(Isa. 53:8–9)
I think that the first clause means that our Lord was taken away (from life) by oppression and by a miscarriage of justice. The second clause, “and who shall declare his generation,” is often taken to mean “and among his contemporaries who was concerned?” I think that “generation” here means “posterity,” but in a very special sense. It has reference to the “seed” or “believers” of Jesus in the sense explained by the prophet Abinadi in Mosiah 15:10–13, or by the Savior to the brother of Jared when he said, “In me shall all mankind have light, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters [i.e., my seed or my generation] (Ether 3:14).
(Sidney B. Sperry, Book of Mormon Compendium [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1968], 304.)
And who shall declare his generation? This has been interpreted, “And his manner of life who would declare?” Although we quote concerning the meaning stated of the question that is asked, we prefer to believe that it refers to the growth of the numbers of Christ’s followers. “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end” (Isa. 9:7). “And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:33).
(George Reynolds and Janne M. Sjodahl, Commentary on the Book of Mormon, ed. Philip C. Reynolds, 7 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1955–1961], 2:162.)
Christ was taken prisoner by soldiers who entered the garden of Gethsemane expressly to seize him, and he spent the rest of his remaining hours in bondage and judgment at the hands of Pilate. He died with the wicked, crucified between two thieves, and found a burial place at the hand of the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea. Christ was the embodiment of truth, with no deceit of any kind ever having passed his lips. Nor would he do evil (even in word) in his time of greatest injustice, praying in the last hours of his life that his Father would forgive those involved, “for they know not what they do.”
(Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997], 93.)
We gain an even stronger appreciation for the remarkable detail of the prophecy of Isaiah quoted by Abinadi. Jesus was indeed put to death “with the wicked,” literally crucified between two thieves (see Luke 23:32). At the same time, he was buried “with the rich,” in the sense that he was placed in a tomb owned by a wealthy man, Joseph of Arimathea (see John 19:38–42).
(Robert L. Millet, Symposium on theBook of Mormon[Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1986], 100.)
Jewish tradition is heavy with the idea that a son must somehow speak for his father after his death. There is a formal ceremony at the grave one year after the father’s death in which the son speaks a formulaic prayer in his father’s behalf, thus “declaring his generation” and the continuance of “his seed.”
(Ann Madsen, “What Meaneth the Words That Are Written?” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, vol. 10, no. 1:11.)