2 Nephi 15

MDC Contents			2 Ne. 15:1 1 And then will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved, touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. Isaiah begins a poetic description of the relationship of the Lord to Israel. In addition to poetic form and language, this section deals also in allegory, comparing the Lord to the master of a vineyard and Israel to the vineyard under the master's are. Isaiah’s parable of the vineyard is "the most striking example of this literary form in the Old Testament. This form is echoed throughout the scriptures. . . Its structure resembles that of the joyful oriental songs of the harvest or vintage festivals. It begins as a "love song" of the master of the vineyard and moves toward a description of a walled garden and fragrant orchard similar to the one described in the Song of Solomon. (Song 4:12-5:5.) (Ludlow, p. 112). The general imagery is very parallel to Zenos' allegory of the olive tree in Jacob. The paralleling of themes in Zenos and Isaiah can be explained in a number of ways. One explanation would be that one of the two copied from the other If this were the case, one might expect that it was Isaiah who copied from Zenos because Zenos has the fuller allegory. However, there is little other suggestion of copying in that direction. and the brass plates text appears to relate to Northern Kingdom concerns, as has been previously noted. This northern kingdom orientation show influence from the south but the southern text does not show a similar line of transmission (Isaiah is in the northern kingdom text, but Zenos is not in the southern for instance). It is not necessary, however, to posit any direct connection. The agricultural patterns used as a theme are sufficiently common information for the people of that time as to easily allow for independent writing of the allegories. In addition to the theme. both the vineyard and the olive tree have symbolic connections to the state of Israel. and thus either is a legitimate choice as a representation for Israel in the analogy. It appear most likely that the two allegories were independently developed, using commonly understood agricultural principles. and a central symbolic figure of known connection/representation of Israel. Textual analysis: There is a minor change in the Book of Mormon text from that of the KJV Isaiah. In Isaiah the passage begins with "Now" while the text in 2 Nephi begins with "And then." Both serve as conjunctions, with the Book of Mormon text better relating to a previous passage. The Isaiah beginning. however, is better suited to a separate text, where this would be the initial opening. The nature of this text of Isaiah is an extended poem While it is thematically related to the previous text it differs both in literary for and imagery. The previous Isaiah text has a logical structural close before the beginning of this poetic passage. It is reasonable, therefore to assume that this text is a separate text that has simply been placed in this position in Isaiah's writings. It should be see as a different prophetic effort from the previous text. This separation of text, however is not reflected in that unit structure reflected in the 1830 chapter divisions in the Book of Mormon. The inclusion of this text in the unit, combined with the opening phrase change that is better suited to a linked text suggests that this inclusion of the poetic text with the prophetic pronouncement of the coming destruction had already taken place by the time the brass plates were created. 2 Ne. 15:2 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. Verse 2 describes the preparatory efforts the master took for his vineyard. The fence is a protection from animals or thieves that might steal the fruit or harm it in any way. By clearing the stones the master prepares the ground to be easy for the growing vines. He builds a tower in the vineyard, presumably to allow a watch to be set for the protection of the vineyard, and he builds the winepress in anticipation of the fruits of his labor. The winepress in particular indicates his expectation of an abundant harvest: "Such a wine vat consists of two basins or pits carved out of the rocks. The upper pit, where the grapes are trodden out, is shallow and large enough to accommodate the workers. A trench carries the pressed-out juices to a lower, deeper pit, where the wine accumulates until it is stored in clay jars or skin bags. The construction of this type of press is usually undertaken by wealthy landowners or by those who press grapes for many farmers. Thus the fact that the master of the vineyard builds a vat in the middle of his own field indicates that he expects his harvest alone to justify ins construction." (Ludlow, p. 114) Each of these steps follows not only the care of a good master for the vineyard, but the very steps the Lord has taken to care for Israel. Gods laws are the fence around Israel separating her from other who would do her harm. The Lord has led the to a promised land, preparing the way for them (clearing the stones). He has given them prophets to watch over them (as the guard on the tower) and he awaits the fulfillment of Israel's part of the covenant so that she may enter into his rest. Both the allegorical vineyard and the nation for which is stands fail to produce according to the effort put in. It is not that there is nothing to show, but that what there is wild, and therefore unfit for the desired end. The wild grapes will not make good wine, and wild Israel has not become what it should have been. 2 Ne. 15:3 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 2 Ne. 15:4 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes.