Old Testament Commentary - Isaiah 5/2 Nephi 15

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [Isaiah 5]	Scriptural Text [2 Nephi 15]	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 5 The Lord's vineyard (Israel) shall become desolate and his people be scattered—Woes shall come upon them in their apostate and scattered state—The Lord shall lift an ensign and gather Israel—Compare 2 Nephi 15.	CHAPTER 15 The Lord's vineyard (Israel) shall become desolate and his people shall be scattered—Woes shall come upon them in their apostate and scattered state—The Lord shall lift an ensign and gather Israel—Compare Isaiah 5. [Between 559 and 545 B.C.]
1 ^aNow^a will I sing ^bto my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his ^cvineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard ^din a very fruitful hill: 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.	1 ^aAND then^a will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved, touching his ^bvineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest ^avine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 1^a Now / And then This may be a matter of distinguishing the 'prophetic perfect' case. And thus perhaps a small matter, the clarification that the Book of Mormon Isaiah translation does make is that this was not going to occur in the 'current ancient time' but it would come in the future—'And then'. It can be read and interpreted the same way whether with the single word 'now' with the understanding that the 'now' would be in the 'prophetic perfect' future, but perhaps the more understandable translation is to use the unquestionable familiar 'And then', which without ambiguity often caused by the 'prophetic future' clarifies that it is in the future and NOT in the presence 'time', which the word 'now' might imply to some readers.	1^a Isa. 5:1 (1-30) ^b TG Vineyard of the Lord 1^a 2 Ne. 15:1-30 ^b IE The prophet composes a song or poetic parable of a vineyard, showing God's mercy and Israel's unresponsiveness ^c D&C 101:44 (43-58) ^d IE in Israel 2^a Jer. 2:21
3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth ^awild grapes?	3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes it brought forth wild grapes.	4^a TG Apostasy of Israel
5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my ^avineyard: I will ^btake away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the ^cwall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7 For the ^avineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel^a, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for ^bjudgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold ^ca cry.	5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard—I will ^atake away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down; 6 And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up ^abriers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they ^brain no rain upon it. 7 For the ^avineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel^a, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for ^bjudgment, and behold, ^coppression; for righteousness, but behold, a cry. 7^a the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel Now this is of a truth, the Hosts of the Lord is the house of Israel, but who is Israel which Isaiah is speaking of to Judah and who is of Israel today? In Isaiah's speaking to Judah, the Israel which had been hedged in as the Lord's vine was particularly being spoken of as the Kingdom of Israel, the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim. They are they who had been despoiled, their walls werer broken down and they werer carried off into captivity. So from the textual perspective it is Epharim who is Israel. These things had not happend to Judah yet, the Lord's pleasant plant, which Isaiah particularly adds to being along with this house of Israel, and thus not being left out. And now also, who is of Israel today? That may mean a literal descendant of Israel or more particularly in a gospel sense, it is all those who join themselves unto the Lord by conversion and baptism. As John the Baptist alluded to, 'even of these stone [gentiles] is the Lord able to raise up sons unto Abraham'. In a gospel sense, you need not be of the blood of Israel, that is Jacob, in order to be of the house of Israel—God's people who have prevailed in the Lord. Now therefore a more universal meaning of the name Israel is one or they who do prevail in the Lord. Israel was a name give unto Jacob. That name existed before Jacob. It did not just spring up to existance and meaning in Jacob, but it was applied by the Lord unto Jacob. John the Baptist taught that even of 'these stones' a alusion to the Gentiles, is the Lord God able to raise up sons of Abraham, which may be just as well applied to those who are of the house of Israel. It is not so much genealogy or descent which defines 'who does or will prevail with the Lord'. It is more as to who does come unto God, accept the gospel and become fellow citizens with the saints of God. Thus in such terms, the Lord's vineyard also applies to all who do come unto the Lord in the latter day. True there may or may not be the blood of Jacob in them, but that is not the particular upon the matter as to who will be saved in Christ.	5^a Ps. 80:12 (8-15) 5^a Matt. 21:43 (33-44) ^b D&C 24:19 ^c Prov. 24:31; Lam. 2:7 (6-7) 6^a Isa. 7:23-24; Isa. 32:13 ^b Lev. 26:4; Jer. 3:3 7^a TG Vineyard of the Lord ^b Amos 5:24 ^c TG Oppression 7^a TG Vineyard of the Lord ^b OR justice ^c IE a riotous or raucous outcry
8 ¶ Woe unto them that ^ajoin ^bhouse to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may ^cbe placed alone in the midst of the earth! 9 In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. 10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one ^abath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.	8 Wo unto them that join ^ahouse to house, till there can be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! 9 In mine ears, said the Lord of Hosts, of a truth many houses shall be desolate, and great and fair cities without inhabitant. 10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one ^abath, and the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah.	8^a Micah 2:2 8^a TG Covetousness ^b Micah 2:2 ^c IE be left to dwell alone. The wealthy landowners absorb the small farms of the poor 10^a BD Weights and Measures; Also Ezek. 45:11 10^a Ezek. 45:11
