Click here to read this blessing, “Bendición de José Smith (septiembre de 1835),” in Español (Spanish).
Preface written by Oliver Cowdery: “The reader will remember the remarks made at the commencement of the foregoing blessings, pronounced by the first patriarch, and first elder in this church, Joseph Smith, jr. I said that he had authority to bless; this is so, and it may be understood that those men whose names are mentioned in the blessings by his mouth, had long been employed in the work of the Lord, and were personally known to him. I mean those besides his own family, who are myself, Frederick G. Williams, Sidney Rigdon, David Whitmer, John Whitmer, John Corrill and William W. Phelps. Now, after writing these blessings at the mouth of the Seer, I greatly desired to know the mind of the Spirit concerning this my brother, with whom I had labored so many years; And accordingly I besought the Lord with prayer and fasting, who opened the heavens upon me, And thus, while in the heavenly vision, I wrote the following blessing, which is a part of that which was shown and declared should come upon my brother. Therefore, let no one doubt of their correctness and truth, for they will verily be fulfilled. (signed) Oliver Cowdery.” (Patriarchal Blessings Book Volume 2:28, Church Historians Office)
Blessed of the Lord is my brother, for the integrity of his heart and the steadfastness of his soul. Upheld by the arm of the Almighty he shall never fall, but shall be strengthened by his right hand till he overcomes. Like Jacob of old he shall wrestle with the angel, and as a prince shall he have power with God, and shall prevail.
Ever faithful to friends and true to his word, the goodness of the Most High shall sustain him, and thousands shall stand up to defend him from the hand of his enemies, and put forth the hand and ward off the blow were it needful: but ere his foes are aware he shall be hid under the pavilion of the Lord Jehovah; for, with the voice of his thunder shall he strike terror to their hearts, and as with the wings of an eagle shall my brother be carried beyond all harm, by the power of the Anointed.
From amid the burning bush, like Moses of old, shall he hear the voice, saying, I am the God of thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I have seen, I have seen, the affliction of my people and am come down to deliver them: go, thou, and say to the strength of my house, To your tents, O Israel: build up the wastes and raise up the foundation of desolation that this generation has made. Thus shall he be honored of the Lord, and thus shall it be recorded of him, that the generations to come may bless his name, in Israel, saying, The Lord make thee as Joseph the Seer, who was of the house of Ephraim, the brother of Manasseh: the Lord do thee good and bring peace and blessings upon [upon] thy house as he brought them upon the house of Joseph the Seer, who was raised up of a choice vine from the stem of Jacob through the root of Joseph, even that Joseph who was separated from his brethren—
For, like Joseph of old shall he be: he shall save the just from desolation, by the wise counsel of the Almighty; for by his direction shall they gather into storehouses and barns, till they overflow with the richness of the fruit of harvest: and by this means shall the just be saved from famine, while the nations of the wicked are distressed and faint.
In due time shall he go forth toward the north, and by the power of his word shall the deep begin to give way and the ice melt before the sun. By the keys of the Kingdom shall he lead Israel into the land of Zion while the house of Jacob shouts in the danse and in the song— Joy, O my soul, in that day, for thou shalt be with him and bear thy part in the keys which are confirmed thee for an everlasting priesthood, forever and ever— Joy, O my heart, in that day, with thanksgiving and with praise, for thou shalt stand with him before the hosts of Israel— the lame shall leap as a hart, the old shall renew his strength, and the virgin of Israel, with the youth, shall exalt the name of our God upon harps and instruments of tens[e] strings.
He shall be a shure arrow in the bow of his God, for he shall be hid under the shadow of his wing. His loins shall be like iron, girded by the hand of the Lord, and his feet shall be swift to execute the commandment of the Most High when he shall say, Destroy. His name shall be had in everlasting remembrance, and his name after him, for they shall be saved to the uttermost. His fame shall be sounded in foreign lands, even to the ends [p. [15]]
of the earth, as well as nigh at home: for in this the times shall change— a prophet shall have honor in his own country. His learning and wisdom shall astonish the great, for they shall acknowledge that by his intelligence he has far surpassed their learng and their science. In palaces of governors, rulers and kings shall he be honored, even in his person, for God shall give him power to prevail.
He shall be a lawgiver to Israel and shall teach the house of Jacob the statutes of the Most High. His testimony shall shine like the sun, and the weight of his influence shall be like the great river that rises on the east of the lasting hills, and flows into the great deep— so shall his righteousness ever abound. He shall partake of the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: the chief things of the ancient mountains, the precious things that couch beneath, and of the treasures hid in the sand.
The records of past ages and generations, and the histories of ancient days shall he bring forth: even the record of the Nephites shall he again obtain, with all those hid up by Mormon, and others who were righteous, and many others, till he is overwhelmed with knowledge. No precious thing shall slumber from his possession, for he shall be covered with the most choice of all ages, till his soul shall be satisfied and his heart shall say, Enough, Enough!
In his hands shall the Urim and Thummim remain and the holy ministry, and the keys of the evangelical priesthood, also, for an everlasting priesthood forever, even the patriarchal; for, behold, he is the first patriarch in the last days. He shall sit in the great assembly and general council of patriarchs, and execute the will and commandment of God under the direction of the Ancient of Days; for he shall have his place and act in his station. Behold, my brother Joseph is blessed: blessed are all who bless him, and bles sed are all those whom he blesses. Multitudes, multitudes, shall come to a knowledge of the truth through his ministry, and he shall be welcomed into the presence of kings and the great ones of the earth; for he shall claim his place among the nobles of the earth and shall be reverenced by them.
He shall also be filled with abundance of the fat of the earth: his flocks shall bring forth thousands and tens of thousands: his fats [vats] shall overflow with wine and oil: his cattle shall increase to a multitude: he shall have horses and mules, asses, she asses and dromedaries, camels and elephants, and all swift beasts, and when he goes forth in haste his chariots shall roar like the approach of an army: he shall have gold and silver, precious stones, diamonds, pearls, and the pure platina [platinum], with the antiquities of every kind. Thus shall God bless, and thus shall he be prospered: and he shall have peace after a little; for his enemies shall be consumed, many of them, and many shall turn and be his friends in very deed: he shall remain to a good old age, even till his head is like the pure wool. Behold, there is no end to the vision, of the multiplicity of blessings and glories which shall come upon my brother Joseph. He shall possess a mansion on high and have an inheritance in that city which is like pure gold, even like transparent glass. His rest shall be glorious and his name remain forever. Thus closes the vision, and thus it shall be; even so. Amen. Given in the evening of September 22, 1835, and recorded October 3, 1835. Oliver Cowdery.
