What Can I Use To Study Isaiah?
Ann Madsen and Shon Hopkin answer this question in their Opening Isaiah—a Harmony:
Reading List for Studying Isaiah
There are thousands of books and articles exploring the writings of Isaiah. This list is simply intended to provide a starting point for further reading for those who are interested. Many excellent resources by Latter-day Saints and others are not included here.
Commentaries on Isaiah by Latter-day Saint Authors:
Parry, Donald W., Tina M. Peterson, and Jay A. Parry. Understanding Isaiah. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1998.
This is one of the most up-to-date and complete commentaries on the writings of Isaiah from a Latter-day Saint perspective. It is our most highly recommended LDS commentary.
Ludlow, Victor L. Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982.
This is another excellent LDS commentary on Isaiah, but it does not benefit from the most recent scholarship on Isaiah, and some of its views may be out of date.
Studies on Isaiah in the Book of Mormon:
Spencer, Joseph. An Other Testament: On Typology. Salem, OR: Salt Press, 2012. Although this book covers a variety of Book of Mormon topics, its primary analysis is about how Nephi, Abinadi, and Jesus use the words of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon.
Ludlow, Victor L. Unlocking Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003. Unlike the book below, which is an edited volume by a variety of scholars, this book is written entirely by Victor Ludlow. It individually approaches each section of Isaiah found in the Book of Mormon.
Parry, Donald W., and John W. Welch, eds. Isaiah in the Book of Mormon. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), 1998. This book has a variety of contributors, each addressing different areas of the Book of Mormon that contain the writings of Isaiah.
Isaiah Chapter 2 2 Nephi 12—Isaiah's vision of events in the latter day
Isaiah 2 begins Isaiah’s vision of events in the latter day, including the construction of the Lord’s house. Isaiah also prophesied that at the time of the Second Coming, the proud and the wicked would be humbled for their transgressions. The Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi explains this chapter “summarizes the basic spiritual problems that troubled Israel in Isaiah’s day and that will prevail again among the people before the Second Coming.
Monte Nyman writes that it takes, “three chapters of Isaiah …to present his vision of Judah and Jerusalem.” Parts of this chapter, “and 3 paint quite a dismal picture, but chapter 4 describes the final glorious condition of ‘the branch [or church] of the Lord.” 1
John Bytheway introduces this chapter with this: “In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house [the temple] will be established in the top of the mountains, where all the nations will receive instruction from the Lord. The Lord will judge the nations. In the millennial day, people will turn from war to peace. The Lord invites Israel to walk in the light. Israel has foolishly given in to pride, materialism, and idol worship. The day of the Lord is coming, which will humble all the proud and mighty. Israel is commanded to stop relying on man and to rely on God.” 2
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
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King James Version |
Book of Mormon |
Expanded Foot Notes and Commentary |
| Isaiah sees the establishment of the Lord’s house in the latter days | ||
| 1 THE word that aIsaiah the son of Amoz Amos bsaw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. | 2 Nephi 12: 1 aTHE word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: | aIsaiah received his message through a vision from the Lord bHEB envisioned |
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Read Isaiah 2:2–5, and notice the prophecy about temples in the last days included in verses 2–3. These verses teach that many people will come to the house of God, which is the temple, and desire to learn God’s commandments and walk in His ways. Why do you think Isaiah described the temple as “the mountain of the Lord”? “This passage is an… excellent example of dualistic prophecy (see Enrichment E for a discussion of prophetic dualism). Though Isaiah’s prophecy was given ‘concerning Judah and Jerusalem’ (v. 1), it is obviously also related to the last days and the Second Coming of Jesus.”—Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi. |
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| 2 And it shall come to pass in the alast days, that when the bmountain of the LORD’s chouse shall be destablished in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all enations shall flow unto it. | 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, awhen the bmountain of the Lord’s chouse shall be established in the top of the dmountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. |
bmountain (Zion) chouse (Temple) |
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Comparison with the King James Bible in English shows that there are differences in more than half of the 433 verses of Isaiah quoted in the Book of Mormon, while about 200 verses have the same wording as KJV. These changes are noted in red The Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi (1982), “The Establishment of Zion (Isaiah 1–12)” lists this commentary: Isaiah 2:1–5. “In the Last Days … the Mountain of the Lord’s House Shall Be Established. ”These same verses appear in Micah 4:1–5. It is not known whether they were revealed first to Isaiah or to Micah. The “mountain of the Lord” in the last dispensation refers to the restoration of the Church. President Harold B. Lee said: “The coming forth of his church in these days was the beginning of the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy when ‘the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains’” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1973, p. 5). On another occasion President Lee observed that “with the coming of the pioneers to establish the Church in the tops of the mountains, our early leaders declared this to be the beginning of the fulfillment of that prophecy” (“The Way to Eternal Life,” Ensign, Nov. 1971, p. 15). The establishment of the Church headquarters in Salt Lake City is only a beginning of the fulfillment of that inspired declaration. Obviously, the effect of the Church center in Utah has been great. Elder LeGrand Richards said: “How literally [Isaiah 2:3] has been fulfilled, in my way of thinking, in this very house of the God of Jacob right here on this block! This temple [Salt Lake], more than any other building of which we have any record, has brought people from every land to learn of his ways and walk in his paths.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 143.) But this scriptural statement extends far beyond Salt Lake City. Verse 3 suggests that eventually other world centers will be included. Then this prophetic statement will reach its fulfillment. Isaiah’s “words about the gathering have received a partial fulfillment in the gathering of Israel from many nations to the American Zion in the tops of the mountains, but their complete realization is for another day and another that latter-day temples must arise in the mountains of the Lord before the Second Coming; that none can build such holy houses unless divinely commissioned to do so; and that when they are built—in proof, as it were, of their divine status—all nations will flow unto them.”The Millenial Messiah, p.299 “Micah says all this and more. He speaks in addition of the millennial gathering of Israel and says, “The Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even forever.” (Micah 4:1-7.) The Mortal Messiah-Book 1, p. 95 Ancient prophets often went to mountains to commune with the Lord and receive counsel from Him, and God revealed truths to them there. We can have similar experiences in temples today. According to Isaiah 2:3, why will people in the last days desire to go to the temple? What can you learn from these verses about what happens as we attend the temple? |
