For precept must be upon precept,
precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there
a little. (Isa 28:10)
This could be Isaiah saying he
would teach gradually and carefully . . . It could also just be gibberish
(literally this reads tsav latsav tsav latsav, qav laqav qav laqav),
wither either Isaiah mocking the drunken priests or the priests mocking the way
they think Isaiah is treating them like a child. The original context seems to
be a bit negative, yet when this idea is applied to other time periods, we
often see a positive meaning to it. The various contexts in which we interpret scripture
are important. IN Isaiah, probably more than anywhere else, we must keep in
mind the different ways of interpreting the text, depending upon what era we
are applying it to.
It is worth noting that the word
translated as “line,” which may be related to the word for “measuring,” is
similar to the word used in the difficult-to-translate verses of chapter 18
about the Egyptians (verses 2 and 7). While the words are spelled slightly
differently, they make the same sound, and both are often translated as having
something to do with measuring. In both cases, it may be that Isaiah is trying
to give the impression of measuring while simultaneously creating the feeling of
foreign or child-like babbling and confusion (which measuring out carefully
would remedy).
It seems to me that Isaiah most likely
intends more than one meaning here. He seems to be teaching that those who
truly listen to God will receive commandments, act on them, and thus receive
more. Those who truly listen to God will be measured out more to learn, will
act on it, and will be measured out even more. Yet by saying this with words
that are slightly misspelled and put together in a way that sounds like
babbling, and all who follow the ways of the world won’t receive commandments
or have truth measured out to them because it will all seem like babbling and
gibberish to them. They are too drunk on their own teachings to understand what
is being said to them. Thus Isaiah simultaneously teaches the incremental way
in which God teaches the righteous and demonstrates why those who don’t listen
to God won’t receive this incremental advancement. Isaiah seems to have brilliantly
demonstrated the very process he was explaining. (Kerry Muhlestein, Learning
to Love Isaiah: A Guide and Commentary [American Fork, Utah: Covenant
Communications, Inc., 2021], 232-33)
In a discussion of the use of the text in 2 Nephi 28:30, we read
the following under the heading of “Book of Mormon Highlight”:
Whatever Isaiah’s original
intent(s), this idea is quoted in the Book of Mormon and elsewhere, reinforcing
a principle that is undoubtedly true. God does teach us line upon line, precept
upon precept, giving here and there just enough to keep us progressing and
moving forward, if we are willing to receive what He is giving us.
In the Book of Mormon, Nephi
teaches that a meaning of this verse is that God will teach us incrementally,
and if we receive what He gives us, He will give us more. Conversely, if we
fail to receive what He gives us, we will lose the truths we have already
obtained (see 2 Nephi 28:30). Nephi couches all of this in a discussion of
those who trust in man more than God and thus say that they do not need to hear
any more of the word of God, or they even become angry when they are given truth
from God because it contradicts what they are hearing from men (see 2 Nephi
28:326-31). This understanding of Isaiah’s teachings coincides very well with
what we have said about this verse. Nephi’s understanding seems to be informed
by the idea that some are so enamored by the ideas of the world that they
(unconsciously?) choose to become unable to understand the things of God.
This is another place where Nephi’s
commentary on Isaiah includes teachings from Isaiah that Nephi has not just
quoted. (Ibid., 234, emphasis removed)
Further Reading
"Line" and "Precept" in 2 Nephi 28:30
Kevin L. Barney, Line Upon Line