1 Nephi 22: 9

9 And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

I find it interesting that of all the teachings of Nephi that we have record of, he invests so much in the gathering of Israel, in the relationship between Israel and the Gentiles, and in this latter-day prophecy generally. Of course, he knew that ultimately he was writing to us of the latter days, but his immediate audience was alive more than 2,500 years ago. What worth was there in this theme to his unbelieving brothers? I think the answer to that question is found in 1 Nephi 19: 23, where Nephi states that his purpose is to “more fully persuade [his brethren] to believe in the Lord their Redeemer.” I think he clearly sees these Isaiah writings about the scattering and gathering of Israel as strong evidence of the Savior’s love for His people, and the power of a covenant with Him. I think that besides the ultimate purpose of teaching and testifying to us, he really wants his brothers to buy into the Atonement. He really wants them to be converted. Remember that Nephi saw the future history of his people. He knew that he and his followers would break away from his brothers’ people. He knew of the wars between them, and he knew the outcome (see 1 Nephi 15: 4–5). Yet in spite of this foreknowledge, Nephi never gave up trying to convert his brethren until the Lord told him to separate from the Lamanites. He knew it would do no good, but he never stopped trying. I wonder if Nephi ever felt like Mormon, who would live at the time of the destruction of the Nephites. Mormon led his people in battle against the Lamanites time and again, and he loved his people, “according to the love of God which was in [him], with all [his] heart; and [his] soul had been poured out in prayer unto…God all the day long for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the hardness of their hearts” (Mormon 3: 12—emphasis added). I wonder. It’s a great lesson to us that we should not give up on those within our stewardship who may have wandered, or worse, rebelled from the right path.

• 1 Nephi 14: 5 (1–5)
• 1 Nephi 15: 13 (13–17)
• 2 Nephi 28: 2
• 2 Nephi 29: 14 (13–14)
• 2 Nephi 30: 3 (1–7)
• 3 Nephi 20: 25 (25, 27)
• Abraham 2: 11 (8–11)

1 Nephi 22: 8

8 And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders.

Nephi gives some clarification of Isaiah’s prophecy that Israel will be nursed and carried by the Gentiles. He states that the Gentiles will not literally do these things, but the marvelous work that the Lord God will do among them will be a blessing to Israel as well. This marvelous work is what will make the gathering of Israel possible, and it is the means of the gathering. Of course this “marvelous work” is the restoration of the fullness of the Gospel. As Israel accepts the Gospel they are gathered back into the covenant with God, which is of great worth to them.

• Isaiah 29: 14
• 1 Nephi 14: 7
• 2 Nephi 27: 26
• 2 Nephi 10: 10
• 3 Nephi 16: 6 (4–7)
• 3 Nephi 5: 23 (21–26)
• 3 Nephi 21: 7 (4–29)
• Mormon 5: 19

1 Nephi 22: 7

7 And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered.

Now Nephi makes it very clear that this prophecy of the scattering of Israel includes Lehi’s descendants. This is not just something that will happen in Jerusalem, but the prophecy applies to this land as well. Of course, Nephi saw this before, in his vision of Lehi’s dream (see 1 Nephi 13: 12–14). In fact, that vision of Nephi’s may have been at least part of the reason he chose to read the Isaiah chapters that he did. He is trying to convince his brethren that the scriptures are more than just a collection of moral stories. They are written for them (and us). They apply to them (and us). This is an attitude that is popular today, even among some Christian churches and clergy, that the Bible is nothing but a collection of stories, fictional stories that are intended to teach morals.

This particular verse has reference to how the American Indians were pushed off their lands and segregated onto reservations by the United States government. I don’t know the history of Central and South America so much, but a similar thing could have happened with those people with colonization, etc. But I know for sure this prophecy has reference to what occurred in North America.

• 1 Nephi 13: 14 (12–14)
• 2 Nephi 1: 11
• 3 Nephi 20: 27

1 Nephi 22: 6

6 Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up for a standard, and their children have been carried in their arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders, behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the house of Israel.

Although a spiritual type can be drawn from the scattering and gathering of Israel, Nephi is going to focus more on the literal, or temporal gathering. And according to scripture this gathering will be just as literal or temporal as the scattering was. And one of the main points Nephi seems to be trying to make with his brethren is that this gathering will include them, or rather their descendants.

As I have noted before, the irony of Israel depending on the Gentiles for this gathering is humbling. In the early days of Abraham’s covenant the people were not allowed to intermarry with gentiles because it would influence and corrupt the covenant relationship with God. Over time the Jews, in their pride, came to see that command as an indication that they were superior and couldn’t mix with “lower” societies, races, or people. They took pride in their religion and heritage, not thinking that the covenant is only as strong as their success in keeping true to it (see D&C 82: 10). They took great pride in their blood link to Abraham, and probably never considered that “God [was] able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Luke 3: 8). Christ pointed out to the scribes and Pharisees that, “If [they] were Abraham’s children, [they] would do the works of Abraham” (John 8: 39). Once again this points more to the covenant than to the bloodline. So in the latter days, “as many of the Gentiles as will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off” (2 Nephi 30: 2). In the end we are all of the same bloodline anyway: God’s. We are all His children, so the only real and/or significant thing that separates us at least eternally is the covenant.

So these Gentiles who the Jews came to look down upon as unclean (remember Peter needed a direct revelation from God before he would consider sharing the gospel with a gentile (see Acts 10)) would become covenant people with God and would “nurse” and carry the Jews back to the God they rejected. I just find the whole prophecy ironic and fascinating.

• 1 Nephi 15: 13
• 1 Nephi 21: 23
• 2 Nephi 30: 3 (1–7)

1 Nephi 22: 5

5 And since they have been led away, these things have been prophesied concerning them, and also concerning all those who shall hereafter be scattered and be confounded, because of the Holy One of Israel; for against him will they harden their hearts; wherefore, they shall be scattered among all nations and shall be hated of all men.

I suppose there have been many reasons over the generations that people have given for hating the Jews. Some are jealous of their strong national identity, no matter what country they are citizens of. It gives the impression that they are more loyal to their blood than they are to their country. Some people probably take exception to that display of “tribe identity” over “national identity.” So-called Christians over the years have used the excuse to persecute the Jews that they crucified Jesus Christ, which is also true. And for that one the Jews really have no one to blame but themselves (see Matthew 27: 25). Ultimately the reason comes down to the fact that they (the Jews) hardened their hearts against the Holy One of Israel. They broke their covenants, and in their pride have passed that attitude and broken covenant condition down from generation to generation. This is the physical manifestation of the prophecies on the scattering and gathering of Israel. The spiritual meaning could include a comparison to the Plan of Salvation. By virtue of our being born to this world we know that we entered into an agreement (covenant) to return to Heavenly Father. In this life we break that agreement all too frequently through sin. Yet in the end the Atonement will gather us in to our own “Promised Land.”

• Luke 23: 28–31
• 1 Nephi 19: 14