The deuteroisaiah theory is the claim that parts of isaiah were written later than others. In total, approximately 30 percent of the book of isaiah is quoted in the book of mormon one source counts 478 verses in the book of mormon which are quoted from isaiah. Isaiah scriptures were personal and relevant to nephi i. But latterday saints, with their testimony of prophecy and with the many evidences given in the scriptures, have long affirmed that isaiah, son of amoz, wrote the entire book of isaiah. Specifically this theory claims that there were three individual authors, whose works were later compiled together under the name of the first author, the real isaiah known as protoisaiah by adherents to the theory. Ten keys to understanding isaiah church of jesus christ. Nephis use of isaiah in the book of mormon lds scripture.
However, we have worked the last two years to help readers better understand those chapters and hope you will find our posts helpful as you uncover what isaiah intended us to know. My top 10 chapters in the book of mormon the gospel home. Like any good mormon reader, we have skipped over most of the isaiah stuff. Some differences are trivial but others are very interesting. So here is another installment on the book of mormon previous post on 1 nephi 1. Textual criticism is the careful analysis of a texts manuscripts to uncover its textual history, including what sorts of changes were made and why.
Nephi quotes isaiah for a whopping chapters straight in 2 nephi 1224, and continues to quote and refer to him throughout the small plates. As a result of this, the isaiah chapters on nephis plates would have looked slightly different from the isaiah chapters that we have now in the book of mormon. Some 58 are paraphrased and 11 others are variants and or paraphrases. The first shows which isaiah chapters are quoted in the book of mormon including their order and location in the book of mormon as well as a summary of each quoted chapter to encourage speculation as to why the writers of the book of mormon would have wanted to include that particular chapter in their record. By carefully reading nephis commentary, looking for patterns in the overall structure of the text, we gain further insight as to why he includes the portions of isaiah into the text of the book of mormon. Free audio chapters for your book of mormon study by common. To find a specific side byside comparison of an isaiah chapter or verse in the book of mormon you can.
I know the book of mormon is the word of god brought to us through joseph smith. Just how isaiah was prophetic in the old testament. In the lds curriculum, we are now plodding through the isaiah chapters in second nephi. Some critical writers have attempted to exploit these two issues, but neither can bring the book of mormon s authenticity into question. Chapters 5 prophecies of judgment chapters 4066 promises of redemption interestingly the book of mormon quotes from both collections. Deuteroisaiah verses in the book of mormon overview of the deuteroisaiah problem in the book of mormon. The book of mormon quotes extensively from the book of isaiah, including entire chapters, and in many cases verbatim to the king james translation. Isaiah prophecies in book of mormon are relevant to the. Reading the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon is like going for a hike in the mountains. Unlocking isaiah in the book of mormon kindle edition by ludlow, victor l. In the vision of all, joseph spencer draws on the best of biblical and latterday saint scholarship to make sense of the socalled isaiah chapters in the first two books of the book of mormon. However, we have worked the last two years to help readers better understand those chapters and hope you will find. Students of the book of mormon bm have recognized the problem of having explicit and lengthy quotations of isaiah chapters 4055 since at least the days of b.
Having come from israel, nephi had a copy of the old testament as these corresponding quotes are written before the birth of christ. Additional messianic prophecies of isaiah, chapters 69, were quoted by nephi as a prelude to his great testimony about christ 2 nephi 1619, 25, 31 33. Arguing that isaiah lies at the very heart of nephis project, spencer insists on demystifying the writings of isaiah while nonetheless refusing. Though there are potentially several ways to answer this question, one that may help readers better grasp the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon is what lds scholar john w. The last prophet in the book of mormon, moroni, wrote the following in the middle of a list of admonitions to his modern readers. Underline words and phrases that speak about gods attributes, nature, actions, and covenantal obligations to his children. Isaiah 214 as contained in 2 nephi 1224, and a significant portion of isaiah. Unlocking isaiah in the book of mormon kindle edition by. Isaiah variants in the book of mormon religious studies center. As we start our study of the book of mormon this year in come, follow me we will soon be faced with those pesky isaiah chapters. The daughter of zion is a motif from the old testament that finds new, powerful meaning in the book of mormons isaiah chapters. Discussions on the book of mormon 2 nephi 1116 originally aired. A common complaint about reading the book of mormon is the difficulty in understanding the isaiah chapters in 2 nephi.
