How might we better understand and appreciate Isaiah’s words?

Thomas R. Valletta

“We can become acquainted with the manner of writing among the Jews, coming to understand their literary mechanisms for better comprehension. Isaiah in particular wrote with sophisticated artistry; over 90 percent of his writings is in poetic form. … Types, figures, and symbols usually have a surface meaning but also a deeper, underlying meaning. Coming to understand the form is important—for example, the similes, metaphors, personification, and parallelisms (couplets).

“Knowing King James English helps; the more we read and study it, the more familiar it becomes. Knowing Hebrew helps also. We are grateful for the English (IE) and Hebrew (HEB) language notes in the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible” (Ogden and Skinner, Book of Mormon, 1:93).

The Book of Mormon Study Guide: Start to Finish

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