[?] The Lord asks fair judgment of his efforts. It is clearly a loaded question, because the question is directed specifically at Judah and Jerusalem. They must acknowledge the proper care of the Lord, thus condemning themselves. The care of the Lord is never on question it is we, like Israel who fail in our part of the promise. The language o the Lord's lament for the failure of the vineyard to match his preparations is virtually identical in Zenos' allegory: Jacob 5:41 41 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard? The correspondence of language in these two passages suggests a linkage between them. That linkage at the level of meaning is so understandable in the context of the allegory that one need not suppose any copying in the ancient text. On the level of the English representation of that meaning, however, the general trend of the Book of Mormon to mimic KJV style is sufficient explanation for the similar casting of the similar meanings. Language note: The sole difference between the KJV text and the 2 Nephi text in these two verses is in the final punctuation of verse 4. In the KJV there is a question mark (noted in the brackets above) and in the 2 Nephi text there is a period. While it makes no real difference in the meaning of the text, the Book of Mormon reading reflects a more modern understanding of English than that of the KJV. In modern English usage, "wherefore" is a causative conjunction. It links two clauses, with the second being the result of the first. In KJV dialect, however, "wherefore" is a question marker now more typically rendered as "why?," or more colloquially, "how come?" It is this question related usage that is found in the famous Shakespearean lament from Romeo and Juliet, where Juliet exclaims "wherefore art thou Romeo?" In the usage of the times, the phrase is asking why Romeo should have his name (understood also to be his lineage, and refereeing the Montague/Capulet feud). 2 Ne. 15:5 5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard—I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down; 2 Ne. 15:6 6 And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. The failure of the vineyard to produce good grapes incurs the wrath of the master. In the context of the parable this would be the justifiable action of a master whose great efforts had been betrayed by the wildness of the resulting fruit. As a representation of a human response, it is understandable. As a allegory, it is a devastating condemnation which Isaiah make explicit in the following verse. 2 Ne. 15:7 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for judgment, and behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry. The subjects of the allegory are made explicit. The vineyard is the house of Israel and the vine, or that plants themselves represent "the men of Judah." "The justification for God’s action is found in the last part of the verse - the people receive a punishment commensurate with their sins. Isaiah uses striking word play to highlight the irony of the situation. Through similar sounds in words of opposite meaning, he accentuates the contrast between the expected "justice" (mishpat in the Hebrew) and resulting "bloodshed" (mispach). And instead of "righteousness" (tsedakah), the people bring forth a riotous "cry" (tse’akah). A similar play on words in English is illustrated by the following translation of the last part of verse 7. This translation uses antithesis and alliteration to convey Isaiah’s message: The Lord Looked for true measures, But behold, massacres: The right, but behold, riots. This type of literary device had a profound effect on the Hebrews, for they felt there was a power inherent in words that are mysteriously linked by similarity and contrast." (Ludlow, pp. 114-115) "The style of this parable, in which the audience unknowingly condemns itself with an early judgement, is sometimes called a "Trojan horse" story, for the speaker disguises his intent until the end. By then the unsuspecting listeners have already passed sentence on the characters in the parable before realizing that they, themselves, are the ones being spoken about. This technique was used by Nathan as he described an unjust man to King David, who assented to his own guilt as he rebuked the wicked selfishness of the man (See 2 Sam. 12:1-8, 13.) Similarly, Jesus used this technique when he confronted the wicked chief priests and Pharisees and compared them to the wicked husbandmen. (Matt. 