[Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not that which is unclean]: The reference of verse 41 is one of ritual cleanliness. The 3 Nephi redaction loses the Isaianic context of the world from which one should depart. Without the citation of verse 10 of Isaiah, the reference to departing would appear to be Jerusalem after it has been purified. Of course that is not the case, and it is probable that this context was simply understood by Jesus’ audience. Those who are to be redeemed in the eschatological Jerusalem must approach it as a temple. Therefore they leave the world and do not touch anything that is unclean, for that would make them unclean. Those who come to this final feast and banquet, those who “bear the vessels of the Lord,” must come ritually purified and ready to enter the temple.
[not go out with haste nor go by flight; for the Lord will go before you]: This coming out from the world, or the final gathering, will be a triumphant one. They will not be fleeing, but able to go out without haste, and without flight. They are no longer fleeing powerful enemies, but are the conquerors. They will exist with their God at their head. The reference to “god of Israel shall be your rearward” seems to place God at both the front and back. While this is not physically accurate, it is symbolically accurate. Israel will be enveloped in the protection of their God.
[Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.]: God will be the ruler on earth, and will both rule “prudently” as well as receive his proper adulation: “he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.”
[his visage was so marred, more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men]: This is a reference to the Messiah being despised during his life, rather than praised.
Elsewhere in Isaiah we have:
Isaiah 53:2-3
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
The contrast here is the typical way that men are esteemed, based on their outward qualities. The Messiah is not “beautiful” in appearance, but rather in heart and mission.
[So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him]: The most confusing part of this verse is the “sprinkle many nations.” This is most likely a textual problem. Blenkinsopp notes that the manuscript text is problematic at this point, and that a more contextually appropriate reading and plausible reading would be “startle.” (John Blenkinsopp. Isaiah 40-55. The Anchor Bible, Doubleday, New York, 2000, pp. 347-7.) This reading makes most sense in the poetic structure of the verses as a contrast to the low expectations implied in verse 44. Blakensopp renders these verses:
14 Just as many were once appalled at him,
15 so will he astonish many nations.
Because of him Kings will observe silence,
For what was never told them they now see,
And what they had never hear they now understand. (John Blenkinsopp. Isaiah 40-55. The Anchor Bible, Doubleday, New York, 2000, p. 345.)
Reference
Isaiah 52:11-15
11 ¶ Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.
13 ¶ Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.