“For the Fear of the Lord Shall Come Upon Them”

Monte S. Nyman

19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the glory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which he hath made for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the majesty of his glory shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? [2 Nephi 12:19–22]22 Cease ye from man, whose breath isin his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? [Isaiah 2:19–22]

The Book of Mormon retains two phrases, “shall come upon them” and “shall smite them,” in verses nineteen and twenty-one. The first retention seems insignificant, but the last shows that all attempts to hide will be fruitless. The reversal of majesty and glory seems insignificant. The previous commentary on Isaiah 2:10 is also applicable here, since the phrase “for the fear of the Lord and the glory of his majesty” is used in all three verses. The last verse (v. 22) is Isaiah’s way of saying; do not trust in man (the arm of flesh), for man is nothing.

Book of Mormon Commentary: I Nephi Wrote This Record

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