2 Nephi 24:2-3

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Reference Search: 2 Nephi 24:2-3

2 And the people shall take them and bring them to their place; yea, from far unto the ends of the earth; and they shall return to their lands of promise. And the house of Israel shall possess them, and the land of the Lord shall be for servants and handmaids; and they shall take them captives unto whom they were captives; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.

Quotes for Discussion

In the original text of this verse there were 18 words which have been left out of the King James Version. The brass plates contained these words and clarified three others: “And the people shall take them and bring them to their place; YEA, FROM FAR UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH; AND THEY SHALL RETURN TO THEIR LANDS [note the plural] OF PROMISE. And the house of Israel shall possess them, and the land of the Lord SHALL BE for servants and handmaids and they shall take them captives UNTO WHOM they were captives; and they shall rule over their oppressors” (2 Nephi 24:2; emphasis added).

Note how extensive the gathering will be. Also note that the two lands of promise (Palestine and America) will be exclusively for the servants and handmaids of the Lord. Those who formerly persecuted the people of Israel will now find themselves depending on the children of Israel for the administration of the government in righteousness.

W. Cleon Skousen, Isaiah Speaks to Modern Times [salt Lake City: Ensign Publishing Co., 1984], 275-76

These verses were fulfilled when Cyrus the Great of Persia issued an order allowing all captive people in Babylon to return to their place of origin. The first group of Jews returned in 538 B.C. and started to rebuild Jerusalem and Judea. Another great exodus of Jews began in 520 B.C., and the group eventually was able to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, the city itself, and the temple. Later, under the Maccabees (167-70 B.C.), the Jews enjoyed autonomy and prosperity, being so successful that they began to proselyte other people in the area and to grow in numbers. Indeed, the body of Jews grew into the millions by the time of Christ; while Babylon became desolate, Judea flourished….

These verses can also find two fulfillments in the latter days. First, they may refer to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose missionary work spreads to all nations and prepares for the peaceful conditions under which the Savior will establish his kingdom at the time of his second coming. Second, these verses may refer to the modern-day return of the Jews to the Holy Land and their building of the modern state of Israel. However, the full blessings of these verses will not be realized until the second coming of Christ, when the Jews will accept him as their Savior.

Victor L. Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 186