In the Nephite record “Jew” denotes a descendant of the tribe of Judah or an inhabitant of the kingdom of Judah, distinguished from Israelites of other tribes. Lehi and his family left Jerusalem about 600 B.C., and the brass plates they carried held a record of the Jews from the beginning down to the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah (1 Nephi 5:12). Nephi later wrote that he had charity for the Jew, “because I mean them from whence I came” (2 Nephi 33:8).
Nephite prophets foretold the future of the Jews at Jerusalem: that they would be scattered among all nations and Babylon destroyed (2 Nephi 25:15), and that those at Jerusalem would be scourged by all people because they crucify the God of Israel (1 Nephi 19:13). Jacob taught that the Jews, stumbling, would reject the stone on which they might build, the same stone that becomes the sure foundation and head of the corner (Jacob 4:15-17). The prophecies also foresaw their gathering: after being driven to and fro, scattered, smitten, and hated, they would be shown mercy and gathered to the lands of their inheritance when they come to a knowledge of their Redeemer (2 Nephi 6:11), grafted in as the natural branches and brought to a knowledge of the true Messiah (1 Nephi 10:14).
The Jews are named as the covenant people through whom scripture would come to the Gentiles. The record Nephi saw in vision proceeds “out of the mouth of a Jew” and contains the covenants the Lord made with the house of Israel (1 Nephi 13:23), and the Lord calls the Bible a record that proceeds from the Jews, “mine ancient covenant people” (2 Nephi 29:4). The Lehite and Lamanite line is reckoned among Jewish descent through its origin at Jerusalem, though it traces to Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim; Alma’s record names descent from Manasseh (Alma 10:3), and Nephi’s seed are called descendants of the Jews who came out from Jerusalem (2 Nephi 30:4).