11 ¶ Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till ^awine inflame them! 12 And the harp, and the ^aviol, the ^btabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they ^cregard not the ^dwork of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.	11 Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may ^afollow strong drink, that continue until night, and ^bwine inflame them! 12 And the harp, and the ^aviol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine are in their feasts; but they ^bregard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.	11^a Prov. 23:30 (29-32) ^b TG Drunkenness; TG Word of Wisdom 11^a TG Drunkenness 12^a Amos 6:5-6 ^b Ps. 28:5; TG Rebellion 12^a HEB lyre ^b HEB drums ^c TG Rebellion ^d Ps. 28:5 (4-5)
13 ¶ Therefore my people are gone into ^acaptivity, because they have no ^aknowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their ^apomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the ^alofty shall be humbled:	13 Therefore, my people are gone into ^acaptivity, because they have no ^bknowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14 Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15 And the mean man shall be ^abrought down, and the ^bmighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the ^clofty shall be humbled.	13^a Lam. 1:1-3 ^b Isa. 1:3; Hosea 4:6; TG Knowledge 13^a TG Bondage, Spiritual ^b TG God, Knowledge about; TG Knowledge 14^a HEB noise, or uproar 15^a Isa. 2:17 (11, 17) ^b 2 Ne. 12:11 ^c TG Haughtiness 15^a OR haughty
16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in ^ajudgment, and God that is ^bholy shall be sanctified in righteousness. 17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.	16 But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in ^ajudgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. 17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the ^afat ones shall strangers eat.	16^a TG Jesus Christ, Judge 16^a TG Jesus Christ, Judge ^b Lev. 19:2; Josh. 24:19 17^a Isa. 10:16
18 Woe unto them that ^adraw iniquity with cords of ^bvanity, and sin ^cas it were with a cart rope: 19 That say, Let him make ^aspeed, and ^bhasten his work, that we may ^csee it: and let the counsel of the ^dHoly One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!	18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of ^avanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope; 19 That say: Let him ^amake speed, ^bhasten his work, that we may ^csee it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it.	18^a TG Vanity 18^a HEB entice, or pull ^b TG Vanity ^c IE They are tied to their sins like beasts to their burdens 19^a Jer. 17:15 ^b TG Haste ^c TG Sign Seekers 19^a Amos 5:18 ^b 2 Pet. 3:4 (3-4) ^c TG Sign Seekers ^d ID They will not believe in the Messiah until they see him
20 ¶ Woe unto them that call ^aevil ^bgood, and good evil; that put ^cdarkness for ^dlight, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are ^awise in their own ^beyes, and ^cprudent in their own sight! 22 Woe unto them that are mighty to ^adrink ^bwine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 23 Which ^ajustify the ^bwicked for reward, and ^ctake away the righteousness of the righteous from him!	20 Wo unto them that ^acall ^bevil good, and good evil, that put ^cdarkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Wo unto the ^awise in their own eyes and ^bprudent in their own sight! 22 Wo unto the mighty to drink ^awine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; 23 Who justify the wicked for ^areward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!	20^a D&C 64:16; D&C 121:16 ^b Moro. 7:14, 18 ^c 1 John 1:6 20^a TG Evil ^b TG Discernment, Spiritual; TG God, the Standard of Righteousness ^c TG Darkness, Spiritual ^d TG Light 21^a Prov. 3:7 (5-7); 2 Ne. 28:15 ^b TG Prudence 21^a TG Wisdom ^b TG Pride ^c TG Prudence 22^a Prov. 3:4 (3-9) 22^a TG Drunkenness ^b TG Word of Wisdom 23^a TG Bribery 23^a TG Injustice ^b Prov. 17:15 ^c IE deprive him of his legal right
24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the ^astubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their ^broot shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 Therefore is the ^aanger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath ^bstretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.	24 Therefore, as the ^afire devoureth the ^bstubble, and the flame consumeth the ^cchaff, their ^droot shall be rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts, and ^edespised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 Therefore, is the ^aanger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them; and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.	24^a Obad. 1:18; 2 Ne. 20:17; 3 Ne. 20:16 ^b Joel 2:5; 1 Ne. 22:15, 23; 2 Ne. 26:6 (4, 6); D&C 64:24 (23-24); D&C 133:64 ^c Luke 3:17; Mosiah 7:30 (29-31) ^d Job 18:16-21 ^e 2 Sam. 12:9 (7-9) 24^a Isa. 47:14 ^b Job 18:16 25^a Deut. 32:21; D&C 63:32; Moses 6:27 25^a TG God, Indignation of ^b TG God, Access to
26 ¶ And he will lift up an ^aensign to the nations from far, and will ^bhiss unto them from the ^cend of the earth: and, behold, they shall ^dcome with speed swiftly: 27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: 28 Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:	26 And he will lift up an ^aensign to the ^bnations from far, and will hiss unto them from the ^cend of the earth; and behold, they shall ^dcome with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble among them. 27 None shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken; 28 Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion.	26^a TG Ensign ^b TG Nations ^c 2 Ne. 29:2 ^d TG Israel, Gathering of 26^a TG Ensign; TG Millennium, Preparing a People for ^b OR whistle; i.e., signed for the gathering; Isa. 7:18; 2 Ne. 29:2 (1-3) ^c Deut. 28:49 ^d TG Israel, Gathering of
29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young ^alions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the ^bprey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it. 30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the ^alight is ^bdarkened in the heavens thereof.	29 They shall roar like young ^alions; yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry away safe, and none shall deliver. 30 And in that ^aday they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea; and if they look unto the land, behold, darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.	29^a 3 Ne. 21:12-13 29^a TG Israel, Deliverance of ^b 3 Ne. 21:12-13 30^a TG Day of the Lord 30^a TG World, End of ^b TG Darkness, Spiritual

Previous Isa./BM Chapter

Next Isa./BM Chapter

Commentary Page