Isaiah in Second Nephi 7-8

A Companion to Your “Come, Follow Me” Study in the Book of Mormon of 2 Nephi 7–8 (Isaiah 50-52:2 )

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Week of Study	Book of Mormon	Come, Follow Me Lesson Manuals	Study Aids for Understanding Isaiah in the Book of Mormon
FEB 19–25	2 Nephi 6–10	“O How Great the Plan of Our God”	• 2 Nephi 7 / Isaiah 50—the Third Servant Song Like Nephi, Jacob loves Isaiah. Like Nephi, Jacob loves Isaiah. Jacob reads Isaiah 50 ( 2 Nephi 7), to testify of Christ. • Then in 2 Nephi 8, he continues by reading Isaiah 51-52:2, writing to awaken the Nephites to a remembrance of all that the Lord had done for them; he uses Isaiah’s writings as a second witness to his vision.

Click here to read the Isaiah Chapters in the Book of Mormon

Before we begin our study, it seems like we should be asking what Nephi intended for us as readers in 1 Nephi Chapter 20. And further, what Jacob is trying to do in 2 Nephi 7–8, by adding these chapters from Isaiah.

I guess that it may have something to do with the format Nephi used in his whole second book, where he is trying to awaken the Nephites to a remembrance of all that the Lord had done for them.

The main body or “more sacred things,” as Nephi calls them, offer three discourses one after another. The first discourse is from his brother, Jacob, which is both this and the next chapter.

Jacob, Nephi’s brother, turned to the words of Isaiah, offering not just prophecies but a message of hope and guidance for his people. Yet, why Isaiah? What motivated Jacob to choose these specific passages and tailor them to his audience?

Firstly, Jacob’s heart overflowed with love for his people’s spiritual well-being. He desired to equip them with a deeper understanding of their past, their present circumstances, and even glimpses of their future. By weaving together past insights from Isaiah with his own commentary, Jacob hoped to illuminate their current challenges and illuminate a path forward.

Secondly, Jacob acted upon the wishes of his brother, Nephi. Nephi had recognized the profound truths within Isaiah’s prophecies and longed for his people to benefit from them. Jacob, honoring his brother’s trust, took the torch and made these powerful words readily accessible and applicable to their specific needs.

Beyond mere knowledge, Jacob’s goal was to ignite a flame of learning and glorification within his people. He urged them to delve deeper into Isaiah’s message, not just to understand it intellectually, but to allow it to transform their hearts and inspire them to praise and honor their God.

Finally, Jacob’s ultimate aim was for his people to personally connect with Isaiah’s words. He didn’t simply present them as distant pronouncements but encouraged them to actively apply these timeless truths to their own lives and challenges. By seeing themselves reflected in Isaiah’s prophecies, they could find guidance, comfort, and strength to navigate their own journey.

Following those quotes from Isaiah, there are twelve more chapters from Isaiah and finally a conclusion by Nephi.

As Nephi opens his work in 2 Nephi 1 he leads with Lehi’s words to his sons as a preface, then moves to his detailed vision of the tree of life, adding commentary as he writes. Then he uses Isaiah’s writings as a kind of second witness to his vision. Second Nephi concludes with Nephi’s admonition regarding the gospel of Christ.

Joseph Spencer points out: “At the heart of things here is Isaiah, not just because the very chapters we’re considering now make up the central stretch of this most privileged portion of Nephi’s record, but also because Jacob and Nephi dedicate their contributions to quoting and explaining other Isaianic texts.”¹