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1 HEARKEN and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism, who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in truth nor in righteousness.
2 Nevertheless, they call themselves of the holy city, but they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name.
Application to the Nephi's audience: At the time Nephi is giving this sermon, the split between Lamanites and Nephites has not yet occurred. In the context of Lehi's at times contentious family, these words are also particularly apt. Laman and Lemuel know and revere their heritage, even when they are denying the spiritual power of their father and brother.
3 Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. I did show them suddenly.
The referent for "the former things" can either be the specific introduction where he is speaking to an Israel in need of repentance, or of a generic set of previous prophecies. Either interpretation fits and does no harm to the sense of the verse. The lord states two important facets of prophecy; first that it comes from the Lord, and second that they are fulfilled. I suspect that the "I did show them suddenly" refers to the fact that we are unaware of the fulfillment of prophecy until after the fact. Regardless of the prophecy, we are somewhat unprepared at its coming in that we do not necessarily see its advent clearly. When it arrives, it is "suddenly" for however long the prophecy has existed. Application to Nephi's audience: This is a particularly powerful point that hits home not only to the audience for which Isaiah intended it, but to Nephi's immediate audience as well. This passage sets up the prophecy/fulfillment paradigm where the Lord indicates his willingness to guide his children, and then to make good on his words. In the Lehite experiences, there have already been multiple times where prophecy and fulfillment have played a critical role in their arrival in the New World.
4 And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;
Application to Nephi's audience: Certainly had Laman and Lemuel the ears to hear, this verse should have stung them directly. It is likely that it did not, and the application to them directly was missed entirely. Thus it is with many who depart from the paths of the Lord - they can no longer hear the voice of the Lord speaking to them directly, and are able to hear such things only as they refer to others.
5 And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest thou shouldst say--mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them.
Application to Nephi's audience: As Israel of old, Laman and Lemuel have been guilty of witnessing miracles and reassigning their power to some other source. They may not have credited idols, but they are similar to modern man in ascribing them to forces of nature or happenstance, and still effectively denying them.
6 Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare them? And that I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.
Application to Nephi's audience: Laman and Lemuel were certainly directly under this condemnation, for no less than an angel had been sent to them, but they still could not find a way to "declare" the things of God - but rather they continually rationalized their position, and continually relapsed to old ways.
7 They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst say--Behold I knew them. 1 Nephi 20:8 8 Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.
It is perhaps important to note that even under such scathing criticism, the Lord does not give up on his Chosen People, and continues to try to "open their ears." Application to Nephi's audience: Once again the parallel between Laman and Lemuel and the Israel Isaiah is describing is tremendous. The Lord also foreknew the hardness of hearts of Laman, and Lemuel, and similarly did not shrink from attempts to "open their ears."
9 Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.
Victor Ludlow uses the New Jewish Version of Isaiah for comparisons, and the rendition of this verse has some important differences from that in the KJV:
The changes that are significant are the emphasis on the the name, and the use of the word "glory" rather than the "praise" used in the KJV and the Book of Mormon. The emphasis on the name places the import of this verse squarely on the divinity of the Lord. Because the Lord is known by his sacred name in the Old Testament, this usage provides an identification between the ultimate speaker (through the mouth of Isaiah) with the God of Israel (who certainly has the right to such pronouncements). The second difference is the word "glory." While it can easily be seen how both praise and glory might fit with the sense of the statement, glory is a more significant word (and without the possible selfish implication of a God who acts to receive praise). Note the use of "glory" in Moses 1:39:
In this verse the immortality and eternal life of man are equated with the glory of God - they become the definition of the glory of God. It is in this sense that we can best understand God's statement to Israel. God's retention of his wrath is to further his purpose in exalting the children of Israel (which in turn becomes the glory of God). Thus a phrase that might seem self-serving or egotistical ("and for my praise") becomes a powerful statement of the ultimate mission and desire of God. Application to Nephi's audience: Just as with Israel, the Lord has not yet ceased to strive with and care for the rebellious of Lehi's children.
10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Textual analysis: The Book of Mormon removes a parenthetical phrase from the Isaiah text, which has "but not with silver" following the text "I have refined thee." Ludow notes:
While the phrase "but not with silver" is indeed problematic, it is problematic only in the word "with." Note the following uses of the combination of "silver" and the refining process (here given as "tried"):
In each of these three cases there are important elements in common with the phrase in Isaiah - the refining process, and the use of silver as the exemplar of the refining process. In addition, both Psalms 66:10 and Zechariah 13:9 explicitly apply the example to the children of Israel. In that context, the appearance of "silver" in the Isaianic passage fits quite well with its theme of refinement through trial. The problem is that the "with" should better be read "as." While I am unaware of the underlying Hebrew construction, this is the reading Avraham Gileadi gives:
11 For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my glory unto another.
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he; I am the first, and I am also the last. 1 Nephi 20:13 13 Mine hand hath also laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens. I call unto them and they stand up together.
