After introducing the allegory (vv. 1–2), Jacob begins quoting it. The house of Israel is described as a tame olive tree that is waxing old and beginning to decay (v. 3). Because of this condition, the Lord of the vineyard pruned it, nourished it, and digged about it in an attempt to save it (vv. 4–5). This attempt could be identified as the time when the house of Israel was in Egypt because of the famine in Canaan. We read that: “The famine was over all the face of the earth” (Genesis 41:56–57). The famine is indicative of the decaying of Israel. God does “chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine, and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him” (Helaman 12:3; emphasis added). He wants them to remember him so that he can bless them for keeping his laws (see D&C 130:20–21). Some may argue that Israel being in Egypt is a transplant rather than a pruning because Jacob (Israel) had left Canaan (the promised land) and sojourned in Egypt. However, it should be remembered that the land covenanted to Abraham, and thus the house of Israel, extended “from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). Therefore, the house of Israel is still in the main part of the vineyard. Furthermore, the biblical account of Genesis supports the pruning concept. Joseph tells his brothers that “God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance” and told them to bring their father to Egypt “and there will I nourish thee; for there are yet five years of famine” (Genesis 45:5, 7–8, 11; 46:1–7; emphasis added).
The allegory continues with the observation or prophecy “that after many days it began to put forth somewhat a little, young and tender branches; but behold, the main top thereof began to perish” (Jacob 5:6). The phrase “after many days” fits the extended time Israel was in Egypt, from the time of Joseph until their bondage in the days of Moses. The young and tender branches have a double interpretation. First, when Moses led Israel out of Egypt, the Lord became angry with the people because they would not hearken to his voice after having seen his glory and the miracles he did in Egypt. They were therefore detained in the wilderness for forty years until the older generation, except Joshua and Caleb, died (the main top perished). At this time the new faithful generation (the young and tender branches) were allowed to enter Canaan (see Numbers 14:26–38).
Second, Moses sought diligently to prepare his people to behold the face of God through the ordinances and power of the Melchizedek Priesthood, but Israel hardened its heart, and God “took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy [ Melchizedek] Priesthood (the main top) out of their midst also; and the lesser [ Aaronic] Priesthood (the young and tender branches) continued” (D&C 84:25–26). The Lord had worked with Israel, but Israel had failed to respond to his efforts.