded in Jewish apocryphal literature.

The Ascension of Isaiah Pseudepigrapha

The *Martyrdom of Isaiah* (part of the 1st-century *Ascension of Isaiah*) records that during the reign of wicked King Manasseh of Judah, Isaiah hid inside a hollow carob tree. Manasseh ordered the tree to be cut down using a wooden saw, slaying the prophet within.

Rabbinic Evidence in the Babylonian Talmud

This account is corroborated by ancient Jewish rabbinic sources in the Babylonian Talmud (*Yevamot 49b* and *Sanhedrin 103b*):

"Manasseh brought Isaiah to trial and condemned him... Isaiah pronounced the Divine Name and was absorbed into a cedar tree. Manasseh ordered the cedar to be sawn through." — Talmud, *Yevamot 49b*

Historical Tyranny of King Manasseh

Second Kings 21:16 records that Manasseh *"shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end."* The prophet Isaiah, who ministered during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, stood as a vocal opponent against Manasseh’s idolatry, culminating in his horrific execution.