Nephi's reference to Joseph's patriarchical blessing

In Genesis 49, we read about Jacob/Israel's patriarchical blessing to his sons, although it seems we get a very abbreviated version. The blessing to Joseph has special meaning to Latter-Day Saints, many of whom identify as the seed of Joseph at least in a spiritual sense. This is also the case for the Book of Mormon people who were descendents of Joseph. Part of the blessing reads

22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

No, the smiley in the end is not something I made, it's a direct copy from the KJV.

The wording in verse 24 is difficult, even in the original Hebrew. Several Bible commentaries suggest that the text is slightly corrupt. There is clearly a Messianic prophecy here, but there has probably been an alteration at some point. Perhaps some additional "plain and precious" teachings where here originally that can be linked to what we learn in the Book of Mormon about the great and abominable church and the Old Testament views on the Messiah?

Neither smileys nor scriptural alterations were the point of this post, though. The point is to evaluate an interesting connection to 1 Nephi 15. In this chapter, Nephi's brothers ask him what Lehi meant when he spoke about an olive tree in 1 Nephi 10. Nephi explains

12 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of Israel, and are we not a branch of the house of Israel?

The Nephites seem very concious about their heritage and esteem their forefather, Joseph, highly. For instance, we know that prophecies of Joseph that are not found in the Old Testament were found on the brass plates. We know from 2 Nephi 3 that Joseph prophesied about "the fruit of his loins". I'm sure the promise that he would be a "fruitful bough" also was found on the brass plates, perhaps even an extended version of it compared to the one in Genesis.

Nephi knew that he and his posterity were among the fruit of Joseph's loins and that they were a fruitful bough, broken off from the House of Israel. In verse 15, Nephi seems to make a reference to Joseph's patriarchical blessing.

15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God?

16 Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive tree, into the true olive tree.

There are several interesting takeaways from this. When talking about a remnant of the House of Israel in the latter days and making a connection to Genesis 49:22-24, Nephi seems to be interpreting Joseph's patriarchical blessing through the lens of the latter-day gathering of Israel. This is not the obvious reading in Genesis, but again, perhaps Nephi had more about this on the brass plates. As Latter-Day Saints, we know that the fruit of Joseph's loins and the Book of Mormon have a special role in this gathering.

Nephi refers to Joseph's patriarchical blessing by repeating three symbols that are found all over the Book of Mormon.

1. The stone/rock. I have posted about this before here, here, here and here. This is a frequent Messianic symbol both in the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. 
2. Shepherd/fold. This is a topic I have not yet explored or posted about much. But that's about to change! We know Christ used this symbolism a lot and that he is the good shepherd.
3. Tree and branch. We have discussed tree symbolism extensively. (see here, here and here for some examples even though there is more). In the first linked post I speculate about a connection between Joseph's bough and Zenos' olive tree. Nephi's allusion to Genesis 49 and talk about the olive tree strengthens this connection. This symbol carries several meanings. The third link explains how tree symbolism is linked to deity in different ways. It is also a common representation of the House of Israel.

Vine and olive trees seem to be used interchangeably. Nephi talks about an olive tree, then "the true vine". In Zenos' allegory, the olive tree was planted in a vineyard. On Maundy Thursday, Jesus told his disciples that he is the true vine. Then he gave them the fruit of the vine to drink to remember his atoning blood. Then he went to Gethsemane, translated to "olive press", to atone for our sins. A Jewish rabbi comments on 1 Nephi 15:15-16

Notice how Nephi makes mention of these two kinds: the olives and the vines. The olive is broken because of its stiffneckedness in not following the ways of G-d and in its arrogance. And the vine has its grapes trampled on because it has no strength in the word of G-d and so it offers its grapes to idol worship.

However Nephi says that they become the true olive and the true vine. How would that have been interpreted? As seen from above this was imagery that referred to the olive that was used to produce oil for the Menorah and to the vine that was used to produce wine for the libation. In other words these people who were once cut off would then eventually be consecrated unto the holiest service they could possibly have in the Temple of G-d.

For clarification, the "Menorah" is the seven-lamp ancient Hebrew lampstand used in the temple.

At this point my post is a bit messy, but here is the main message:
The gathering of Israel happens when we come unto Christ through temple covenants.
Let's recap

The gathering of Israel -- Nephi talks to his brothers about the latter-day gathering and uses Zenos' olive tree imagery. He also refers to Joseph's patriarchical blessing, knowing that his seed would have an instrumental role in this gathering
Come unto Christ -- Nephi refers to Joseph's patriarchical blessing through three symbols of Christ. Christ is the rock, Christ is the shepherd and Christ is the true vine.
Temple covenants -- When using tree symbolism, Nephi brings up both the olive tree and the vine. Both represent temple service as the olive oil and wine were part of the ancient temple.

The symbolism in Alma 46

When Nephite dissenters wanted to destroy their liberty in Alma 46, Moroni rent his coat (v.12), an Israelite sign of great anguish.

And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it

In response, all Nephites who supported the cause of freedom rent their garments too (v.21). Moroni then makes the connection to Joseph of Egypt because

• The Nephites are his descendents (remnant of his seed)
• His coat was rent like that of the Nephites
• His brothers were his enemies, just like the Amalickiahites were the brothers and enemies of the Nephites
• His brothers wanted to slay him, ended up selling him and he was cast into prison in Egypt (note Moroni's wording at the end of verse 23)

23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.

24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.

26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.

27 And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have dissented from us? Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do not stand fast in the faith of Christ.

There is a lot of neat symbolism here

1. Rending their garments was a token. Even as they had rent their garments, so they would be rent if they fell into transgression
2. The Nephites were a remnant of Joseph and a preserved piece of his rent coat serves as a symbol of the Nephites in the Americas who were his descendants
3. Moroni took a 'remnant' of his torn coat and used it as the title of liberty. This is a symbol of the preserved piece of Joseph's coat or the Nephites. Moroni reminded them that they as this remnant needed to stay faithful in order to be preserved like Joseph had been preserved

It's also interesting that the italic part is a quote by Jacob, Joseph's father from the brass plates, which we don't have in the Bible.

Subtle internal consistency found in names within the Book of Mormon

Some of the most remarkable internal consistency found in the Book of Mormon draws absolutely no attention to itself.  Consider the following:

1. Perhaps the most intricate example can be found in Helaman 5.  
2. Lehi has two sons born to him during the family's journey in the wilderness.  He names them Jacob and Joseph.  Interestingly, these two names come after Lehi obtains the brass plates and discovers his lineage through Manasseh (son of Joseph, who is the son of Jacob).
3. Benjamin names one of his sons Mosiah after his father.  We actually don't learn that Benjamin's father was named Mosiah until the book of Omni. Thus, a detail found in the very first dictated chapter is not explained until on of the very last chapters dictated.
4. Mormon clearly admired "Captain" Moroni, based on the description he gives in Alma 48, culminating in verse 17 (see below). Is it any wonder Mormon names his son Moroni?

17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.