(3:1-25) 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.)
(3:4) "For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt." Joseph #2: Next we meet Joseph #2, the one from the Bible. 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.
(3:5) "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
... should be made manifest unto them in the latter
days ... unto freedom."
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 (Joseph Smith, Jr.).
(3:6-24)
Joseph Smith makes some modest prophecies about himself. He will be a choice seer, esteemed highly, and
shall do "a work of great worth." He will be great in God's eyes, like Moses, and will do God's work. He will bring
forth God's word, confound false doctrines, establish peace, and bring knowledge in the latter days. All those who seek
to destroy him will be confounded. He will be like God and will bring God's people to salvation. He will have exceeding faith,
work mighty wonders, and do what is great in the sight of God.
The "choice seer" is, of course, Joseph Smith. He is prophesied to be a direct descendant of Joseph (the
fruit of his loins). But Joseph Smith couldn't have sprung from any Nephite's loins, since (according to
Mormon 6) they all died leaving no descendants.
(3:6) "A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto
the fruit of my loins."
(3:7) "Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me:
A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly
among the fruit of thy loins ... he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins his brethren, which shall be of
great worth."
(3:8-9) "I will make him great in mine eyes ... And he shall be great like unto Moses."
(3:11) "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."
(3:12) "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 ... saith the Lord."
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.
(3:14) "That seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded;
for this promise ... of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled."
(3:15) "His name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father."
And finally, Joseph #4 arrives! Joseph #3 (Joseph Smith, Jr.) was named after his father, Joseph Smith, Sr. (Joseph #4),
who was named after the Joseph of Genesis (Joseph #2).
(3:17) "I will write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand."
(3:18) "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."
(3:19) "And the words which he shall write shall ... 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."
(3:21) " Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins."
(3:24) "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."
Joseph Smith heaps more praise upon himself.
3:1And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast born in the
wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.
3:2 And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance
and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so be that ye shall keep the
commandments of the Holy One of Israel.
3:3 And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the
Lord bless thee forever, for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed.
3:4For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive
into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph.
3:5 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.
3:6 For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise
up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.
3:7Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me:
A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly
among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he
shall do a work for thefruit of thy loins his brethren, which shall be of
great worth unto them, even to the bringing
of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers.
3:8 And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall
command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.
3:9 And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my
people, O house of Israel.
3:10 And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of
Egypt.
3:11 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 -- and not to the bringing forth my word
only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.
3:12 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.
3:13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people,
unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.
3:14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy
him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be
fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise;
3:15 And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name
of his father. And he shall be
like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people
unto salvation.
3:16 Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for
the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed forever.
3:17 And the Lord hath said: I will raise up a Moses; and I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will
give judgment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak much, for I will not make him
mighty in speaking. But I will write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make a spokesman for
him.
3:18 And the Lord said unto me also: 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.
3:19And 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.
3:20 And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even after many generations
have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their
words.
3:21Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the
fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith, unto the remembering of my
covenant which I made unto thy fathers.
3:22 And now, behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my father of old prophesy.
3:23 Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they
shall hearken unto the words of the book.
3:24 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 bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and unto the seed of thy
brethren.
3:25 And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little; wherefore hearken unto the words of thy
brother, Nephi, and it shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have spoken. Remember the words of
thy dying father. Amen.
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