2 Nephi 6
People in this chapter
Nephi is looked to as king, the temple has been built, and Jacob has been consecrated to teach. Now we hear him for the first time. Jacob was born in the wilderness and grew up through his brothers' quarrels and his family's hardships (2 Nephi 2:1). Lehi blessed him with the promise that God would consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain (2 Nephi 2:2). Now he stands before the people of Nephi as a teacher.
Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.
2 Nephi 6:1-5I Will Read You the Words of Isaiah
1The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto the people of Nephi: 2Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.
Jacob tells the people his authority: he was called of God, ordained after the manner of his holy order, and consecrated by Nephi.
3Nevertheless, I speak unto you again; for I am desirous for the welfare of your souls. Yea, mine anxiety is great for you; and ye yourselves know that it ever has been. For I have exhorted you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words of my father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things which are written, from the creation of the world.
Jacob has taught these people many times, and he teaches them again because he cares: mine anxiety is great for you.
4And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the words of Isaiah. And they are the words which my brother has desired that I should speak unto you. And I speak unto you for your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God. 5And now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel.
Nephi chose the passage, and Jacob reads it. Their purpose is that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God.
Isaiah spoke concerning all the house of Israel, and the Nephites were part of it, so they could liken his words to themselves. So can we.
2 Nephi 6:6-11The Holy One of Israel in the Flesh
6And now, these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 7And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Jacob starts with Isaiah's promise that the Gentiles will carry Israel's children home. Nephi had read the same verses to his brothers.
8And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words. For behold, the Lord has shown me that those who were at Jerusalem, from whence we came, have been slain and carried away captive. 9Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should return again. And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who spake it unto me.
The Lord shows Jacob that Jerusalem has fallen, just as Lehi had prophesied. Jacob's family escaped it.
10And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold, the judgments of the Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh that they shall be smitten and afflicted. 11Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance.
Scattered Israel will suffer but will not be destroyed, because of the prayers of the faithful. When they come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they will be gathered.
2 Nephi 6:12-15They Still Wait for the Coming of the Messiah
12And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will fulfil his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for this cause the prophet has written these things. 13Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah.
The Gentiles are blessed if they repent and fight not against Zion. The Lord will keep His covenants.
Who are the Lord's people? They who wait for him. To wait on the Lord means to hope in Him and keep watching for Him.
14And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them; wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believe in him. 15And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel.
2 Nephi 6:16-18The Mighty God Shall Deliver His Covenant People
16For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? 17But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with thee—
Can a captive be taken back from someone stronger? The Lord answers yes: the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people.
I will contend with them that contendeth with thee. The Lord fights for His covenant people.
18And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
The chapter ends with a name: thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. The God who frees the captives is Jesus Christ.
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.
- Did Jacob Refer to Ancient Israelite Autumn Festivals?Summarizes John S. Thompson's study suggesting that Jacob's sermon in 2 Nephi 6-10 follows an ancient covenant pattern and may have been given at a covenant-renewal festival such as the Feast of Tabernacles.
- Jacob's Use of Isaiah in 2 Nephi 6-10A verse-by-verse chart of the quotations, allusions, and echoes of Isaiah throughout Jacob's sermon, including verse 13 of this chapter.
- IsaiahBackground on the prophet Isaiah, his times, and how much of his writing is quoted in the Book of Mormon and the New Testament.
Where this echoes in Scripture
I Will Read You the Words of Isaiah
- 1 Nephi 19:23I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
- 2 Nephi 11:2-3He verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him. And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him.Why Nephi chose Isaiah.
- Jacob 2:3Weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls.
- Alma 13:1The Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son.
- Articles of Faith 1:5A man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands.
The Holy One of Israel in the Flesh
- 1 Nephi 21:22-23Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers.Nephi read the same verses.
- Matthew 27:26When he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
- 2 Nephi 10:3In the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name.The name revealed to Jacob during this sermon.
- Mosiah 3:9They shall… say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.
- 2 Nephi 1:4I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed.
They Still Wait for the Coming of the Messiah
- Isaiah 11:11The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people.
- 2 Nephi 29:1That I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people.
- 1 Nephi 14:10There are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil.
- Isaiah 40:31They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.
- D&C 133:45Neither hath any eye seen… how great things thou hast prepared for him that waiteth for thee.
The Mighty God Shall Deliver His Covenant People
- 1 Nephi 21:24-26I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.Nephi's reading of the same verses.
- Mark 3:27No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man.
- 2 Nephi 9:10-12O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster.Where Jacob's sermon is heading.
- Leviticus 25:47-49After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him.
- D&C 98:37I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children's battles.