EZIAS
| Biblical PN | 1. | Prophet who testified of the coming of CHRIST, apparently during the CLassical ISRAELITE period (Helaman 8:20). |
Etymology
The spelling EZIAS is an 1830 edition error made by the printer. The P MS reads EZAIAS. This error continues in all editions, except the RLDS 1908 and a few others.[1]
The correct spelling may reflect KJV NT PN Esaias = Greek hēsaias (Matthew 3:3), which is simply another form of OT ISAIAH = HEBREW yĕšʿayāh(û) “Salvation of God[2];The Lord is salvation”[3] (Isaiah 1:1).
The misspelling as hapax legomenon “Ezias” may follow KJV Apocrypha PN Ezias in 1 Esdras 8:2 (IV Ezra) Oziou, Ozeiou, Eziou, Ezariou variants in the Greek Septuagint (LXX).
As George Reynolds said: “Orson Pratt suggests. . . that ‘Ezias may have been identical with Esaias’,”[4] which would accord with the LXX and Matthew 3:3 Ēsaias. Since Esaias is listed in Jethro’s line of authority (Doctrine and Covenants 84:11-13), he is therefore a good candidate for the Old World prophet in the Book of Mormon. If this latter is the case, then it is doubtful that Book of Mormon EZAIAS is a variant form for the NT rendering in Greek of ISAIAH, Esaias (contra JAT). Based on this assumption, a Semitic root along the line of ʿz/ṣ(y)s/ś might prove fruitful.
See ISAIAH
See also Ezias/Ezaias Variant
Variants
Deseret Alphabet: 𐐀𐐞𐐌𐐊𐐝 (iːzaɪʌs)
Notes
