A Comprehensive Commentary. The Book of Isaiah

Transcription

1 A Comprehensive Commentary of The Book of Isaiah together with references for further study from the General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the Encyclopedia of Mormonism and other doctrinal texts by General Authorities of the Church Written and compiled by Paul Nolan Hyde Parrish Press Orem, Utah

2 Copyright 2014; 2015 by Paul Nolan Hyde, Ph.D. All rights reserved. First Electronic Edition Copyright 2015 Parrish Press, Orem, Utah 1842 South 50 East Orem, Utah

3 Preface This project began as an attempt to provide my children and grandchildren something of their ancestor s love and understanding of the scriptures. I began producing volumes many years ago which I was pleased to call Paraphrastic studies. I wrote one of these studies for each of the four Gospels and the letters of Paul. Eventually, however, I began to sense that there was much that I knew about the New Testament that my translations could not communicate. I therefore thought to write a comprehensive commentary on the entire New Testament, beginning with Matthew and concluding with the book of Revelation. As I published each of the nine volumes, I included the paraphrastic studies, where I had them, in conjunction with the commentary for each book in the New Testament. I began this project in 2005 and completed the final volume in The whole effort was a delight to my soul. A year before I retired from the Church Educational System, in 2003, I thought to produce an 1830 formatting of the Book of Mormon using the present text of the 1981 edition. This was a relatively easy task, given the technology available to me. I distributed these to my colleagues at the Orem Institute of Religion, members of my family, and a few other interested parties for the cost of printing and binding them. Sometime in the early spring of 2007, I was impressed to begin a verse by verse commentary on the Book of Mormon, a task that I had not presumed to attempt, inasmuch as there are no translation difficulties that abound in the Old and New Testaments. Yet, there were instances of nineteenth-century word usage and syntactic issues that I thought a commentary might help to clarify. As I began, however, I discovered that there was much more that I could communicate to my children of my understanding of the ancient record of the Nephites, material that I had gleaned as I taught the scriptures during my thirty-five year career with CES. This labor eventually produced five volumes of moderate size. As I published each segment of the commentary, I enclosed the 1830 formatting of each book in the Book of Mormon that I had devise several years before. The last volume also appeared in late By the time that I was fully engaged with writing commentaries on both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, I had become infatuated with the idea that I might be able to expand the commentaries to include the other volumes of scripture as well. Thus, in the winter of 2010 I began writing commentaries on the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants. Once I finished with the Pearl of Great Price, I began to move ahead with the book of Genesis and the rest of the Old Testament. In the late fall of 2014 I finished the last of the commentaries on the Old Testament, for a total of thirty-three printed and bound volumes. With these volumes and the others produced over the past ten years, I have completed commentary on every verse of the Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My procedure for writing the Commentary was similar to that used in creating the original paraphrastic studies. The same reference texts were employed. For difficult words in Greek, Hebrew, 3

4 and English I resorted to the works of James Strong and other lexicographers for linguistic insight. I consider the contributions made by conservative Protestant scholarship (as recorded in the New International Version) and conservative Catholic scholarship (as related in the New Jerusalem Bible). I resorted to the considered thought of Adam Clarke, one of the most prominent and prolific commentators on the sacred manuscripts available at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and who, I believe, was a man of great faith. I consulted with the Joseph Smith Translation at appropriate times (including in another column an indication that a JST change had been made for any given verse), and frequently to the writings of the General Authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, as I contemplated the possible meanings of each word and phrase. From time to time I resorted to Smith s Bible Dictionary and Discovering the World of the Bible by LaMar Berrett for some of the more arcane information that I thought would illuminate the text. I have attempted to maintain a steady course throughout my commentaries, treating each verse as unique, and where appropriate, duplicate notes and the text rather than use cross-references within the volume. Some may find this a waste of paper and ink, but I frankly dislike having to rifle through pages or volumes trying to find the first instance of the note or commentary. The duplications are easily ignored; fumbling through pages cannot be. It is in the best interests of the reader, however, to contemplate the reasons why such duplications exist in the biblical text in the first place. They are purposeful and I have attempted to point out their purpose as I have progressed through each volume. My numbering system for the notes used in the body of the commentary was adapted from historical linguistic texts with which I am familiar and which I had found quite useful. The pattern used is Chapter.verse.word; thus note would contain material referring to the fifth word in the book of Hosea 3:4, for example. I make no comprehensive promises regarding the preciseness of my word count in any particular verse, but it will be close enough to eliminate any distressing confusion. Inasmuch as I began this series with the Gospel of Matthew, there will be times when I will make reference to my own work in that first volume. Sometimes there will be no more than a reference, MT-C ; other times I may quote directly from the original text. In either case my sole motivation will be to facilitate the flow of ideas rather than to multiply words. There are enough words already. References to the Commentaries on other books of the New Testament are abbreviated as follows: Matthew MT-C Mark MK-C Luke LK-C John JN-C Acts AC-C Romans RM-C 1 Corinthians 1 CO-C 2 Corinthians 2 CO-C Galatians GA-C Ephesians EP-C Philippians PP-C Colossians CL-C 1 Thessalonians 1 TH-C 2 Thessalonians 2 TH-C 1 Timothy 1 TM-C 2 Timothy 2 TM-C Titus TT-C Philemon PL-C Hebrews HB-C 1 Peter 1 PE-C 2 Peter 2 PE-C 1 John 1 JN-C 2 John 2 JN-C 3 John 3 JN-C Revelation RV-C 4