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3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us ago up to the bmountain of the LORD, to the chouse of the God of Jacob; and he will dteach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of eZion shall go forth the flaw, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
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3 And many apeople shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the bmountain of the Lord, to the chouse of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will dwalk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
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Referring to 2 Nephi 12:2–3, President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “I believe that prophecy applies to the historic and wonderful Salt Lake Temple. But I believe also that it is related to [the Conference Center]. For it is from this pulpit that the law of God shall go forth, together with the word and testimony of the Lord” (“This Great Millennial Year,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 69) f HEB teaching, or doctrine |
| This “will come to pass during the Millennium… The Millenial Messiah, p.299 Both Isaiah and Micah prophesied of the building of temples in the last days, of the gathering of Israel to those holy houses, and of the gospel teaching they would there receive… naming the two great world capitals and indicating the authoritative decrees to go forth from each…In the great day of restoration—a day that has commenced, but in which many things yet remain to be restored—there will finally be two world capitals, both called Zion, both called Jerusalem. One shall be the seat of government, the other the spiritual capital of the world, for out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:1-5.) That is to say, Jerusalem of old shall be restored, built up anew in glory and beauty, according to the promises, and also, another Jerusalem, a New Jerusalem, shall be established. Moroni tells us “of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven,” and of “the holy sanctuary of the Lord.” He says that Ether wrote both of this New Jerusalem, which should be upon the American continent, and of the restoration of the Jerusalem in the Old World, the one whence Lehi came. “And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth,” the account says; “and they shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb. … And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father, Abraham.” (Ether 13:1-12; 3 Ne. 20:22; 21:23-24.) The Mortal Messiah-Book 1, p. 95
President Joseph Fielding Smith gave the following explanation of this prophetic statement of Isaiah: “We are informed in the revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, that the city of Zion and the New Jerusalem is one and the same. [D&C 28:9; 42:9; 45:66–67; 57:2; 58:7.] …Jerusalem of old, after the Jews have been cleansed and sanctified from all their sin, shall become a holy city where the Lord shall dwell and from whence he shall send forth his word unto all people. Likewise, on this continent, the city of Zion, New Jerusalem, shall be built, and from it the law of God shall also go forth. There will be no conflict, for each city shall be headquarters for the Redeemer of the world, and from each, he shall send forth his proclamations as occasion may require. Jerusalem shall be the gathering place of Judah and his fellows of the house of Israel, and Zion shall be the gathering place of Ephraim and his fellows, upon whose heads shall be conferred ‘the richer blessings.’ …These two cities, one in the land of Zion and one in Palestine, are to become capitals for the kingdom of God during the millennium. In the meantime, while the work of preparation is going on and Israel is being gathered, many people are coming to the land of Zion saying: ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.’ The Latter-day Saints are fulfilling this prediction since they are being gathered from all parts of the earth and are coming to the house of the Lord in these valleys of the mountains. Here they are being taught in the ways of the Lord through the restoration of the gospel and by receiving blessings in the temples now erected. Moreover, before many years have passed away, the Lord will command the building of the City Zion, and Jerusalem in Palestine will in due time be cleansed and become a holy city and the habitation of the Jews after they are cleansed and are willing to accept Jesus Christ as their Redeemer.” (Doctrines of Salvation, 3:69–71.) While the Saints await the time of the establishment of these world centers, the principle of sending forth the law has been associated not only with the spread of the gospel and its blessings, but also with the providing of a climate in which the gospel work can grow. President Harold B. Lee said: “I have often wondered what that expression meant, that out of Zion shall go forth the law. Years ago I went with the brethren to the Idaho Falls Temple, and I heard in that inspired prayer of the First Presidency a definition of the meaning of that term ‘out of Zion shall go forth the law.’ Note what they said: ‘We thank thee that thou hast revealed to us that those who gave us our constitutional form of government were men wise in thy sight and that thou didst raise them up for the very purpose of putting forth that sacred document [the Constitution of the United States—see D&C 101:80]. …We pray that kings and rulers and the peoples of all nations under heaven may be persuaded of the blessings enjoyed by the people of this land by reason of their freedom and under thy guidance and be constrained to adopt similar governmental systems, thus to fulfill the ancient prophecy of Isaiah and Micah that “… out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”‘ (Improvement Era, October 1945, p. 564.)” (“The Way to Eternal Life,” p. 15). |
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| Isaiah 2:4–5. These verses deal with the ushering in of the millennial era and with the changes that will accompany it. The writings of Isaiah as found in the Book of Mormon show the following additional phrase in verse 5: “Yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to his wicked ways” (2 Nephi 12:5). This verse indicates a widespread apostasy in Israel and the return of Israel to the Lord before the Second Coming—Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi. | ||
| 4 And he shall ajudge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn bwar any more. | 4 And he shall ajudge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks—nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. |  |
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“The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.” (Isa. 14:7.) “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. And my people, shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” (Isa. 32:17-18.) Isaiah put his words in a millennial context by saying that “he [Christ] shall [then] judge…” The Mortal Messiah-Book 1, p. 95 The setting here is one of judgment followed by millennial peace. The nations are judged, the wicked are rebuked, and the social order destined to prevail on the new heaven and the new earth is ushered in. Micah, in the same prophecy, has him judging “among many people” and rebuking “strong nations afar off” (Micah 4:3), but the thought and intent are the same. The Lord Jesus sits in judgment at his coming …In that day there will be peace on earth; wars will be unknown and unheard of; crime and evil and carnality will vanish away; and the Son of Righteousness shall replace evil with good… Where there is peace, there is neither crime nor war. “He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth.” (Ps. 46:9.) The Millennial Messiah- p.654 Isaiah foresaw this formula for peace when he recognized that after the leaders of the peoples would come to the house of the Lord and receive his instruction… Lasting peace will come when governments learn to prepare for peace as their leaders and citizens practice the principles of gospel living. Ludlow, Principles and Practices p. 596 |
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5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us awalk in the blight of the LORD.
