Application to Israel: Isaiah charges that Yahweh has given Israel new and specific prophecies that cannot be explained away as the remnant of older ideas but Israel cannot hear Yahweh’s word because “thine ear was not opened.” Yahweh knew ahead of time that Israel would reject this knowledge but still does not give up on his chosen people. He continues trying to “open their ears.”
Application to Nephi’s audience: Yahweh also foreknew the hard-heartedness of Laman and Lemuel, but similarly did not desist from trying to “open their ears.”
Variant: The Book of Mormon text adds the text shown in bold: “even before the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee.” Tvedtnes finds no support in the various versions of this text for this change, but its function in completing the sense of the verse is clear.