5 References to the Commentaries in the books of the Old Testament are as follows: Genesis GE-C Exodus EX-C Leviticus LV-C Numbers NM-C Deuteronomy DT-C Joshua JO-C Judges JD-C Ruth RU-C 1 Samuel 1 SM-C 2 Samuel 2 SM-C 1 Kings 1 KG-C 2 Kings 2 KG-C 1 Chronicles 1 CR-C 2 Chronicles 2 CR-C Ezra ER-C Nehemiah NE-C Esther ES-C Job JB-C Psalms PS-C Proverbs PV-C Ecclesiastes ES-C Song of Solomon SS-C Isaiah IS-C Jeremiah JR-C Lamentations LM-C Ezekiel EZ-C Daniel DA-C Hosiah HS-C Joel JL-C Amos AM-C Obadiah OB-C Jonah JH-C Micah MH-C Nahum NA-C Habakkuk HB-C Zephaniah ZP-C Haggai HG-C Zechariah ZE-C Malachi ML-C I have also made reference to the other standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. The references to the Book of Mormon are articulated in bold and italics lettering using the following abbreviations: 1 Nephi 1 NE-C 2 Nephi 2 NE-C Jacob JA-C Enos EN-C Jarom JM-C Omni OM-C Words of Mormon WM-C Mosiah MS-C Alma AL-C Helaman HE-C 3 Nephi 3 NE-C 4 Nephi 4 NE-C Mormon MM-C Ether ET-C Moroni MR-C The abbreviation TPW-C refers to the material found on the Title Page of the Book of Mormon and in the Testimonies of the Three and Eight Witnesses. The references to Sections that are in the Doctrine and Covenants are indicated as DC-C followed by the section number and verse (OD1-C and OD2-C are self-explanatory); The Pearl of Great Price references contained herein use the following abbreviations: MO-C, AB-C, SM-C, SH-C, and AF-C. In some cases I have taken on what some would consider controversial material. I make no apologies for so doing. I have found that my children are best served when an issue is approached head on, the differing points of view presented, and the rationale given as to why one school of thought ought to be preferred over another. Sometimes the decisions are logically founded; others the result of doctrinal points that are unique to theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In most cases I have not argued authorities, even though I could have inserted multiple references to the writings of scholars with whom I am familiar. I have chosen to have my sources on any particular issue to remain anonymous in the text of the commentary for several reasons. First and foremost, this work is my commentary, what I believe and hold to be true. In the end, that is what my children wish to know. Secondly, I did not wish to have my children accept or dismiss a particular view merely because of who had been the author of it. Many wonderful insights have been made by scholars both inside and outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wherein I have found one view to be preferable over another has not been a partisan matter, but rather a matter of the mind, heart, and spirit cooperating together in an attempt to understand what must be the truth. Thirdly, I have been quite clear who my authorities have been. It is my fondest 5

