Fellow Idahoan, David R. Minert, has written a new, two-columned book, Simplified Isaiah For The Latter-Day Saints (Orem:  GRANITE Publishing & Distribution L.L.C., 2006).  The author has written his explanation of every verse in Isaiah in the right column of each page.  In the left column, he has printed out the King James Bible with (1) cross-outs, (2) Book of Mormon additions in red, and (3) Joseph Smith Translation additions in bold.

There is an amazing statement on the back cover of David’s book: 

The author is confident that anyone who reads this book will finish and say, “Now I finally understand the Book of Isaiah!”

I am dumbfounded by the audacious promise of this statement, especially when there is no engagement of the Hebrew text. But I will say that Minert’s introductory words in his book opened my eyes about something in the LDS translation of Isaiah.  He writes,

Furthermore, the word “LORD,” as it appears in the King James Version, was lowercased to “Lord” in the Isaiah chapters included in the Book of Mormon.  I have used that style throughout the left-hand column.  Similarly, the phrase “LORD of hosts,” as used in the King James Version, appears as “Lord of Hosts” in the Book of Mormon.  I have used that style throughout the text.  The phrases “Lord GOD of hosts” and “Lord GOD” appear in the Book of Mormon text of Isaiah as “Lord God of Hosts” and “Lord God” and I have used that style throughout the text.  Where there is a difference in punctuation between the King James Version and the Book of Mormon chapters of Isaiah, I have chosen to use that of the Book of Mormon and noted those differences in red (xvi).

With this setup, how does one determine in Minert’s Isaiah when God is either adonai or YHWH in Isaiah (i.e., Isaiah 4:2 and 4:4)? 

The one handy thing is that Minert’s Isaiah shows clearly the changes to the KJV for the traditional LDS.  Look here at Isaiah 4:2-3:

“In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for to them that are escaped of Israel.  And it shall come to pass, that he that is they that are left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem–”

But let me compare this to Donald W. Parry’s translation of Isaiah 4:2-3 in Harmonizing Isaiah:  Combining Ancient Sources (FARMS, 2001):

“In that day the branch of the LORD will be for beauty and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and honor for them that are escaped of Israel [and Judah].  And it will come to pass, [they] that are left in Zion, and remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem.”

 

Don offers his own translation of the Dead Sea Isaiah Scroll (1QIsa^a), coupled with the Masoretic Text, the Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith Translation.  In the endnotes on these two particular verses, he explains (1) that “and Judah” comes from 1QIsa^a and (2) that “they” is sourced in the JST and 2 Nephi 14:3 while 1QIsa^a and the MT read as singular “he” or “whoever.” 

 

I must admit that Don offers an intriguing resource in the interaction with 1QIsa^a.  I assume that 1QIsa^b (note the superscript) is right in line with the MT of Isaiah, validating the Masoretic Text of Isaiah as the most preserved book of all antiquity, proclaiming an accurate preservation that stretches 2,200 years!  I would love to explore this more with Don Parry as he comes to Idaho Falls this Wednesday as a distinguished speaker on the Great Isaiah Scroll.