Isaac Murphy (born October 16, 1799 or 1802 - died September 8, 1882) was the first Reconstruction Governor of Arkansas. He was the first reconstruction governor to come to power under President Abraham Lincoln's conciliatory policy. Unlike some other reconstruction administrations the Murphy administration was characterized by fiscal restraint and conciliatory attitude towards the soon to be defeated Confederates. Murphy is best known for casting the only vote against secession at the Arkansas Secession Convention. Although it never affected him during his lifetime, his involvement in the little known Huntsville Massacre during the Civil War has only come to light in recent decades.

Murphy was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to a wealthy paper manufacturer. He was educated at Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in Washington, Pennsylvania and was admitted to the bar in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania on April 29, 1825.

In 1830 Murphy moved to Clarksville, Tennessee where he taught school. In Clarksville he met and married Angelina Lockhart on July 31, 1830 against her father's wishes. Angelina was disinherited by her father because Isaac was opposed to the institution of slavery.

Isaac ( /ˈaɪzək/;Hebrew: יִצְחָק, Modern Yitsẖak Tiberian Yiṣḥāq, ISO 259-3 Yiçḥaq, "he will laugh"; Yiddish: יצחק, Yitskhok; Ancient Greek: Ἰσαάκ, Isaak; Latin: Isaac; Arabic: إسحاق‎ or Arabic: إسحٰق‎ʼIsḥāq) as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites. According to the Book of Genesis, Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah was beyond childbearing years.

Isaac was the only biblical patriarch whose name was not changed, and the only one who did not leave Canaan. Compared to those of Abraham and Jacob, Isaac's story relates fewer incidents of his life. He died when he was 180 years old, making him the longest-lived patriarch.

The anglicized name Isaac is a transliteration of the Hebrew term Yiṣḥāq which literally means "He laughs/will laugh."Ugaritic texts dating from the 13th century BCE refer to the benevolent smile of the Canaanite deity El. Genesis, however, ascribes the laughter to Isaac's parents, Abraham and Sarah, rather than El. According to the biblical narrative, Abraham fell on his face and laughed when Elohim imparted the news of their son's eventual birth. He laughed because Sarah was past the age of childbearing; both she and Abraham were advanced in age. Later, when Sarah overheard three messengers of the Lord renew the promise, she laughed inwardly for the same reason. Sarah denied laughing when Elohim questioned Abraham about it.