Why did Isaiah refer to these trees in his writings?

Thomas R. Valletta

“Isaiah associated the oak and the terebinth (teal-tree [or teil-tree]) not only with apostasy but also with restoration. Both kinds of trees are robust and cannot be destroyed merely by chopping them down, for the remaining stumps will regenerate the tree by sending forth new shoots … (Isa. 6:12–13).

“Accordingly, Isaiah taught that a part of Israel would return like the oak and the terebinth, which though they are eaten or consumed (hayetah lebaer) right to their substance or stumps (matzebeth), yet they possess a seed in them that can regenerate” (Ball, “Isaiah’s Imagery of Plants and Planting,” 29).

The Book of Mormon Study Guide: Start to Finish

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