5 O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord; yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to his wicked ways.5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.6 Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there anyend of their chariots:8 Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:9 And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth himself not, therefore, forgive him not. [2 Nephi 12:5–9]9 And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. [Isaiah 2:5–9]
The Book of Mormon supplies the second half of the original verse, which has been lost from the Bible translations (v. 5). The Book of Mormon shows that there would be a complete apostasy upon the earth before the time of the establishment of the mountain of the Lord’s house. The characteristics of the apostasy are given in terms of Isaiah’s day (vv. 6–8). Therefore, the people of Jacob are invited to walk in the light of the Lord that would be taught in his holy house.
The Book of Mormon retention of the word “not” in two different places in verse nine makes it read sensibly. The word “mean” is a synonym for average in archaic English. Therefore, the “average” man or the great man does not rely on the Lord. The great man probably refers to the more educated, gifted, or prosperous man. The loss of the “not” leaves no reason for either one not to be forgiven. There are some interesting apologies offered by various commentators in the Christian world, trying to justify the present-day Bible readings.