Quoted in the book of mormon are nearly all of isaiah chapters 214, 29, and 4854. What is less well known is that the book of mormon makes a large number of unacknowledged biblical quotes. So i decided to make my own and start with the isaiah passages in the book of mormon. I also use the most recent version 1981 of the book of. Tammy uzelac hall, the host of lds livings sunday on monday, shares an answer to this and other questions readers might have in their studies of the book of mormon this week. Nephis version of isaiah 4852 that he quoted on his plates was. The book of mormon contains extensive quotes from isaiah some twentytwo chapters of the prophet are found in the book, in many cases quoted verbatim from the king james version. Remember, the only 2nd isaiah chapters that show up in the book of mormon are isaiah 4852 and we have just the one echo from trito isaiah. However, i feel that the book of mormon can not only withstand the challenge, but the issue can actually be used to illuminate the nature of isaiah and shed light on why this is such a profound book. David seeley wrote an article in the book entitled, isaiah in the book of mormon, explaining that the main lesson we learn from the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon is to avoid haughtiness and pride manifested in every imaginable way. Why is isaiah quoted so much in the book of mormon. Nearly a third of the chapters from isaiah had already been recorded in the book of mormon.
I am currently posting my quotes, references, and the o. From second isaiah on the plates of brass, the book of mormon attests only to chapters 4851, 53, and a few verses of chapters 40 and 55. Two large blocks of isaiah chapters 214 and 4854 are scattered among four books 1 nephi, 2 nephi, mosiah, and 3 nephi. Isaiah is the most quoted old testament prophet in the book of mormon volume, and this tome does justice to the essential role isaiah plays in the volume, with many essays dedicating to exegeting the nephite midrash of isaiah periocpe and whole chapters in the book of mormon text. Some scholars believe that isaiah chapters 40 to 55 were written during the babylonian captivity, thus after when the jews in the book of mormon left jerusalem for the new world. This woman is the daughter of zion, an abstract and inspiring embodiment of the future glorification and enthronement of the house of israel and the nephites. What vision guides nephis choice of isaiah chapters. Making sense or not of isaiah in the book of mormon. As all prophets do, jacob is explaining what isaiah is prophesying about in more understandable words for his people. These chapters are just about the right size for home church talks, and they are all taken from the first third of the book to fit with the current readings for gospel doctrine lessons. A commandment i give unto you that ye search these things diligently. Isaiah s writings are quoted extensively in other scriptures. Religious studies center, brigham young university, 1984, 16578. Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my people to understand.
To find a specific sidebyside comparison of an isaiah chapter or verse in the book of mormon you can. If you want to know more about why i made this site you can read about it here. The book of mormon and the king james bible wikipedia. This chart lists book of mormon passages that quote or paraphrase the words of isaiah, which held great meaning for the nephites and also apply to us today. Book of mormonanachronismsbiblicaldeuteroisaiah fairmormon. Isaiah variants in the book of mormon religious studies. Finding doctrine and meaning in book of mormon isaiah. Second, some of the chapters of isaiah in the book of mormon are considered by scholars to have been written not by isaiah but by other prophets who wrote after the time lehi left jerusalem. A second major question is sometimes raised about the isaiah material in the book of mormon.
Reading the covenantal purpose of isaiah in the book of. The main nephite prophets who quoted isaiah were nephi, jacob, and abinadi. Remember, the only 2nd isaiah chapters that show up in the book of mormon are isaiah 4852 and we have just the one echo from tritoisaiah. Of isaiah prophetic writings, the resurrected lord taught, search these things diligently. The books of 1 and 2 nephi include eighteen chapters of the book of isaiah. Probably the most memorable vision in the entire book of mormon, t. Were the isaiah passages in the book of mormon simply. May 14, 2014 discussions on the book of mormon 2 nephi 1116 originally aired.
