2 Nephi 3:23
In blessing his son Joseph, Lehi cites words from Joseph of old, who was sold into Egypt. Afterwards he adds this insight:
Although this pertains to Nephi's brother Joseph and his seed, it got me thinking about Nephi's descendants. When we talk about how the Lamanites ultimately destroyed the Nephites, are we talking about one bloodline destroying another, or are we talking about cultural, civilization, or religious lines? After so many years, could the term Nephite and Lamanite have little to do with ancestry?
When Nephi had his vision of the tree of life, he saw his seed being wiped out, but the angel says this about the gentiles:
And in the Doctrine and Covenants section 3, the Lord declares this:
It seems clear to me that Nephi's descendants are among us, as well descendants of his brothers Jacob, Joseph, and his friend Zoram. Through hundreds of years of cycles of righteousness and wickedness, desertions, missionary work, correspondence, and intermarrying, the descendants of Nephi are alive.
