2 Nephi 1-3: A tale of four Josephs and loads of loin fruit

Second Nephi begins with Lehi rehearsing and rehashing the same old stories from Nephi's first book.

And now It came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them.... 2 Nephi 1:1

So I'm going to skip the first two chapters of 2 Nephi and begin with chapter 3.

Chapter 3 is all about Joseph. Joseph Smith, that is, along with three other Josephs and lots of loin fruit. (See the LDS Seminary Manual's section on 2 Nephi 3 to see that I'm not making this up.)

The author of Second Nephi (God, Nephi, Joseph Smith, Matt Stone and Trey Parker?) really liked the phrase "fruit of thy loins." It, or variants of it, is used 21 times in chapter 3 alone, with verse 12 setting an all time fruit-of-thy-loins record for a single verse, with 5. Here it is.

Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. 2 Nephi 3:12

If the above verse doesn't make much sense to you, maybe it will help to have it read to you. (Note: Drew mispronounced "Nephi", but otherwise the reading is perfect.)

And that is a good summary of the first three chapters of 2 Nephi.

But to understand it fully, you must sort through the Josephs and loin fruit.

The first Joseph is Lehi's youngest son, who was born in the wilderness and got hungry on the voyage to America. Here are the only two verses that mention him up to now.

And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the elder was called Jacob and the younger Joseph. 1 Nephi 18:7

And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother. 1 Nephi 18:19

Since the author of 2 Nephi likes the name Joseph so much, Lehi directs his prophesy to his son with that name (Joseph #1).

And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness. 2 Nephi 3:1

Next we meet Joseph #2, the one from Genesis. Lehi discovered that Joseph #2 was his ancestor by reading from the plates of Lehi (that Nephi stole from Laban after murdering him). So Lehi was a fruit from Joseph #2's loins.

For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. 2 Nephi 3:4

And Joseph #2 (who was supposed to have lived ~1500 BCE) prophesied about another Joseph (#3) who would live 3300 years later in New York State.

Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light -- yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. 2 Nephi 3:5

That's right, Joseph #2 is talking about Joseph Smith, Jr. (Joseph #3).

Now that he's been properly introduced, Joseph Smith (or whoever wrote 2 Nephi) makes some modest prophecies about himself.

He will be a choice seer,

A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins. Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins. 2 Nephi 3:6-7a

esteemed highly,

He shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. 2 Nephi 3:7b

and shall do "a work of great worth."

He shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth. 2 Nephi 3:7c

He will be great in God's eyes, like Moses,

And I will make him great in mine eyes ... And he shall be great like unto Moses. 2 Nephi 3:8-9

doing much good as an instrument in God's hands, with exceeding faith, working mighty wonders, doing great things in the sight of God.

And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God ... unto the seed of thy brethren. 2 Nephi 3:24

God's finger will write the law down for him.

I will write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make a spokesman for him. 2 Nephi 3:17

He will bring forth the word unto the seed of lots and lots of loins.

But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins ... I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman. And I, behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it. 2 Nephi 3:11-18

It'll be as though the fruit of someone's loins cried out from the dust, "For I know their faith." Or something like that.

And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust; for I know their faith. 2 Nephi 3:19

And now we come to back to verse 12, which I'll repeat for you in case you've forgotten it.

Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. 2 Nephi 3:12

Makes perfect sense now, doesn't it?

The fruit of Joseph #2's loins (Joseph Smith, Jr., Joseph #3) shall write the Book of Mormon and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write the Bible. And the Book of Mormon and the Bible will grow together confounding the false doctrines of the Catholics and other members of Satan's church.

Still, I don't see how Joseph #3 is the fruit of Joseph #2's loins, but the Mormon's say that he is. And Joseph #3 didn't write the Book of Mormon, did he? I thought he just translated it. Oh well, the rest of the story makes perfect sense.

But there's one more Joseph that I haven't mentioned. Joseph #4, Joseph Smith, Sr.

And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. 2 Nephi 3:15

See how he fits in here? Joseph Smith, Jr. was named after his father, Joseph Smith, Sr.

So there you have it. Four Josephs and a ton of loin fruit all sorted out for you.

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Blogging the Book of Mormon

Next episode -- 2 Nephi 4-5: Because of their unbelief, the Lamanites are cursed, receive a skin of blackness

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