Keywords

Biblical studies, Mormon studies, Hebrew, Isaiah

Abstract

When we read Jesus’s pronouncement in 3 Nephi that “great are the words of Isaiah” (3 Nephi 23:1), prophecies about the Messiah and the scattering and gathering of Israel are what may quickly come to mind. However, the book of Isaiah also contains important passages addressing the treatment of the poor and needy. These passages, which particularly focus on one of the many social ills in ancient Israelite society, range from condemning the unrighteous treatment of the poor to promising how the Lord will (eventually) deliver them.1

Original Publication Citation

“The Poor and the Needy in the Book of Isaiah,” in Covenant of Compassion, Caring for the Marginalized and Disadvantaged in the Old Testament, ed. by Avram R. Shannon, Gaye Strathearn, et al (2021 Sperry Symposium; Provo, UT: BYU Religious Studies Center, and Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2021), 213–236.