(2 Nephi 4 (cont.))

(Isaiah 11)
(** 2 Nephi 21 **)

for behold, I know that if ye are brought up

1 And there shall come forth a rod

[AI am the way, the truth, the life@]

[AI am the vine, ye are the branches@]

ye
[AI, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.@ (Ezk. 34:11.)]

[Aif it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.@ (3 Ne. 26:9.) AYe have taken away the key of knowledge, the fulness of the scriptures.@ (JST-Luke 11:52.)]

from it. [the way]

of his roots. [see Aroots@ below]

[Aby his stripes we are healed@]

that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered

the spirit of wisdom

upon the heads of your parents.

[answering the tree of knowledge of good & evil?]

7 Wherefore, because of my blessing

the spirit of counsel [interceding covenant]

the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish;

and might, [power of deliverance]

wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and unto your seed forever.

[you would have to be on your toes for this one]

9 And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my second son; behold I leave unto you the same blessing which I left unto the sons and daughters of Laman;

wherefore, thou shalt not utterly be destroyed;

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor,

but in the end thy seed shall be blessed.

and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth;

10 And it came to pass that when my father had made an end of speaking unto them,
behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household.

11 And after he had made an end of speaking unto them, he spake unto Sam, saying:

and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

and thy seed;

5 And righteousness
shall be the girdle of his loins,
and faithfulness
the girdle of his reins.

for thou shall inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi.

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,

And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed;

and the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother,

and the calf and the young lion and fatling together;

and thy seed like unto his seed;

and a little child

and thou shalt be blessed in all thy days.

shall lead them.

[the great council at Adam-Ondi-Ahman]

[nourished by word of God]

according to the feelings of his heart

their young ones shall lie down together;

[no enmity]and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him,

[millennial new heart not limited to man]

[In the millennium, there shall be no death, but man shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye]

13 And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me

because of the admonitions of the Lord.

in all my holy mountain,

[Lost 116 manuscript pages from the large plates]

AAnd when they shall have received this [Book of Mormon], which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them. And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation. (3 Ne. 26:10.)

15 And upon these [plates] I write the things of my soul, [the Book of Mormon]

which shall stand for an ensign of the people;

[(1) In a positive sense, a few enlightened Gentiles know of the great treasure contained in the plates of brass. They therefore look and pray earnestly for their coming forth; (2) in a negative sense, the Gentile world embraces the Bible as we have it now as being permanently sufficient, and will spurn at the coming forth of the plates of brass, though they will further prove the validity of the Bible and restore portions now lost.]

For my soul delighteth in the scriptures,

and the profit

AThe words and the way they are used in the Book of Mormon by the Lord should become our source of understanding and should be used by us in teaching gospel principles.@ B Ezra Taft Benson (C.R. Apr. 1987)

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord;

which shall be left,

[which are recorded as scripture: namely the BofM]

12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations,

from the four corners of the earth.

in showing me his great and marvelous works,

my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! [that we all are!]

[nothing] [which is what we are by ourselves]

[1^st Messianic advent: to turns everyone from iniquity;   2^nd advent: to deliver world from temporal captivity  -- to fulfill covenant made to Abraham.]

AFor God hath concluded them all [Jews rejection of Messiah and then Gentiles=] in unbelief, that he might have mercy [spiritually (1^st) and temporally (2^nd)] upon all.@ (Rom. 11:32)

which do so easily beset me.

and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

19 And when I desire to rejoice,

15 And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea;

my heart groaneth because of my sins;

and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the river,

nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod.

20 My God hath been my support;

16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people

he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness;

which shall be left, from Assyria,

and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

(2 Nephi 4 (cont.))

(Isaiah 12)
(** 2 Nephi 22 **)

21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

1 And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee;

22 He hath confounded mine enemies,

though thou wast angry with me

unto the causing of them to quake before me.

thine anger is turned away,

23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day,
and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime.

24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him;

[Mosiah 11:25: mighty prayer and deliverance]

yea, my voice have I sent up on high;

I will trust,

and angels came down and ministered unto me.

and not be afraid; [fear not...]

25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains.

And mine eyes have beheld great things,
yea, even too great for man;
therefore I was bidden
that I should not write them.

26 O then, if I have seen so great things,

and my song;

if the Lord in his condescension

he also has become my salvation.

unto the children of men

3 Therefore, with joy shall ye

hath visited men

draw water out of the wells

in so much mercy,

of salvation.

why should my heart weep

4 And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord,

and my soul linger

call upon his name,

in the valley of sorrow,

declare his doings among the people,

and my flesh waste away,

make mention that his name is exalted.

and my strength slacken,

5 Sing unto the Lord;

[confess his hands in all things, turned to glory]

this is known in all the earth.

