Verse 3 reiterates the comfort given to the righteous in 2 Nephi 13:10. In spite of Jerusalem’s destruction, the righteous should take comfort in the fact that their faith will be rewarded. In the manner of prophetic absolutes, only the righteous will remain in the future Jerusalem. This may suggest that the symbolic event comes at the end of the world after the purge of the unrighteous in the “burnings” that accompany the Savior’s triumphant return (Isa. 5:24, 47:14; Mal. 4:1; 2 Ne. 26:4).
Literature: Verse 4 equates destruction with washing away “the filth.” “Daughters of Zion” echoes the references to women in 13:16–24 but also symbolizes all Israel. Cleansing the women stands for cleansing Israel. It should be noted that the Septuagint, which may represent an earlier version of the Hebrew scriptures, has “sons and daughters” for this verse.