21:33-45.)" (Ludlow, p. 115) 2 Ne. 15:8 8 Wo unto them that join house to house, [that lay field to field] till there can be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! Isaiah is condemning the accumulation of land wealth. The problem with one who accumulated land upon land (joining house to house meaning the consolidation of multiple land-holdings into a single land-holding) is that it cannot be done without displacing one who previously lived on the land. This the ultimate owner is "alone in the midst of all the earth" because he has bought up all of the land and evicted the previous tenants. Being the sole owner, he is now alone because he has removed all others. "This practice violates the spirit of the Law of the Jubilee, the property law of ancient Israel, which states that "the land shall not be sold forever." (Lev. 25:23.) Instead, land was to remain within families and clans as a perpetual inheritance. (See 1 Kgs. 21, in which Neboth refuses to sell his ancestral lands to King Ahab.) The hoarding of land described in verse 8 was in violation of this law, for when all property was purchased by a few wealthy individuals, there was no place for the original families to dwell. Having no homeland, they were forced to move to the cities or live on the property of the owner as indentured servants or slaves." (Ludlow, p. 117.) This was no idle question, but rather one of social immediacy in Isaiah's time: "With Damascus and Assyria both weakened in the first half of the eighth century, first Jehoash and then Jeroboam II were able to reign over a peaceful and increasingly prosperous Israel, while a period of similar accomplishment was enjoyed by Judah under Amaziah and Uzziah. Agriculture and trade flourished. From the Book of Amos we learn, however, that the prosperity and national confidence were experienced chiefly at the summit of the society whereas the majority of peasants were in dire straits. No doubt taxation and corvee played a role, but the particular focus of Amos is on the massive shift in land tenure from traditionally guaranteed family holdings to privately amassed estates taken over by debt foreclosures on impoverished farmers. In short, as in Solomon's united kingdom, the "wonders" of eighth-century Israel were concentrated in a privileged class who rose to their advantages by the systematic deprivation and disempowerment of the peasant majority." (Gottwald, Norman K. The Hebrew Bible - A Socio-Literary Introduction. Fortress Press, Philadelphia. 1985, pp. 345-6.) 2 Ne. 15:9 9 In mine ears, said the Lord of Hosts, of a truth many houses shall be desolate, and great and fair cities without inhabitant. Isaiah now turns this rich man's dream of vast holdings with a single owner into a curse. Where the pride of men causes them to accumulate land and evict the previous owners, the Lord now tells them that they will indeed be alone, but not because of their accumulations, but rather because of the desolation from the wrath of the Lord's destruction. Lands and even cities will be without inhabitant. Where the previous verse extrapolated on the wish of the rich, this verse turns that wish to terror. The literary linkage between the two verses reinforces the culpability of the men of Judah. 2 Ne. 15:10 10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah. Not only will there be a desolation of people. but even the land itself shall fail and yield less than at previous times. "The phrase "ten acres" is derived from the Hebrew phrase "ten yokes," meaning the amount of land ten yoke of oxen can plough in a day. Ten acres or "yokes" would equal about five acres. A harvest of grapes from this much land would normally yield dozens of gallons of wine. For the cursed land of Israel, however, this large area produces only one "bath" or from four to eight gallons of wine. Similarly, a "homer" of seed (about six bushels, also called a "donkey’s load") yields only ephah of harvest (four gallons or twenty two litres). The complete irony of the situation can be seen in this last comparison, since ten ephahs equal one homer. Isaiah is promising that the harvest will be only one-tenth of the original planting. Instead of the soil yielding thirty, sixty, or one hundred fold, it produces only a fraction of the seed originally planted. This is such a drastic contrast from whit is expect that if a farmer wanted food for the next year, he would be better off not to plant at all. (Ludlow, pp. 117-8.) 