27 And why should I yield to sin,

6 Cry out and shout, [call upon the Lord]

[must come in subjection to the spirit]

[Literal kingdom will come on earth]

[no temptation given but that a way be given for deliverance]

[(1) furnace; (2) Abrahamic trial]

that the evil one have place in my heart

is the Holy One of Israel

[stone of stumbling; rock of offense]
[peace: shilom; holy: heiro; = Herioshalom or Jerusalem]

[(1) In-dwelling of Holy Ghost;  (2) Lord resides in midst of Zion]

(2 Nephi 4 (cont.))

(Isaiah 13)
(** 2 Nephi 23 **)

Why am I angry

1 THE burden because of mine enemy?

of Babylon,

28 Awake, my soul!

which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

No longer droop in sin.

2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain,

Rejoice, O my heart,

exalt the voice

and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

unto them,

29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies.

shake the hand,

[take no thought what ye shall say...]

[ye shall testify before kings and rulers...]

and cry unto the Lord,

I have also called my mighty ones,

and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever;

for mine anger is not upon them

yea, my soul will rejoice

that rejoice

in thee,
my God,
and the rock of my salvation.

in my highness.

4 The noise
of the multitude in the mountains
like as of a great people,
a tumultuous noise
of the kingdoms of nations
gathered together,

out of the hands

the Lord of Hosts mustereth

of mine enemies?

the hosts of the battle.

Wilt thou

5 They come from a far country,
from the end of heaven,
yea, the Lord,

make me [e.g. give cause]

and the weapons of his indignation,
to destroy the whole land.

that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

6 Howl ye,

32 May the gates of hell

be shut continually before me,

is at hand;

because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite!

it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, [= built on rock]

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint,
every man's heart shall melt;

that I may walk

8 And they shall be afraid;

in the path of the low valley,

pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;

in the plain road!

their faces shall be as flames.

33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness!

9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,

before mine enemies!

to lay the land desolate;

Wilt thou make my path straight

and he shall destroy the sinners thereof

before me!

out of it.

[consider metaphor of sun, moon, and stars to prophet, apostles, evangelists: or those in whom we may rely on more than God]

10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light;
the sun shall be darkened in his going forth,
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

b the ways of mine enemy.

c for their iniquity;

d put my trust in the arm of flesh;

e to cease,

for I know that cursed is he

and will lay down

that putteth his trust

in the arm of flesh.

of the terrible.

Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

12 I will make a man more precious [rare] than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally

13 Therefore, I will shake the heavens,

to him that asketh. [and greater works than these...]

and the earth shall remove out of her place,

Yea, my God [in mercy]

in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts,
and in the day of his fierce anger.

will give me,

14 And it shall be

if I ask not amiss;

as the chased roe,
and as a sheep that no man taketh up;

(** 2 Nephi 5 **)

(Isaiah 13)
(2 Nephi 23 (cont.))

did cry much

16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
their houses shall be spoiled
and their wives ravished.

unto the Lord my God,

17 Behold, I

because of the anger of my brethren.
2 But behold, their anger did increase

will stir up the Medes

against me,

against them,

insomuch that they did seek

18 Their bows shall also dash the young men to pieces;
and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb;
their eyes shall not spare children.

[refusing the messenger of God]

[The god of the arm of flesh]

and we have had much trial because of him;

the glory of kingdoms,
the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency,

wherefore, now let us slay him,

shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

[covenant curse]

For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler;

neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

B to rule over this people.

B shall dance there.

C murmured against me.

D in their pleasant palaces;

But it sufficeth me to say,

that they did seek to take away

For I will destroy her speedily;

but the wicked shall perish. [justice]

(2 Nephi 5 (cont.))

(Isaiah 14)
(** 2 Nephi 24 **)

5 And it came to pass that the Lord

1 FOR the Lord

that I, Nephi, should depart from them

and set them

and flee into the wilderness,

in their own land;

and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

6 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi,

2 And the people [righteous]

And all those

yea, from far unto the ends of the earth;

[This parallel shows that one tyranny shall not merely be replaced by another (as Isaiah=s words by themselves would appear to depict), but that the Acaptivity,@ or new form of government, will be a sweet submission to the ways of God, by one=s own free will and choice C hearkening to His voice.]

a we did pitch our tents.

8 And my people would that we should call the name of the place

4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say:

Nephi;

How hath the oppressor ceased, [opp.]

wherefore, we did call it Nephi.

the golden city ceased! [contrast]

9 And all those who were with me did take upon them to call themselves the people of Nephi. [choosing of their own free will]

[staff and scepter of tyrants come by cruel force]

[e.g. AEye for an eye:@ cardinal rule of telestial law.]

[persecution of the saints and hinderment of God=s work are two hallmarks of Satan=s minions. Also they deny God=s grace, demanding a full measure of the law. True to that principle, the persecution with no hinderment will be returned upon their own heads.]

11 And the Lord was with us; [Immanuel]

7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet;

and we did prosper exceedingly;

they break forth into singing.

for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance.

8 Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of Lebanon,

And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind. [opp. º]

saying: Since thou art laid down no feller is come up against us.

12 And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass;

9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming;

[the Liahona had the appearance of period tools of divination; but was prepared of the Lord.]

