Gileadi's blog: Isaiah

[Matthew0059]

I ran across this blog from Avraham Gileadi (scholar of Hebrew who specializes in the book of Isaiah) about a week ago. I've read the commentary chapters one and two so far, and am delighted with how much I'm learning.

In 3 Nephi 23:1-5, Christ gives the following commandment:

1 And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.

2 For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.

3 And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.

4 Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father they shall go forth unto the Gentiles.

5 And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is baptized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for many there be that testify of these things.

Isaiah has always been somewhat like a locked book for me, and I know it's the same way with many other modern Church members. Nephi said that to someone familiar with the Jewish culture of Isaiah's time period, his prophecies were easy to understand, but would be difficult for anyone removed from Isaiah's culture. Over the years, repeated study of the Book of Mormon has unlocked Isaiah a little bit for me, but a "walkthrough" and an updated translation of Isaiah for our own vernacular has been incredibly helpful in understanding his writings.

Gileadi's studies in Israel and subsequent conversion to Mormonism and learning the Book of Mormon helps give him a unique perspective on Isaiah's writings, and I'm grateful he took the time to create his blog outlining Isaiah.

I hope someone else gets as much out of it as I am!

-Matthew

Edited February 1, 2013 by Matthew0059
Clarification

[skalenfehl]

I love Avraham Gileadi and all the work he's done!

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

Thanks for posting this. I heard about Gileadi years ago, but I guess I wasn't ready at the time. Just recently his name came up somewhere and I was thinking I would like to look into his writing. Then you posted.... Very convienent for me, thanks!!!

I love Isaiah...I mean I love the parts about the Savior and that makes me want to understand Isaiah better, but it is tough for me too.

[Traveler]

A brief history of Gileadi. Gileadi was a Jew that studied to be a Rabi and he became a Rabi. He dedicated his life to the study of Isaiah. While in Jerusalem studying the Isaiah scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls he became acquainted with LDS. He was told that a study of the Book of Mormon might be interesting for him because much of Isaiah was quoted as scripture in the Book of Mormon. His response was that he did not believe Isaiah could be quoted in part in any manuscript and maintain scriptural integrity. But he read the Book of Mormon anyway and instantly became converted.

Avraham Gileadi taught at BYU for a while and there became acquainted with Hugh Nibley. However, Avraham got into some difficulty publishing a paper declaring that the Prophet to the world at the time of the second coming of Jesus would be named David - and would be his son who is named David. Difficulties over this article got Avraham excommunicated. However, he rather quickly came to his senses and repented (rescinded that his son was the chosen prophet for the return of Christ) and has been reinstated.

My personal opinion is that Avraham is an unusual and rare LDS scholar. His book “The Literary Message of Isaiah” I believe to be his greatest contribution and a definite read for anyone studying Isaiah in depth. This work also contains a direct translation of the Isaiah Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls complete with literary poetic structure analysis according to Hebrew standards.

The Traveler

[gtg166v]

Avraham Gileadi taught at BYU for a while and there became acquainted with Hugh Nibley. However, Avraham got into some difficulty publishing a paper declaring that the Prophet to the world at the time of the second coming of Jesus would be named David - and would be his son who is named David. Difficulties over this article got Avraham excommunicated. However, he rather quickly came to his senses and repented (rescinded that his son was the chosen prophet for the return of Christ) and has been reinstated.

There have been many rumors about his excommunication, mostly incorrect. Gileadi clarified what happened.

"...although I was excommunicated in 1993 from the LDS church in a disciplinary council that began a wave of several thousand excommunications on the Wasatch Front in the 1990s, in my case—as not a single charge was true or supported by evidence—all record of it was expunged from the church’s records nearly a decade ago in a tacit admission that the church had made a mistake. In other words, as my excommunication from the church was a non-event so far as the church is concerned, it doesn’t define me as a person..."

Avraham Gileadi Testimony