Isaiah in the Book of Mormon

[David Bokovoy]

I recently saw the Isaiah chapters in 2 Nephi with a new light that I felt a desire to share with the Board.

For quite some time, I have been interested in the repetition of the word

[David Bokovoy]

In hindsight, I should explain the reference cited in the initial post. In the book, we simply noted that 2 Nephi 25:5 seems to contain the leitwort

[dacook]

[David Bokovoy]

Hello Dacook,

?Any possible connection with later Greek logos/word = Jehovah?

Could seeing and hearing the "word" also mean seeing and hearing Jehovah, as the Word that was with God in the beginning?

Just free-associating.

A very nice observation on your part! I've had similar impressions. I believe that this statement is exactly correct.

Significantly, Jacob, whom Nephi testified had seen the word, continued to use this concept throughout his preaching. Interesting to compare the notion of the logos in John 1:1 with Jacob 4:9:

[David Bokovoy]

I enjoyed your earlier posts on the pre-existence of spirits in the Old Testament, BTW.

Thanks for the kindly words. I really love the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon.

A lot of people seem to simply peruse this board with questions regarding LDS theology and the standard works. In this context, the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon seem to frequently take a critical hit.

I really simply hoped that this pattern might spark someone

[David Bokovoy]

Around 560 BC, a prophet named Nephi decided that he liked the writings of Isaiah so much that he'd include them in his own gold plates. A couple thousand years later, Joseph Smith digs up Nephi's plates and translates them. Amazingly, Joseph Smith's translation of the Isaiah chapters in the gold plates is almost exactly, word for word, the same translation found in the King James version of the Bible.

There are many different translations of the Bible. Here are three versions of Isaiah 2:6

You have abandoned your people,the house of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East;they practice divination like the Philistines and clasp hands with pagans. (NIV)

For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, Because they are filled with influences from the east, And they are soothsayers like the Philistines, And they strike bargains with the children of foreigners. (New American Standard Version)

For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. (English Standard Version)

And now here is the KJV, followed by the BoM version:

Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken they people, the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

With the exception of "O Lord" (which, by the way, isn't included in ANY other translation), the BoM verse is exactly the same as the KJV. It's difficult enough to believe that just one verse could be translated exactly the same, but we're not talking about one verse; we're talking about entire chapters!

Just more evidence that the BoM is not an ancient record of anything, unless you consider the 1830s to be ancient.

This only proves that the King James Version has influenced the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon. I think my friend David Wright has done a nice job illustrating this fact.

Remember, the Prophet worked on the small plates towards the conclusion of his translation efforts.

Personally, I have no problem with the apparent fact that when Joseph realized that the record contained several Isaiah chapters, the Prophet used the King James Bible to assist him in his efforts.

Sorry to disappoint, but this is really not problematic in any way shape or form for the Book of Mormon

[usadingo]

I just like how Isaiah 2:6 speaks out against divination, and yet Mormonism was founded by someone who practiced it frequently.

[David Bokovoy]

Hello Usadingo,

I just like how Isaiah 2:6 speaks out against divination, and yet Mormonism was founded by someone who practiced it frequently.

Could you please explain precisely how the founder of Mormonism violated this verse:

"For you have forgotten [the ways] of your people, O House of Jacob! For they are full [of practices] from the East, and of soothsaying like the Philistines; they abound in customs of the aliens" (Isaiah 2:6; JPS)

[usadingo]

Soothsaying, or Divination in some translations, is the occultic practice of using seer stones/peep stones to see treasures under the earth by placing them in a bag or hat to shut out the light of the world. Joseph Smith was found guilty of this practice back on March 20th, 1826 during the trial of "Same (i.e. "People") vs. Joseph Smith the Glass Looker."

[David Bokovoy]

Usadingo,

Soothsaying, or Divination in some translations, is the occultic practice of using seer stones/peep stones to see treasures under the earth by placing them in a bag or hat to shut out the light of the world. Joseph Smith was found guilty of this practice back on March 20th, 1826 during the trial of "Same (i.e. "People") vs. Joseph Smith the Glass Looker."

Now look what you

[David Bokovoy]

One more thing. I

[Gohan]

David,

Don't bother trying to argue with him, no answer you provide - no matter how logical - will be sincerely listened to.

[usadingo]

Suffice it to say that in light of the very real fact that in the Old Testament, Joseph divines by looking into a silver cup (Genesis 44:5), the High Priest divines via his magical tool the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:15-30), Jacob employs a magic rod to outfox his Father-in-Law (Genesis 30:32-43), Rebekah consumes magical fertility charms (Gen. 30:14-15), the Israelites receive healing via a supernatural pole (Numbers 21:4-9), Elijah transmits power to Elisha via a magic cloak (1 Kings 19:19), etc., perhaps this verse from Isaiah doesn