Jacob 2:6-9

6 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.

7 And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God;

8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.

9 Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.

(Book of Mormon | Jacob 2:6 - 9)

Having begun his sermon, Jacob tells them it causes him “to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker.”  All this is because of the wickedness of the men in his congregation.

John Welch discusses the use of shame in the Book of Mormon.

Shame is mentioned often enough in the Book of Mormon to prove that a strong culture of honor and shame operated in Nephite society. For example, Jacob used a heavy dose of shame in castigating the men in the city of Nephi for their sexual infidelity and greed, berating them because their actions had wounded their wives and children and even caused himself "to shrink with shame" (Jacob 2:6–9).[1]

Unlike Nephi, Jacob is reluctant to use “boldness of speech … before your wives and your children.”  Their feelings are “tender and chase and delicate before God.”  The Lord revealed that there are times when bold language is acceptable.  “Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy” (D&C 121:43). 

The congregation consists of entire families.  They wives and children have come to hear the word of God, which heals their wounded souls.  Richard Rust explains the words that they will hear.  “[Jacob] laments that his words to the women and children will be not ‘the pleasing word of God’ that ‘healeth the wounded soul,’ but sharp admonitions to offending men that for their wives and children will be like ‘daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds’ (Jacob 2:8–9).”

Alma₂ would follow Jacob’s example when preaching to the Zoramites.  “And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God” (Alma 31:5).

Even though he was commanded by God to preach to them, he was burdened by what he must do.  He must “admonish [them] according to [their] crimes.”  Instead of healing wounds, he would enlarge the wounds of those who had been wounded.  Instead of “feasting upon the pleasing word of God,” they will “have daggers placed to pierce their souls.” 

Marilyn Arnold explains:

It appears from the text, too, that conflict and grief have engendered in Jacob an intense empathy toward the suffering of others. Jacob's compassion is particularly evident in an emotional sermon he delivers after Nephi's death… although painfully reluctant to harrow the already injured feelings of the women and children in the congregation, Jacob chastises the Nephite men for marital infidelity. Their wives and children, and others too, he declares, have come to hear the word of God, but will instead "have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds" (Jacob 2:9).[2]

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[1] Judicial Punishments: Types and Rationales, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed February 23, 2014.

[2] Unlocking the Sacred Text, Marilyn Arnold, Maxwell Institute, accessed February 23, 2014.