2 Nephi 27

People in this chapter

Nephi has just described his people's record speaking out of the dust (2 Nephi 26:16). Now he tells how it will come forth, and he does it by taking up Isaiah 29 and expanding it. In the Bible, Isaiah 29:11-12 is a brief parable: a sealed book handed to a learned man who cannot read it, then to an unlearned man. In Nephi's version it becomes a detailed prophecy: a book with a sealed part, a man it is delivered to, three witnesses, a learned man who asks for the book, and an unlearned man who reads it by the power of God.

Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.

2 Nephi 27:1-5Drunken with Iniquity

1But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles—yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles and also the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands, yea, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations— 2And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire. 3And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion.

Nephi applies Isaiah's words to the last days. The whole world will be drunk with sin, and those who fight against Zion will wake up empty, like a hungry man who dreamed he ate.

4For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink. 5For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity.

People stagger as if drunk, though not from wine. They have shut their eyes and rejected the prophets, so spiritual sleep has fallen on them.

2 Nephi 27:6-11The Words of a Book

6And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. 7And behold the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof. 8Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the wickedness and abominations of the people. Wherefore the book shall be kept from them. 9But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words of the book, which are the words of those who have slumbered in the dust, and he shall deliver these words unto another;

To a sleeping world the Lord brings the words of a book, written by people who now sleep in the dust. It will be delivered to a man, who will deliver its words to others.

Part of the book would be sealed. It holds a revelation of all things from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof, kept until the Lord's own time.

10But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. 11And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth.

One day the sealed words shall be read upon the house tops, by the power of Christ. The Lord said it will happen when people exercise faith like the brother of Jared.

2 Nephi 27:12-14Three Witnesses Shall Behold It

12Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein. 13And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men; for the Lord God hath said that the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from the dead. 14Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good will he establish his word; and wo be unto him that rejecteth the word of God!

The book would be hidden from the world, but three witnesses would see it by God's power, plus a few others. In 1829 the Three and the Eight Witnesses saw the plates and testified.

2 Nephi 27:15-23I Am Not Learned

15But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them. 16And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of God. 17And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. 18Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it.

Words from the book would be shown to a learned man, who would ask for the book itself and say he could not read it. In 1828 Martin Harris showed characters from the plates to Professor Charles Anthon, who said, "I cannot read a sealed book."

19Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say: I am not learned. 20Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee. 21Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in mine own due time; for I will show unto the children of men that I am able to do mine own work. 22Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom to reveal all things unto the children of men.

The book goes back to the man who is not learned. The Lord tells him, I am able to do mine own work. Joseph Smith translated by the gift and power of God.

23For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.

2 Nephi 27:24-27A Marvelous Work and a Wonder

24And again it shall come to pass that the Lord shall say unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him: 25Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men— 26Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid.

27And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord! And their works are in the dark; and they say: Who seeth us, and who knoweth us? And they also say: Surely, your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay. But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know all their works. For shall the work say of him that made it, he made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, he had no understanding?

2 Nephi 27:28-35The Deaf Shall Hear the Words of the Book

28But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts: I will show unto the children of men that it is yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest. 29And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. 30And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

When the book comes forth, the spiritually deaf will hear it and the blind will see. The meek and the poor will find joy in the Holy One of Israel.

31For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see that the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off; 32And they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught.

33Therefore, thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. 34But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. 35They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Israel will no longer be ashamed. Those who were confused will understand, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Research trail

Sources & further study

These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.

Where this echoes in Scripture

Drunken with Iniquity

The Words of a Book

Three Witnesses Shall Behold It

I Am Not Learned

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder

The Deaf Shall Hear the Words of the Book