Jesus Expounds the Prophets

The Abrahamic Covenant Expanded

3 Nephi 22:1–4

Infertile women should rejoice and expand their tents: barren households will soon be filled with people.

And then shall that which is written come to pass:

Sing, O barren,
thou that didst not bear;
break forth into singing,
and cry aloud,
thou that didst not travail with child;
for more are the children of the desolate
than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.

Enlarge the place of thy tent,
and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations;
spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes;

For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left,
and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles
and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed;
neither be thou confounded,
for thou shalt not be put to shame;
for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth,
and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth,
and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

3 Nephi 22:5–6

The Lord will redeem his people and bless them.

For thy maker, thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name;
and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel—
the God of the whole earth shall he be called.

For the Lord hath called thee as a woman
forsaken and grieved in spirit,
and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

3 Nephi 22:7–8

God momentarily leaves his people, but always returns with kindness and mercy.

For a small moment have I forsaken thee,
but with great mercies will I gather thee.

In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee,
saith the Lord thy Redeemer.

3 Nephi 22:9–10

Just as the covenant with Noah promised no more global floods, the new covenant promises everlasting love and mercy.

For this, the waters of Noah unto me,
for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth,
so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee.

For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed,
but my kindness shall not depart from thee,
neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed,
saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

3 Nephi 22:11–13

Israel will be well taken care of by the Lord.

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted!

Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors,
and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

And I will make thy windows of agates,
and thy gates of carbuncles,
and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord;
and great shall be the peace of thy children.

3 Nephi 22:14–15

Israel will enjoy peace in the gathering.

In righteousness shalt thou be established;
thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not fear,
and from terror for it shall not come near thee.

Behold, they shall surely gather together against thee, not by me;
whosoever shall gather together
against thee shall fall for thy sake.

3 Nephi 22:16–17

Israel will be the ultimate victor in the strength of the Lord’s righteousness.

Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire,
and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work;
and I have created the waster to destroy.

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;
and every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment
thou shalt condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.