This verse stresses Yahweh’s part of the covenant. Yahweh will bless and “comfort” Zion (Israel), while Zion’s part of the covenant is to accept Yahweh’s law. As Israel’s God, he has a right to establish laws. But in contrast with some earthly rulers, his laws will benefit Zion and be a “light for the people.”
Translation: Gileadi renders “light for the people” (KJV) as “light for the peoples,” while the Today’s English Version has “nations.” The shift is slight, but important. Yahweh’s law is a light, not just for Zion but for all.
Meaning for Jacob’s Audience: Assuming that the brass plates version also used “peoples” or “nations,” Jacob’s quotation of his passage would place his adoptive listeners within the embrace of the law, assuring them that they too would be included in the blessings of Zion.
Comparison: The 1830 edition reads “I will make my judgment to rest for a light thing of the people” for verse 4. Joseph Smith removed thing, which returns the passage to be parallel to Isaiah 51:4 that it quotes. The presence of thing in this verse was probably an error.