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Book of Mormon Commentary
1 Nephi Chapter 6
NEPHI READS FROM THE BRASS PLATES, VER. 1-106
1 Ne 6:4 But that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer, I did read
unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah;
6:4 Nephi risked his life to obtain these records as directed by God. He arranged for devotional
services and read from the plates of brass the "doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of
old" (6:2). He mentions first reading from "the book of Moses" (6:3). Actually Lehi found that the
plates contained the five books of Moses (1:159). We refer to them as the Pentateuch (Genesis,
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). They were in one volume or scroll and known to
the Jews as "the Law" (Torah).
Nephi then turned to the book of Isaiah and selected two chapters (48 and 49), making application
to his colony "for our profit and learning." He reminded them that they were a "remnant of the
house of Israel, a branch ...broken off" (6:6; Gen. 49:22; Rom. 11:17-20).
When Nephi was instructed by the Lord to make the small plates he was told to engrave “many
things upon them which are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people" (II N. 4:46). Nephi
showed a fondness for Isaiah. His high opinion for the literary and spiritual excellence of the book
of Isaiah is shared by many modern scholars.
Doubtless Nephi's concern went beyond the beauty and eloquence of the prophet. He had a
missionary purpose, and wanted to impress his people with the distinctive value of the heritage of
the house of Israel or Jacob. He selected that portion of the book which told of the restoration of
Israel under the watchcare of the Holy One, Jehovah's servant. Here the prophet reminded Israel of
the promises made to preserve and redeem them. When Christ visited the Nephites he laid special
stress on the study of Isaiah (III N. 9:47; 10:27).
1 Ne 6:6 Wherefore, I spake unto them, saying, Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant
of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were
written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as
your brethren, from whom ye have been broken off.
6:6-56 Here Nephi began to read from the plates which quoted chapters 48 and 49 of Isaiah.
Altogether the Book of Mormon quotes twenty-one complete chapters of Isaiah and parts of
others.
Isaiah 50 is used in II Nephi 5:46-69
Isaiah 51 is used in II Nephi 5:70-114
Isaiah, chapters 2-14, is quoted in II Nephi 8:17-10:54
Isaiah 29 is used as II Nephi 11:116-160 with part of it introduced earlier in the chapter.
Isaiah 53 becomes Mosiah 8:15-27
Isaiah 52 is quoted in III Nephi 9:74-83
Isaiah 54 is quoted in III Nephi 10:9-25.
These quotations do not slavishly follow the King James Version, which Joseph Smith followed in
making the Inspired Version in 1831 to 1833. The Hebrew text which was followed in making the
Plates of Brass would be an ancient version (before 600 B.C.). There are thousands of italicized
words in the King James Version which indicate that the translators were uncertain what
phraseology to use. There are many changes in the score or more of translations made in the last