What Does Jacob 2:30 Actually Say About Polygamy?

Jacob chapter 2 verse 30 is often referred to by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as the exception for polygamy. The loophole verse that says, “Although multiple wives and concubines are a gross iniquity and abomination in the sight of the Lord, there may be times that the Lord commands men to have multiple wives in order to raise up seed unto him.”

Well, in my opinion, this is the most misused, misunderstood, and misinterpreted verse in the Book of Mormon, and I would like to address that now.

One reason it has been so misinterpreted is because we take it out of context, focusing only on verses 27 and 30, and ignoring everything else. I’m not going to do that here. We will start in First Nephi, and I will give as much context as possible before we look at Jacob 2:30.

In 1 Nephi 1:7 the Lord tells Lehi that it “was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise.”

So Lehi’s family is commanded to marry, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise.

Then in 1 Nephi 16:7, Nephi writes that they fulfilled this commandment as he “took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, [his] brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife.”

Ok, now let’s jump to Jacob chapter 1. Nephi has passed away and Jacob now possesses the plates. Giving an update on the people of Nephi, he says in verses 15-16, “And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi… began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son. Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.”

Now the stage is set for Jacob’s sermon to the people in the next chapters.

Jacob begins addressing the people’s wickedness in verses 5-6. He says, “But behold, hearken ye unto me, and know that by the help of the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth I can tell you concerning your thoughts, how that ye are beginning to labor in sin, which sin appeareth very abominable unto me, yea, and abominable unto God. Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts.”

He then first, denounces the people’s love of riches and their pride. He warns them in verse 14, “And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you.”

After Jacob address his people’s pride he moves on to something he calls an even “grosser crime”. He says in verse 23, “But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.”

Then in verse 25, Jacob brings up again the commandment that was given to his father Lehi back in 1 Nephi 7. He says, “Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.”

In other words, the Lord has led the people of Lehi out of the land of Jerusalem, that He might raise up seed unto Himself. A righteous branch. A covenant people.

Going on in verses 26 and 27, “Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none.”

In other words, because it was the Lord’s will to raise up a righteous branch unto himself from the fruit of the loins of Joseph (to raise up seed unto himself), he will not suffer that they shall do like unto them of old, which thing was abominable before him. Then to clarify what that thing is, Jacob says, “For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none.”

Pretty clear to me.

Why? Because the Lord “delights in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before him” (Verse 28).

“Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.” (Verse 29).

Ok, so in very bold language and quoting the Lord, Jacob is telling his people that they have been led out of Jerusalem by the power of the Lord, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise (1 Nephi 7:1 and Jacob 2:25). And because it is the Lord’s goal to “raise up unto [him] a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph” he “will not suffer that [they] shall do like unto them of old.” That no man among them shall have more than one wife! And that they “shall keep [his] commandments, or cursed be the land for their sakes.”

Now with all of that in mind here is verse 30, “For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.”

If it is the Lord’s intentions to raise up a righteous branch unto him, he must command His people and they must obey his commandments! Otherwise, they shall hearken unto these things.

And what are “these things” Jacob has been talking about throughout his sermon?

The word thing or things is used 8 other times throughout this chapter. Twice in the positive, verses 7 and 20, and six times in the negative, referring to the people’s wickedness.

Other than verse 30 he says, “these things” two other times. In verse 14 referring to the peoples pride, “and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you.” And later in verse 34, “ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done.”

As you pay attention to Jacob’s usage of the word “things” throughout this chapter and especially around verse 30, it stands to reason that “these things” in verse 30 is not referring to the Lord’s commandments, but the people’s wickedness and abominations.

In other words, the second part of that scripture could say something like this, “Otherwise they shall give heed to their own pride and wickedness. Committing whoredoms and doing that thing which is abominable before me.”

Another word to pay attention to in verse 30 is the word “otherwise”. In his article, A Proposed Reinterpretation of Jacob 2:30, Steve Reed shares this insight about the word “otherwise” and how it is constantly used throughout the Book of Mormon.

He says, “The word “otherwise” in this verse functions as a conjunction, introducing a conditional statement or clause that contrasts an alternative outcome or consequence based on the preceding statement. It conveys a condition or choice and the result if that condition is not met.

In every usage found in the Book of Mormon, we can observe a consistent pattern where the main statement or action always represents an intended outcome, and the alternative condition or consequence is always an undesirable outcome.”

Here are two examples.

Jacob 1:19 “wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments.”

3 Nephi 13:1 “do alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.”

So, with the way Jacob uses the phrase “these things” and how the word “otherwise” is used throughout the Book of Mormon in mind, look at Jacob 2:30 again.

“For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.”

The last thing I’ll point out is this: if you look at verse 29 and 30 together, you will see that they parallel each other. Jacob 30 is essentially a repeat of verse 29, just worded a little different. This is a common technique used throughout the scriptures to emphasize a point. Take a look.

Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts. Parallels, For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people.

And

Or cursed be the land for their sakes. Parallels, Otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

Now read them back to back.

29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.

30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things.

The chapter then ends with these bold words from the Lord.

31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem, yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands.

32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.

33 For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts.

34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things which ye ought not to have done.

35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.

Powerful.

Now why would Jacob, in the middle of condemning the practice of multiple wives and concubines (verses 23-24, and 26-29), tell his people that the Lord has led them out of Jerusalem to raise up unto Him a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph (verse 25), then proceed to tell them that if the Lord wants to raise up seed unto Himself he will command His people to marry multiple wives (verse 30), and then continue to condemn the practice of multiple wives and concubines (verses 31-35 and continued in chapter 3). This seems contradictory. It just doesn’t make any sense, but that is the mainstream interpretation of this verse.

There is no exception for polygamy in Jacob chapter 2. There is no justification for it anywhere in the Book of Mormon. It is condemned every time it is brought up.

Study Jacob chapters 1-3 on your own, as you do try to forget what you’ve been told about verse 30 in the past and see what conclusions you come to on your own.

We often read what we have been taught into the scriptures instead of letting the scriptures speak for themselves.

I do not plan to write anymore on this subject, but I felt like this needed to be said. I hope we will stop misinterpreting Jacob 2:30 as a way to justify the practice of polygamy, when what the verse really is, is a bold condemnation from the Lord on the practice.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Lords kingdom once again established on the earth. Man is fallen and the Lord is left to use fallen and imperfect men to do his work and lead His church.

It is my testimony that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God upon whom the keys of the priesthood were restored and that President Nelson holds those keys today.