Literary analysis: Within the general text comes this simple parallelism where the operation of creation is done in two passes, each with the right hand (the linking element) and a different procedure (expanding on the concept of creation by treating it as a multiplicity rather than a single act). The final phrase unites the two distinct actions into a whole. There is no intent in this passage to describe a physical reality of the creation of the world, rather a literary symbol that the disparate acts (known from Genesis) were part of a creative, cohesive, whole.
14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; who among them hath declared these things unto them? The Lord hath loved him; yea, and he will fulfil his word which he hath declared by them; and he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall come upon the Chaldeans.
The Lord next indicates: "the Lord hath loved him; yea, and he will fulfil his word which he hath declared by them..." Once again there is that problematic compounding of the singular and the plural. Perhaps there is some facility in Hebrew which might explain this, but I am at a loss for the consistent conflation of the two in this verse. Accepting the English translation, we would need to see the "him" as a generic reference of the singular standing for the plural, and the passage referring to multiple past prophets rather than a single one. In Avraham Gileadi's translation, he removes this difficulty:
The plural/singular problems are removed in this translation, with the individual as the primary referent prophet rather than multiples. In either case, it is clear that it will be the Lord who will be the agent of the fulfillment of the prophecies. Concerning this passage, Victor L. Ludlow notes:
Rather than see a single fulfillment of this statement, I think it more likely that all of the potential players serve as a partial fulfillment. Prophecy is by its nature (and probably its purpose) a fairly vague thing, without such uniquely identifying characteristics that the fulfillment of prophecy is known before hand with certainty. The fulfillment of prophecy is known after the fact of the fulfillment, and in the Lord's conservation, a single prophecy may have multiple fulfillments. We have, for instance, the millenial prophecies of Matthew that found a fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and are yet seen as descriptors of the final scenes before Christ's triumphant return. Neither is incorrect.
15 Also, saith the Lord; I the Lord, yea, I have spoken; yea, I have called him to declare, I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
Gileadi renders the passage: "I myself have spoken it, and also called him; I have brought him, and I will prosper his way."(Gileadi, The Book of Isaiah, p. 191) Each of these renditions places the emphasis on the ultimate success of the prophet's spiritual goals, and removes any hint that the success might have been monetary.
16 Come ye near unto me; I have not spoken in secret; from the beginning, from the time that it was declared have I spoken; and the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.
Ludlow's citation of the New King James Version is "Draw near to Me [and hear this]; From the beginning, I did not speak in secret; From the time anything was declared [existed], I have spoken [was there]. (Ludlow, Isaiah, Prophet, Seer, and Poet, p. 405) Gileadi renders it: "Come near me and hear this: I have not made predictions in secret; at their coming to pass, I have been present. Now my Lord the Lord has sent me; his Spirit is in me." (Gileadi, The Book of Isaiah p. 192). The concept of the call to Israel and the declaration that the acts of the Lord have not been is secret are clearly stated. The question comes in understanding the import of the references to the past. Whatever the translation selected, the clear intent of the Lord is to emphasize that He does not work in secret by indicating that He has declared his word and intentions from the beginning. Thus the Lord is reminding Israel that He is consistent in declaring his intent (through prophets - the unstated but assumed reference given the surrounding text). The final phrase of the verse is interesting in that it once again appears to present a shift in locutor. The easiest explanation is that Isaiah has fallen out of the first person citation of the Lord, and added his personal note to this passage. This might indicate that we are to see Isaiah as one of the fulfillments of the prophetic statements about an individual. A more radical interpretation, possible in English, but personally unknown for the original text would be that this phrase becomes an early presentation of the triune Godhead. The history of the understanding of the Isaiah passages would argue against this speculation - fun though it might be.
17 And thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done it.
18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments--then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. 1 Nephi 20:19 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand; the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
For the children of Lehi, this passage also hits home. Perhaps the Lord is telling them also that their sufferings in their wilderness have been caused by their unbelief.
20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob. 1 Nephi 20:21 21 And they thirsted not; he led them through the deserts; he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; he clave the rock also and the waters gushed out. 1 Nephi 20:22 22 And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also, there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.
The sad lament of verse 22 is the recognition that for all of the assistance of the Lord through his prophets, including the miraculous preservation in the wilderness, there is now no peace. Linking this lament to verse 18's clear indication of the events as the fault of the children of Israel places this verse in the proper context. All might have been different. The possibility was there, the Lord was there, and the Lord performed miracles for them. Yet there is no peace because they have chosen to not follow the counsel. For the Lehites as well as the Israelites, the admonishion is clear. Their sufferings have been brought on by their unbelief, in the face of miracles and prophets speaking clearly. |
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| by Brant Gardner. Copyright 1998 |
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