Lehi speaks about three different Josephs in this chapter: (1) his son, to whom he is speaking, (2) his ancestor, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (Israel), and (3) a future prophet (Joseph Smith), who will publish the words of his descendants. Young Joseph must have gained power and perspective from recognizing his affinity with these great prophets, past and future.
Chapter Outline
- Lehi blesses Joseph and his posterity (v. 1-3).
- Lehi’s ancestor, Joseph, saw Lehi’s family (v. 4-5).
- Joseph prophesied of a future seer who would bring forth more of God’s word (v. 6-16).
- The descendants of Joseph will cry from the dust (v. 17-21).
- Lehi tells Joseph that his descendants will do many mighty wonders (v. 22-25).
My Takeaways
- We make better decisions when we remember our relationship with generations before and after us.
- The Savior has the power to bring us “out of darkness unto light.”
- The words we speak in sincerity and love may rise from the dust in unexpected ways.
- Joseph Smith was not perfect, but he became stronger as he fulfilled his God-given mission.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Lehi’s Son, Joseph – 2 Nephi 3:1-3, 22-25
Thou Art the Fruit of My Loins – 2 Nephi 3:3-4, 22-23
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. 4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And…
❖ JosepH in Egypt – 2 Nephi 3:4-6
Out of Darkness Unto Light – 2 Nephi 3:5
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…
❖ Joseph Smith – 2 Nephi 3:7-18
What Did Lehi Teach About Joseph Smith?
When Lehi met with his family shortly before his death, he spoke to his son Joseph about two other people who shared his name, one of whom lived many years earlier and one of whom would live many years later. The first of these was Joseph the son of Jacob, who was sold into slavery…
How Does the Book of Mormon Complement the Bible?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Lehi tells his son Joseph about a seer who, in a future time, will have “power to bring forth [God’s] word.” This seer will also have power “to the convincing them of [His] word, which shall have already gone forth among them” (2 Nephi 3:11).…
The Book of Mormon and the Bible: Growing Together and Establishing Peace
Lehi taught that the Bible and the Book of Mormon would “grow together” and establish peace. By recognizing the unity of God’s word to different people in different cultures, we learn to build strong relationships based on universal principles.
Old Testament Foundations
A Fruitful Bough
Lehi’s words to his son Joseph were incredibly far-reaching, stretching generations into the past and future. I think he wanted Joseph to identify with these prophets and to recognize the intergenerational impact his life could have.
Out of the Dust
What do you do when you feel like you’re not being heard or understood? In the middle of a prophecy about the restoration of the gospel, just before introducing the symbolism of a sealed book, the prophet Isaiah shared an image which became meaningful to the writers of the Book of Mormon: Thou shalt be…
Moses
When Pharaoh’s daughter discovered a Hebrew baby floating in a small basket in the river, she decided to adopt him. The writer of Genesis explains that she named him Moses, or Mosheh (משֶׁה) because she “drew him out of the water” (Exodus 2:10). The Hebrew word mashah (מָשָׁה) means “to draw out” or “to pull…
The Gift of Aaron
To every man [and woman] is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. Doctrine and Covenants 46:11 When God called Moses to free his people from slavery in Egypt, the task seemed unfathomable. Although Moses had been…
New Testament Parallels
Out of Weakness…
Near the end of his life, Lehi spoke with son Joseph. He spoke of a future seer who would publish his words and the words of his descendants. He didn’t say this seer would be perfect. He said, “Out of weakness he shall be made strong” (2 Nephi 3:13). He said something similar about the…
Church History Connections
“He Shall Do a Work…Which Shall Be of Great Worth” – 2 Nephi 3:7
The ancient patriarch Joseph foresaw the work of his future namesake, the prophet Joseph Smith: 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…
None Other Work
The Lord told the ancient prophet Joseph that He would command Joseph Smith to do “none other work” than what he had been given to do. We can apply this principle by fulfilling our assignments well and not doing someone else’s job for them.
My Ongoing Restoration
This week’s Come Follow Me lesson invites us to consider how the gospel is being restored in our personal lives. God is restoring His gospel to each of us, and that process requires that we continue to seek and receive personal revelation.
All Posts Referencing 2 Nephi 3
- Family History and Belonging (12/2/2025)
- “Take Especial Care of Your Family” (11/6/2025)
- Patriarchal Blessings (10/30/2025)
- “Thus Shall My Church Be Called” (10/14/2025)
- None Other Work (2/2/2025)
- My Ongoing Restoration (1/5/2025)
- Biblical Bookends in the Book of Ether (11/12/2024)
- The Book of Mormon and the Bible: Growing Together and Establishing Peace (2/14/2024)
- A Fruitful Bough (2/13/2024)
- Out of the Dust (9/15/2022)
- Moses (3/22/2022)
- Patriarchs and Matriarchs (3/20/2022)
- The Sons of Jacob (3/5/2022)
- The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon (12/26/2021)
- Out of Weakness… (6/5/2021)
- Promises to Covenant Israel (3/18/2021)
- The Gift of Aaron (1/29/2021)
- “He Shall Do a Work…Which Shall Be of Great Worth” – 2 Nephi 3:7 (1/17/2021)
- What Did Lehi Teach About Joseph Smith? (2/5/2020)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Fulfill? (12/30/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between the Family and the Church? (9/18/2019)
- How Can I Teach the Gospel More Effectively in My Home? (9/16/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Consecrate Something? (5/4/2019)
- How Does the Book of Mormon Complement the Bible? (1/19/2019)
- Lehi Teaches Joseph – 2 Nephi 3 (8/30/2018)
- Out of Darkness Unto Light – 2 Nephi 3:5 (8/17/2018)
- Thou Art the Fruit of My Loins – 2 Nephi 3:3-4, 22-23 (10/5/2017)
- 2 Nephi 3:19-21 They Shall Cry from the Dust (2/6/2015)