3 Nephi Chapter 22

Scripture Mastery

In chapter 22, the Lord quotes Isaiah chapter 54 which utilizes the metaphor of a "desolate" or "barren" woman who will be redeemed in the latter days. Desolate means alone, lonely, forsaken, forlorn, and wretched. The desolate woman represents Israel. Within the time frame of the latter days, Israel is initially scattered and desolate, but will eventually be redeemed or gathered to Zion.

Zion has had many meanings. Zion was the name of the city of Enoch in ancient times. Later, Zion was the hill where the temple was built in Jerusalem. Zion sometimes represents the celestial city where God lives. Throughout the scriptures, Zion refers to a covenant community of temple-worthy saints. Perhaps most commonly Zion is the kingdom of God on earth, the earthly Church of Jesus Christ. During the Millennium those who have accepted Christ and his gospel will live in a Zion society.

In this chapter, latter-day Israel is initially portrayed as being "desolate." Israel is "desolate" and "barren" because: (1) She has too few children-those, at least, who are gathered to Zion. (2) She has no permanent home or resting place. (3) Her husband seems to have forsaken her. And (4), her adversaries are trying to destroy her.

The Lord tells Israel-actually us in these latter days-not to fear. He will remember all his promises to gather Israel and establish Zion in the latter days.

Once Zion is established, the saints in Zion do not live without challenges and trials. The faith of Zion must be proven in every generation. Zion receives a fulness of joy only after a time of loneliness, just as the spirit children of God receive eternal life only after they are tested by pain and death here in mortality. Zion enters the presence of the Lord only after a period of hardship. The saints may, at times, have cause to feel forsaken, but the Lord has not forgotten us, and he will have mercy on us. Even if the mountains were to flee, he would not forget his covenant, and his mercy will continue. He will establish the righteous in the city of New Jerusalem. All our enemies will be put down.

In the last days, or the time in which we now live, the Lord will bring many people to Zion, so many in fact that they will not all fit in one place. Rather than there being only one land of Zion, she will be established in many stakes, in many lands.

These promises should give us comfort both as a people and as individuals. The Lord will not forget us in our trouble. He always reaches out to comfort and to bless.

verses 1-3 Zion will be established. This passage is an invitation for Zion to rejoice. Zion, who has heretofore not brought forth the desired number of children (verse 1), will nevertheless eventually have children "on the right hand and on the left" (verse 3). The "children" are those Israelites who have gathered to the family of Christ as members of Zion, the Church and Kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth. No longer will all the righteous fit in the existing "habitations" of Zion, so her tent will need to be enlarged (verse 2). Zion will also "inherit the [lands of the] Gentiles" (verse 3), and thereby the stakes of Zion will be established and strengthened (verse 2).

1 And then shall that which is written come to pass: Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.

verse 1 "And then shall that which is written come to pass:" In the preceding chapters 20 and 21, the Lord has prophesied concerning events of the last days that will occur before the establishing of the Millennial Zion. These prophecies include: (1) The gospel will be restored in its fulness (3 Nephi 21:9). (2) The scattered remnants of Israel shall be gathered and taught the gospel (3 Nephi 20:13). (3) The great Gentile nation will initially scourge and scatter the remnants of Israel in the Americas (3 Nephi 20:27-28). Once scattered, the remnants of Israel will be taught the gospel by those in the great Gentile nation (3 Nephi 21:4). (4) Part of scattered Israel shall be gathered back to Old Jerusalem where they will hear the gospel message (3 Nephi 20:29-30). (5) The Lord's people will build a city called the New Jerusalem (3 Nephi 21:23). This city will be the gathering place for others of the house of Israel including the "lost" tribes (3 Nephi 21:26). After all of these prophecies have commenced to be fulfilled, then shall the events prophesied in this chapter come to pass.

"Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear" Sing, O barren wife, you who did not bear a child. This barren woman or wife is undoubtedly Israel who has never borne the promised fruit of her covenant with the Lord. Israel is barren because she has never brought forth spiritually strong offspring for the Lord. There are too few of the woman's children gathered to Zion.

Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines barren as, "not producing young, or offspring."

