“He Made His Grave with the Wicked, and with the Rich in His Death”

Brant Gardner

Gileadi uses his Christian perspective to render this more clearly: “He was appointed among the wicked in death, among the rich was his burial; yet he had done no violence, and deceit was not in his mouth.”

Isaiah is creating a poetic contrast between the righteousness of the suffering servant and the circumstances of his death. The first incongruity is that the righteous man would be “among the wicked in death.” It is probable that, given Isaiah’s opinion of the rich, that we should read “rich” as synonymous with “wicked.” Christ fulfilled this contradiction when he was crucified among thieves and buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimethea.

Comparison: The KJV has “violence” where the Book of Mormon has “evil”: “Because he had done no violence evil.” Tvedtnes notes that the Masoretic text reads mrmh which means both “evil” and “violence.” The KJV translation stresses the lack of reason for capital punishment, while the Book of Mormon emphasizes the suffering servant’s purity (lack of evil).

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 3

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