2 Nephi 10
People in this chapter
Jacob ended yesterday's sermon with a promise and a cliffhanger: on the morrow I will declare unto you the remainder of my words (2 Nephi 9:54). Sometime that night an angel visited him. So when he stands up the next day, he has something new to say. The Messiah they have been waiting for will be called Christ.
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2 Nephi 10:1-6This Should Be His Name
1And now I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my beloved brethren, concerning this righteous branch of which I have spoken. 2For behold, the promises which we have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer.
Jacob picks up where he left off yesterday: Lehi's descendants will be a righteous branch of Israel. Many will fall away, but God will restore their children to the true knowledge of their Redeemer.
3Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God.
4For should the mighty miracles be wrought among other nations they would repent, and know that he be their God. 5But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, they at Jerusalem will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified. 6Wherefore, because of their iniquities, destructions, famines, pestilences, and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they who shall not be destroyed shall be scattered among all nations.
Jacob foretells that Christ will come among the Jews in Jerusalem and be crucified, because of priestcrafts and iniquities. The Book of Mormon also warns Gentiles never to hate the Jews.
2 Nephi 10:7-9Gathered In from Their Long Dispersion
7But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance. 8And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their inheritance.
The Lord promises that the scattered Jews will be gathered home when they believe in Him. The gathering of Israel is first a gathering to Christ.
9Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute?
The Gentiles will help carry Israel home, like nursing fathers and mothers. Jacob is quoting Isaiah, which he had read to the people the day before.
2 Nephi 10:10-19A Land of Liberty
10But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land. 11And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles. 12And I will fortify this land against all other nations. 13And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God. 14For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words.
God promises that the land of Lehi's inheritance will be a land of liberty, with no earthly kings set over the people. Its freedom depends on the people serving Him.
God says that anyone who raises up a king against Him will perish, because the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their King.
15Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations. 16Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God. 17For I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh—
To keep His covenants, the Lord will destroy secret works of darkness. Anyone who fights against Zion, whoever they are, is fighting against Him.
18Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God: I will afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, I will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like unto a father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed and numbered among the house of Israel. 19Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed, and them who shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the land of their inheritance; for it is a choice land, saith God unto me, above all other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwell thereon that they shall worship me, saith God.
The Gentiles will afflict Lehi's descendants, but God will soften their hearts. Gentiles who come to Him will be numbered among the house of Israel, adopted into the covenant family.
2 Nephi 10:20-25Reconcile Yourselves to the Will of God
20And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea. 21But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren. 22For behold, the Lord God has led away from time to time from the house of Israel, according to his will and pleasure. And now behold, the Lord remembereth all them who have been broken off, wherefore he remembereth us also.
Jacob's people felt far from home and cut off. He tells them not to hang their heads. The Lord remembers every branch He has led away, including them.
23Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.
Cheer up your hearts, Jacob says, because you are free to choose. Agency is good news: the way to eternal life is open to you.
24Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved. 25Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen.
To reconcile is to bring two things back into agreement. Jacob asks his people to bring their wills into line with God's will, rather than the devil's or the flesh's.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- Why Does an Angel Reveal the Name of Christ to Jacob?Explores the names Book of Mormon prophets use for the Savior, the meaning of Christ and Messiah ("anointed one"), and why the title may have been especially meaningful to Jacob as a priest.
- Did Jacob Refer to Ancient Israelite Autumn Festivals?Summarizes a scholar's argument that Jacob's two-day sermon at the temple (2 Nephi 6-10) follows a covenant pattern and echoes Israel's autumn festivals.
- Ancient Temple Imagery in the Sermons of JacobA scholarly study of the temple setting and priestly language in Jacob's sermons, including 2 Nephi 6-10.
Where this echoes in Scripture
This Should Be His Name
- 2 Nephi 25:19According to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the Son of God.Nephi confirms the name.
- 1 Nephi 10:4Even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.What Lehi had taught.
- John 10:17-18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.
- 2 Nephi 29:4-5Have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people?The Lord's rebuke to anyone who hates the Jews.
- Mosiah 3:8He shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God.The angel's words to King Benjamin.
Gathered In from Their Long Dispersion
- 3 Nephi 20:31-33They shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God.The risen Savior on the same promise.
- Isaiah 49:22-23Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers.The Isaiah passage Jacob read the day before.
- 1 Nephi 22:12They shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
- Articles of Faith 1:10We believe in the literal gathering of Israel.
A Land of Liberty
- 2 Nephi 1:7If it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments… it shall be a land of liberty unto them.Lehi's condition on the promise.
- Ether 2:12If they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.
- Mosiah 29:13-18Because all men are not just it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over you.Why the Nephites later ended their monarchy.
- Galatians 3:29If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
- Abraham 2:10As many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed.The doctrine of adoption into Israel.
Reconcile Yourselves to the Will of God
- 2 Nephi 2:27Free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men.Lehi's teaching to Jacob.
- Jacob 4:11Be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son.Jacob's later words.
- 2 Nephi 25:23It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20God… hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ… be ye reconciled to God.
- Isaiah 49:15-16Yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.The Lord does not forget those broken off.