The descendants of Joseph, the son of Lehi, were known as Nephites during much of the period covered by the Book of Mormon. However, when the Book of Mormon records the destruction of the Nephite nation (Mormon 6-8), this does not mean that all of the descendants of Joseph were destroyed. Joseph is specifically promised in this patriarchal blessing that his “seed shall not utterly be destroyed.” (2 Nephi 3:3.) That this promise was literally fulfilled is indicated by the Lord when he said to Joseph Smith in 1828 that the Book of Mormon had to be translated and published so that it might go forth unto the “Josephites.” (See D&C 3:17.)