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5 O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord; yea, come, for ye have all agone astray, every one to his bwicked ways.
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a2 Ne. 28: 14 They wear astiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and bwhoredoms, they have all cgone astray save it be a dfew, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are eled, that in many instances they do ferr because they are taught by the precepts of men. Mosiah 14: 6 All we, like asheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all. Alma 5: 37 O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are apuffed up in the vain things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone bastray, as csheep having no dshepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath ecalled after you and is still calling after you, but ye will not fhearken unto his voice!bIsa. 53: 6 All we like asheep have gone bastray; we have turned every one to his cown way; and the LORD hath laid on him the diniquity of us all. |
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To walk in the light we will have to first receive it in the Temple of the Lord. The following verses, Isaiah 2:6–22, explain how the proud and the wicked will be brought low |
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| 6 ¶ Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they abe replenished from the east, and are bsoothsayers like the Philistines, and they cplease themselves in the children of strangers. | 6 Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken unto asoothsayers like the bPhilistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. | aIE are filled, supplied with teachings, alien beliefs. cHEB strike hands with, or make covenant with |
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The Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi explains: They were “replenished from the east,” or in other words, they looked to the religious philosophies and the gods of the Assyrians and other heathen countries for power and sustenance. Today people look to many other religions and philosophies of men for wisdom and guidance instead of to the gospel. They “hearken unto soothsayers” (2 Nephi 12:6), those false prophets who claimed to be able to foretell the future. Today, true prophets are largely ignored, and all kinds of false religionists and counselors are looked to for guidance. “They please themselves in the children of strangers” or, as C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch translated the phrase, “and with the children of foreigners they go hand in hand” (Commentary on the Old Testament,7:1:118). In short, ancient Israel was joining the heathen nations in all their wickedness, and modern society is joining with the influences of the world rather than looking to the Lord. |
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| 7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: | 7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their atreasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. | “Replenished from the east” means to have partaken of false eastern religions; “soothsayers” are like fortune tellers—Bytheway, John. Isaiah For Airheads |
| The Old Testament Student Manual Kings-Malachi explains:
The land was “full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.” The horse was a symbol of warfare, as was the chariot. Today is an age characterized by “wars and rumors of war” (see Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:28.) These endless chariots may well be our cars and endless traffic. Horses and chariots are often mentioned to signify military might and are listed along with treasures and idols in these verses. Relying on military power alone for peace and security is a form of idolatry—Bytheway, John. Isaiah For Airheads |
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| 8 Their land also is full of aidols; they bworship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: | 8 Their land is also full of aidols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. | The land was filled with idolatry then, and people still turn to false gods today, though not necessarily to idols made of wood or stone—OTSM |
| President Spencer W. Kimball observed: “When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steel—ships, planes, missiles, fortifications—and depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become anti-enemy instead of pro-kingdom of God. …We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us—and this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas—or he will fight our battles for us. (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 417) | ||
| 9 And the amean man bboweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. | 9 And the mean man aboweth bnot down, and the great man humbleth himself not, therefore, forgive him not. |
aKJVIE ordinary man b2NeIE unto God; he worships idols instead. |
| In statistics, the word mean means “average.” In this verse, mean means the average or common man doesn’t bow down to or worship God—see footnote 9b—Bytheway, John. Isaiah For Airheads (Kindle Location 896). Deseret Book Company. Kindle Edition.