2 Ne. 15:11 11 Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, and wine inflame them! 2 Ne. 15:12 12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. Anthropological note: It is important to read verses 11 and 12 together, lest one be tempted to see verse 11 as only a condemnation of excessive drinking. It is surely that, but the real condemnation is not of drink, but of the unrighteous excess of the religious festivals during which such drinking would occur. It is verse 12 that gives us the surest context for verse 11, which otherwise becomes an unconnected verse, a solitary condemnation with no place in the larger text. This is a poetic text, not a speech, and the tighter exigencies of poetry are our clue to look beyond such solitary interpretations. The telling note is the feasts, not simply the items in them. Such feasts in the ancient world do not refer to individual or family meals on a large scale, but rather to communal feasts, a large shared celebration by the community. Such feasts were tied to religion in the ancient world. The condemnation is a feast that may superficially propose to be in the Lords honor, but in which the true Lord has no part. The essence of the message is the contrast between the things the feast does contain, such as drinking and music, with that which is does not contain: "but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands." It is possible that the feasts or festivals of Israel were being influence by their worldly neighbors, and Isaiah is condemning that intrusion of the pagan into an occasion that should have been purely for the Lord. Robin Lane Fox describes the general order of the pagan festivals: "The central "cult acts" for the civic gods occurred on the days of their festivals, Then, people processed, sang hymns and sacrificed in the gods’ honour. Sometimes they processed from a fixed point in the city to a particular shrine or altar: cities and temples had their "sacred ways" and particular monuments long the route. By tradition, envoys would go out to summon other cities to attend certain festivals, a not inexpensive task whose cost, like the cost of secular embassies, was often borne by the envoys themselves. In side the city, participants in festivals generally wore clean white robes and accompanied their own chosen animals for sacrifice. The temples were hung with garland and so, sometimes, were the private houses. Ritual worship was not confined to those who processed: people might pay libations or offer sacrifices on small altars beside their own residence. In a world without weekends, these festivals were the only "holidays." (Fox, Robin Lane. Pagans and Christians. Harper & Row, San Francisco, 1986, p. 66-67.) Both because of the possible excesses associated with the rare holiday and the ties of the festivals to the ostentatious display of wealthy men provides these feasts with the elements of potential corruption that apparently entered into Judah’s worship. 2 Ne. 15:13 13 Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Verse 13 relies not only grammatically (through the "therefore") but poetically on verses 11 and 12. The conjunctive "therefore" creates the conditions of verse 13 as the outcome of the actions of the men of Judah in verses 11 and 12 (specifically the form of worship without correct understanding of the work of the Lord). Poetically, the hunger and thirst of Israel contrast with the feasting in 11 and 12. Thus the men of Israel drink to excess, yet thirst. They eat in their feasts, yet they hunger. They hunger and thirst for the proper things of the spirit because they substitute for the more spiritually nourishing work of the Lord the pleasures and works of man. 2 Ne. 15:14 14 Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. Not only are the men of Israel in captivity, but they are courting the destruction of hell. Their departure from the way of the Lord is leading to an entry into hell. The reference to " their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth" refers to the glories of Israel's worldly pleasures. "He that rejoiceth" refers to those rejoicing in these feasts that worship man rather than God. 2 Ne. 15:15 15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. The men who are of great worldly position, whose importance derives from the precepts of men, are those who will be brought down by the Lord. Their glory in the world of the flesh will not survive the wrath of the Lord, and they will be brought down because the have not lived the law of the Lord. This is not a blanket condemnation of the powerful of the world, but very specifically of an Israel that should have known better, yet followed the models of the world. 2 Ne. 15:16 16 But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. The bringing low of those exalted by the world is here contrasted by the exaltation of God. The contrast in position, and particularly direction is intentional. The phrase "brought down" of verse 15 is directly matched with exalted in verse 16. Thus the two verses highlight the complete reversal of the structure of power. The men whose power relies on the hand of man are bought down precisely because the true power of the Lord is manifest. The false is replaced by the True. 2 Ne. 15:17 17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. The poetic reversal continues. Where the subject of verse 16 was the reversal of power and position, verse 17 is the reversal of the possession of food. Now the land that the wealthy had accumulated for themselves will be returned to the pastures of the common. The reading of the final phrase is one where different sources provide a different term: "The "waste places of the fat ones" probably refers to the now desolate lands of the once rich and prosperous. Some translation describe "kids" or goats eating the land, while others record that "strangers" will feed in the area. The term used depends upon which early Old Testament version is followed - the Hebrew Masoretic text uses the word for "aliens" in this verse, while the Greek Septuagint has the word for "young goats." (Ludlow, p. 119) From a poetic standpoint, the correlation of the kids to the lambs makes a better parallel. In either case, however, the idea is that the wealth of the mighty is being returned to the pastoral (although even this reversal favors the "kid" over the "stranger".) 