6 desire that my children would become as familiar with their writings as I have. Were I to cite all of my sources with extensive quotes from each, there would be no need for them to open any of the books that I have come to love. That, in part, is why I included the third column containing crossreferences to the various doctrinal works in the Commentaries. Exceptions to this practice should be noted as being of extreme importance. In addition to the text of the Standard Works, together with my own commentary, I inserted a column of references for further study. The citations are taken from three major sources: the Conference Reports of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from April 1980 to November 2002 (abbreviated as CR followed by the year, month and page number); the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (four volumes, abbreviated EM followed by the volume and page number); and A Scripture Index (a compilation of scripture references cited in various texts published by General Authorities of the Church). For those not familiar with the abbreviations used in A Scripture Index. I include them below: TPJS Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith GD Gospel Doctrine MA Mediation and Atonement FWR Far West Record DHC History of the Church (7 vols.) TSWK Teaching of Spencer W. Kimball MF Miracle of Forgiveness FPM Faith Precedes the Miracle MD Mormon Doctrine PM Promised Messiah MM Mortal Messiah (4 vols.) MLM Millennial Messiah DNTC Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (3 vols.) JC Jesus the Christ AF Articles of Faith DS Doctrines of Salvation (3 vols.) AGQ Answers to Gospel Questions (5 vols.) As with each of the volumes previously published, I include two lists. The first, bound in front of the Commentary, is a listing of all of the words and phrases upon which I have made extensive remarks, a kind of sequential table of contents. I have also arranged this list alphabetically and have placed it at the end of the Commentary as a kind of index. A comprehensive alphabetical index for the entire volume appears as the last section of this book. Needless to say that all of the errors in the material submitted herein to the reader are the product of my own limitations as a scholar; all of the brilliance which may appear here is the product of minds and hearts filled with the fire of the Spirit of God, from whom all truth and beauty ultimately derive. A Note on the Electronic Edition Not only did my children and other family members receive bound copies of commentaries, but there were a number of friends and neighbors who had expressed an interest in them. There were requests from others who desired copies of what I had done, but I was not in a position to provide them with hard copies. Inasmuch as I had all of the volumes in computer files, I thought to compile each of the commentaries in some format that could be read on a smart device. I opted to use the Adobe Acrobat, turning all of the work into PDF files. I have used these on my tablet for many years and have found them useful and far easier to cart about with me. In the early spring of 2015, my neighbor David Dollahite arranged for a meeting with Jack Welch and Marny Parkin regarding the possibility of BYU providing a dedicated web site so that there would be greater public access to my 6

7 work. Thus began the present enterprise of editing and standardizing all that had done during the last ten years. My commentary on the Gospel of Mark is the second of these electronic volumes. Within a year or so I hope to have all of the books available in the same format. PNH Orem, Utah November

8 Sequence of Specifically Noted Words and Phrases in Isaiah Isaiah Amoz Judah Jerusalem Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Israel Israel strangers Zion Sodom Gomorrah Sodom Gomorrah burnt offerings rams bullocks Israel Zion tow Isaiah Amoz Judah Jerusalem last days that mountain mountains all nations many people Jacob Zion law word of the Lord Jerusalem beat plowshares pruninghooks learn Jacob Therefore replenished east hearken soothsayers Philistines please strangers mean them enter majesty men shall be cedars Lebanon oaks Bashan lifted up And Tarshish pleasant pictures Lord majesty they made each one Jerusalem Judah stay staff staff bread water children saying let house Jerusalem Judah provoke shew they declare sin Sodom hide it not ye shall be him it shall be ill with him his As them which plead vineyard Ye beat grind Zion haughty stretched-forth necks wanton mincing tinkling Zion their ornaments cauls round tires bonnets ornaments headbands tablets ear-rings wimples crisping pin glasses veils branch shall be for Israel that he Zion he that remaineth Jerusalem Zion Jerusalem Zion glory and Now well-beloved very fruitful hill fenced stones choicest vine tower wine-press wild grapes Jerusalem Judah 8

9 grapes and Israel Judah be fair bath homer ephah strong drink that harp viol tabret pipe wine hell multitude Israel them that are them that are stubble chaff Israel hand are bent flint their it it one year Uzziah train seraphim wings twain face feet fly one posts smoke undone unclean lips for understand not perceive not answered for yet it it teil tree oak Ahaz Jotham Uzziah Judah Rezin Syria Pekah Remaliah Israel David Syria Ephraim trees Isaiah Ahaz Shearjashub conduit upper pool fuller s tails fire-brands Rezin Syria Remaliah Syria Ephraim Remaliah Judah even son of Tabeal Syria Damascus Rezin three score and five years Ephraim Ephraim Samaria Remaliah s Ahaz depth height Ahaz David weary bear Immanuel and thou abhorest Ephraim Judah Assyria fly Egypt bee Assyria razor river Assyria that silverlings it the great roll man s pen Mahershalalhashbaz record Uriah Zechariah Jeberechiah prophetess Mahershalalhashbaz before shall mother Damascus Samaria Assyria this people waters of Shiloah Rezin Remaliah s river Assyria Judah neck Immanuel strong hand all this people their fear Israel Jerusalem Jacob Israel Zion to testimony they they it hardly bestead fret Nevertheless the Zebulun Naphtali sea Jordan Galilee 9