The “mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not” (2 Nephi 12:9; emphasis added). The differences in the Book of Mormon account of Isaiah’s writings, noted by the italics, show that Isaiah was not making further reference to idolatry but was referring to the fact that men would not worship the true God. In the preface to the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord indicated this failure would be a major concern of the last days. (see D&C 1:16.)—OTSM Because of her sins, ancient Israel brought upon herself the judgments of God, and because of the same problems the people of the last days will likewise bring sorrow and problems upon themselves.—OTSM The brass plates contained other differences that clarify Isaiah’s meaning. Compare Isaiah 2:10, 12–14, 16, 19, 21with 2 Nephi 12:10, 12–14, 16, 19, 21.—OTSM |
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| 10 ¶ Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. | 10 O ye wicked ones, enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for the fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty shall smite thee. | |
| “In this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence” (Alma 12:14) | ||
| 11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be aexalted in that bday. | 11 And it shall come to pass that the alofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. | |
| 12 For the aday of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is bproud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought clow: | 12 For the aday of the Lord of Hosts soon cometh upon all nations, yea, upon every one; yea, upon the bproud and lofty, and upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low. | |
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13 And upon all the acedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,
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13 Yea and the day of the Lord shall come upon all the acedars of Lebanon, for they are high and lifted up; and upon all the oaks of Bashan; | |
| These cedars and oaks were the loftiest and most impressive trees in the ancient Middle East. They therefore symbolized not only the great beauty of the land that would be destroyed but also the proud and lofty people of the earth (see Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 7:1:122–23). | ||
| 14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, | 14 And upon all the ahigh mountains, and upon all the hills, and upon all the nations which are lifted up, and upon every people; | |
| 15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, | 15 And upon every ahigh tower, and upon every fenced wall; | |
| 16 And upon all the aships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. | 16 And upon all the ships of the asea, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. | |
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The Greek (Septuagint) has “ships of the sea.” The Hebrew has “ships of Tarshish.” The Book of Mormon has both, showing that the brass plates had lost neither phrase. “The Book of Mormon suggests that the original text of this verse contained three phrases, all of which commenced with the same opening words, ‘and upon all.’ By a common accident, the original Hebrew (and hence the King James) text lost the first phrase, which was, however, preserved by the Septuagint. The latter lost the second phrase and seems to have corrupted the third phrase. The Book of Mormon preserved all three phrases. Scholars may suggest that Joseph Smith took the first phrase from the Septuagint. The prophet did not know Greek, and there is no evidence that he had access to a copy of the Septuagint in 1829–30 when he translated the Book of Mormon.” —Sperry, The Voice of Israel’s Prophets, pp. 90–91. Trade with other nations would cease. Such trade had been established and had prospered during the reign of kings Uzziah and Jotham (see Enrichment F; Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 7:1:124). |
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| 17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the ahaughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. | 17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the ahaughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in bthat day. | |
| 18 And the aidols he shall utterly abolish. | 18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish. | |
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19 And they shall go into the aholes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for bfear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth
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19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the aglory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. | |
| 20 In that day a man shall acast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; | 20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which he hath made for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; | |
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21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
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21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the majesty of his glory shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. | |
| 22 Cease ye from aman, whose breath is in his nostrils: for bwherein is he to be accounted of? | 22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? | Blair Van Dyke, suggested that “cease ye” is far too gentle of a way to say STOP IT! |
| This expression is a warning about the weaknesses of trusting merely in man (see also 2 Nephi 4:34; 28:31; Topical Guide, s.v. “trust not in the arm of flesh”)—OTSM | ||
The land was “full of silver and gold,” that is, the people were wealthy and materialistic. Their hearts were set on the things of the world. Again in the last days, materialism runs rampant.Joseph Spencer explained that, “when Orson Pratt redid the chapter breaks in the 1870s, he reproduced in this part of the text the chapter breaks of the King James Version of the Bible. Where Isaiah 2 ends in the biblical text, 2 Nephi 12 ends in the Book of Mormon. Where Isaiah 3 ends in the biblical text, 2 Nephi 13 ends in the Book of Mormon. And so on. But as the Prophet Joseph originally dictated this larger block of Isaiah, it came in only three chapters—not at all today’s thirteen. Here’s how they work out:
- Chapter VIII 2 Nephi 11–15 (Isaiah 2–5)
- Chapter IX 2 Nephi 16–22 (Isaiah 6–12)
- Chapter X 2 Nephi 23–24 (Isaiah 13–14)
“Note here that we’re getting in 2 Nephi 11–24 what in the Bible comes as thirteen chapters, but we’re to read them as coming in three sequences. We’re to take Isaiah 2–5, Isaiah 6–12, and Isaiah 13–14 as three distinct chunks.
“…Isaiah 2–5 tells of Israel’s waywardness, of a general abandonment on Israel’s part of their covenantal responsibility, and the consequence of all this is announced to be chaos within and oppression from without.”2
1Bytheway, John. Isaiah For Airheads (Kindle Locations 832-836). Deseret Book.
2Spencer, Joseph M. The Vision of All: Twenty-five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record (Part 1 of 2) (Kindle Locations 2978-2992). Greg Kofford Books.
David Ridges – Biggest Hurdles to Understanding Isaiah
Kelsey Wilding: What is the hardest hump to get over to actually learning Isaiah?
David Ridges: To me it was his manner of prophesying, Nephi said that too. It was learning to look beyond the words to the symbols and seeing him as symbolic. And once I broke through that with a lot of help from these great scholars that I mentioned earlier, then I just read it and love it. The symbolism, for instance, when Isaiah gets his call, he feels very unworthy and he mentions, this is again in Chapter 6, this is verse 5, ‘woe is unto me for I am undone, for I have seen the Lord, the Lord of hosts, for I am a man of unclean lips.’ And that’s one of the things that makes it difficult to understand Isaiah, the idiomatic traces that he uses. Idioms. I don’t know whether you know what idioms are but let me just give you an example. We use them all the time. We say that guy is living high on the hog. Maybe you haven’t heard that.
Kelsey Wilding: No.
David Ridges: Boy, we’re going to have to find something else. Have you ever heard of anybody say, he’s on the ball?
Kelsey Wilding: Yes, I’ve heard that.
