Jacob 2:31 - 2:35

Jacob 2:31 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.

Because of the men engaging in this behavior, their wives are feeling the emotion of rejection by their husbands as is the other members of their families. This was a huge problem back in Jerusalem and the Lord did not like hearing the wives being so bitter and complaining against their wicked husbands.

Jacob 2:32 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.

In this land the Lord will not put up with this wicked behavior of the men here. He did not bring this people to the promise land just to see them turn around and commit the same kinds of wicked behavior they did back in Jerusalem.

Jacob 2:33 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.

The feelings of women touch the Lord deeply and He is very sensitive to their sorrows and frustrations. If He has to He will destroy the men for their unrighteous acts against their wives and their poor example to their daughters.

Jacob 2:34 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.

The men know better. The commandment against this sort of thing is clearly written in the scriptures. There is no doubt that the Lord has not given them a commandment to engages in this activity.

Jacob 2:35 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.

Jacob now brings up an interesting point. Having concubines and therefore sorrow to their wives is a greater sin than the efforts of the Lamanites to destroy them! The Lamanite wives don’t have to deal with unfaithful husbands. Their wives’ hearts are not broken and their children have not lost respect for their fathers because of their wicked behavior. The Nephite wives and children are angry at their husbands and their frustration, anger and sorrow has made weighed down with troubled hearts. They are deeply wounded by the infidelity of their husbands. Fidelity to the marriage covenant is a sign of the love and respect that a husband is to show to his wife. If no fidelity, then the wife knows her husband has no respect for her or for her efforts to bring peace and happiness to the family. This loyalty to the family is also gone which shows up in the disrespect of the children towards their father. The complaints and down right sadness of the wives is coming to the ears of the Lord loud and clear.