Nephi’s reading of many things “concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old” (v. 22) would include the books of Moses (v. 23). The plates of brass “did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents” (1 Nephi 5:11). These books, in our present Bible, are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. However, Nephi recognized Isaiah as the more significant source to convince his people of the Lord their Redeemer (v. 23).
To liken Isaiah’s writings unto themselves for their “profit and learning” (v. 23) should not be interpreted to mean that Nephi merely applied them to his people. That Nephi’s prophecies are dual in nature and pertinent to all branches of Israel, is evident from Nephi’s statement that follows: “hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written to all the house of Israel” (v. 24). Jacob later affirmed: “which Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel.” Jesus also used the same passages of Isaiah (52:8–10) to teach about the future of the Lamanites (3 Nephi 16:18–20) and of the Jews (3 Nephi 20:32–35). Furthermore, it should be observed that Isaiah 48 specifically addresses the people who “come forth out of the waters of Judah” (1 Nephi 20:1) and that Isaiah 49 specifically addresses the house of Israel “that are scattered abroad” in the “isles” (1 Nephi 21:1). Nephi calls his people “a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off” (v. 24). We will analyze the message of Isaiah to Judah in this chapter, and the message to the people of Lehi in the following chapter.
Every verse of Isaiah 48 taken from the plates of brass is different than those from the King James Bible, except verse eighteen, which only differs in punctuation. However, the punctuation in the Book of Mormon was provided by translators and printers. The Book of Mormon text was taken from the plates of brass, which is an older source than the source from which the KJV text was translated (prior to 600 B.C.). Thus the Book of Mormon has retained a textual purity that the Bible has not. Twelve of these retentions are significant. They help explain Isaiah’s original message. A comparison of the two texts highlights the retentions in the Book of Mormon.