10 great light shadow of death increased joy yoke staff rod oppressor Midian Wonderful, Counselor Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace his shall be David a Jacob Israel Ephraim Samaria bricks hewn stones sycamores cedars Rezin him Syrians Philistines Israel hand Israel branch rush and honorable every one Manasseh Ephraim Judah decree unrighteous decrees grievousness prescribed Assyrian rod staff their indignation it is in his heart Calno Carchemish Hamath Arpad Samaria Damascus found Jerusalem Samaria Samaria Jerusalem and that Zion on Jerusalem Assyria hand it and by my wisdom removed bounds Israel standard-bearer Israel Jacob return Jacob Israel sand determined in the midst of Zion Assyrian Egypt Midian Oreb Egypt anointing Aiath Migron Michmash carriages passage Geba Ramath Gibeah Saul Gallim Laish Anathoth Madmenah Gebim Nob Zion Jerusalem Lebanon rod stem Jesse branch roots him wisdom understanding counsel might knowledge fear him quick understanding eyes ears he judge reprove equity smite rod breath girdle his loins reins sea root of Jesse that day Assyria Egypt Pathros Cush Elam Shinar Hamath islands of the sea ensign Israel Judah Ephraim Judah Philistines east Edom Moab children of Ammon tongue Egyptian sea river Assyria Israel Egypt that day Zion Israel burden Babylon 10

11 Isaiah Amoz a sanctified ones for mine anger a hosts end of heaven even them amazed faces flames Ophir it roe found unto them Medes Babylon Chaldees Sodom Gomorrah Arabian doleful satyrs islands dragons prolonged Jacob Israel strangers people them place Israel them servants and handmaids rule the That proverb Babylon staff sceptre and Lebanon Lucifer mount of the congregation and saying That that nations one as raiment them Babylon remnant bittern besom Assyrian Ahaz Palestina rod root cockatrice fiery flying serpent Palestina one Zion Moab Ar Kir Bajith Dibon Moab Nebo Medeba sackcloth Heshbon Elealeh Jahaz Moab Moab Zoar heifer Luhith Horonaim Nimrim Moab Eglaim Beerelim Dimon Moab Sela Zion Moab Arnon Moab David Moab Moab Kirhareseth Heshbon Sibmah Jazer Jazer Sibmah Heshbon Elealeh Moab Kirharesh Moab Moab Moab Damascus Aroer Ephraim Damascus Syria Israel Jacob corn Rephaim Israel Israel Israel strange Woe shadowing with wings Ethiopia Zion Egypt Egyptians Egypt charmers familiar spirits wizards Egyptians flax Zoan Pharaoh Egypt Zoan Noph Egypt Egypt Egypt Egypt Judah Egypt Egypt Canaan Egypt Egypt Egypt Egypt Egypt Assyria Israel Egypt Assyria

12 Egypt Assyria Israel Tartan Ashdod Sargon Assyria Isaiah Amoz sackcloth Isaiah Egypt Ethiopia Assyria Egyptians Ethiopians Ethiopia Egypt isle Assyria Elam Media lion Babylon Israel Dumah Seir Arabia Dedanim Tema Kedar Kedar Israel Elam Kir Judah forest David Jerusalem baldness sackcloth Shebna Eliakim Hilkiah Jerusalem Judah David Tyre Tarshish Chittim isle Zidon Sihor Zidon Egypt Tyre Tarshish isle Tyre Tarshish Zidon Chittim Chaldeans Assyrian Tarshish Tyre Tyre tabrets fires Israel isles Zion Jerusalem strangers Moab he Judah leviathan Jacob Israel Jacob Egypt Israel Assyria Egypt Jerusalem Ephraim Ephraim priest prophet Jerusalem Zion Perazim Gibeon fitches cummin fitches cummin corn Ariel David Ariel forts ground dust familiar spirit strangers Ariel Zion prophets seers book slumbered sealed revelation beginning ending people book man another house tops power of Christ book man three witnesses testify few wo him book words another learned Bring delivered read witnesses seal removed Therefore marvelous work even men men Woe Surely potter s clay Is Lebanon fruitful field forest deaf blind The increase their rejoice Israel For That redeemed Abraham Jacob Jacob

