In poetic fashion, Yahweh rebukes Israel’s lack of faith and understanding by turning the accusation of sleep upon them. Israel has accused Yahweh of sleeping (v. 9), but the Lord accuses Israel of sleeping and calls them to “awake, awake.” Then he acknowledges that their sufferings are a direct result of their disobedience, which he has allowed as punishment. Their misery is equated with the “cup of his fury.”
Literature: The doubled call to “awake” is an obvious parallel of reversal to the same phrase in verse 9. Where bold Israel called upon Yahweh to awake, now Yahweh requires Israel to awake to its current position with respect to God.
Meaning for Jacob’s Audience: These verses prepare the case for Israel’s redemption by the Gentiles. Even though the Nephites were not experiencing captivity, they may have understood that the conflicts they have already had with the Lamanites were continual threats to their independence. A later pattern in the Book of Mormon is that a conquered city falls into “captivity,” or, in Mesoamerican terms, is forced to pay tribute to the captor (Mosiah 7:22, 24:9–15). For Jacob’s audience, Isaiah’s reference to captivity is a potential condition from which the Gentiles intermingled with them would save them.