Normally the imperative behold is not followed by the subordinate conjunction that. Whenever the intervening vocative “my (beloved) brethren” comes between behold and a following declarative statement (22 times besides this example from 2 Nephi 6:2), we find no other instances where the declarative statement is introduced by the subordinate conjunction that. This finding suggests that the that in 2 Nephi 6:2 could be an error in the transmission of the text. On the other hand, there is one example where there is an intervening clause between behold and an occurrence of the subordinate conjunction that:
Moreover, as listed under 1 Nephi 22:15, there are three examples in the original text where the subordinate conjunction that directly follows the imperative behold:
Of course, when behold is declarative rather than imperative, the subordinate conjunction that very frequently follows (as in Alma 32:8, “I behold that ye are lowly in heart”).
The use of the subordinate conjunction that in 2 Nephi 6:2 is difficult to understand, especially because of the vocative “my beloved brethren” that intervenes between the behold and the that. Nonetheless, the occurrence of the that seems intended, especially since there are these few examples in the text of “behold that ”. Despite its awkwardness here in 2 Nephi 6:2, the that will be maintained in the critical text. For further discussion, see the verb behold under that in volume 3.
Summary: Restore the subordinate conjunction that in 2 Nephi 6:2 (“behold my beloved brethren that I Jacob having been called of God … ”); the original text has a few examples of the imperative behold being followed by the subordinate conjunction that.