13 Israel Egypt Pharaoh Pharaoh Egypt Zoan Hanes Egyptians seers prophets Israel Israel Israel Zion Jerusalem Israel Assyrian tabrets harps Tophet Egypt Israel Egyptians Zion Jerusalem Israel Assyrian Zion Jerusalem sackcloth Zion Lebanon Sharon Bashan Carmel Zion Zion Jerusalem Idumea Bozrah Idumea unicorns Zion brimstone dragons satyr Lebanon Carmel Sharon dragons Zion Hezekiah Sennacherib Assyria Judah Assyria Rabshakeh Lachish Jerusalem Hezekiah conduit upper pool fuller s Eliakim Hilkiah s Shebna scribe Joah Asaph s Rabshakeh Hezekiah Assyria Egypt Pharaoh Hezekiah Judah Jerusalem Assyria Egypt Eliakim Shebna Joah Rabshakeh Syrian Jews Rabshakeh Rabshakeh Jews Assyria Hezekiah Hezekiah Assyria Hezekiah Assyria corn Hezekiah Assyria Hamath Arphad Sepharvaim Samaria Jerusalem Eliakim Hilkiah Shebna scribe Joah Asaph Hezekiah Rabshakeh Hezekiah sackcloth Eliakim Shebna scribe priests sackcloth Isaiah prophet Amoz Hezekiah Rabshakeh Assyria Hezekiah Isaiah Isaiah Assyria Rabshakeh Assyria Libnah Lachish Tirhakah Ethiopia Hezekiah Hezekiah Judah Jerusalem Assyria Assyria Gozan Haran Rezeph Eden Thelasar Hamath Arphad Sepharvaim Hena Ivah Hezekiah Hezekiah Israel cherubims Sennacherib Assyria Isaiah Amoz Hezekiah Israel Sennacherib Assyria Zion Jerusalem Israel Lebanon

14 Carmel corn Judah Jerusalem Zion Assyria David s Assyrians Sennacherib Assyria Nineveh Nisroch Adrammelech Sharezer Armenia Esarhaddon Hezekiah Isaiah Amoz Hezekiah Hezekiah Isaiah Hezekiah David Assyria dial Ahaz Hezekiah Judah Isaiah Hezekiah Merodachbaladan Baladan Babylon Hezekiah Hezekiah Isaiah prophet Hezekiah Babylon Hezekiah Isaiah Hezekiah Babylon eunuchs Babylon Hezekiah Isaiah Jerusalem Zion Jerusalem Judah Lebanon burnt offering Jacob Israel Israel Jacob Abraham Jacob Israel Israel Israel shittah box tree Israel Jacob Zion Jerusalem Gentiles bruised reed smoking flax Gentiles former things Kedar islands Jacob Jacob Israel Israel Egypt Ethiopia Seba former things let Israel Babylon Chaldeans Israel tow former things dragons Jacob Israel burnt offerings incense Jacob Israel Jacob Israel Jacob Jesurun Jacob Israel Israel his Jacob Israel Jacob Israel Jerusalem Judah Cyrus Jerusalem Cyrus Israel Jacob Israel Israel Egypt Ethiopia Sabeans Israel Israel Jacob Israel Bel Nebo Jacob Israel Zion Israel Babylon Chaldeans Israel Chaldeans Jacob Israel waters of Judah Judah swear truth righteousness For stay Israel Lord of Hosts former things obstinate neck is an iron sinew brow brass heard created treacherously transgressor womb from refined thee chosen furnace Jacob Israel first last 14

15 ye them him Babylon Chaldeans him brought prosperous ye me Israel peace righteousness sand gravel Babylon Chaldeans redeemed Jacob called me sharp sword shadow of his hand polished shaft quiver Israel Jacob Israel Jacob Israel Gentiles Israel faithful acceptable time thee day of salvation thee thou prisoners them pastures these far north west Sinim earth mountains Zion me graven haste these bride even now other Gentiles standard Jacob Behold behold deliver behold sackcloth learned season opened ear smiters plucked spitting confounded flint me who me who let ye rock whence are hole whence Abraham Sarah alone him Zion Eden light people righteousness isles it cut Rahab dragon it redeemed Zion joy head you man son of man fury God waves roared Zion Thou Jerusalem There sons two things fainted strength Zion Jerusalem uncircumcised Jerusalem bands Zion Egypt Assyrian Zion Zion Jerusalem thence vessels Israel rereward Who whom arm he him tender plant root dry ground form comeliness beauty desire hid chastisement generation stricken grave thou he prolong pleasure He his his place curtains thine cords stakes youth maker Israel is as

16 Noah thee peace carbuncle together but rise sure mercies David Israel stranger eunuch eunuchs stranger burnt offerings Israel drink offering meat offering Jacob sackcloth rereward Jacob Zion Jacob Gentiles Gentiles Midian Ephah Sheba Kedar Nebaioth isles Tarshish Israel strangers Gentiles Lebanon box Zion Israel Gentiles Jacob good tidings meek brokenhearted liberty acceptable year Zion strangers Priests Gentiles burnt offering Gentiles Zion s Jerusalem s Gentiles Hephzibah Beulah Jerusalem Jerusalem corn stranger Zion Edom Bozrah Israel Moses Moses Abraham Israel Zion Jerusalem Jacob Judah Sharon Achor Jerusalem Jerusalem Zion Jerusalem Gentiles Jerusalem Tarshish Pul Lud Tubal Javan Gentiles Jerusalem Israel priests Levites

