Isa 51:1-23
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Summary[edit]
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Relationship to Isaiah. The relationship of Chapter 49 to the rest of Isaiah is discussed at Isaiah.
Story. Chapter 49 consists of ____ major sections:
Message. Themes, symbols, and doctrinal points emphasized in Chapter 49 include:
Discussion[edit]
This section is for detailed discussion such as the meaning of a symbol, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout a passage, or insights that can be further developed in the future. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Isa 51:20. The “head” of the streets means the street corners.
- Isa 51:22: Trembling. The word translated as "trembling" in verse 22 is the Hebrew Tar`elah, which might be better translated as "reeling" or "staggering", building on the drunken motif of verse 21.
Unanswered questions[edit]
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Prompts for life application[edit]
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Prompts for further study[edit]
This section is for prompts that invite us to think about a passage more deeply or in a new way. These are not necessarily questions that beg for answers, but rather prompts along the lines of "Have you ever thought about ..." Prompts are most helpful when they are developed individually, thoughtfully, and with enough background information to clearly indicate a particular direction for further study or thought. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →
- Isa 51:1: What does it mean that the righteous should look to the pit (or quarry) from which they were cut?
- Isa 51:2-3: Does this verse explain the pit and the hole of v. 1? How? How would one “look unto Abraham [. . .] and unto Sarah"? What is the Lord commanding here? Isaiah mentions that Abraham was called “alone,” in other words, when he was the only one in Israel, and that he was blessed. Presumably the blessing referred to is that of numerous posterity. How is it relevant that he was alone? In v. 3 the comparison is to v. 2: just as Abraham and Sarah were blessed when she was barren and supposedly beyond hope, so will Israel be blessed and made fruitful. Why the reference to Eden? What does it mean that the new Eden will be filled with gladness, thanksgiving, and song? What is the comparison?
- Isa 51:6: Here it says that the Heavens shall vanish away and the Earth shall wax old like a garment in the last days. Why is this so? When we are resurrected, are we judged on Earth or in Heaven and if in Heaven, what is going to be the state of the Earth at that time?
- Isa 51:7: In Isaiah the word “law” could also be translated “instruction.” What does that say about the law? What does it teach? What does it mean to say that the righteous have the law/instruction written in their hearts? Why do those who are righteous need not fear the reproach of others?
- Isa 51:9-11: Who is calling “Awake” (v. 9)? Who is being addressed? Do vv. 10-11 explain the references in v. 9? Notice how scripture refers to the type of Israel leaving Egypt, entering into the Promised Land. How is that type relevant to Lehi’s family? To the Nephites in particular? To us?
- Isa 51:9: The verse asks "Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?" Who is Rahab and what is the "dragon" he refers to?
- Isa 51:11: I can't exactly figure out if the Lord is condemning "all ye that kindle fire" or whether this is a possible symbolism for good spirituality (light of the Spirit) or a symbol of bad pride and self-absorption.
- On the positive side it is almost a command "to walk in the light of your fire" but this could be sarcastic? For the negative interpretation it ends with the warning: "ye shall lie down in sorrow."
- Isa 51:12-16: If vv. 9-11 are Israel’s prayer for deliverance, these verses are the answer to the prayer. How are that prayer and this answer relevant to the Nephites? To us?
- Isa 51:112: The word translated “comfort” in Isaiah (v. 12) originally meant “strengthen” as well as “soothe.” Does that change your understanding of the verse?
- Isa 51:13: Why is it important in this context to remind Israel that the Lord is the Creator? (Verse 13 describes the man at the end of verse 12 “who shall die” and “who shall be made like unto grass.”)
- Isa 51:15: Here we see that the Lord has power over all nature. How does this compare to the power feared by those who have forgotten him?
- Isa 51:16: In whose mouth have the words of this verse been put? Israel’s? Isaiah’s? What does it mean to be covered in the shadow of God’s hand?
- Isa 51:17-25: These verses describe the end of Israel’s captivity and their re-entry into the Promised Land. What historical event or events might this describe? The original return from Babylon? The gathering at the Second Coming? The entry of the latter-day church into the Salt Lake valley? Some incident in Nephite history?
- Isa 51:17: What does the cup of the Lord’s fury or anger stand for?
- Isa 51:18: What does it mean to say that Israel has no sons to guide her?
- Isa 51:19: The only two sons remaining are desolation and destruction--what does that mean?
- Isa 51:20: Does “rebuke” help us understand the meaning of “fury” in the previous clause?
- Isa 51:21-23: Here we see that the oppressors will become the oppressed. Who are the oppressors? Who will oppress them? How?
- Isa 51:21-23: If those the Lord is addressing are drunk with something other than wine (v. 21), what is it? (See v. 22 for some hints.)
- Isa 51:22: What is the Lord's "cup of fury" and "cup of trembling"?
Resources[edit]
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Notes[edit]
Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves (such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word). In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources (such as Strong's Bible Concordance or the Joseph Smith Papers) are preferable to footnotes.
