2 Nephi 13:4

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Reference Search: 2 Nephi 13:4

4 And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

Quotes for Discussion

“Babes shall rule over them”

The Hebrew term for babes is ta’ a luw lim which means “caprice” or a “tyrant.” So in other words, they will have rulers that are childish, cruel, weak—where anarchy and mob-rule prevail.

See C.F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, 7:132-33

7

The fulfillment of this prophecy can be seen in the following tabulation of the reign of the seven kings who ruled from the death of Isaiah to the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 589 B.C. (Book of Mormon dating):

Described in this order:

King

Age When appointed

Years of Reign

Biblical Label of Character

Manasseh

12

55

Evil (2 Kings 21:1-2)

Amon

22

2

Evil (2 Kings 21:19-20)

Josiah

8

31

Right (2 Kings 22:1-2)

Jehoahaz

23

3 mos.

Evil (2 Kings 23:31-32)

Jehoiakim

25

11 (3 Years as puppet king of Babylon)

Evil (2 Kings 23:36-37)

Jehoiachin

18 (2 Chr. 36:9 says 8 years)

3 mos. (under Babylon)

Evil (2 Kings 24:8-9)

Zedekiah

21

11

Evil (2 Kings 24:17-19)

Note that these kings were appointed between the ages of eight and twenty-five, and all but one were labeled “evil” in the Bible.

Monte S. Nyman, Great Are the Words of Isaiah [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1980], 35

In the time of Isaiah, the Lord was about to allow the invading Assyrians to destroy Israel’s material security. The northern ten tribes were indeed conquered and taken away in the middle period of Isaiah’s ministry (ca. 722 B.C.); however, one king of Judah hearkened to the Lord’s warnings through prophet Isaiah. As a result, though the people of Jerusalem suffered considerably during an Assyrian siege, the city was spared for another century, until it fell to the Babylonians.

When all capable leaders are decimated in a crisis, inept leaders take over; and then such moral and political problems develop that potentially capable people are reluctant to take office. Wicked leaders, who oppress their people and fail to defend them, will be held responsible by the Lord.

Ellis T. Rasmussen, A Latter-day Saint Commentary of the Old Testament, [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1993], 505-506