17 A Commentary on the Scriptures by Paul Nolan Hyde, Ph.D. The Book of Isaiah 0.0 The prophetic books of the Old Testament are divided into two major sections: the first, consisting of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel; the second, a gathering of the writings of twelve prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The first part is usually referred to as the Major Prophets and the second as the Minor Prophets. Scholars assure us that these titles have nothing to do with the quality of the writing, but rather have to do with the relative lengths of the books in each section. Thus, we may easily see that the writings Isaiah and Jeremiah are each longer than the combined writings of the Twelve. The books of Ezekiel and Daniel together are as long as the second section of the prophetic works. Historians have suggested additionally that when the Old Testament was compiled, the twelve prophets were all committed to one scroll and therefore became a single unit. 0.1 No greater commendation of the writings of the prophet Isaiah could possibly come unto the children of men than that provided by the Lord Jesus Christ himself when he appeared to the Nephites shortly after his resurrection from the dead. After quoting Isaiah 54 in its entirety, the Lord said: AND now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah. For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake. (3 Nephi 23:1 33) Isa. DHC DS DS 2 156, 198 DS JC 733 MD 543 PM 307 TPJS 252 CR 86-A 77 EM 1:32, 54, 56, 105, 106, 143, 154, 173 EM 2:698, 699, 700, 701, 765, 766 EM 3:1030, 1163, 1165, 1166 EM 4:1782, 1804, 1579 The writings of no other prophet have been more frequently referred to in the Standard Works of the Church and Kingdom of God than those of the prophet Isaiah. His words appear in the gospels and epistles of the prophets, seers, and revelators who led and guided the Church of Jesus Christ in the Meridian of Time. The prophets of the Book of Mormon resorted to his inspired teachings throughout the length and breadth of the sacred record of the Nephites. His writings have a prominent part in the divine communications that brought about the beginnings of this present Dispensation of the Fullness of Times. In short, the teachings of the prophet Isaiah have proven to be applicable to the covenant people in every era since he walked and talked as a mortal upon this face of this planet. 0.2 Isaiah, according to his own account, was the son of Amoz, and the father of Shearjashub and Mahershalalhashbaz. Long-standing tradition suggests that Isaiah was a member of the royal family of the kingdom of Judah. In this view of the prophet s family, Amoz is the son of Joash and the brother of Amaziah, the king of Judah. There are great chronological problems with this proposal, unless Amoz was born to Joash quite late in his lifetime, say when Joash was forty-five years old, two years before his death in the Adamic year 3060, or about the year 823 BC. Similar traditions hold that Isaiah was sawn asunder by Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, when Isaiah was about ninety years old. Manasseh did not come to the throne of the kingdom of Judah until

18 years after our first parents departed from the Garden of Eden. If we assume that Manasseh killed Isaiah in 3190, then Isaiah would have been born about the Adamic year 3100, or about the year 783 BC. The following chronological chart provides the temporal frame work for the life of Isaiah. Ad. Yr Cal.Yr. Event Scripture BC Joash born 2 Kgs. 11: BC Ahaziah dies 2 Kgs. 9: BC Athaliah becomes sole queen 2 Kgs. 11: BC Joash becomes king 2 Kgs. 11: BC Athaliah is slain 2 Kgs. 11: BC Amaziah born 2 Chr. 25: BC Amoz born (?) BC Joash dies 2 Kgs. 12: BC Amaziah becomes king 2 Kgs. 12: BC Azariah (Uzziah) born 2 Kgs. 14: BC Azariah (Uzziah) appointed coregent BC The battle against Edom at Sela 2Kgs. 14: BC Amaziah dies 2 Chr. 25: BC Azariah (Uzziah) becomes sole king 2 Kgs. 14: BC Isaiah born (?) BC Jotham born 2 Kgs. 15: BC Ahaz born 2 Kgs. 16: BC Isaiah begins his ministry (?) BC Azariah (Uzziah) dies 2 Kgs. 15: BC Jotham becomes king 2 Kgs. 15: BC Hezekiah born (Ahaz 11?) 2 Kgs. 18: BC Ahaz becomes king 2 Kgs. 16: BC Ahaz and Tiglath meet in Damascus 2 Kgs. 16: BC Hezekiah becomes coregent(15?) 2 Kgs. 18: BC Ahaz dies 2 Kgs. 16: BC Hezekiah becomes sole king 2 Kgs. 16: BC Sennacherib invades Judah 2 Kgs.18: BC Manasseh born 2 Kgs. 21: BC Hezekiah dies 2 Kgs. 18: BC Manasseh becomes king 2 Kgs. 21: BC Isaiah killed by Manasseh (?) BC Amon born 2 Kgs. 21: BC Josiah born 2 Kgs. 22: BC Manasseh dies 2 Kgs. 21:1 Of course we have attempted these chronological gymnastics in order to accommodate the long-standing traditions surrounding the birth, family, and death of the prophet Isaiah. It can only be speculative at best. 0.3 We must also consider when Isaiah entered into his ministry. In chapter six of his writings, Isaiah provides a temporal marker for his open vision of the temple in Jerusalem. He states that it took place in the year that Uzziah died. Uzziah departed mortality in 3131, or 752 BC, when according to our present chronology, Isaiah was thirty-one years of age. Did Isaiah follow a practice of not publically preaching to the children of Israel until he was thirty years of age? If so then the year before the death of Uzziah would have been completely proper; that is to say, 3130 years after our first parents left the Garden of Eden or about the year 753 BC. If this is the case, then Isaiah served the House of Israel as prophet, seer, and revelator for sixty years. Again, we may only specu- 18

