Isaiah prophesies that the leaders in Jerusalem will be taken away and “children” (inexperienced or immature leaders) will rule in their place. So great will be the devastation that no one will want to be a leader. Those who express their pride by wearing fine clothing and jewelry will be utterly ruined.
Chapter Outline
- The leaders of Israel will be removed and replaced by children (v. 1-7).
- Jerusalem is ruined because they have oppressed the poor (v. 8-15).
- Those who show off their fine clothing will be devastated in war (v. 16-26).
My Takeaways
- We need to be governable, prioritizing the community over our personal desires.
- Just as tithing belongs to God, some of our possessions rightly belong to the poor.
- Don’t build your confidence on transitory things like fine clothing and jewelry.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ A Leaderless Society – 2 Nephi 13:1-7
Being Governable
We all love freedom, but we also recognize that living and working with other people requires us to voluntarily curtail some of our desires. We can accomplish more together than alone, but only if we can adapt to the collective decisions of the group.
❖ Judgment – 2 Nephi 13:9
They Cannot Hide It – 2 Nephi 13:9
9 The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it. Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves! (2 Nephi 13:9, Isaiah 3:9) We might think that some of our decisions, some of our actions or thoughts,…
❖ Caring for the Poor – 2 Nephi 13:14-15
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Finances?
Today, I’ll share a few principles of financial management that are taught in the Book of Mormon. Over the next few days, I’ll consider a few other questions about money, including the relationship between pride and wealth, the importance of caring for the poor, and the dangers of economic inequality. Here are some principles I…
2 Nephi 13:14-15 The Spoil of the Poor
14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people and the princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyard and the spoil of the poor in your houses. 15 What mean ye? Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of…
❖ Haughtiness – 2 Nephi 13:16-26
The Bravery of Their Tinkling Ornaments – 2 Nephi 13:18-23
18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon; 19 The chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers; 20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the ear-rings; 21 The rings, and nose…
What Is Haughtiness?
I wrote yesterday that pride means thinking too highly of yourself, exaggerating your capabilities and minimizing your limitations. When pride leads you to treat other people with contempt, it is called haughtiness. The words “haughty” and “haughtiness” appear six times in the Book of Mormon. Five of those occurrences are quotations from Isaiah, and they…
Hubris, Arrogance, and Haughtiness
Ezra Taft Benson said that pride manifests itself in different ways, which he called the “faces of pride.” Some of the manifestations he identified were selfishness, contention, defensiveness, and unwillingness to repent. (See “Beware of Pride,” General Conference, April 1989.) I’ve been thinking today about a few other manifestations of pride. These thoughts were prompted…
All Posts Referencing 2 Nephi 13
- Contents of the Brass Plates (1/3/2026)
- Being Governable (10/5/2023)
- Hubris, Arrogance, and Haughtiness (9/9/2022)
- How Can the Words of Isaiah Bring Us Joy? (2/19/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Refute? (12/29/2019)
- What Is Haughtiness? (9/3/2019)
- How Does Isaiah Point Us Toward Christ? (6/1/2019)
- Which of Isaiah’s Writings Are Quoted in the Book of Mormon? (5/31/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Finances? (4/2/2019)
- The Bravery of Their Tinkling Ornaments – 2 Nephi 13:18-23 (10/4/2018)
- They Cannot Hide It – 2 Nephi 13:9 (9/12/2017)
- Make Me Not a Ruler – 2 Nephi 13:5-7 (2/25/2015)
- 2 Nephi 13:14-15 The Spoil of the Poor (2/24/2015)