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.

A Great Light for the People

But the darkness will not be as bad as it was before. At first, God let trouble come to the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali. Later, he brought much more trouble near the Red Sea, beyond the Jordan River, in the part of Galilee where many nations live.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who lived in a dark land of death now have light shining on them. You have made the nation larger and made them more happy. They are happy before you like people are happy when they pick crops. They are like soldiers who are happy when they share things they won in battle. You have broken the heavy load they carried. You broke the stick that beat their shoulders and the rod that hurt them. Every soldier’s boot and every bloody uniform will be burned up in the fire.

A Child Is Born

A child is born for us. A son is given to us. He will be the leader. His name will be Wonderful, Guide, The Mighty God, The Father Who Lives Forever, The Prince of Peace. His rule and peace will grow forever. He will sit on David’s throne and rule his kingdom. He will make it strong with what is right and fair from now on and forever. The Lord of hosts will make this happen because he cares so much.

Israel’s Pride and Punishment

The Lord sent his word to Jacob. It came down on Israel. All the people will know about it. Even Ephraim and the people who live in Samaria will know. They say with pride and stubborn hearts: 'The bricks have fallen down, but we will build with cut stones. The sycamore trees are cut down, but we will plant cedar trees instead.' So the Lord will bring up the enemies of Rezin to fight against him. He will bring all his enemies together. The Syrians will attack from the front. The Philistines will attack from behind. They will eat up Israel with wide open mouths. But even after all this, God is still angry. His hand is still raised to punish them.

The People Do Not Turn Back

The people do not turn back to the one who hit them. They do not look for the Lord of hosts. So the Lord will cut off from Israel both the head and the tail. He will cut off both the branch and the root in one day. The old and important man is the head. The prophet who teaches lies is the tail. The leaders of these people lead them the wrong way. The people who follow them get lost. So the Lord will not be happy with their young men. He will not feel sorry for children without fathers or for widows. Every one of them is a fake and does bad things. Every mouth speaks foolish words. But even after all this, God is still angry. His hand is still raised to punish them.

Wickedness Burns Like Fire

Bad actions burn like fire. They burn up thorns and bushes. They start fires in the thick forests. The smoke rises up into the sky. Because the Lord of hosts is angry, the land grows dark. The people are like wood for the fire. No one will help his brother. People will grab food on the right side but still be hungry. They will eat on the left side but not be full. Each person will eat the flesh of his own arm. Manasseh will fight Ephraim, and Ephraim will fight Manasseh. Together they will both fight against Judah. But even after all this, God is still angry. His hand is still raised to punish them.

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