1 AND now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare unto you that except ye shall repent your houses shall be left unto you desolate. [ In what ways are our houses left desolate if we choose not to put our lifes in order? 1) Typical covenant curse -Either that you will have no posterity or that our posterity will be left without the gospel and in the true sense we will be left without posterity on the other side. 2) Our houses or our physiacl bodies will not be filled with the spirit of truth and righteous that brings peace and comfort to the soul. ]

2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; [ Or when they are most loving. So what is the meaning here? Well if the people whom suround them are so evil that they will do nothing to help then it gives us an idea of the state that they are really in. It is at this time of life that a woman and child need the most help from others and if the society will not provide it then how bad off are they? Secondly; if the woman is so far away from the Lord that during this time he cannot show her mercy then she has dirifted a ong way from God - tell us something of her position with God. ] for ye shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge; [ Why would there be no place for refuge? Because they have destroyed it and every hope that they have for it. It would have been through there own choosing. ] yea, and wo unto them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish.

3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders [ Or those things which were prophecied about the Savior in the previous chapter by Samuel - ie Christs (birth and death). ] which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, [ Notice the contrast on how the Lord has dealt with each of the two groups to bring them back to him(now we are going to see the roles reversed for each). The Nephites he has loved, tried to bring them along with loving kindness. On the other hand he has punished the Lamanites because of what their forefathers did. In the end it appears as if the Lamanites when converted become much stronger vs 4. ] and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.

4 But behold my brethren, the Lamanites hath he hated because their deeds have been evil continually , [ Samuel can say this because he is a Lamanite, a descendant of Laman one whom was not to follow the Lord in righteousness. Elder Russell M. Nelson addressed the subject of God’s love for those who sin: “Does this mean the Lord does not love the sinner? Of course not. Divine love is infinite and universal. The Savior loves both saints and sinners. The Apostle John affirmed, ‘We love him, because he first loved us’ [1 John 4:19]. And Nephi, upon seeing in vision the Lord’s mortal ministry, declared: ‘. . . Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men’ [1 Nephi 19:9; italics added]. We know the expansiveness of the Redeemer’s love because He died that all who die might live again” (“Divine Love,” Ensign, Feb. 2003, 24). ] and this because of the iniquity of the tradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation hath come unto them [ The Lamanites. ] through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath the Lord prolonged their days . [ Recapping the past or what has gone on in the past. (Jacob 3) Because the Lamanites had love of family, and lived the law of chastity, God prolonged their days long enough that they got a second chance. Or we repented when we were preached to, now you need to do the same. ]

5 And I would that ye should behold that the more part of [ The majority of the Lamanites are righteous now. ] f them [ Who? The Lamanites - those who were so evil. Speaking of their current condition and attitude. vs 5-10. ] are in the path of their duty, [ Are following the path that will lead them back to Heavenly Father. A path that is most pleasing to him. So he calls attention to the fact that they have become righteous despite or maybe because of how he has dealt with them. ] and they do walk circumspectly [ circum = around; spect = look; these Lamanites are looking around, noticing themselves as they are trying to follow God and his commandment, they are trying to keep themselves to a standard of God. ] before God, and they do observe to keep his commandments and his statutes [ Samuel is letting them know that it is the Lamanites who are actually living the gospel better than the Nephites. ] and his judgments according to the law of Moses.

6 Yea, I say unto you, that the more part of them [ Who? Again the Lamanites - the ones who God hated their actions. ] are doing this, [ Doing what? They are striving to keep the commandments of God. vs 5 ] and they are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth;[ They have become very strong in their testimonies, unmoveable converts. ] therefore there are many who do add to their numbers daily.

7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance [ Samuel is outlining the process that these Lamanite converts followed in order to obtain the strength that they have. ] bringeth a change of heart unto them — [ so what are to learn from those who accept the gospel and repent? They have a change of heart. This change of heart for them is most likely much harder and needs be much deeper because they must overcome the traditions left in place by their forfathers. Is it becuase their conversion is harder to come by that they seem to be more diligent in the word? How does that apply to us today? President Benson taught, “social, ethical, cultural, or educational converts will not survive under the heat of the day unless their taproots go down to the fulness of the gospel which the Book of Mormon contains” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 96; or Ensign, May 1975, 65). ]

8 Therefore, as many as have come to this, [ "this" - they were brought to a knowledge of the truth; believed in the scriptures; acquired faith in the Lord; which lead to repentance; which changed their hearts, and by doing this we will see that they have become steadfast in their testimony. ] ye know of yourselves are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing [ Because they accepted Christ, had faith in him so much so that they repented they are now free. ] wherewith they have been made free. [ Free of what? The second death Hel. 14:18. ]

9 And ye know also that they have buried their weapons of war, [ What is this evidence to as part of their conversion? 1) That they had extreme faith that the Lord would allow to happen to them as he saw fit - they trusted him completely (How well do we trust the Lord?) 2) They had a respect for all mankind; that we were all Gods children and that they would not slay them 3) I think that they could see how the thrist for blood and vengence was not good for them nor their progression. It allowed the basic instincts of father Mahem to rule their lives; so they left him and all that was his behind. They literally had t turn their backs on their basic traditions - change their hearts and minds to follow God. ] and they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin; yea, ye can see that they fear to sin—for behold they will suffer themselves that they be trodden down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this because of their faith in Christ.

10 And now, because of their steadfastness when they do believe in that thing which they do believe, for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall bless them and prolong their days, notwithstanding their iniquity—

11 Yea, even if they should dwindle in unbelief [ a transitition to what will happen to them in the future vs 11-13. ] the Lord shall prolong their days, [ A promise that the Lord will protect the Lamanites and keep them from utter destruction until they have an opportunity to learn of the restoration of the gospel. ] until the time shall come which hath been spoken of by our fathers, and also by the prophet Zenos, and many other prophets, concerning the restoration of our brethren, the Lamanites, again to the knowledge of the truth—

12 Yea, I say unto you, that in the latter times the promises of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, [ It will not be easy - the life for the generations of Lamanites that follow.] and notwithstanding they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the earth, and be hunted, and shall be smitten and scattered abroad, having no place for refuge, [ They will have no place to call home. Nomads on the face of the earth. ] the Lord shall be merciful unto them. [ However the Lord shall spare them. Why will he spare them? see answwer in vs 13]

13 And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again be brought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep. [ They will once again come to know Jesus the Christ, that he is their Savior, their redeemer, and they shal be a part of his fold. See also Alma 9:16-19 ]

14 Therefore I say unto you, it shall be better for them than for you except ye repent. [ Why is it better for them (the Lamanites) than the Nephites who do not repent? The Lamanites will be given opportunities in the future based on the traditions of their forefathers and their lack of knowledge of Gos. The Nephites on the other hand have a knowledge of God and they are not living up to the knowledge that they have been blessed with. ]

15 For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief.

16 Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return again unto me, saith the Lord.

17 And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I will utterly destroy them, saith the Lord, [ so why is the Lord so wiling to let the Nephites become destroyed and not the Lamanites? It does not seem fair it is like God is playing favorites. The Lord is simply telling them that he will not extend his hand to save the Nephites as they become wicked. They have had the truth and they have dilibertly chosen to walk away from it. If the Lamanites would have seen and heard what the Nephites had been shown they would have renmained faithful, the Nephites did not. So the old addage that where much is given much is expected comes true again. The Lord made a promise long before that he would not allow the Lamanites to be completly destroyed and he keeps his promises. ] because of their unbelief notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done among them; and as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things be, saith the Lord.