The term “Jew” within the context of the Book of Mormon denotes individuals who are either descendants of the tribe of Judah or inhabitants of the ancient kingdom of Judah. The distinction is made as not all Israelites are Jews; only those specifically from the tribal lineage or kingdom of Judah hold this title. In the Book of Mormon narrative, the Jews are recognized for their role in the sacred history leading up to (and, according to prophecy, beyond) the time period around 600 B.C., when Lehi and his family departed from Jerusalem (1 Nephi 5:12, 2 Nephi 33:8).
The brass plates, a record of immense importance to the Nephite people, contained the historical account of the Jews up to the reign of King Zedekiah. The Jews are often a focal point in prophetic visions throughout the Book of Mormon, highlighting pivotal events such as the coming of the Messiah, their eventual scattering and final gathering (1 Nephi 19:13, 2 Nephi 25:15).
These prophetic accounts reveal the fluctuating fortunes of the Jews, including the destruction of Jerusalem, the Babylonian captivity, their stubbornness in the face of divine warnings, and their ultimate role in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Prophets in the Book of Mormon foresaw the scattering of the Jews as a consequence of their actions but also their eventual gathering and recognition of Jesus Christ as their true Messiah in the latter days (Jacob 4:15-17, 2 Nephi 6:11, 1 Nephi 10:14).
Furthermore, the Jews are represented as a covenant people through whom the record of the Old Testament, described as proceeding from the mouth of a Jew, would come forth and play a critical part in God’s plan for the salvation of all nations (1 Nephi 13:23, 2 Nephi 29:4). The lineage of the Jews also intersects with the Nephite and Lamanite narratives, as the record denotes them as being of Jewish descent due to ancestral ties, despite originating from the lineage of Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim (Alma 10:3, 2 Nephi 30:4).