David Ridges: Ok, here we are. He’s on the ball. That’s an idiom. Somebody who is learning English as a second language might hear somebody say, boy, that guy is really on the ball, and they say I don’t see any ball under his feet. He’s not rolling or standing on top of a ball, what do we mean? Well Isaiah does that. He uses idioms, things that mean something to his audience but don’t mean anything at all for us. So, he said, I’m a man of unclean lips and woe is me, because I’ve seen the Lord, and I’m a man of unclean lips. What he is saying is, unclean lips in his culture, that’s an idiomatic phrase, meaning I am unworthy, I have so many shortcomings and sins that I’m not worthy to see the Lord, and I’m overwhelmed because I have just seen the Lord. Ok, with that in mind, that’s one of the things that makes Isaiah difficult, is his idioms that he uses, but when you understand that, then you go on with this part of his call, and remember he said, I have unclean lips, and he also said, I live among the people of unclean lip, I dwell among the people of unclean lips. And so, the next verse says an angel goes to the altar and takes a red-hot coal and comes back over to Isaiah and puts that red-hot coal right on his lips. This is a fun one to teach. [inaudible 00:03:08.00]. What did he say his problem was? He has unclean lips and the angel says, here I’ll fix that and burns his lips. Well, that’s not very nice. The Lord is supposed to be pretty nice, you know that. And well, so, when you stop looking at it, you ask the question, ok, what’s the altar? Do you think in this part of Isaiah, what does that symbolize? An altar, always in the Old Testament mind would mean sacrifice. That’s what they used. They sacrificed animals representing Christ and that is the last and ultimate sacrifice. It’s the Savior on the altar cross, so to speak. The altar kind of gets him, and he sacrificed Himself that we might be cleansed and forgiven, and so in Isaiah’s writing, he’s saying I’m a man of unclean lips and an angel took a red-hot coal off of the altar, in other words, the atonement, and applies it to my uncleanliness, unworthiness, then it’s beautiful.
Kelsey Wilding: So, did you make an idiom conversion chart?
David Ridges: I haven’t made an idiom conversion chart. That would be quite a task.
Kelsey Wilding: That would be an interesting one.
David Ridges: Maybe that’s my next book.
Kelsey Wilding: I’ll read it.
David Ridges: We’ll say, call out by Kelsey, because she got the idea.
Kelsey Wilding: Yeah.
David Ridges: Yes, at any rate, we’re on the next verses and Isaiah, why does he feel like now because of the atonement of Christ applied and it says right in there, that this hath touched thy lips, and has purged your iniquity and your sins are taken away. Now that part is pretty easy to understand, with the rest of the background we just gave, right?
Kelsey Wilding: Yeah.
David Ridges: Yeah, and then he hears the Lord speaking, the Father to the Son, saying whom shall we send. They’ve got a major mission and Isaiah now says instead of feeling overwhelmed, undone, he says, here am I, send me. And that’s what happens to every one of us. When we receive a calling that is somewhat overwhelming, we think, I’m not worthy, I’m not capable, I can’t do that. Was the bishop really inspired, what’s going on here? But when you know through the atonement of Christ that your inadequacies are taken care of and your sins, by the atonement of Christ, then you feel confident, that you can become competent, and you accept the call. And Isaiah does. Well, that’s a long way of answering that question.
Kelsey Wilding: That was a good answer. I appreciate it.
Get to Know Isaiah Scholar, Shon D. Hopkin
Finding Isaiah
Shon D. Hopkin’s interest in Isaiah began in 1996 while studying at the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center.
“My time studying in Jerusalem lit a fire that eventually led me to a Ph.D. in Hebrew studies; biblical literature has been a love of mine ever since.”
After completing his graduate work at the University of Texas, he taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ seminary and institute programs for 14 years. In 2011, Shon returned to BYU to teach religion, including a class specifically on Isaiah.
He wanted his students to have the resources needed to begin to grasp the book of Isaiah. So, he started asking around to his peers on the faculty for resources. His goal was to help students compare the Book of Mormon Isaiah to the biblical version and Joseph Smith translations of Isaiah.
Eventually, he came across a guide Ann N. Madsen had created for her honor students. After receiving permission to use the helpful resource, Shon and Ann realized they had something unique in common, their interest in studying and teaching about Isaiah. One thing led to another and soon after they began working on a project that would take them several years to complete.
In 2017, they finished their extensive comparison of the multiple versions of Isaiah in the book, “Opening Isaiah: A Harmony.”
Searching Isaiah
Shon still loves teaching, reading, and studying Isaiah and says that he especially enjoys learning from and working with his colleague and mentor, Ann.
“I love teaching Isaiah, and I work hard for it to come alive for my students. But, there’s something rich about the way that Ann talks about Isaiah and his writing that helps it come to life for her students. They love her because she loves Isaiah, they love Isaiah because she loves it. It’s a remarkable synergy that happens in her classroom that I don’t know that anyone else creates.”
When asked to describe Isaiah, Shon said,
“Isaiah is like the temple. It feels similar to me. They’re simple enough that symbolism can be understood on an elementary level and it speaks to everyone. But the depths of Isaiah, like the depths of the temple, are not available for those who only visit once or twice. The temple and Isaiah come alive the more you go back to them.”
Shon understands why Isaiah feels intimidating to many members of the Church. He likes to remind his students that the list of those who clearly loved Isaiah are righteous leaders we should aspire to be like. The list includes none other than Nephi, Abinadi, all the New Testament authors, and Jesus Christ.
“Isaiah isn’t the kind of book you read and put a checkmark next to. Isaiah is the kind of book that reveals more, and more and more. You can’t pass it off.”
Isaiah Scholar Skim
Education
- Undergraduate and Masters at Brigham Young University in Near Eastern Studies with a focus on the Hebrew Bible
- Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in Hebrew Studies with a focus on Medieval Hebrew, Arabic, and Spanish literature
Sparked focus on Isaiah
- Studying at the BYU Jerusalem Center with his wife
Isaiah in one word
- Temple
Peers he admires
- Ann Madsen
- Donald Parry
- Terry Ball
- Joseph Spencer
- Noel Reynolds
Books
- “Opening Isaiah: A Harmony” (2017)
Jacob’s Commentary on Isaiah 50–1 (2 Nephi 7–8)
His largest continuous quote of the prophet comes from Isaiah 50 and Isaiah 51 and 52:1–2. (2 Nephi 7–8). However, before Jacob begins reading he offers this commentary as he quotes from Isaiah 49:22: “I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles…” (2 Nephi 6:6). By beginning here, it may suggest that the Isaiah chapters he is about to quote have some instructions to the Gentiles.
