David Bokovoy Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 One of the interesting literary nuances featured in the first half of Isaiah includes the distinct connotation associated with the Hebrew expression, haâ??am hazeh meaning â??this people.â? Throughout the first half of the book, the term explicitly appears in reference to Israel whom the Lord declares are an apostate group, who notwithstanding their covenantal relationship with God are a people ripe for destruction. Examples of this interesting literary device include the following:â??And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive notâ? (Isaiah 6:9)â??Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healedâ? (Isaiah 6:10)â??Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliahâ??s son (Isaiah 8:6)â??For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this peopleâ? (Isaiah 8:11)â??Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraidâ? (Isaiah 8:12)â??For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyedâ? (Isaiah 9:16)â??For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this peopleâ? (Isaiah 28:11)â??Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalemâ? (Isaiah 28:14)â??Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidâ? (Isaiah 29:13-14)For Latter-day Saints, this final example of the expression â??this peopleâ? used as a reference to apostate Israel, ripe for destruction, proves especially intriguing. Book of Mormon authors show a direct familiarly with the Isaiah prophecy that Latter-day Saints traditionally associate with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (see for example 2 Nephi 27:15-18)So all of this now brings me to what I consider a fascinating link between the Isaiahanic tradition regarding the connotation of the term â??this peopleâ? and the Book of Mormon.Oh, about a decade or so ago, I remember sitting in the Longfellow chapel in Cambridge, MA listening to Daniel Peterson give a talk on the Book of Mormon. As usual, I was truly impressed with Danâ??s insights and enjoyed the presentation. In one part of the lecture Dan offered what I considered to be a fascinating literary observation regarding Samuel the Lamaniteâ??s discourse. Dan drew attention to the fact that through repetition of the phrase "this people," Samuel provides an articulate distinction between the Nephites and Godâ??s people. According to Dan, Samuel accomplished this feat through a repetition of the phrase â??this peopleâ? which ultimately the Prophet contrasts with the expression, â??his [the Lordâ??s] peopleâ?:â??Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the sword of justice hangeth over this people; and four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people. Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, who surely shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things and shall be slain for his peopleâ? (Helaman 13:5-6)I believe that this reading offered by Dr. Peterson is truly insightful. The literary repetition of the expression "this people" in Samuel's discourse is very Hebraiclike. In addition, when added with the specific nuance of the Hebrew term haâ??am hazeh â??this peopleâ? as a reference to a chosen people who exist in a state of apostasy, in my mind Dr. Petersonâ??s astute observation carries even more significance.
Sargon Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Glad to see you here David. We've missed your erudition.
Joseph Antley Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Good to see another one of your insightful posts, David.This is actually really interesting...it seems there are quite a few parallels linking the Isaiah tradition with the Book of Mormon.
etana Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Interesting (and it happens that I am currently reading this chapter in Helaman) Thanks for the insights! Wouldn't it be ha'am hazeh though?
Hammer Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Cool. I am going to send this one to my missionary son.
David Bokovoy Posted July 11, 2008 Author Posted July 11, 2008 Interesting (and it happens that I am currently reading this chapter in Helaman) Thanks for the insights! Wouldn't it be ha'am hazeh though?Thank you. The phrase I've identified in Isaiah is indeed ha'am hazeh. Forgot to include the hazeh in my post, but I'll go back and fix it. Thanks.
David Bokovoy Posted July 11, 2008 Author Posted July 11, 2008 Glad to see you here David. We've missed your erudition.Thanks, Brother. Lost interest in both scholarship and apologetics for quite a while. Trying to get back.best.
DispensatorMysteriorum Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 David,It's good to see you. We sure have missed you
Sargon Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 What a great observation Bro. Bokovoy. As this is an expansion on an idea you heard 10 years ago, I can only try to imagine what you will be producing 10 years from now!Things like this remind me of Welch's essay in Echoes and Evidences entitled "A Steady Stream of Significant Recognitions." We shouldn't be still discovering these type of things still in a book written by a fraud!
cdowis Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 I find it interesting that BOM critics generally stay away from a discussion of its text, and remained fixated on physical, archeological evidence. The strongest evidence for its authenticity is in the text itself, both as an ancient and religious text.Thanks mucho for one more insight on how to understand the text.
David Bokovoy Posted July 22, 2008 Author Posted July 22, 2008 What a great observation Bro. Bokovoy. As this is an expansion on an idea you heard 10 years ago, I can only try to imagine what you will be producing 10 years from now!Things like this remind me of Welch's essay in Echoes and Evidences entitled "A Steady Stream of Significant Recognitions." We shouldn't be still discovering these type of things still in a book written by a fraud!Thanks, friend. However, please note that this was a DCP insight that stuck with me from about 10 years ago.best
Daniel Peterson Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 David:I'm delighted to see somebody pick up on that point (I've never gotten the slightest response to it, heretofore), and especially delighted to have you add something to it.As always, I really enjoy your perceptive readings. And, as always, I hope that they'll ultimately be gathered up and/or published somewhere.-dcp
howller Posted July 22, 2008 Posted July 22, 2008 One of the interesting literary nuances featured in the first half of Isaiah includes the distinct connotation associated with the Hebrew expression, haâ??am hazeh meaning â??this people.â? Throughout the first half of the book, the term explicitly appears in reference to Israel whom the Lord declares are an apostate group, who notwithstanding their covenantal relationship with God are a people ripe for destruction.Ooh. I wonder if this is further evidence of multiple authors for the Book of Isaiah. (Whoops, slightly off topic.) Still, the connection to the BOM is an excellent observation.
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