In 2 Nephi chapter 27 the terms “words of a book” and the “words of them which have slumbered” found in verse 6 refer to the teachings and message of the full record of the Nephites. In the golden plates (referred to as “the book” in verse 7) there is a sealed portion that is not to be given to us at this time. Verse 9 refers to the Prophet Joseph and his bringing forth of the Book of Mormon (that portion of the record not held back by the Lord) and sending some of the words to Charles Anthon (see JS—H 1:64). These events are encompassed in Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet have explained Isaiah (Isaiah 29:11–12 and 2 Nephi 27:15–20) and the Anthon transcript as follows:
Isaiah spoke in cryptic language words which have special meaning to the Latter-day Saints, a people who have lived in the days when the prophecies of Isaiah have come to pass (see 2 Nephi 25:8): “And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed; and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned” (Isaiah 29:11–12). The latter-day fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded by Joseph Smith as follows: “In the midst of our afflictions we found a friend in a gentleman by the name of Martin Harris, who came to us and gave me fifty dollars to assist us on our journey [to Harmony, Pennsylvania]. Mr. Harris was a resident of Palmyra township, Wayne county, in the State of New York, and a farmer of respectability.
“By this timely aid was I enabled to reach the place of my destination in Pennsylvania; and immediately after my arrival there I commenced copying the characters off the plates. I copied a considerable number of them, and by means of the Urim and Thummim I translated some of them, which I did between the time I arrived at the house of my wife’s father, in the month of December, and the February following.
“Sometime in this month of February [1828], the aforementioned Mr. Martin Harris came to our place, got the characters which I had drawn off the plates, and started with them to the city of New York. For what took place relative to him and the characters, I refer to his own account of the circumstances, as he related them to me after his return, which was as follows:
“‘I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.
“‘He then said to me, “Let me see that certificate.” I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, “I cannot read a sealed book.” I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation.’” (JS—H 1:61–65)