2 Ne. 15:18 18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope; To "draw" is to pull towards oneself. The Lord is condemning Israel for their actions, and using the image of one drawing something of weight towards them. They draw the world with "ropes of vanity." Their vanity in the things of the world are such that they are pulling sin towards themselves, using rope against the weight of it. 2 Ne. 15:19 19 That say: Let him make speed, hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it. These who are so active in drawing sin to themselves are emboldened by their worldly success. They are so sure of their position in the world that they can sarcastically say to those who warn them of the wrath of the Lord, that it should be brought on. These are the ones who would ask the prophets for a sign. These are they who would ask of God as Satan did of Christ "if thou art Christ" and then ask for proof. The context is critical for this verse, because the words in and of themselves are good. The righteous look forward to the day of the Lord. It is the context that tells us that these "good words" are being used sarcastically. Rather than being the hope the faithful, they rather express the doubt and derision of those who do not believe that the day of the Lord will come, and therefore mockingly call for it, having faith rather that it will not come. 2 Ne. 15:20 20 Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Literary analysis: Once again Isaiah uses reversals to make his point. Following the implicit reversal of verse 20 (the right thing is said, but meant as derision) Isaiah now lists specific reversals that such people would hold. Those who would sarcastically call for the judgement of the Lord because they do not believe, are those who call evil good. darkness light, and bitter sweet. They have a reversed view of the world that is precisely the opposite of the true understanding of the Lord. This is the continued condemnation of an Israel who has turned to man rather than God. The underlying dichotomy is Man/God, and Israel has built its values on the wrong foundation, one that is the opposite of what the Lord desires of her. 2 Ne. 15:21 21 Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight! The condemnation is on those whose understanding is not based on the perspective of the Lord. They are prudent in their own eyes, because they have believed the values of the world. The implicit message is that one can be truly prudent only based upon the eternal values of God. 2 Ne. 15:22 22 Wo unto the mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; Literary analysis: This passage can be better understood in other translations. Gileadi’s translation of this passage is: Woe to those who are valiant at drinking wine And champions at mixing liquor! (Gileadi, p. 105). The NIV has: Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine And champions at mixing drinks. Each of these make the parallels easier to see than the KJV. While the KJV "the mighty/men of strength" is the same kind of similarity, the best translation for preserving the contrast is the NIV’s "heroes/champions." This paralleling of the set of champions, or mighty men, contrasts the expectation with the result. More is expected of a hero or a champion, and yet rather than deeds to match their stature, they are not merely experts in wine and strong drink. As with verse 11, the condemnation is not specifically the drinking, but the social status of those who are able to do so. The condemnation is not the drinking, but the waste of the potential of these powerful men. This is another reversal of expectation. These are the men who should have produced fruit for the master of the vineyard, and yet produce the wild grape. The literary contrast echoed in the literal wine that these men produce, rather than the spiritual wine that should have been the result of the master’s vineyard. 2 Ne. 15:23 23 Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Verse 23 is the continuation of 22, and clarifies that it is not the drunkard, but the socially powerful who are under condemnation. Using the reversals again, these powerful men are those who justify their adoption of wicked ways because of the rewards of the world that they receive by so doing. Their espousal of the ways of the world, their embracing of the wicked is causing the unrighteousness of Israel. When the poet suggests that they "take away the righteousness of the righteous" he means that the powerful are preventing those who would be righteous from becoming so because of the prevalence of their ideas, and their actions in exalting themselves over the people of Israel. 