Forgetting While Remembering: The Annunciation Type-Scene in Isaiah 40-55

Isaiah 49:14-23 and 54:1-3 evoke an annunciation type-scene, more commonly found in narrative portions of the Hebrew Bible. In doing so, personified Zion is placed in continuity with women of Israel’s past, thus “remembering the former things.” At the same time, she is recreated so substantially that she forgets those former things.