Second Nephi
Nephi and his younger brother Jacob preach, extensively quoting and analyzing the Book of Isaiah, often word-for-word from the King James Version of the Bible.
[5] Second Nephi begins with a reminder that Lehi had warned of Jerusalem’s destruction and that his family had been purposefully[clarification needed] led to safety.
[13] In response, he takes the brass plates, the Liahona, and Laban’s sword,[14] and leaves with Zoram, Sam, Jacob, Joseph, and his sisters.
Nephi claims that his entire life and the purpose of his writings is to witness of Christ and be an example so people can receive the blessings of the covenant.
He continues with a focus on the Messiah and then turns to false churches of the future and people fighting against Zion, as well as the emergence of the Book of Mormon.
[30] Alternatively, literary scholar Terryl Givens proposes the interruption of the timeline was purposeful to emphasize an important theme of covenants in the Book of Mormon.
Lehi's vision confirms Jerusalem and its temple have been destroyed, says Givens, and triggers subsequent explanations to show the family they are still a covenant people to God and that the Israelites will not be lost forever.
He also suggests that Lehi's blessings to his children and many of the Isaiah quotations are aimed at this same purpose and show the family they are part of the covenant as long as they don't reject the Messiah.
Mauss argues that "white" was "almost always" a synonym for pure and clean in the Book of Mormon's original text, but acknowledges that these verses informed the prevailing image of Lamanites as savage Indians who ought to be assimilated among mid-19th-century Latter-day Saints.
"[35] In his Annotated Book of Mormon, Grant Hardy writes that modern readers are justifiably distressed by the Lamanites being marked with a dark skin.
[37] Writing for Dialogue, Jacob Morgan cites two scriptures from 2 Nephi 2 to support his unorthodox argument that the atonement gave mankind the light of Christ, or a conscience, which prevents humans from choosing "eternal death" (verse 29).
This passage does not mention Christ's suffering in Gethsemane (wherein many Latter-day Saints believe the payment for sins occurred) but only his death and resurrection.
[40] According to literary critic Michael Austin, 2 Nephi describes prelapsarian reproduction as impossible, making the fall a prerequisite for procreation.
[41] According to biblical scholar Julie Smith,[42] 2 Nephi 2 can alternatively be interpreted as meaning reproduction was impossible only during the time when Eve had eaten the fruit but Adam had not.
[43] The discussion in 2 Nephi 2, specifically verse 25, which states that "Adam fell that men might be," is frequently used in LDS interpretation of the fall to see it as part of God's plan.
[44] According to Smith, the "classic statement of the Wise Choice Theory" among Latter-day Saints is from a 1993 General Conference talk by apostle Dallin H. Oaks who stated that "we celebrate Eve's act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall," and cited Brigham Young and Joseph Fielding Smith to aver that was formally a transgression of law but did not constitute sin.
[45] Most official Latter-day Saint discourse interprets Eve's role in the fall "overwhelmingly positive[ly]", religious studies scholar Susannia Morrill explains.
[48] Egyptologist and CES instructor John S. Thompson analyzed Jacob’s sermon and identified themes of judgment, clothing, remembrance, creation, fasting, sacrifice, usage of God’s name, repentance, and the Law of Moses.
[49] On another note, author Marilyn Arnold suggests that, based on the deliberate structure and language of his sermon, Jacob adopts his style from writings in the brass plates.
Nephi’s words are specifically connected to the individual lament, each of which contains an invocation, complaint, confession of trust, petition, and vow of praise.
[52] Richard Rust explains that Nephi incorporates certain literary aspects such as rhythms and structures similar to those found in poetry.
[57] Bible and Jewish Studies professor David Bokovoy claims another connection to biblical poetry in Nephi's tendency to switch from third to first person.
[58] Additionally, Salleh and Hemming suggest that, based on the tone of the psalm, Nephi doesn’t have a lot of time to mourn over his parents' deaths before he has to flee from his brothers.
According to early church leader Heber C. Kimball, the response of many ministers was often "we need no more revelation," which he declared as fulfillment of the chapter 29 prophecy.
[64] According to author H. Clay Gorton, 2 Nephi 21 is the only Isaiah-quoted chapter in the Book of Mormon that, when compared to the KJV, sustains no textual differences.
[67] A scholar involved in early studies of the Book of Mormon, Sidney Sperry, suggests that by including Isaiah's writings, Nephi points out the mission of Jesus Christ, the restoration of the house of Israel, and God’s judgments that follow.
[68] Additionally, Nephi says he "delights" in Isaiah but explains that a knowledge of Jewish tradition is needed to understand his writings, according to literary critic Michael Austin.
[69] In more modern times, scholars have theorized based on variation in style and structure that more than one author wrote the book of Isaiah.
Inside the circles are the names Lehi, Nephi, Moroni, and Joseph as figures related to the Book of Mormon's content.
[78] Nephi's psalm has also been set to music, including "I Love the Lord" and "Sometimes My Soul" by John Tanner, as well as "I Glory in My Jesus" written by Millennial Choirs and Orchestras founders Brandon and Brett Stewart.