In the book of mormon, there are many chapters of isaiah directly incorporated from the king james version kjv of the bible, complete with translation errors that were obviously not possible to have been recorded on the gold plates since the kjv was not available until thousands of years. The kingdom of god, book of mormon journaling jacob 14. The chapters that do not quote isaiah by verbatim in the book of mormon are actually commentary of the prophecies and should be used to know the actual meaning of the isaiah verses that are quoted. Some scholars believe that some of the chapters of the current book of isaiah were not written by that prophet but by one or more different authors long after isaiahs timein fact, after the time that lehi and his family left jerusalem. Nephis major commentary on these chapters comes by way of summary and conclusion in 2 nephi 25, the chapter immediately following the long isaiah. Sometimes youre not sure why youre there, but then you see something unexpected and beautifulan eagle soaring, an unexpected wildflower, a hidden waterfalland it touches your soul. Since joseph had already translated the book of mormon and that isaiah chapter 50 was in the book of mormon joseph appears to have told sidney to use the book of mormon 2 nephi 7 as a guide for jst isaiah 50. Understand nephis pattern in selecting isaiah chapters. Sometimes the quotation is explicit, as in the second book of nephi, which contains 18 quoted chapters of the book of isaiah.
Isaiah was both a prophet and a poet, so one of the things you can do to make his prophecies easier to grasp is to read isaiah as poetry. Isaiahs writings are quoted extensively in other scriptures. Oct 24, 2017 getting through the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon boyd k packer lds quotes for seminary. With the destruction of the nephites at the forefront of nephis mind, he prophecies of a day when the words of the book of mormon will bring salvation and redemption to the remnant of his seed, as embodied by the daughter of zion. A complete identification of all chapters and verses of isaiah quoted in the book of mormon along with an analysis of each verse is found in monte s. Welch pointed out that nephi prophesied of four distinct. What about the isaiah problem in the book of mormon. The isaiah problem in the book of mormon chap 11 shields. I will update this post with links to my various book of mormon journaling posts. Yet no chapters in the book of mormon are more difficult to understand than the isaiah passages quoted by nephi. Would we give isaiah the same consideration if his writings had not been given extensive coverage in the book of mormon. In response to this commandment, this articles chief purpose and contribution to existing isaiah scholarship is to show how the main doctrines and purposes of the book of mormon, found on the title page and in the writings of book of mormon prophets, mirror and. Pattern and purpose of the isaiah commentaries in the book. In the light of modern biblical criticism these quotations raise problems that have a serious bearing on the integrity of the nephite record as a whole.
The book of mormon quotes extensively from the book of isaiah, including entire chapters, and in many cases verbatim to the king james. I recommend trying this exercise on your own with any or all of the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon or the bible. See book of mormon anachronisms share email to a friend. So when isaiah in the book of mormon speaks of the house of israel, theyre either coming or going. One of the things that can make isaiah confusing is its abstract and expressive language.
The book of mormon explicitly quotes the prophet isaiah. As a missionary in guatemala, i remember one companion saying that if you shot the book of mormon with a gun, not even a bullet would get through the isaiah chapters. Making sense or not of isaiah in the book of mormon wheat. One thing that makes the isaiah chapters of the book of mormon difficult is that is that the three major blocks of text are all read into the official record by different narrators at different times for different reasons. If true, then the quotations of these chapters would be anachronistic. Mar 18, 2020 these chapters are just about the right size for home church talks, and they are all taken from the first third of the book to fit with the current readings for gospel doctrine lessons. If youve been intimidated by these chapters before, please try to give them another go. Whats going on in the book of mormon isaiah chapters. Chapters 214 and 29 from the first collection and chapter 4854 from the second collection. In 2016 jackson wrote isaiah in the book of mormon, one of several essays in a series a reason for faith, published by deseret book. The book of mormon quotes twentyone complete chapters of isaiah and parts of others. For my comparisons i use the king james version of the bible provided by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
Nephi is known for quoting isaiah frequently, so one might wonder why he chose the particular isaiah chapters he did. How do we explain material from isaiah in the book of mormon. Follow my blog get new content delivered directly to your inbox. However, i feel that the book of mormon can not only withstand the challenge, but the issue can actually be used to illuminate the nature of isaiah and shed light on why this is. Getting through the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon. Remember, the only 2nd isaiah chapters that show up in the book of mormon are isaiah 4852. Nephi included these passages in order to help readers understand important revelations from the lord regarding his dealings with his children. In addition to this table below, at least 52 other verses from isaiah are found throughout the book of mormon. A look at the book of mormon isaiah passages through the lenses of textual criticism reveals a number of features that may have otherwise been missed by readers. A helpful listing is found in legrande daviess chart of isaiah citations in the book of mormon, in daniel h.
