30 But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of
the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute
the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure
is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.
31 And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they
shall perish.
32 Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall
perish also.
33 Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of
their iniquities shall smite them at the last day.
34 Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.
35 Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he
shall die.
36 Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they shall be
thrust down to hell.
37 Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil
of all devils delighteth in them.
38 And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins;
for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.
Jacob presents to his congregation what could be called the Nephite Ten Commandments. These are warning to his people of the consequences of their sins.
“They may be paraphrased as follows:
1. Wo unto them who have God's law
and commandments, who transgress them because they are learned and think they
are wise. They hearken not unto the counsel of God, supposing they know of
themselves. Therefore, their wisdom is foolishness, and they shall perish (vv.
27-29).
2. Wo unto the rich. Because they
are rich, they despise the poor. Their treasure is their God, and their
treasure shall perish with them (v. 30).
3. Wo unto the deaf who will not
hear, for they shall perish (v. 31).
4. Wo unto the blind who will not
see, for they shall perish also (v. 32).
5. Wo unto the uncircumcised of
heart, for a knowledge of their iniquities shall smite them at the last day (v.
33).
6. Wo unto the liar, for he shall
be thrust down to hell (v. 34).
7. Wo unto the murderer who
deliberately kills, for he shall die (v. 35).
8. Wo unto them who commit
whoredoms, for they shall be thrust down to hell (v. 36).
9. Wo unto those who worship idols,
for the devil of all devils delights in them (v. 37).
10. Wo unto all those who die in
their sins, for they shall return to God, behold his face, and remain in their
sins (v. 38)…
“[A] new perspective of 2 Nephi 9:27-38 emerges. Jacob's
inspiration formulates a set of principles relevant to his people and their
cultural needs and concerns. His ‘ten woes’ function as the equivalent of a
contemporaneous Nephite set of ten commandments. His statement is an admirable
summary of the basic religious values of the Nephites, cast in a form fully at
home in ancient Israel and in the Near East.”[1]
“I find it interesting the second ‘Wo unto’ is a warning against
riches. As we read Nephite history, things
start falling apart when the Lord blesses his people with riches and
prosperity. The rich believe themselves
to be a higher class than those not as fortunate and they turn their hearts
away from the poor and God. Riches will
eventually lead to the collapse and destruction of the Nephite society. ‘One of the oft-demonstrated symptoms of the
great cankering sin of pride creeping in among the Saints of the Book of Mormon
was the stratification of society and the haughty justifications for treating
people as ‘less than.’”[2]
Avraham Gileadi explains the consequences of the rich
believing “their treasure is their God” (2
Nephi 9:30).
“When ‘their treasure is their god’ (2 Nephi 9:30), the rich
suffer evil consequences. The rich can hardly enter the kingdom of heaven
because they already have their consolation (Matthew 19:23; Luke
6:24). Because they are puffed up, God despises them, thrusting them down
to hell (2 Nephi 9:42; 28:15). They lay up treasure for themselves on the
earth, only to lose their souls (Luke 12:16-21). They carry nothing of their
glory or riches beyond the grave (Psalm 49:17). In the day of burning heat, the
rich fade away like withering grass whose flower falls (James 1:11). The riches
they have swallowed down, they must vomit up again (Job 20:15). Riches ‘profit
not in the day of wrath’ (Proverbs 11:4).”[3]
Hugh Nibley writes:
“It is at the climax of his great discourse on the Atonement
that Jacob cries out, ‘But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of
the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor.’ This is a very
important statement, setting down as a general principle that the rich as a
matter of course despise the poor, for ‘their hearts are upon their treasures;
wherefore, their treasure is their God. And behold, their treasure shall perish
with them also’ (2 Nephi 9:30). Why does Jacob make this number one in his
explicit list of offenses against God? Because it is the number-one device
among the enticings of ‘that cunning one’ (2 Nephi 9:39), who knows that riches
are his most effective weapon in leading men astray.”[4]
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