Jacob 5:41 - 5:45

Jacob 5:41 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?

The master is distraught over the condition of his vineyard. He asks the servant what more could he have done in the vineyard so that it would bring forth good fruit.

Jacob 5:42 Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it were these, had become corrupted. And now these which have once brought forth good fruit have also become corrupted; and now all the trees of my vineyard are good for nothing save it be to be hewn down and cast into the fire.

He had suspicions that the all of the vineyard was bad except the first graft of wild branches which he thought would be ok. But to his dismay everything was bad. Now all the trees of the vineyard are only good for firewood. [Again referring to the corruption in Palestine after the return of the Jews.]

Jacob 5:43 And behold this last, whose branch hath withered away, I did plant in a good spot of ground; yea, even that which was choice unto me above all other parts of the land of my vineyard.

He also points out that the graft he had planted in the best spot in the garden had also gone bad [Probably referring to the Nephites who were may have been the most successful in living the gospel for any length of time which had gone totally bad as described in the last part of the Book of Mormon]

Jacob 5:44 And thou beheldest that I also cut down that which cumbered this spot of ground, that I might plant this tree in the stead thereof.

The master in time past had removed the bad tree in this spot in the past and had planted a good tree in its place. [This might refer to the Lord clearing off the land of promise the Jaredites, which allowed the Nephites to come and not have to deal with them because of the problems they were having all by themselves.

Jacob 5:45 And thou beheldest that a part thereof brought forth good fruit, and a part thereof brought forth wild fruit; and because I plucked not the branches thereof and cast them into the fire, behold, they have overcome the good branch that it hath withered away.

The master showed that because he had not removed the branches which were producing evil fruit that they overcame the branches producing good fruit. Now there was only evil fruit on all the branches of the tree.