2 Nephi 3:1 - 3:5

2 Nephi 3:1 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.

Lehi turns to speak to his last born son in the desert Joseph who was born during a low point while the family was journeying in the desert.

2 Nephi 3:2 And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.

Lehi promises Joseph as he has the other boys that if he and his descendents will keep the commandments, the land will be place of security and safety forever. But only if they will do such. Otherwise they will be swept off the land as all other peoples that have strayed from the commandments.

2 Nephi 3:3 And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever, for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed.

Lehi further promises that Joseph’s descendents will not completely be destroyed even if they do go bad in the future. The Lord will see to if personally.

2 Nephi 3:4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph.

The reason for this promise is because Lehi being a descendent of Joseph of Egypt who received such a promise can claim it for himself and his descendents as well. If one will study the promises made to this Joseph of Egypt, he will see that they are spectacular indeed.

2 Nephi 3:5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.

Joseph of Egypt saw the days of Lehi and beyond. He was promised that his descendents would become a righteous branch of the house of Israel but not in Palestine. Even thought the Messiah would not be a descendent of his, the Messiah would visit his descendents on other lands after His resurrection and even unto the latter-days. And whenever the Messiah did manifest himself the people would be lead out of the darkness of ignorance which causes all such people to come into the light of freedom. They would not longer be subject to the whims of men and come under the influence of the truth.