This translation of the book of Isaiah is the first portion of the Old Testament to be translated into Mohawk, the language of the Mohawk people, who lived primarily in Upper Canada and northern New York State. It was translated by William Hess, a Mohawk who worked closely with William Case of the Methodist Episcopal Mission of Canada. Only 1,000 copies were printed by the American Bible Society in 1839, with few copies surviving today. Hess and Case would go on to help translate other biblical books, including those of the Pentateuch, Psalms, and most of the New Testament.