Answers to certain questions on the writings of Isaiah, given by Joseph Smith the Prophet, March 1838. HC 3: 9—10.

1—6, The Stem of Jesse, the rod coming therefrom, and the root of Jesse are identified; 7—10, The scattered remnants of Zion have a right to the priesthood and are called to return to the Lord.

 WHO is the ^aStem^• of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah?

 Verily thus saith the Lord: It is Christ.

 What is the ^arod^• spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse?

 Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of ^aEphraim^•, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much ^bpower^•.

 What is the ^aroot^• of Jesse spoken of in the 10th verse of the 11th chapter?

 Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a ^adescendant^• of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the ^bpriesthood, and the ^ckeys^• of the kingdom, for an ^densign^•, and for the gathering of my people in the ^elast days.

 Questions by Elias Higbee: What is meant by the command in Isaiah, 52d chapter, 1st verse, which saith: Put on thy strength, O Zion—and what people had Isaiah reference to?

 He had reference to those whom God should call in the last days, who should hold the ^apower of ^bpriesthood^• to bring again ^cZion, and the redemption of Israel; and to put on her ^dstrength^• is to put on the ^eauthority of the ^fpriesthood, which she, Zion, has a ^gright to by lineage; also to return to that power which she had lost.

 What are we to understand by Zion loosing herself from the bands of her neck; 2d verse?

 We are to understand that the ^ascattered ^bremnants^• are exhorted to ^creturn^• to the Lord from whence they have fallen; which if they do, the promise of the Lord is that he will speak to them, or give them revelation. See the 6th, 7th, and 8th verses. The ^dbands^• of her neck are the curses of God upon her, or the remnants of Israel in their scattered condition among the Gentiles.