19 late in these matters. 0.4 Although it is not always wise to do so, sometimes circumstances dictate pointing out the follies of men as they attempt to foist their uninspired conclusions upon an unsuspecting world. For many years biblical scholars have proposed the division of the book of Isaiah into parts based on content, style, and historicity. Euphemistically referred to as the Isaiah problem, these divisions create portions commonly known as Second Isaiah, Third Isaiah, and so forth. All of these segments are assigned to different authors and times, some as late as the fourth century before the birth of Christ. The foolishness of these purportedly wise men is revealed in the fact that those various portions of the prophet s writings which have been disputed were all included on the Brass Plates of Laban, a work compiled before 600 BC. Isaiah chapters 2 through 14 are included in the same work as Isaiah 48 through 52, thus dispelling any possibility of diverse authorship in different dispensations. In a phrase, there never was an Isaiah problem. The issues raised by the evidence arrayed in support of the false propositions must be dealt with in another fashion. Actually a little common sense, coupled with a modest understanding of the prophet s craft, will suffice. 0.5 When it is remembered that Isaiah s ministry was no less than forty years long, and most likely embraced sixty years of teaching and prophesying, it is easy to perceive why material written at the beginning of his ministry might differ in vocabulary and style decades later. A prophet matures in his calling, his skills are refined, and his imagery develops. There is nothing gained in our study of the writings of Isaiah if we speak of diverse authorship in the production of the book. The differences are better embraced and cherished as a reflection of the prophet s growing knowledge of both time and eternity. 0.6 Having once made a running commentary on all of the prophets in the last section of the Old Testament, it seemed right to make an assessment as to when these men must have lived and when their ministries took place in relation to each other. The following chart is a compilation of the conclusions made for each of the prophets from Isaiah to Malachi. Everyone is free to quibble, but a perusal of the arguments given in the introductory material for each of the books should be sufficient to establish that the assertions at least have some merit. Ad. Yr. Cal.Yr. Event Scripture BC Joel born (?) BC Joel s prophecies begin (?) BC Obadiah prophesies (?) BC Hosea Born (?) BC Amoz born (?) BC Amos born (?) BC Jonah born (?) BC Hosea begins ministry (?) BC Jonah prophesies regarding Jeroboam 2 Kgs, 14: BC Azariah (Uzziah) becomes sole king 2 Kgs. 14: BC Amos begins ministry in Bethel (?) Amos 7: BC Isaiah born (?) BC Micah born (?) BC Jonah journeys to Nineveh (?) BC Isaiah begins his ministry (?) BC Azariah (Uzziah) dies 2 Kgs. 15:2 19

