Blessing came after Jacob and Joseph. First and last-born in the wilderness. There is no doubt in my mind that the order in which the blessings were given is important, probably very important to Laman and Lemuel who expected to be given the blessing and inheritance on the Firstborn.
2 Nephi chapter 2 and 3 are clearly blessings to Jacob and Joseph. Chapter 4 covers, Laman and Lemuel, and Ishmael and Sam. So where is Nephi. To me it seems as though Nephi's blessing is a little different. Nephi and Lehi saw visions of the future. So Nephi already knew what his families future blessing was, it was explained to all the people in Chapter 1. Zoram was told that his blessing would be the same as Nephi's because of their friendship and closeness. So it is not even a matter of receiving a blessing as Firstborn when he wasn't, it had more to do with them all understanding that Nephi already knew what his families future blessing would be. He had received his inheritance from Father directly, not through his earthly father. Very interesting. It will be even more interesting as we watch them split apart. Nephi will take all that is a spiritual inheritance and leave the land which is the worldly inheritance. And yet, the Lamanites and Lemuelites will still feel cheated. I'm look forward to pondering this further as I read through chapters 4 and 5. It may be worth going back to 1 Nephi 22 and 2 Nephi 1 to see more about how the family division correlates to the blessings prophesied.
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