Question: Does Isaiah mention anything about the existence of a heavenly Mother?
Answer: Isaiah uses a beautiful a–b–a mini-chiasm to identify humanity’s “Maker” as our “Father” (‘av) and his “Wife/Woman” (‘ishah) as she who gives birth to his “sons/children” (banai).
Isaiah 45:9–11
Woe to those in conflict with their Maker,
mere shards of earthenware pottery!
As though the clay were to say to him who molds it,
What are you doing?
Your hands have no skill for the work!
Woe to those who say to their Father,
What have you begotten?
or to the Woman, What have you borne?
Thus says Jehovah,
the Holy One of Israel, their Maker:
Will you ask me for signs concerning my children,
or dictate to me about the deeds of my hands?
The context of this passage is the Lord’s polemic against his own people who oppose the “work” of his end-time servant, whom he calls to release Israel’s exiles from captivity at the time his judgments come upon the world, and to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple (cf. Isaiah 44:26–28).
Isaiah 45:12–13
It is I who made the earth
and created man upon it;
I with my hand suspended the heavens,
appointing all their host.
It is I who rightfully raise him up,
who facilitate his every step;
he will rebuild my city and set free my exiles
without price or bribe, says Jehovah of Hosts.