Nyman, great are the words of isaiah 1980, and an indepth study of the book of mormon isaiah passages is found in donald w. Oct 31, 2017 but victor ludlow divides the book of isaiah into two main collections. Deuteroisaiah and the book of mormon for thus it is. Nephi was one of the leading prophets in the book of mormon. May 27, 2019 the last prophet in the book of mormon, moroni, wrote the following in the middle of a list of admonitions to his modern readers.
Free audio chapters for your book of mormon study by. It was written for us in our day and will help us specifically if we study it, seeking guidance from its pages. Getting through the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon boyd k packer lds quotes for seminary. Four guides to the book of mormon isaiah chapters search isaiah. See more ideas about book of mormon, scripture study and lds scriptures. Well be tackling the isaiah chapters in 2 nephi in this post. Jan 21, 2020 isaiah is in many chapters in the book of mormon.
You may have noticed that most of the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon are the first chapters and last chapters of isaiah in the old testament dealing with the initial scattering of israel, and the latterday gathering of israel. You already understand the isaiah chapters better than you. Isaiah is used as a powerful tool to strengthen prophetic witnesses about christ in the book of mormon. Deuteroisaiah in the book of mormon lds discussions. Im going to focus on 2 nephi 9, which follows chapters 7 and 8 isaiah 50 and 51, more or less and presents itself as a commentary on those two chapters. Even in the true church, among those who should be enlightened by the gift of the holy ghost, there are those who skip the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon as though they were part of a sealed book, which perhaps they are to them. The scope of this paper does not allow a detailed explication of the isaiah chapters in the book of mormon. The 21 chapters of isaiah which are quoted chapters 214, 29, and 4854 either partially or completely, represent about onethird of the book of isaiah, but less.
Jan 25, 2020 chapters of isaiah quoted in the book of mormon as we start our study of the book of mormon this year in come, follow me we will soon be faced with those pesky isaiah chapters. Then circle in place of italicizing words and phrases that speak about our. Kjv isaiah in the book of mormon why the lds church is. This chart organizes important isaiah references in the book of mormon according to their order of appearance in the book of isaiah. Tvedtnes, isaiah variants in the book of mormon, in isaiah and the prophets. In the book of mormon, jacob, nephi, abinadi, and jesus all quote from different parts of isaiah, and each identifies the prophet by name. In the paper, he supported the idea of a single author in isaiah, which backs the book of mormons inclusion of selected chapters from isaiah. While many of the book of mormons stories are told and influenced by men, one prominent woman in the book of mormon pervades the text, yet is often overlooked. It contains 19 chapters of the kjv of isaiah in their entirety, along with parts of a few other chapters.
Royal skousen has done nearly exhaustive textual critical work on the book of mormon. Welcome to my new isaiah in book of mormon blog nephi had a purpose in placing the isaiah scriptures on his plates as those scriptures were relevant and personal to nephi. Deutero isaiah verses in the book of mormon overview of the deutero isaiah problem in the book of mormon. Nearly a third of the chapters from isaiah had already been recorded in. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. New archaeological evidence for book of mormon prophet isaiah. These chapters have inspired me, taught me and are perennial favorites. Understanding isaiah in the book of mormon thus presumes an understanding of the terms house of israel, covenant, and gentile, which predominate in the isaiah commentaries in the book of mormon and do not occur elsewhere in the book. The book of mormon testifies of christ and his mission here on the earth. Isaiah in the book of mormon religious studies center. Of the 478 verses in the book of mormon quoted from the book of isaiah, 201 agree with the king james reading while 207 show variations. Isaiah is the most quoted prophet in the book of mormon.