1 Ne 21:22 the Gentiles…shall bring thy
sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders
Nephi gives a beautiful interpretation to this passage in 1 Ne 22:6-12.
“This is a great latter-day work also for the gathering of the house
of Israel—a work which shall commence among the Gentiles. In ancient days the
Lord commenced his work among Israel. The kingdom of heaven was preached among
the Jews, but they proved themselves unworthy, and says Paul, ‘Lo, we turn to the Gentiles,’ and the kingdom was
taken from the Jews and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
The natural branches of Israel were broken off, and the branches of the wild
olive tree—the Gentiles—were grafted in. But the Gentiles, since they were
grafted in, 1800 years ago, have fallen after the same example of unbelief that
the ancient Jews did, and they have lost the power and authority which they
once possessed; and for many centuries they have had no apostles, no prophets,
no angels from heaven, no power of godliness made manifest among them, and
nothing but the teachings and precepts of men. But in the great latter-day
work, the Lord begins where he left off—‘the first
shall be last, and the last shall be first.’ As the Jews, in ancient
days were first, and the Gentiles last, so in the great latter-day work, the
Gentiles will be first and Israel will be last. Hence the Prophet says, ‘Behold, thus saith the Lord God, I will lift up mine hand
to the Gentiles, and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters
upon their shoulders, and I will lift up my standard to the Gentiles.’”
(Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot,
1854-1886], 16: 85.)