Avraham Gileadi’s Amazing Conversion Story
Avraham Gileadi (Hebrew: אברהם גילעדי; born October 24, 1940) is a Dutch-born American scholar specializing in the Hebrew language after having spent five years in Israel and translated Hebrew texts. He has opened up the significance of the Book of Isaiah more than anyone else on the planet. Avraham was born in the Netherlands during World War II. His father worked in the resistance. When Avraham was ten years old, his family moved to New Zealand.
His move to Israel
During his growing up years, he felt a draw to Israel and to the Book of Isaiah. Moving to Israel at age 28, he lived for a time in the Jezreel Valley. There, a librarian handed him a copy of the Book of Mormon. Declined, but as she insisted, and he took it out of politeness. He personally told us humorously, that it may have been the only copy of the Book of Mormon in Israel!
Life in Israel involved him deeply in the Old Testament and its religious ties to Judaism. He states that “Judaism attracted me because of the unique manner in which Jews view the Law and the Prophets. I felt a depth of understanding I had not hitherto known.” His studies in Israel also took him to an orthodox religious kibbutz, at which time he was formally received into the Jewish faith and became an Israeli citizen. A climax occurred when as an orthodox Jew he studied at Yeshivat Hatfutzot, a rabbinic school in Jerusalem
He is offered a copy of the Book of Mormon
He described his impression as he read the Book of Mormon of being “filled with light.” Three years later he was baptized LDS in the pool of Pool of Siloam. During those five years in Israel, the Lord was preparing him to learn “the manner of the Jews,” the importance of the Book of Isaiah, and an in-depth appreciation of the Hebrew language and its ancient roots.
His Academic Studies
Avraham received academic degrees from Brigham Young University: a B.A. in University Studies (1975), a M.A. in Ancient Scripture (1977), and a PhD in Ancient Studies (1981) with Hugh Nibley as chair. During his academic years, Gileadi taught Hebrew, Religion courses, and an Honors Philosophy class in the literary analysis of the Book of Isaiah. He also sought out and studied with Professor R. K. Harrison, a renowned Old Testament scholar of Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, Canada, who was noted for his conservative theological position.
Being fluent in Hebrew, Gileadi worked with the Hebrew Masoretic Text, the Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah, and the Septuagint Version to provide a modern translation of the Book of Isaiah intelligible in English and true to the Hebrew. He used lexical tools constantly to accurately convey every nuance of meaning in the original language, finishing his translation of Isaiah during his PhD program.
Publications
In 1988 Deseret Book published his book The Book of Isaiah: A New Translation with Interpretive Keys from the Book of Mormon, followed in 1991 by The Last Days: Types and Shadows from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Prominent LDS scholars including Hugh Nibley, Truman G. Madsen and Ellis Rasmussen praised his work.
Isaiah Institute
Two colleagues created the Hebraeus Foundation in 1990 to sponsor his work. Out of that came the Isaiah Institute in 2000—providing access to podcast, books, and blog articles to open up the importance of searching the Book of Isaiah as the Lord has commanded. Avraham’s inspired insights have been a Godsend to me personally. I wrote a blog article sharing the great impact that Avraham’s work has had on me; I quote from it here:
The great LDS scholar, Hugh Nibley, shared,
“Dr. Gileadi has done the work from which all of us have shied for too long. Because of the great mass and charge of this largest book in the Bible [66 chapters], the formidable difficulty of its Hebrew, and the seemingly involved, repetitious, and often perplexing nature of its material, no one has had the heart to attack the whole book thoroughly.
“The author has met the challenge head-on, and after years of determined exertion, is now so thoroughly familiar with the book that he can set before us in a straightforward, uncomplicated form and a clear exposition of what it is all about. Here is very little that any reader will not be glad to learn.”
The Prophet Nephi shares regarding the words of Isaiah, “I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written them.” (2 Nephi 25:8) And, thankfully, Avraham has given us that great understanding.
Book of Mormon Invitation
The Savior told the Nephites: “Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled—behold they are written, ye have them before you, therefore search them—And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel. And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them.” (3 Nephi 20:11-13)
Avraham says that the Book of Mormon is the best commentary on the Book of Isaiah. The Book of Mormon converted him. There is a Wikipedia page on Avraham, and it tells his fascinating conversion story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avraham_Gileadi. He was led by the Lord to do what he is doing.
Searching the Words of Isaiah
I am extremely grateful for the influence Avraham has had on my life. I share a special experience in that regard. I was President of the Boulder Stake in Colorado (1977-1987). One morning, as we were reading the Book of Mormon as a family, we had just finished reading 3 Nephi 23:1-3: And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah. For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my people, which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs be that he must speak also to the Gentiles. And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even according to the words which he spake.”
As we were praying after, the Spirit washed over me, prompting me to “Search the words of Isaiah.”
My Study of Isaiah
I was one busy man with a wonderful wife and seven precious children in our home that we had built in the country. I was full-time in the Time and Frequency Division, providing official time for the nation, helping develop GPS, and doing exciting research. We had over 2,000 members in the Boulder Stake, and I was their spiritual leader. Following this prompting, I got up an hour earlier every morning for a year, and from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m., I searched the writings of Isaiah and every commentary that I could get my hands on. Avraham’s book, The Apocalyptic Book of Isaiah, was a Godsend. (copyright 1982). A year later, I gave a talk in a stake priesthood meeting about my findings. I had a brother come up to me after and say that was the best talk he had ever heard.
How blessed we are to have Dr. Avraham Gileadi’s contribution to help us better understand the great importance of the Book of Isaiah for the end times. And his work will continue to blossom because of its major significance in preparation for the Lord’s coming.
David W. Allan
PS . IsaiahInstitute.com is the home base where you can sign up to get weekly information about Isaiah, as well as great commentary on Isaiah. Take time to explore everything on this site. Isaiah certainly saw our day! You must view the provided video! Gileadi’s books are also available on this site.
Study Isaiah
https://www.isaiahexplained.com/ If you are a newbie, this is a great place to begin studying. Gileadi reads the text that gives great verbal insights into each Isaiah chapter. You can also view and listen to this format on your cell phone.