20 BC Jotham becomes king 2 Kgs. 15: BC Micah begins his ministry (?) BC Hosea dies (?) BC Nahum prophesies (?) BC Micah dies (?) BC Manasseh becomes king 2 Kgs. 21: BC Isaiah killed by Manasseh (?) BC Amon born 2 Kgs. 21: BC Habakkuk prophesies (?) BC Jeremiah born (?) BC Josiah becomes king 2 Kgs. 21: BC Zephaniah prophecies (?) BC Jeremiah begins his ministry Jer. 1: BC Ezekiel born (?) BC Daniel born (?) BC Nebuchadnezzar ascends throne Jer. 25: BC Obadiah prophesies (?) BC Jeremiah testifies Jer. 25: BC Daniel in Babylon Dan. 1: BC Obadiah prophesies (?) BC Nebuchadnezzar begins sole reign (?) BC Daniel s training ends Dan. 1: BC Nebuchadnezzar s 1st dream (?) Dan. 2: BC Zedekiah becomes king 2 Kgs. 24: BC Ezekiel carried away into Babylon (?) BC Lehi begins ministry 1 Ne. 1: BC Lehi departs Jerusalem 1 Ne. 2: BC Ezekiel begins his ministry Ezek. 1: BC Jerusalem destroyed 2 Kgs. 25: BC Jeremiah taken to Egypt BC Ezekiel s vision of the future Ezek. 40: BC Daniel sees the Lord Dan. 10: BC Darius ascends the Persian throne (?) BC Haggai prophesies BC Zerubbabel resumes construction on the Temple BC Zechariah prophesies BC The Temple in Jerusalem completed BC Nehemiah journeys to Jerusalem Neh. 1: BC Malachi prophecies (?) 1.1 It seems unavoidable that Isaiah s ministry among the people of the kingdom of Judah spanned no less than fifty years, and probably a little more than that. The last year of Uzziah s life transpired in 3131 years after Adam and Eve s departure from the Garden of Eden, or about the year 752 BC. Hezekiah s reign came to an end in the Adamic year 3182, or about the year 701 BC. We have proposed elsewhere that Manasseh may have killed Isaiah eight years into his reign in 3190, or about the year 693 BC (see 0.2) Isaiah There is hardly another man in the history of the world whose writings have received both the accolades of the Savior and the admiration of men. Isaiah lived during the tumultuous years that defined the eighth century before the birth of Jesus Christ. He testified the word of the Lord to the kings of Judah; Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. Tradition suggests that Isaiah was martyred at the hands of Chapter 1 1. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isa. 1 EM 2:699 Isa. 1:1 AF 181 Isa. 1:1 4 EM 1:10 20

21 Manasseh for his fervent and unrelenting witness of the truth. While Isaiah testified to his own people regarding their circumstances, his writings may find application to the entire House of Israel in every time and place, including the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times and thereafter. His testimony of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is among the clearest that appears in the Old Testament today Amoz The father of Isaiah the prophet. Little more is known of him Judah The fourth son of Jacob and Leah. The family of Judah would be given the responsibility to preside in Israel, beginning with the reign of David the King. His posterity would include the mortal Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will reign over the children of men throughout the Millennium and in the eternities. His name mean praised, celebrated. The marriage of Judah to the daughter of Shuah took place about the year 2221, the year that Jacob returned to the land of Canaan and was living in Succoth east of the river Jordan. He was probably 19 at the time. We do not know why he did not marry while in the land of Padanaram. The daughter of Shuah died about the Adamic Year 2237, at which time Judah had his liaison with his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar, the result of which was the birth of Pharez and Zerah Jerusalem A city located about 32 miles from the Mediterranean Sea and 18 miles from the Jordan River and the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Once the city was captured by the children of Israel from the Jebusites, it served as the capital of the kingdom of Israel and Judah for many centuries. Jerusalem sits aside of several prominences including mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to take Isaac as an offering unto the Most High God, and mount Zion. The Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives lie immediately to the east. The traditional sites of Calvary and the Garden Tomb lie immediately to the north. The king at the time of the initial entry into the land of promise was Adonizedek Uzziah Elsewhere Azariah. The king of Judah after the assassination of his father Amaziah. He came to the throne when but sixteen years of age and ruled for fifty-two years. He was notable for his piety and his willingness to follow the counsel of Zechariah the prophet. The kingdom of Judah prospered during his reign. Toward the end of his tenure, Uzziah sought to perform ordinances in the temple at Jerusalem that pertained to the priests of the Levitical priesthood. For his presumption he was smitten with leprosy Jotham The son of Azariah and Jerushah, and his successor to the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He was 25 years of age when he began to rule, being in that capacity for 16 years Ahaz The son of Jotham and king of Judah after his father s death. He was an idolater and murderer who sought aid from the Assyrians rather than the God of his fathers. The prophet Isaiah condemned many of his practices. He ruled for sixteen years. He was succeeded by his son Hezekiah Hezekiah The son of Ahaz who returned to the righteousness of his grandfather and his great-grandfather, Jotham and Uzziah. The Temple was cleansed and purified in his day. He routed the Philistines on several occasions and refused to be subservient to the king of Assyria. Isaiah the prophet was well received in the court of the king. Hezekiah died after a reign of 29 years at the age of