Context for inclusion in the Book of Mormon:
Nephi seems to be setting the pattern for the small plates by recording scripture from the brass plates
1 Nephi 19:23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
24 Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.
| 1 Nephi 20 – translated 1830 – Brass Plates 600 BC | Isaiah 48 KJV 1611 – Masoretic Text 600-900 AD | Qumran 2001 – Isaiah scroll 100-150 BC translated Fred P. Miller |
| 1 Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism, who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in truth nor in righteousness. | 1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. | Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and of the waters of Judah you came out , who swear by the name of YHWH and in the God of Israel you remember, not in truth, nor in righteousness. |
| 2 Nevertheless, they call themselves of the holy city, but they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name. | 2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is his name. | because from the holy city they are called, and upon the God of Israel they lean; YHWH of Hosts is his name. |
| 3 Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. I did show them suddenly. | 3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. | The beginning things from then I have told them and from my mouth they have gone out, and I declared them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. |
| 4 And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy aneck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; | 4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass; | On account of that {&…..&} I knew that you are hard, and your neck is an iron sinew, [+h] and your brow brass; |
| 5 And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest thou shouldst say—Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them. | 5 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. | I told you, from then, before it came I declared it to you: lest you should say, My idol has done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, commanded them. |
| 6 Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare them? And that I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. | 6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. | You heard, all of this and have you not told them ? I have caused you to hear new things from this time, even Nazareth, which you did not know. |
| 7 They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst say—Behold I knew them. | 7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them. | They are created now, and not from then; and before the day you did not hear of them; lest you should say, Behold, I already knew them. |
| 8 Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. | 8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb. | And also, you did not hear; also, you did not know; also your ear was not open from then: for I knew that you would be very treacherous and were called a transgressor from the womb. |
| 9 Nevertheless, for my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off. | 9 ¶ For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. | For the sake of my name I will put afar off my anger, and I will restrain my praise for you, so as not to cut you off. |
| 10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. | 10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. | Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; [Q = when I showed mercy to you] [m = I have chosen you] in the furnace of affliction. |
| 11 For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my glory unto another. | 11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. | For my own sake, even for my own sake, I will do it: {&because&} how can I profane it [m..+name]? and I will not give my glory to another. |
| 12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he; I am the first, and I am also the last. | 12 ¶ Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. | Listen to this, Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, even I am the last. |
| 13 Mine hand hath also laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens. I call unto them and they stand up together. | 13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. | Yes. My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spanned the heavens: I call to them, they stand up together. |
| 14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; who among them hath declared these things unto them? The Lord hath loved him; yea, and he will fulfil his word which he hath declared by them; and he will do his pleasure on bBabylon, and his arm shall come upon the Chaldeans. | 14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans. | All of them gather together and they hear; who is among them and has declared these things? YHWH loved him: he will do my desires on {& |
| 15 Also, saith the Lord; I the Lord, yea, I have spoken; yea, I have called him to declare, I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. | 15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. | I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous. |
| 16 Come ye near unto me; I have not spoken in asecret; from the beginning, from the time that it was declared have I spoken; and the Lord God, and his bSpirit, hath sent me. | 16 ¶ Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me. | Draw near to me, [+erasure+] hear this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there: and now the Lord YHWH, and his Spirit, has sent me. |
| 17 And thus saith the Lord, thy aRedeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to profit, who bleadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done it. | 17 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. | Thus says YHWH your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am YHWH your God your teacher for profit, [Aramaic] the One who leads you by the way that you should go in it. |
| 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my acommandments—then had thy bpeace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. | 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea: | And you did not listen to my commandments! then would your peace be as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea: |
| 19 Thy aseed also had been as the sand; the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me. | 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me. | Your seed also would have been as the sand, and the offspring like the gravel of it; their name should not have been cut off nor destroyed.from before me. |
| 20 aGo ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the bChaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his cservant Jacob. | 20 ¶ Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob. | Go out of Babylon, flee from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare it, tell this [m..+let it go out+] to the end of the earth; say, The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob. |
| 21 And they athirsted not; he led them through the deserts; he caused the waters to flow out of the brock for them; he clave the rock also and the waters gushed out. | 21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out. | And they did not thirst in the deserts when he led them : he caused the waters [Q= to gush out] [m.. to flow out] from the rock for them: he split the rock, and the waters gushed out. |
| 22 And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also, there is no apeace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked. | 22 There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked. | There is no peace, says YHWH, for the wicked. |