2 Ne. 15:24 24 Therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, [so] their root shall be rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. The imagery of the poem now returns to the original theme of the vineyard. The root of the vineyard is Israel, specifically the historic Israel. Because Israel has turned away from their God, the vineyard is burned to stubble. Anthropological note: One of the practices of ancient agriculture is the "slash and burn" technique, where a portion of the field would be cut down and burnt over. This technique is actually a means of replenishing the soil, and is used to combat the effects of working a field until the nutrients are drained from the soil. In the agricultural practice, the burning removes that which was there but is done to prepare the land for the plantings and harvests to come. Particularly in the context of the allegory of the vineyard, the burning should not be seen as a destruction (though old stubble, old non-producing vines are clearly destroyed) but rather as a process of creation, where new will rise from old. 2 Ne. 15:25 25 Therefore, is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them; and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Both verse 24 and 25 begin with "Therefore." This paralleling of the introductory word links the two verses into a set, with the more allegorical followed by the more literal. Each is to be seen as the same end, couched in different terms. The Lord will come in his righteous judgement and render that judgement against Israel. and that judgement will result in physical disaster for Israel that will be for them as the burning of a field. It will be for them the destruction of the old in preparation for the new. 2 Ne. 15:26 26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold, they shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble among them. For the problematic "hiss" in the KJV, Gileadi translations "summons." The NIV uses "whistle" which retains the sound connotation while preserving the idea of a "call." Thus the Lord raises the ensign, and calls to all nations. The coming of the judgement of the Lord may begin in destruction of the old, but it will be an ensign to the righteous. The theme of the ensign reprises the opening of chapter 12. Translation analysis: the ending phrase: "none shall be weary nor stumble among them," is the opening phrase of the next verse in the corresponding KJV Isaiah text. The verse markings are arbitrary, and the location of the phrase at the end of 26 or the beginning of 27 makes no difference to the reading of the text. 2 Ne. 15:27 27 None shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken; 2 Ne. 15:28 28 Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion. "Taken in historical context, these verses probably describe Assyrian soldiers in all their terrible power. They come with speed, need no rest, and do not even pause long enough to take off their shoes. Their weapons are ready, their roar is like that of the lion, and, when they lay hold of their prey, none can stop them. The destruction is so swift and complete that even in daylight, darkness (perhaps from the smoke of burning cities) and gloom (or defeat) hangs over the people. If these verses describe the Assyrian army and the fear and destruction it inflicted upon its enemies, this judgement was fulfilled upon Israel and Judah during Isaiah’s day. In 722-721 B.C. Assyria conquered Israel, carrying the Ten Tribes into captivity, and in 701 B.C. she destroyed most of Judah and besieged Jerusalem. (See Isa. 36-37.) (Ludlow, p. 122.) 2 Ne. 15:29 29 They shall roar like young lions; yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry away safe, and none shall deliver. Translation analysis: The last phrase in verse 28 is the first phrase of verse 29 in the KJV Isaiah. While the meaning is the same, the paralleling of the roaring of the lions suggests that poetic phrasing should have linked the final clause of 28 to the beginning of 29 as in the KJV. The difference is only in the representation of the poetic structure, however, and makes no difference to the reading of the text. 2 Ne. 15:30 30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea; and if they look unto the land, behold, darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. Isaiah now takes the image of the roaring of the lions and transforms it into the roaring of the sea. Where the image of the lion was of the power of the army, the roaring of the ocean references the vastness and deep power of this avenging army. The translation from the NIV strengthens Ludlow’s reading of this passage as the evidence of the destructive burnings: And if one looks at the land, He will see darkness and distress; Even the light will be darkened by the clouds.
			by Brant Gardner. Copyright 1998