But then, as Garold N. Davis explains, in the verses that follow (2 Nephi 6:7–18), Jacob aligns his preface to Isaiah 50 and 51 in a way that “is consistent with Lehi’s and Nephi’s commentaries on Isaiah… Jacob tells us in 2 Nephi 6 that:
- “those who were at Jerusalem” have been scattered (verse 8);
- they will return (verse 9);
- Christ will be born among them, but they will reject and crucify him (verse 9);
- those at Jerusalem will be scattered again, “driven to and fro” (verses 10–11);
- but the Lord will remember the covenant and will “set himself again the second time to recover them” (from Isaiah 11) through the Gentiles (verses 12–14).
“After this prefatory outline, Jacob then quotes Isaiah 50 and 51.”
Jacob then uses his understanding of Isaiah 50 to introduce the prophet’s metaphor of divorce to explain the scattering of Israel: “Have I put thee away, or have I cast thee off forever?” the Lord asks and then answers the question with this reproach: “For your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away” (verse 1). Isaiah then asks Israel if this separation could have been prevented had they only had faith in the Lord’s power: “O house of Israel, is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver?” (verse 2).
Davis enlightens our understanding as to why Jacob’s used Isaiah 50 and 51 to explain the “imagery of scattering and eventual gathering” of Israel. Then he points out, that “at the outset of 2 Nephi 9, Jacob clearly tells why he has quoted these two chapters and what their major message is:
“I have read these things [Isaiah 50–51] that ye might know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he has covenanted with all the house of Israel” (verse 1).
Davis continues, “One aspect of this covenant, as Jacob goes on to explain, is that the time will come when Israel “shall be restored to the true church and fold of God; when they shall be gathered home to the lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in all their lands of promise” (verse 2).
As Jacob continues, in 2 Nephi 9, he “suddenly shifts the emphasis from this temporal gathering to a universal and spiritual gathering and suggests a second and even more important aspect of the covenant mentioned in verse 1: “I speak unto you these things that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children” (verse 3). Jacob then proceeds to give a powerful sermon on universal death, the resurrection, and the atonement: “Our flesh must waste away and die” (verse 4), but Christ will die for all men and bring about a general resurrection (verses 5–6). Were it not for an “infinite atonement,” the “first judgment [i.e., when mortals were, through Adam, cast out from the presence of God] . . . must needs have remained to an endless duration” (verses 6–7). Not only would we have died through a physical separation from God, but our spirits, without this “infinite atonement,” would “have become . . . devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself” (verse 9).
Jacob refers to this double separation as a double “monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit” (verse 10). But “because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, . . . which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave. And this death . . . , which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell” (verses 11–12). Now we understand why Jacob stated at the outset of the commentary that all mankind should “rejoice, and lift up [their] heads forever” (verse 3). Jacob’s commentary expands on these points through verse 20, and with this commentary in mind we can now go back to Isaiah 50 and 51 (2 Nephi 7–8) and consider Isaiah’s meaning in light of Jacob’s commentary.
It seems clear that in Jacob’s interpretation of Isaiah 50 and 51 the salvation spoken of may include, but goes much deeper than, the physical gathering of scattered Israel. Isaiah turns to the role of the Savior in gathering all mortal humanity from the ultimate scattering, death: “Is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver?” (2 Nephi 7:2). The verbs redeem and deliverseem to take on a more universal character when Isaiah then makes specific reference to the suffering of Christ: “I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting” (verse 6).
Second Nephi 7 (Isaiah 50) ends with the rather enigmatic comment that those who try to walk by the light of their own fire “shall lie down in sorrow” (verse 11). If I understand and apply Jacob’s commentary in 2 Nephi 9 correctly, this metaphor has reference to the universal death that will come upon all mortals, and this theme then continues throughout Isaiah 51. As a word of caution, I should point out that when Jacob talks about the double monster, death and hell—that is, death of the body and death of the spirit—in 2 Nephi 9 as commentary on Isaiah 50 and 51, he is not suggesting that all mortals are doomed to suffer these two deaths. Rather, he is describing the result if a vital condition were not in place, a rhetorical style common to Book of Mormon writers. For example, beginning in 2 Nephi 9:7, Jacob details the sad state of all mortality “save it should be an infinite atonement.” This rhetoric is similar to Nephi’s phrasing “save Christ should come . . .” (2 Nephi 11:6), Alma’s “except it were for these conditions . . .” (Alma 42:13), or Abinadi’s “And now if Christ had not come . . .” (Mosiah 16:6). Following are a few quotations from Isaiah 51 (2 Nephi 8) with my own interpretive comments, both of which I believe correspond to Jacob’s commentary in 2 Nephi 9: “Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged” (2 Nephi 8:1). Look to Christ, the Holy One of Israel, for your salvation from the grave. “Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare you” (verse 2). Remember the covenant that through Abraham’s seed will come the Messiah, through whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed.7 “The Lord shall comfort Zion. . . . Joy and gladness shall be found therein” (verse 3) because of the atonement that will overcome death.
The reader who proceeds through 2 Nephi 8 (Isaiah 51) with Jacob’s commentary from chapter 9 firmly in mind will see the possibility that Isaiah 51 is a powerful commentary on the saving power of the “infinite atonement” (2 Nephi 9:7). For example, having in mind Jacob’s discussion of physical and spiritual death and his characterization of death and hell as an “awful monster” (verse 10), the interesting parallelism in 2 Nephi 8:9 takes on a new dimension: “Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab [i.e., death] and wounded the dragon [i.e., hell]?” Then the verbs ransomed and redeemed in verses 10 and 11 take on a broader meaning, and of course “sorrow and mourning shall flee away” (verse 11), because of the infinite atonement that overcomes death and hell.