"break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child" Burst into song and shout for joy, you who were never in labor with child. Because of her wickedness, Israel has been separated from her husband, the Lord. Nevertheless, she is told to break into song and rejoice. Why should she rejoice? She will be blessed with children as a result of another's travail, that of Christ.

"for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord" The desolate woman, who never had a husband, will give birth to many children-more even than the married wife. The married wife is Zion-the Church and the New Jerusalem-whose husband is the Lord. The "children" are those who accept the gospel and join in the covenant with the Lord and become part of Zion. Who is this desolate woman? It is probably scattered Israel. It would appear that Christ intends this passage to mean that the children of the married wife are those who first build up the New Jerusalem, and the children of the desolate are those who are gathered later. It seems clear that the children of the desolate are greater in number.

2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes;

verse 2 This verse is basically a rallying cry for the gathering of the house of Israel in the latter days. Isaiah compares the Church or Zion to a tent. As Israel is gathered to the tent, it will have to be enlarged and strengthened because those who gather will do so in such great numbers.

The word "stakes," as we use it in the Church today, has its origin in the Book of Isaiah. The word "stakes" is used twice by Isaiah, in this verse and in Isaiah 33:2. Tents formed the dwellings of some people in the ancient Hebrew world. The "cords" spanned the distance between the center pole and the tent's stakes, thus forming the structure of the tents. The stakes are, of course, the various Church organizational units spread out over the earth.

The expression "spare not" means do not hesitate to utilize more cord and tent material.

3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left, and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

verse 3 Various Bible versions translate the idiom break forth as "burst out," "spread out," or "spread abroad."

"thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles" Israel will grow and expand in all directions until it covers the lands and cities of the Gentiles, many of which have been vacated because of the wars and upheavals of the last days. This phrase may also imply that the Gentiles will be "adopted" into the house of Israel as they are converted to the covenant.

verses 4-10 Here is the Lord's message of comfort to Israel. The Lord says that while he may have seemed to have forsaken Israel for a brief moment, he will gather her with great mercy and tenderness. Though Israel has suffered much, the Lord will eventually restore to her all blessings and will bring her unto himself. Like others, this passage is filled with references to Israel as a wife, clearly calling the Lord her "husband." Marriage represents the most intimate, the most joyful, the most fulfilling relationship on earth. That is the kind of relationship the Lord is inviting us to join with him. The union of the saints in a Zion society, in which they are of one heart and one mind, and the turning of the saints' ears to the Lord, make such a relationship with the Lord possible.

4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

verse 4 Don't be afraid, for you shall not suffer lasting shame. Neither shall you be confounded (meaning perplexed and confused). From youth to widowhood covers the whole of life. Even though Israel has suffered shame and reproach, both in youth and in old age, in the latter days the Lord will cause these things to be put behind her in the midst of his blessings. "Youth" may refer to Israel's days of sin before the exile (the scattering of the ten tribes by Assyria in 721 BC and the final scattering of Israel from her lands in AD 70 at the hands of Rome). "Widowhood" may refer to the time of exile itself when Israel was separated from her land and her God following the final scattering.

An instance of accidental repetition, during the production of the Book of Mormon, occurs in this verse. This is clearly a typographical error produced during the publishing. The italicized words in the following phrase quoted from this verse were those accidentally repeated: "for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more." This is a quotation from Isaiah 54:4, and it has been pointed out that not only does the KJV Isaiah not have these added words, but those words appeared first in the 1837 edition. Also, they were not in the corrected printer's copy. In addition, the added words do violence to the poetic parallelism found in Hebrew poetry. The phrase in Isaiah 54:4 reads: "for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more" which is exactly the phrase in 3 Nephi 22:4 with the italicized words removed.

5 For thy maker, thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel-the God of the whole earth shall he be called.

verse 5 Once again the Lord identifies himself as the maker and husband of Israel. When the Lord returns to redeem Zion, he will be as a loving and tender bridegroom who forgives, reconciles with, and cares for an estranged wife.

