An Early Latter-day Saint Use of Jacob 2:30 to Defend Polygamy from Joseph Lee Robinson (1811-1893)

As Jacob was teaching his people in the Book of Mormon, forbidding them practice the order of plural marriage for he, God, had commanded Lehi that his people should have wives, save one and concubines, they should have none. But, he adds if I will raise up seed unto me I will command my people otherwise you shall abide by these words. Now, it is plain and certain that God had the right to command his people just what he pleased, whatever he commands, that is virtue to obey the same. Now if any man is worshipping a God that cannot tell him what he would have him do today, it is not the God we worship. For we worship the God of Abraham. Notwithstanding, it is written thou shalt not kill. Nevertheless, he commanded Abraham to take his son Isaac up to the mount and slaw him and offer him in sacrifice. Now Abraham went about it and certainly would have done it as he was told if the Lord had not stopped him. That showed to God that Abraham would obey him and it was counted to him for righteousness. Abraham knew that God commanded him to do that thing. Now if Abraham had refused to obey this commandment he never would have been the father of the faithful. Now Jesus came through his loins and all the faithful from Adam down to the last one who will ever be born on this earth of the faithful that will be admitted into the golden city described by John the Revelator, will be adopted into the family of Abraham. (History of Joseph Lee Robinson, ed. Oliver Preston Robinson [History Comes Home, 2007], 61)