A New Translation of Isaiah: Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts

Description

The Book of Isaiah is one of the most powerful works of ancient prophecy. Even so, many readers find Isaiah difficult to understand. Its complex language, shifting speakers, and poetic structure can make it feel like a closed book.

In A New Translation of Isaiah, Dr. Donald W. Parry—Professor of the Hebrew Bible and the Dead Sea Scrolls at Brigham Young University and a longtime member of the international Dead Sea Scrolls translation team—provides a clearer way to understand Isaiah. Drawing on ancient Hebrew manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as insights from the Book of Mormon and the Joseph Smith Translation, this work offers a unique, Restoration-informed approach to Isaiah.

This new translation combines careful scholarship with an accessible format, helping readers better understand Isaiah’s message, structure, and meaning without losing the richness of the original text.

What Makes This Isaiah Translation Unique?

• Ancient Hebrew Insights
  Incorporates important readings from ancient Hebrew scrolls and medieval manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls.
• Restoration Scripture Integration
  Uses insights from the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith Translation to expand and clarify Isaiah’s teachings.
• Poetic Structure Restored
  Formats the text into clear poetic parallelisms, making Isaiah’s logic and message easier to follow.
• Multiple Voices Identified
  Highlights approximately sixty distinct speakers, transforming Isaiah from a confusing monologue into a meaningful dialogue.
• Clear and Accessible Language
  Replaces outdated expressions with readable English while preserving the beauty and depth of the original Hebrew.

A New Translation of Isaiah is more than a translation. It is a powerful study tool designed to help readers understand Isaiah, deepen their scripture study, and engage more fully with one of the most important prophetic books in the Bible.

A one-page sell sheet advertising this book and providing fulfillment instructions for libraries and vendors can be found here.

Order on Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GXGQJMQ8

Reviews and Featured Articles

A New Translation of Isaiah: Q&A with Scholar Donald W. Parry by Jared Riddick – FAIR Blog

A Review: A New Translation of Isaiah: Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts by Chad Nielsen – Times and Seasons

The writings of the prophet Isaiah have historically served as a central yet difficult pillar within the Latter-day Saint tradition, often obscured by the linguistic limitations of seventeenth-century English of the King James Version. In his latest volume, A New Translation of Isaiah: Based on Ancient Scrolls and Texts, Donald W. Parry, a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, offers a specialized translation that synthesizes Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship with Joseph Smith’s translation projects. This work represents the culmination of a trilogy, providing a readable, structurally oriented text designed for a modern audience while maintaining a foundation in rigorous manuscript analysis. From an academic perspective, the volume is a significant exercise in translation for a specific faith community, creating a unified toolkit that bridges the gap between ancient Near Eastern texts and nineteenth-century revelation.

Donald W. Parry on His New Translation of Isaiah – From the Desk

How does a premier Dead Sea Scrolls translator bridge the gap between ancient Hebrew manuscripts and modern Old Testament scripture study for Latter-day Saints? Donald W. Parry’s new translation of the book of Isaiah avoids early modern English archaisms in favor of contemporary clarity, while carefully preserving authentic Hebraisms and visually restoring over 1,000 instances of original prophetic, two-lined parallelistic poetry. By integrating textual variants from the Great Isaiah Scroll alongside insights from the Book of Mormon and the Joseph Smith Translation, this volume provides a specialized companion resource for analyzing complex biblical dialogues. In this interview, Donald W. Parry discusses how these ancient and Restoration texts harmonize to illuminate Isaiah’s witness of Jesus Christ.