in
the Book of Mormon
Isaiah Passages in
the Book of Mormon
Of all the prophetic writings available on
the Brass Plates of Laban, Isaiah is the major resource used throughout the
Book of Mormon. About one-third of Isaiah’s sixty-six chapters are found in the
Book of Mormon.
Two large blocks of Isaiah chapters (2-14 and
48-54) are scattered among four books (1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, Mosiah, and 3 Nephi).
In addition, Isaiah 29 is quoted in 2 Nephi. The following chart shows where
these twenty-one Isaiah chapters are found in the Book of Mormon:
Isaiah 2-14 in
2 Nephi 12-24 for 13 chapters
Isaiah 29 in 2 Nephi
27 for 1 chapter
Isaiah 48-49 in
1 Nephi 20-21 for 2 chapters
Isaiah 50-51 in
2 Nephi 7-8 for 2 chapters
Isaiah 52 in 3 Nephi
20 for 1 chapter
Isaiah 53 in Mosiah 14
for 1 chapter
Isaiah 54 in 3 Nephi
22 for 1 chapter
Additional Isaiah verses, mostly from the
same chapters cited in the chart above (see italics below), are scattered
throughout the Book of Mormon:
Isa
5:26* in 2 Ne 29:2
Isa
11:4 in 2 Ne 30:9
Isa
11:5-9 in 2 Ne 30:11-15
Isa
11:11a* in 2 Ne 25:17a; 29:1b; cf 25:11
Isa 22:13* in 2
Ne 28:7-8
Isa 25:12* in 2
Ne 26:15
Isa 28:10,13* in
2 Ne 28:30
Isa
29:3-4* in 2 Ne 26:15-16
Isa
29:5* in 2 Ne 26:18
Isa
29:14a* in 1 Ne 14:7a; 22:8a; 2 Ne 25:17b; 29:1a
Isa
29:15a* in 2 Ne 28:9b
Isa
29:21b* in 2 Ne 28:16a
Isa 40:3* in 1
Ne 10:8
Isa 45:18* in 1
Ne 17:36
Isa
49:22* in 1 Ne 22:8; 2 Ne 6:6
Isa
49:23a* in 1 Ne 22:8b; 2 Ne 10:9a
Isa
49:23 in 2 Ne 6:7
Isa
49:24-26 in 2 Ne 6:16-18
Isa
52:1a* in Moroni 10:31a
Isa
52:1-2 in 2 Ne 8:24-25
Isa
52:7* in 1 Ne 13:37; Mosiah 15:14-18
Isa
52:7-10 in Mosiah 12:21-24
Isa
52:8-10 in Mosiah 15:29-31; 3 Ne 16:18-20
Isa
52:10* in 1 Ne 22:10-11
Isa
52:12* in 3 Ne 21:29
Isa
52:13-15* in 3 Ne 21:8-10
Isa 55:1* in 2
Ne 26:25
Isa 55:1-2 in 2
Ne 9:50-51
* denotes the Isaiah passages which are
paraphrased in the Book of Mormon.
In these quoted Isaiah passages, about
one-third of the verses have major differences when compared to the King James
Version of the Bible -- that is, wording changes or additions which
significantly change or enlarge the meaning of the verse. Another one-third of
the Isaiah verses in the Book of Mormon have minor wording or punctuation
changes which do not alter the verse’s meaning; and one-third are exactly the
same as the
corresponding Biblical passages.
Purposes for quoting
Isaiah in the Book of Mormon
The prophets Nephi, Jacob, Abinadi, and the
resurrected Savior all cite Isaiah’s words as they teach in the Book of Mormon.
Their primary use of the Isaiah passages is threefold:
< to
instruct the house of Israel about her covenant promises
< to
emphasize key events and prophecies relating to the latter days, and
< to
highlight significant messianic prophecies of Isaiah.
The first primary purpose of the Book of
Mormon is to teach Israel about her covenants and prophecies (see title page,
second paragraph). Isaiah’s passages especially fulfill this purpose.
As examples, Isaiah 48 contains the elements
of a covenant contract, and Isaiah 49 includes some great covenant promises for
the house of Israel. Nephi cites these chapters shortly after his people arrive
in the new world, and he then teaches them about their covenant promises (1 Ne
22:7-12).
