The Book of Mormon
~559–545 BC

2 Nephi 19

Though darkness afflicted Zebulun and Naphtali, light will shine. A child is born whose government brings endless peace—called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Yet Israel's pride remains despite God's judgment. God's anger continues as tribes war against Judah.

Light Breaking Through Darkness

But the darkness won’t last forever. God first brought only light suffering to the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali. But later he brought crushing hardship—down by the Red Sea, across the Jordan, to Galilee where foreigners live.

The people walking in darkness have seen a blazing light. Those living in the shadow of death—light has broken through on them. You’ve made the nation grow and given them joy. They celebrate in your presence like farmers at harvest, like soldiers dividing up treasure after victory. You’ve shattered the weight crushing them—the yoke across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every boot that tramped in battle, every uniform soaked in blood—all of it will be thrown into the fire and burned.

A Child Is Born

A child is born to us. A son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His rule and peace will never end. He’ll reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing it with justice and righteousness from now on, forever. The fierce commitment of the Lord Almighty will make this happen.

God’s Warning to Israel

The Lord sent his message to Jacob, and it landed on Israel.

Everyone will know it—Ephraim and the people living in Samaria—who say with arrogance and stubborn pride: 'The bricks have fallen, but we’ll rebuild with cut stone. The fig trees are chopped down, but we’ll replace them with cedars.'

So the Lord will stir up Rezin’s enemies against them and rally their foes. Syria will attack from the east, the Philistines from the west. They’ll devour Israel with open jaws. Even after all this, God’s anger hasn’t cooled. His hand is still raised to strike.

A Nation That Won’t Turn Back

The people haven’t turned back to the one who struck them. They haven’t sought the Lord Almighty.

So the Lord will cut off Israel’s head and tail, branch and reed, in a single day. The elders and honored leaders are the head. The prophets teaching lies are the tail. The leaders of this people have led them astray, and those who follow them are swallowed up in confusion. So the Lord won’t celebrate their young men or show mercy to their orphans and widows. Every one of them is godless and wicked. Every mouth speaks foolishness. Even after all this, God’s anger hasn’t cooled. His hand is still raised to strike.

Wickedness Burns Like Fire

Wickedness burns like wildfire, consuming thorns and briers. It ignites the forest thickets, and smoke billows up in thick clouds.

The land is scorched by the rage of the Lord Almighty. The people become fuel for the flames. No one spares even their own family. They’ll grab food from the right and still be hungry. They’ll devour from the left and never be satisfied. Each one will eat the flesh of their own children. Manasseh will turn on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh. Together they’ll attack Judah. Even after all this, God’s anger hasn’t cooled. His hand is still raised to strike.

Influences

  • 19:1 — Isaiah 9:1 (KJV)
    Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
  • 19:2 — Isaiah 9:2 (KJV)
    The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
  • 19:3 — Isaiah 9:3 (KJV)
    Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
  • 19:4 — Isaiah 9:4 (KJV)
    For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
  • 19:5 — Isaiah 9:5 (KJV)
    For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
  • 19:6 — Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
    For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
  • 19:7 — Isaiah 9:7 (KJV)
    Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
  • 19:8 — Isaiah 9:8 (KJV)
    The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
  • 19:9 — Isaiah 9:9 (KJV)
    And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
  • 19:10 — Isaiah 9:10 (KJV)
    The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
  • 19:11 — Isaiah 9:11 (KJV)
    Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
  • 19:12 — Isaiah 9:12 (KJV)
    The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
  • 19:13 — Isaiah 9:13 (KJV)
    For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.
  • 19:14 — Isaiah 9:14 (KJV)
    Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
  • 19:15 — Isaiah 9:15 (KJV)
    The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
  • 19:16 — Isaiah 9:16 (KJV)
    For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
  • 19:17 — Isaiah 9:17 (KJV)
    Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
  • 19:18 — Isaiah 9:18 (KJV)
    For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
  • 19:19 — Isaiah 9:19 (KJV)
    Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
  • 19:20 — Isaiah 9:20 (KJV)
    And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
  • 19:21 — Isaiah 9:21 (KJV)
    Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
2 Nephi 182 Nephi 20