“All That Fight Against Zion Shall Be Destroyed”

Brant Gardner

Those who fight against Israel will be bested. Yahweh promises to Israel will prevail against “that great and abominable church.” The church of the devil will be defeated in the end, no matter how long it dominated.

Redaction: Nephi’s invocation, “O house of Israel,” sounds as if he is quoting a scripture, for his direct audience is his brothers. However, the essential phrasing of this verse appears nowhere in the Old Testament. Because this is Nephi’s written account of this discussion, not a verbatim transcript, he may have unconsciously switched audiences. Although discussing a doctrinal point with his brothers, he is nevertheless caught up again in what he has seen and addresses Israel directly. His enduring concern for the people left behind in Jerusalem is possibly most apparent in this slip of the pen.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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