EZIAS/EZAIAS

An Old World prophet (Helaman 8:20). EZIAS is a printer’s error in the 1830 ed.

“Orson Pratt suggests. . . that ‘EZIAS may have been identical with Esaias’” (Reynolds, Dictionary of the Book of Mormon, p. 89), which would accord with LXX and Matthew 3:3 Ēsaias. Esaias is listed in Jethro’s line of authority (Doctrine and Covenants 84:11-13), and therefore is 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 assumption, a Semitic root along the line of ʿz/ṣ(y)s/ś might prove fruitful.