The remainder of 2 Nephi 8 continues to sustain the theme of the atonement that so clearly informs Jacob’s commentary. “Among all the sons [Jerusalem] hath brought forth” (verse 18) there is no salvation (see verse 17), as there is no salvation in the law of Moses. The only sons left are “desolation and destruction” (verse 19)—that is, death and hell—and these two sons “lie at the head of all the streets” (verse 20), as death and hell lie at the end of every life, “save it should be an infinite atonement” (2 Nephi 9:7). Who, then, will comfort us, and why should we rejoice. The ultimate comfort—salvation—is of the Lord: “The Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause of his people; behold, I [the Lord and thy God] have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again” (verse 22). Christ has overcome death by drinking the bitter cup himself.
Certainly Jacob’s commentary on Isaiah 50 and 51 allows a deeper, more personalized reading of these chapters than would otherwise likely be considered.
In 2 Nephi 10, Jacob’s commentary on Isaiah continues, and his discussion of what he has just quoted from Isaiah also serves as an introductory commentary on the next group of Isaiah writings, 2 Nephi 12–24 (Isaiah 2–14).
Once again Jacob identifies the major themes that always accompany his citing of Isaiah. From 2 Nephi 10 we read that
- Christ will come and the Jews will reject and crucify him (verse 3);
- the Jews will be “scattered among all nations” (verse 6);
- according to the covenant, the house of Israel will be “restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance” (verse 7);
- the gentiles “shall be great in the eyes of [God]” in bringing about this gathering (verse 8).
Jacob’s sermon shows further consistency with the teachings of his brother Nephi and his father, Lehi, because Jacob again quotes from Isaiah 49: “Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers [Isaiah 49:23]; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles” (2 Nephi 10:9; compare 1 Nephi 10:12, 14; 15:13–15; 22:8). Jacob then takes this promise to the gentiles one step further with a commentary on Isaiah 49:23: “I [God] will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like unto a father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed and numbered among the house of Israel” (2 Nephi 10:18).
With these background commentaries on Isaiah by Lehi, Nephi, and Jacob, we can better anticipate and understand the long section of Isaiah comprising 2 Nephi 12–24 (Isaiah 2–14).
Author: Garold N. Davis | Ph.D. in German literature from Johns Hopkins University. He taught at the University of Pennsylvania, Southern Oregon College, and the University of Colorado before coming to Brigham Young University, where he was a professor of German and comparative literature at the time he wrote this in 1998.
Here’s the Winners of Our Pop Isaiah Art Contest
We want to send a big thanks to everyone who participated in our Pop Isaiah art contest and helped make it a success!
And a special congratulations to our winners, especially Josh Krogue the first place winner of the $2,000 grand prize. Brady Moon was our second place winner receiving $750. Snjezana Crozac was the contest’s third place winner getting $250. Both Emily Tueller’s and Cassidy Freeman’s pieces received an honorable mention getting $125. Pop Isaiah’s top youth entrant goes to Josh Philpot and he was awarded $500 in our Pop Isaiah art competition!
Josh Krogue’s entry received four hundred votes, the foremost of any entrant.
Brady Moon’s entry received two hundred votes.
Snjezana Crozac’s beautiful photo that came in third received 140 votes.
Emily Tueller received an honorable mention with 119 votes.
Cassidy Freeman also received an honorable mention with 89 votes.
Josh Philpot was the top youth entrant.
Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make Pop Isaiah proud! In case you missed it, you can check out all the entries for the Pop Isaiah art contest. Stay tuned for upcoming contests!
Thomas S. Monson’s Top Five Isaiah Quotes
Did you know that among Old Testament books quoted at LDS General Conference, no one beats the Book of Isaiah? In fact, since the founding of the LDS Church, leaders of the church have quoted this prophet 4215 times.
That got us thinking since President Monson became a General Authority he has given more than 280 conference talks, just how many of those might have mentioned Isaiah?
We found the answer at the LDS Citation Index:
President Monson quoted Isaiah more than 40 times in the last 50 years and cited Isaiah 1:18 more than any other Isianic verse:
Come now,
and let us reason together,
saith the Lord:
though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.
This verse was cited in eleven different conference talks, making it the Prophet’s top choice in Isaiah.
Plow-shares and Pruning Hooks
“What in the world does – they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning hooks- mean?” Robin asked, squinting her eyes at page 81 in the Book of Mormon.
I looked at the page, then nervously glanced at my companion as she said, “Uhhmm…well pruning-hooks are, um, like…” An awkward pause penetrated the air.
We’ve all been there before. Regardless of if you are like Robin, newly investigating the Church or if you’ve been a member your whole life, we often squirm when we get to 2 Nephi 12 in our Book of Mormon reading. We squirm because we know for the next several pages, Nephi is quoting Isaiah, the poet-prophet.
Thankfully, there are tools we can use to not only understand Isaiah but truly embrace his teachings. That sticky summer afternoon I spent as a missionary in southern California did not end in bewilderment. We told Robin we didn’t know what the verse meant, then showed her some of the Church’s explanations on the Isaiah chapters listed in the Gospel Library app. We opened the app, clicked on “Lessons” then “Institute.” There we found hundreds of quotes from modern-day prophets and other scriptures that can help us apply the words of Isaiah to our lives in 2018. As Robin read a quote by Elder Oaks expounding the verse, the Spirit led her to say, “Oh, that makes sense now!”
Jesus Christ spoke to the Nephites about Isaiah’s teachings saying, “a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently.” (3 Ne 23:1) That same command applies to us today. Because Christ wants us to experience the joy that comes from living His commandments, He provides tools, such as the Institute lessons to help immerse us in scripture. Additionally, the Church provides other resources in its magazines and websites to increase our comprehension.