The etymology of the English word husband is a compound of "house" and "prepare." Thus, a husband is "one who prepares or builds a house." This helps explain Isaiah's use of the work maker as a synonym for husband. The Lord is Israel's husband or "house-builder" because he makes the earth as a home for all creatures, he creates bodies as temples for spirit children, he builds temples as places of worship, and he prepares heavenly mansions for his children.

"Lord of Hosts" See the commentary for 1 Nephi 20:2.

"the God of the whole earth" Idol worshipers felt that each of earth's many gods held jurisdiction over a limited area. But of course Jehovah is the God of every creature on the face of the earth.

6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

verse 6 Israel has been cast off because of her sins, as a sinful wife might be forsaken or refused. Like a wife forsaken, Israel grieves because of her separation from her Lord.

"For the Lord hath called thee" In spite of her sins, the Lord calls latter-day Israel to gather unto Zion and unto him.

"a wife of youth, when thou wast refused" Israel was cast off in her younger and more sinful days.

7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee.

verse 7 For only a short time I abandoned thee, but with great love shall I gather thee back. See the introductory commentary for 1 Nephi 20 for a summary of the gatherings of Israel. In the latter days, the Lord will gather Israel back into his fold as a shepherd gathers his sheep into the fold at night, or as a farmer gathers his crops into his barn at harvest time. The gathering will occur primarily through missionary work, as the Lord's servants range throughout the world seeking those honest in heart who will come unto Christ and his true Church. In addition to this gathering of hearts and souls, later on, after the Lord's second coming, the Jews will gather to their land of promise in Palestine. It also appears that there will be a gathering of a large group of the ten tribes, who may return en masse from the land or lands of their exile. This will also likely occur after the Lord's second coming (D&C 133:23-34).

Likewise, our moment of separation from God here in mortality is relatively brief when compared to the vast eternity during which we will live in his presence.

8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.

verse 8 In a surge of anger, I turned away from thee for a moment, but I will yet turn to thee in kindness and mercy. In spite of the fact that Israel deserved rejection by the Lord, the Lord in his mercy will hold forth kind compassion to Israel in the latter days.

A Jewish childbirth custom may shed light on the significance of the phrase "I hid my face from thee for a moment." Among orthodox Jews, a husband is not allowed to watch his wife going through the labor of childbirth. He sits in the corner of the delivery room with his back turned so that she will not feel embarrassed or immodest in her unavoidable hour of agony. He does not abandon her, although she may feel very much alone. The woman recites or sings psalms as she endures contractions. When the pain becomes too great for her to continue singing, the husband takes over, reciting psalms for her. Although Israel cannot see the Lord in the time of her probation, when she weeps, he weeps with her. When she sings, he rejoices with her. The relationship between the Savior and Israel is one of "everlasting kindness."

9 For this, the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee.

verse 9 The Lord says, "To me this situation is like unto the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. Now I swear to you that in the end I will no longer be angry with Israel." The "waters of Noah" symbolize a great and terrible judgment for wickedness. The promise the Lord is here making to Israel is as valid as that he made to Noah, though it is difficult to imagine a time when Israel will not need a little chastening and rebuking from the Lord (D&C 95:1). Perhaps the time will eventually come when Israel will be sufficiently righteous that she shall not need chastisement from the Lord.

10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

verse 10 Mountains and hills are symbols of stability (Psalm 36:6). "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my steadfast love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace (of heart and soul) with you be broken, saith the Lord." In other words, the Lord makes clear that his word and his commitment to his people Israel are more reliable than even the mountains and hills.

verses 11-17 The Lord continues his promises to latter-day Israel. He will establish her in righteousness and protect her from oppression (verse 14). Those who seek to fight against her will fail (verses 15, 17); those who speak against her will be condemned (verse 17). Her city, the New Jerusalem, will be beautiful (verses 11-12), and her children will "be taught of the Lord" and will have peace (verse 13).

These verses promise rich blessings to the faithful. The promise of peace (verse 14) fulfills the covenant spoken of in verse 10. The blessing of righteousness (verse 14, 17) flows from Christ's atonement (verse 11). Those now afflicted by life's storms (verse 11) will yet be established on safe, firm foundations (verses 11, 14). And the people "not comforted" (verse 11) will be taught, protected, and blessed (verses 13-17).