Later, after Jacob has quoted Isaiah 50 and
51, he states that he has read these things that they “might know concerning
the covenants of the Lord that he has covenanted with all the house of Israel”
(2 Ne 9:1).
Centuries later, the resurrected Savior uses
Isaiah 52 and 54 as he delivers his law and covenant teachings (3 Ne 15-16) and
his covenant people discourse (2 Ne 20-22). Jesus promises that as the words of
Isaiah are fulfilled, “then is the fulfilling of the covenant” (3 Ne 20:12; cf
verse 46).
Thus, one major purpose of Isaiah in the Book
of Mormon is to teach about the Lord’s covenants and promises to the house of
Israel.
A similar major role of Isaiah in the Book of
Mormon is to enlighten readers about key prophecies associated with God’s
kingdom in the last days.
The significance of temples and priesthood
leadership (Isa 2 & 2 Ne 12), God’s judgements of his children in Zion (Isa
3-5 & 2 Ne 13-15), an invasion of armies from the north towards Jerusalem
(Isa 10 & 2 Ne 20), the impact of key servants and prophets (Isa 11 & 2
Ne 21), the downfall of spiritual Babylon (Isa 13-14 & 2 Ne 13-14), and the
impact of the Book of Mormon and other sacred records coming from the dust (Isa
29 & 2 Ne 27) are all quoted by Nephi before he provides additional,
inspired commentary in 2 Nephi 25-33.
These prophecies of Isaiah highlight many
significant events in different parts of the world. With Nephi’s insights, they
help us to understand the fulfillment of God’s work in the latter days so we
can know we are not forgotten by God (BM title page).
The second major purpose of the Book of
Mormon is “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ”
(title page, second paragraph). Abinadi and Nephi quote Isaiah as they deliver
their important witnesses of Christ and his atonement.
The most powerful messianic passage of Isaiah
is the “suffering servant song” of chapter 53. The prophet Abinadi cites this
chapter as he teaches King Noah and his priests (Mosiah 14).
Abinadi’s inspired commentary helps us
understand how Christ can make intercession for his followers, as promised by
Isaiah (Mosiah 15). Additional messianic prophecies of Isaiah, chapters 6-9,
are quoted by Nephi as a prelude to his great testimony about Christ (2 Nephi
25, 31-33).
Isaiah is used to strengthen prophetic
witnesses about Christ in the Book of Mormon.
Studying Isaiah in a
Book of Mormon perspective
To study Isaiah within its Book of Mormon
setting, study the material in smaller units, usually as individual chapters
or, at most, a small group of chapters.
K First,
read the relevant
material. Read the chapter
headings in the Book of Mormon of the Isaiah chapters to be quoted. Next, read
the verses just prior to the Isaiah sections. Then read the Isaiah material.
Finally, be sure to read the verses (and sometimes the chapters) immediately
following the Isaiah passages as prophetic commentary is given!
K Second,
review the major or
important ideas in your mind.
What for you, at this time, are the significant concepts that you remember from
this material. Identify the particular message of greatest value for you. Can
you “liken any message unto yourself”? (1 Ne 19:23-24).
K Third,
study one small section
of the material at a time, just a few verses. This could be the verses highlighting the major message for
you. It could be the least understood portion of the reading, or just a portion
which you feel you want to study in greater depth.
Reread those verses in their context and then
use the footnotes of both the Book of Mormon and the Bible.
Note any Hebrew clarifications or Joseph
Smith Translation (JST) insights.
Read the verses cross referenced in the
footnotes in their context.
Look up the topical guide (TG) entries, and
see if any other Isaiah passages deal with the same theme; then read those
passages. Skim through the other listings in that TG entry and note if other
passages in the Standard Works provide insights for that concept.
Reread the verses and consider if there might
be any terms, names, etc. which might be in the Bible Dictionary; see if any of
them are listed. Prepare a brief outline of the key ideas or words of that
section of verses. Try to identify any poetic patterns or arallelisms.
Reread the section, and ponder how it fits
within its Book of Mormon context.
K Finally,
during this study, follow
Moroni’s admonition of how to study the scriptures as you read, remember,
ponder, and pray (Moroni
10:3-5).
You will be pleasantly surprised
how much you can learn in your studies of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon!
http://reled2.byu.edu/ascript/vlludlow/isaiah/DOCTRINE/ISAinBM.hdt2.pdf 8/26/03