3 Nephi 10
People in this chapter
Chapter 9 ended with an invitation to the ends of the earth. Chapter 10 begins with silence. The people are so astonished by what they have heard that they stop mourning, and there was silence in the land for the space of many hours (vv. 1-2).
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3 Nephi 10:1-3Silence in the Land
1And now behold, it came to pass that all the people of the land did hear these sayings, and did witness of it. And after these sayings there was silence in the land for the space of many hours; 2For so great was the astonishment of the people that they did cease lamenting and howling for the loss of their kindred which had been slain; therefore there was silence in all the land for the space of many hours. 3And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the people, and all the people did hear, and did witness of it, saying:
After hearing the voice, the people are so astonished that they stop crying. The land is silent for hours. Then the voice speaks again.
3 Nephi 10:4-7As a Hen Gathereth Her Chickens
4O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you.
The Lord speaks to the people as descendants of Jacob and the house of Israel. He reminds them they belong to His covenant family.
5And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not. 6O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.
The Lord says how often He would have gathered them, and ye would not. He wanted to protect them, but He would not force them.
Then the Lord speaks of the future: He will gather them if they repent and return with full purpose of heart.
7But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers.
If they will not return, their homes will be desolate until God fulfills His covenant with their fathers. Even the warning ends with a promise.
3 Nephi 10:8-10Their Mourning Was Turned into Joy
8And now it came to pass that after the people had heard these words, behold, they began to weep and howl again because of the loss of their kindred and friends. 9And it came to pass that thus did the three days pass away. And it was in the morning, and the darkness dispersed from off the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the rocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease, and all the tumultuous noises did pass away. 10And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning, and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.
The people weep again for those they lost. Then the darkness lifts, the earth stops shaking, and their mourning turns into joy and praise to Jesus Christ.
3 Nephi 10:11-19Whoso Readeth, Let Him Understand
11And thus far were the scriptures fulfilled which had been spoken by the prophets. 12And it was the more righteous part of the people who were saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared— 13And they were spared and were not sunk and buried up in the earth; and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; and they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the whirlwind; neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke and of darkness.
Mormon now speaks to us. He says the prophets' words were fulfilled, and that those who were spared were the ones who had received the prophets instead of stoning them.
14And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets. 15Behold, I say unto you, Yea, many have testified of these things at the coming of Christ, and were slain because they testified of these things. 16Yea, the prophet Zenos did testify of these things, and also Zenock spake concerning these things, because they testified particularly concerning us, who are the remnant of their seed. 17Behold, our father Jacob also testified concerning a remnant of the seed of Joseph. And behold, are not we a remnant of the seed of Joseph? And these things which testify of us, are they not written upon the plates of brass which our father Lehi brought out of Jerusalem?
Mormon tells readers to search the scriptures and see that the prophets foretold all these things. Zenos and Zenock, prophets of old, testified of them and were killed for it.
Mormon reminds us that the Nephites are a remnant of Joseph, which the patriarch Jacob had prophesied would be preserved. Those prophecies were on the plates of brass Lehi brought from Jerusalem.
18And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them— 19Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an account of his ministry shall be given hereafter. Therefore for this time I make an end of my sayings.
Mormon promises that the spared Nephites and Lamanites received great blessings. Soon after Christ ascended into heaven, He showed Himself to them and ministered among them.
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 Did Jesus Christ Compare Himself to a Hen?Notes that the Lord uses the hen image four times in three verses and in three tenses: have gathered (v. 4), would have gathered (v. 5), and will gather (v. 6).
- Why Did Mormon Say That Many Prophets Prophesied of the Destructions in 3 Nephi?Follows Mormon's invitation in verse 14 to search the scriptures, tracing the prophecies of Nephi, Samuel, Zenos, Zenock, and Isaiah that these events fulfilled.
- Gathering of IsraelScriptures on the gathering the Lord promises in verses 6-7, which continues in the latter days.
- ZenosThe prophet of the brass plates whose testimony Mormon cites in verse 16.
- ZenockAnother prophet of the brass plates, named with Zenos in verse 16.
Where this echoes in Scripture
Silence in the Land
- 1 Kings 19:11-12The LORD was not in the wind... not in the earthquake... not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
- Psalm 46:10Be still, and know that I am God.
- 3 Nephi 11:3It was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless... it did pierce them that did hear to the center.The voice they will hear next.
As a Hen Gathereth Her Chickens
- Matthew 23:37-38How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!The same lament over Jerusalem.
- Psalm 91:4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.
- D&C 10:65I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts.The same promise in this dispensation.
- D&C 43:24How oft have I called upon you... and would have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!
- 2 Nephi 31:13If ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God.
Their Mourning Was Turned into Joy
- Helaman 14:20For the space of three days, to the time that he shall rise again from the dead.Samuel's prophecy of when the darkness would end.
- Psalm 30:5Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
- Jeremiah 31:13I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them.
- Mark 16:2-6And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
- 1 Nephi 12:5I saw the vapor of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth.Nephi saw this morning in vision.
Whoso Readeth, Let Him Understand
- Matthew 24:15Whoso readeth, let him understand.The same aside to the reader.
- 1 Nephi 19:10-12According to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness.Zenos's prophecy, quoted by Nephi.
- Alma 46:24So shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God.Jacob's prophecy of the remnant of Joseph.
- John 10:16Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice.
- 4 Nephi 1:17Neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ.Where verse 18 is heading.