And it shall come to pass also
that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves, and shall
become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation.
(D&C 87:5)
Commenting on this verse, Allen H. Richardson and David E.
Richardson wrote that:
It is a matter of history that
some of the greatest Indian Wars took place after this revelation was given. In
1830, very few settlers had ventured onto the plains, and fewer still had
crossed them. The West did not really begin to open up until land in the Oregon
Territory was made available. The Gold Rush of 1849 was also a major factor in
the settling of the West. The time of the westward migrations was the time of
some of the greatest Indian Wars. It was the time of Geronimo, Crazy Horse,
Sitting Bull, and many others. These Indian Wars persisted into the early 1900’s.
More recently, the issue of
illegal immigrants has certainly “vexed” many gentile citizens of the U.S. (Allen
H. Richardson and David E. Richardson, 1000 Evidences For The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2 vols. [2d ed.; South Jordan, Utah: Artisan Enterprises,
2011], 1:35)
As for the meaning of “vex,” here is how the Webster’s 1828
dictionary defines the term:
VEX, verb
transitive [Latin vexo.]
1. To
irritate; to make angry by little provocations; a popular use of the word.
2. To
plague; to torment; to harass; to afflict.
Ten thousand torments vex my
heart.
3. To
disturb; to disquiet; to agitate.
White curl the waves, and the vex'd ocean roars.
4. To
trouble; to distress.
I will also vex the
hearts of many people. Ezekiel 32:9.
5. To
persecute. Acts 12:1.
6. To
stretch, as by hooks. [Not in use.]
VEX, verb intransitive To fret; to be teased or
irritated.
Further Reading: