Nephi’s Quotations of Isaiah

Parable of the Vineyard

2 Nephi 15:1–2

A man took great care in planting and building a vineyard.

And then will I sing to my well–beloved
a song of my beloved, touching his vineyard.

My well–beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill.

And he fenced it,
and gathered out the stones thereof,
and planted it with the choicest vine,
and built a tower in the midst of it,
and also made a wine–press therein;
and he looked that it should bring forth grapes,
and it brought forth wild grapes.

2 Nephi 15:3–4

After all that care and work, why was the fruit bad?

And now,
O inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and men of Judah,
judge, I pray you,
betwixt me and my vineyard.

What could have been done more to my vineyard
that I have not done in it?

Wherefore,
when I looked that it should bring forth grapes
it brought forth wild grapes.

2 Nephi 15:5–6

The poor produce is reason to abandon the vineyard.

And now go to;
I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard—
I will take away the hedge thereof,
and it shall be eaten up;
and I will break down the wall thereof,
and it shall be trodden down.

And I will lay it waste;
it shall not be pruned nor digged;
but there shall come up briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

2 Nephi 15:7

The vineyard is Judah; the man is God, who wants righteousness from his people, but does not get it.

For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah his pleasant plant;
and he looked for judgment,
and behold, oppression;
for righteousness,
but behold, a cry.