BOM 2 Nephi 19

BOM 2 Nephi 19 February 6, 2016

 

Israel and Judah (and Moab and Syria and etc.)
A map of the two Israelite kingdoms and their neighbors in the ninth century BC
(Wikimedia Commons public domain)

 

Today’s reading, 2 Nephi 19 (= Isaiah 9) is full of messianic language.  No wonder it’s been a favorite over many Christian generations.

 

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (verse 2).

 

From a Christian point of view, Isaiah seems to conflate the first coming of the Savior with his second:

 

“For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of government and peace there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.”  (verses 5-7)

 

(Honestly, can you read the sixth verse, above, without breaking into song?  I can’t.)

 

In all of this, though, Isaiah doesn’t forget his concerns with the evils of Hebrew society around him, in both the northern kingdom of Israel and his own southern kingdom of Judah.

 

He knows, and he prophesies, that God will punish them.  Moreover, their punishment will be serious, and unrelenting.  Its recipients may think that it will pass, but it won’t.  The northern kingdom will not rebound from what the Lord has in store for it.  Its leaders may imagine that they can weather the blow and then rebuild thereafter on an even grander scale, but they’re wrong:

 

“And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart:  The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.  Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin [the king of Israel] against him, and join his enemies together; the Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.  For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts.  Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush in one day.  The ancient [or ‘old man’ or ‘elder’], he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.  For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.”  (verses 9-16)

 

On a very different note, here’s a comment on the text of the Book of Mormon in this chapter:

 

Notice 2 Nephi 19:3:  “Thou hast multiplied the nation,” it reads, “and increased the joy.”

 

Compare it to Isaiah 9:3, as that verse reads in the King James Version of the Bible:  “Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy.”

 

Now compare the Revised Standard Version of Isaiah 9:3:  “Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy.”

 

And Martin Luther’s 1545 translation:  “Du machst des Volkes viel; du machst groß seine Freude.”  (Thou dost make of the people many; thou dost make its joy great.)

 

However, contrast the Latin Vulgate version:  “Multiplicasti gentem non magnificasti laetitiam.”  (Thou hast multiplied the nation and hast not increased the joy.)

 

For that matter, if you’re interested, have a look at the various translations (and see the commentary) here:  http://biblehub.com/isaiah/9-3.htm.

 

 


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