However, the most important thing we need to understand Isaiah is not a manual. It is a willingness to seek the Spirit and patience with the process of revelation. Just because a verse doesn’t make sense to us immediately, does not mean we should pretend it doesn’t exist and skip to the verses ahead (it’s okay, I’ve done that too). If there is anything I have learned from life and from my service as a full-time missionary, it is that Heavenly Father will always provide a way for us to keep ALL of His commandments. He is never going to say, “Ha ha! You have to decipher Isaiah by yourself!” As we ask for His guidance, as well as use the resources given to us, we will become the scholars of Isaiah that the Savior asked us to be.
So, go, open your gospel library app and start reading somewhere in Isaiah or 2nd Nephi. Use the study helps! Keep a prayer in your heart. Isaiah will become your favorite prophet before you know it.
God Singing: Reflections on God as a Hebrew Psalmist
A second approach for studying Isaiah 40 comes from an article by Matthew Nickerson in which he discusses parallels in Nephi’s psalm (2 Ne. 4) a to what he calls “the five structural units of the biblical psalm type referred to as “the individual lament” (see video above or readIs “Nephi’s Psalm” Really a Psalm?). The five structural units identified by Nickerson as part of the “Individual Lament include the following:
- An invocation,
- A complaint,
- A confession of trust,
- A Petition, and
- A Vow of Praise
Nickerson’s article, among other things, references the work of other LDS scholars who identify these psalmist elements in Nephi’s psalm. My desire here is to draw attention to these structural elements and to examine Isaiah 40 in relation to these elements. Isaiah the prophet pre-dates David the psalmist, but Chapter 40 provides strong evidence that the traditions informing the writing of psalms are already in place or developing hundreds of years before David. More specifically, I am arguing here for God as the singer of the holy song.
So often the God of the Old Testament is portrayed as the mean and vengeful, eye-for-an-eye deity. Christ is often seen as bringing to the concept of God, the image of the loving Father, replacing the harsh, judgmental God of Moses. Reading Isaiah 40, may cause us to rethink or re-vision our view of the Messianic creator who “[measures] the waters in the hollow of his hand, [metes] out the heaven with the span, and [comprehends] the dust of the earth in a measure” (40:12) and yet cries out to his people “let me feed you, gather you, and carry you to my bosom (40:11).
| First an Invocation: | ||
| “Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her |
||
| Iniquity is pardoned (40:1-2). | ||
| Second, A complaint: | ||
| “The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, | ||
| And casteth silver chains. | ||
| He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation | ||
| Chooseth a tree that will not rot; | ||
| He seeketh unto him a cunning workman | ||
| To prepare a graven image that shall not be moved. (40:19-20) | ||
| Third, a confession of Trust: | ||
| I have loved you—sent you prophets to teach you | ||
| (“Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? (40:21) “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? (40:28) |
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| I am the great God, the creator of heaven and earth. | ||
| I will send my messenger to prepare the way before me. When I come I will gather you with my | ||
| Strong arm and carry you to my bosom. | ||
| I faint not | ||
| Fourth: A Vow of Praise: | ||
| “Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of | ||
| The earth? It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants of the Earth are as grasshoppers” (40: 21-22). |
||
| “Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth “Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, |
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| fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding” (40:28). | ||
| Fifth, A Petition: | ||
| Note: Instead of a petition—to what higher power would the God of Heaven and earth make a | ||
| request?—we get a Promise: “they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint” (40:31). |
||
So, two caveats, two variations to consider: the Vow of Praise precedes the Petition and the Petition is, in fact, a Promise. Still, we have an impressive catalogue of similarities to the traditional psalmist pattern, and the only major difference arises from the nature of the singer of the song. (These differences are not too surprising given that Isaiah comes very early in the historical scope of the development of the psalm.)
And perhaps these differences can be overlooked when we acknowledge that the singer/psalmist in Chapter 40 is not the prophet Isaiah, nor is it the woeful, lamenting worshiper of God, as we see, for example, later in King David. The singer, the psalmist, is God Himself, celebrating his goodness, his greatness, and his love for his people and celebrating his desire to bless and ennoble them.
In conclusion, it is common to divide Isaiah into three sections, chapters 1-35 as speaking to Israel’s struggles with Assyria and pre-figuring her struggles with Babylon—specifically “warnings and judgments”; chapters 36-39 as transition chapters noting an “historical interlude”; and chapters 40-66 as dealing with the redemption of Israel (Ball & Winn, chapter thirty-three, p.104). It is easy to see why Isaiah Chapter 40 is chosen to head those chapters that deal with Israel’s redemption. In a similar fashion, it is easy to see from Chapter 40 why Nephite prophets like Nephi and Jacob would have been drawn in by references to God’s goodness, his greatness, and his love for the people of the House of Israel. Likewise, it should not be surprising that these Book of Mormon writers would be inspired and influenced by the poetic strategies they found demonstrated in the writings of Isaiah, for as the Book of Mormon Christ put it, “. . . great are the writings of Isaiah. . . ” (3 Nephi 23:1).
Read Part One of this post God Singing: Reflections on God as a Hebrew Psalmist
Sources
Ball, Terry and Nathan Winn. Making Sense of Isaiah: Insights and Modern Applications. Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, UT.
Christensen, Reg. Unlocking Isaiah: Lessons and Insights that Draw Us To The Savior. Covenant Communications, Inc., 2013. American Fork, UT.
Podcast. Feb. 10, 2016. KnowWhy #30. Book of Mormon Central. http://knowwhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/is-nephis-psalm-really-a-psalm.