[this will be no mere seance drummed up by a crystal ball; but will be an ordeal orchestrated by Satan akin to the coming of Christ to the spirit world after his resurrection.]

[The directions from the Lord are sure.]

[Leaders among men, though placed by God, usually place their trust in the brain and brawn of men, whose wisdom is but dross compared to the Lord. These will be anxious to meet the ultimate anti-(or other than)Christ.]

[...to manifest the will & word of the Lord]

[Representing the wisest and most powerful among men ]

according to that which is written.

10 All they shall speak and say unto thee:

13 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly,
and to multiply in the land.

like unto us?

did make many swords,

11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave;

lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites

the noise of thy viols is not heard;

should come upon us

the worm is spread under thee,
and the worms cover thee.

and destroy us;

12 How art thou fallen from heaven,

for I knew their hatred towards me and my children

O Lucifer,

and those who were called my people.

son of the morning!

15 And I did teach my people to build buildings,
and to work in all manner of wood,

which were in great abundance.

which did weaken the nations!

16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple;

13 For thou hast said in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven,

and I

I

did construct

will exalt

it

my throne

after the manner of

above

the temple of Solomon

the stars of God;

save it were not built

I will sit also upon the mount

of so many precious things;

of the congregation,

for they were not to be found upon the land,

in the sides of the north;

wherefore, it could not be built

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

like unto

I will be like

Solomon's temple.

the Most High.

But

15 Yet

the manner of the construction

thou shalt be brought down

was like unto the temple of Solomon;

to hell,
to the sides of the pit.

and shall say:

[nothing]

Is this the man

was exceedingly fine.

that made the earth to tremble,
that did shake kingdoms?

17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause [freedom/agency]

17 And made [force]

my people [people of God]

the world [Babylon]

to be

as

industrious, [free enterprise]

a wilderness, [communism/socialism]

and to labor [build]

and destroyed the cities thereof,

[work ethic]

[nation of slaves, unproductive serfs]

18 And it came to pass that they would that I should be their king.

18 All the kings of the nations, yea, all of them,

But I, Nephi, was desirous [humble exalted]

lie in glory,

that they should have [stewardship]

every one of them in his own house.

a shall never be renowned.

which he spake concerning them,

21 Prepare slaughter for his children

c nor fill the face of the world with cities.

until the time they sought to take away my life.

[they who sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ shall be cast out]

20 Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that:

Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off

and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord.

from the presence

23 I will also make it a possession

[come ye to the waters; fountain of all righteousness]

[covenant curse]

And behold, they were cut off from his presence.

and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of Hosts.

21 And he had caused

24 The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying:

[Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. (3 Nephi 20:16)]

25 That I will bring the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot;

a of their iniquities.

[as always: removed upon the immutable condition of repentance]

And the Lord spake it, and it was done.

28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

24 And because of their cursing

29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee

which was upon them

they did become an idle people,

for out of the serpent's root

full of

shall come forth

mischief and subtlety,

a cockatrice,

and did seek in the wilderness

and his fruit

for beasts of prey.

shall be a fiery flying serpent.

and inasmuch as they will not remember me,

31 Howl, O gate;

and hearken unto my words,

cry, O city;

they shall scourge them

thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved;

even unto destruction.

for there shall come from the north a smoke,

26 And it came to pass

and

that I, [@when I called again, there was none to answer@ (D&C 133:67)]

none shall be alone [0&-!, al-lone´: (next to:) nothing/God (#436-440; 433,434 Hebrew Lexicon]

Nephi,

in his

did consecrate

appointed [called (ding-a-ling-a-ling: see two below)]

[omitted]

times. [#435 (omitted above) Elul, Athe sixth Hebrew month, from the new moon of September...@ (Gesenius).]

[nothing] [Word #801 (asunetos) in Greek lexicons (in this case: Zodhiates) the following definitions are of interest: AWithout insight or understanding, unintelligent, foolish. In Matt. 15:16, Christ characterized Peter and the other disciples as being asunetos, since they were unable to reason out the practical application of His parabolic teaching. In Rom. 10:19, the believing Gentiles were considered by the unbelieving Jews as being Illogical, and thus accepting Jesus as the Messiah.@ Some antonyms given are: Asunetos (4908), able to reason logically and arrive at the proper conclusions; sophos (4680), wise, able to regulate relationships with God.@]

[Hello? sounds like: Elul!]

that they should be priests and teachers

the messengers

over the land of my people.

of the nations?

a-1 and the poor of his people
a-2 shall trust in it.

(2 Nephi 5 (cont.))

(**2 Nephi 25**)

29 And I, Nephi,

1 NOW I, Nephi,

had kept the records

do speak somewhat

upon my plates,

concerning the words

which I had made,

which I have written,

of my people thus far. [value of type & shadow]

which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah. [liken these words unto us]

many things upon them

which are good in my sight,

which were hard

for the profit of thy people.

for many of my people to understand;.