Jacob realized that the words which he had previously spoken could not help but cause consternation among the wives and families of his congregation. Each wife could not help but wonder whether God’s revelation applied to her husband. Each husband who was guilty of infidelity would also be alarmed by Jacob’s unexpected disclosure of their indiscretion.
Furthermore, in this congregation there were women who had secretly engaged in plural marriages contrary to the commandments of God given to father Lehi. Jacob addressed himself first of all by way of comfort to the pure in heart. He said that in this time of trial they should pray to the Lord with exceeding faith that he might console them and bring down justice upon those who had been seeking to destroy the virtue of the innocent.