These verses precede the foretelling of the birth of Christ, but announce the effect of his mission. He will bring them the joy of the gospel, break the darkness of their apostasy, and deliver them from their captivity to sin.
The King James text has added the word “not” preceding “increased the joy” (v. 3). Other versions (RSV; NIV) are translated the same as the Book of Mormon. However, the New Catholic Edition is the same as the KJV. The Hebrew text is not clear, but the Book of Mormon text and the other similar versions fit the context of the other verses. The Book of Mormon does not have the phrase “as in the day of Midian” at the end of verse four. This could have been an intentional omission by Nephi because this phrase did not apply to his people.