These things come to the faithful through the Lord's mercy. Though our diligent efforts are necessary to bring us to the Lord, ultimately it is his grace that enables us to receive his blessings: "Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord" (verse 17).

11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted! Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

verse 11 The New English Bible renders this verse, "O storm-battered city, distressed and disconsolate," referring to scattered and troubled Israel. The city would be Jerusalem or the New Jerusalem which are symbolic of Israel.

"Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires." The "stones" are building stones. Here the Lord promises to restore and beautify Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem-to build a beautiful city of Zion for gathering Israel.

12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

verses 11-12 The "windows," "gates," and "borders" are elements of Jerusalem's architecture, and together they symbolize the whole city. Again, Jerusalem here is symbolic of Israel.

"Windows" is more correctly translated as battlements or towers which are set atop walls and used for defense.

"Borders" are the outer walls of the city.

The precious stones mentioned symbolize the love and care the Lord will lavish on his people-the spiritual and temporal blessings the Lord will pour out on them. "Sapphires" mentioned in verse 11 were sparkling blue stones, but probably not the sapphires of today. "Agates" likely were what we know as rubies. "Pleasant stones" can better be translated as "precious stones."

Actually, ancient gem names commonly identified minerals entirely different from the minerals known by those same names today. For example, "sapphire" is said to be Hebrew and is used repeatedly in the Old Testament for the gem known today as lapis lazuli. Bible translators sometimes supplied gem names common in their culture without regard for biblical intent (Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, 2:899). For example "carbuncle" is a term from the Middle Ages referring to any cabochon-cut red stone, usually garnet.

verses 13-17 In these final verses, Isaiah emphasizes the peaceful conditions that will prevail in Zion, perhaps particularly the millennial Zion.

13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

verse 13 It is uncertain from the context whether this phrase means that the children will be taught about the Lord or that they will be taught by the Lord. Perhaps both interpretations are correct. The majority of English translations provide some variation of the reading, "All thy children shall be taught by the Lord." This verse implies that there will be an intimate relationship between the Savior and the people in Zion, especially during the Millennium.

14 In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear, and from terror for it shall not come near thee.

verse 14 In righteousness you shall be established. Tyranny will be far from you, and you will have nothing to fear. Terror, also, will be far removed. Zion, particularly the millennial Zion will not be troubled by unjust rulers who will oppress, neither by invasion of enemies. This verse has served as a reassurance to the saints that those in Zion will be visited by the Lord's peace, and they will not fear.

15 Behold, they shall surely gather together against thee, not by me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

verse 15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing. Whoever attacks you will surrender to you. In other words, no power will prevail against the Lord's people.

16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

verses 16-17 Since it is the Lord who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges weapons; and since it is the Lord who created also him who would do violence to Zion, he can surely assure the inhabitants of Zion that no weapon forged against them and born by a "waster" shall prevail. The Lord assures Zion that anyone, including Satan himself, who works his havoc and spreads rumors against the inhabitants of Zion, will fail. Zion will be able to successfully refute every word of gossip, slander, and accusation said against them in a court of law.

"This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord" The servants of the Lord may look forward to and expect blessings that are theirs by right or inheritance or birthright, even as children may expect to share in their parents' estate.

"their righteousness is of me" Ultimately, our own righteousness is insufficient to save us. Even though our broken hearts and our submissive obedience are required to bring us unto Christ, it is his mercy and grace that finally save us. It is his atonement that makes takes up where man's puny efforts at righteousness fall short.

The Lord's covenant with Israel, the Abrahamic covenant, will finally be fulfilled by Christ's kingdom's being established over the whole earth, as stakes are organized, and Israel-both the Israelites by descent and the adopted Gentiles-settle down in peace. This will be in the beginning of the Millennium.

As yet, the covenant is only beginning to be fulfilled. The descendants of Abraham are blessing the nations of the earth by carrying the gospel to all peoples. This is a marvelous time to be on the earth, a period the ancient prophets foresaw and yearned for. The work is being done to usher in the Lord's great Millennial reign.