The Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi can be difficult to understand—but if we break down the reasons why Nephi included them in the first place, we can get more out of them.
In the latter half of the Book of Mormon when Jesus Christ visits the Nephites, he commands them to “search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah” (3 Nephi 23:1).
But for many readers, the Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi feel like a frustrating obstacle to completing the Book of Mormon. So how can we better follow Christ’s commandment to study the words of Isaiah? Sister RoseAnn Benson and Brother Shon D. Hopkin provide help in their Religious Educator article, “Finding Doctrine and Meaning in Book of Mormon Isaiah.”
Photo by Kelly Sikkema
More specifically, the authors explore why Nephi would have included the Isaiah chapters. What motivated him? What tradition was he following? What information did he want to get across?
First, Sister Benson and Brother Hopkins note that by including the chapters he did, Nephi was reassuring his people they would not be forgotten, despite being a broken-off branch of Israel. They write, “Nephi saw Isaiah as their prophetic connection back to their homeland.”
Second, Sister Benson and Brother Hopkins say that Nephi was continuing an Israelite prophetic tradition of “quoting an earlier prophet as an additional authority.” This lent authority to Nephi’s other inspired counsel to his people.
To conclude, the authors note that Nephi gained his own spiritual learning from Isaiah. So, in these chapters, Nephi shares words that inspired him in order to offer his readers an opportunity to grow as he did.
Through the Isaiah chapters, Nephi achieves many things. He reassures his people, continues an ancient tradition, and offers us teaching and learning—all by sharing the words of Isaiah that he carefully chose to include in his record. Understanding this can help us realize the significance of each chapter from Nephi’s perspective. As we do, we may find Isaiah’s words to be more relevant in our own lives—or at least a little more readable.
Read “Finding Doctrine and Meaning in Book of Mormon Isaiah” by Sister RoseAnn Benson and Brother Shon D. Hopkin to learn more about Isaiah in the Book of Mormon.
Source: BYU Religious Studies Center
—Ellie Lewis, Latter-day Saint Insights
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Find more insights
To learn more about understanding Isaiah, read Abby Forrest’s Latter-day Saint Insights article “Tackle the Book of Isaiah with These Strategies.”
To get more strategies for reading Isaiah, read Brother Ryan S. Gardner and Brother David A. Edwards’ 2012 New Era article, “How Can I Understand Isaiah?”