The next program of the Lord of the vineyard was to graft some wild branches (Gentiles) into the tame olive tree and to graft many of the young and tender branches whithersoever he would (vv. 7–9). The main branches are different from the main top, which had earlier begun to perish. The main branches are possibly the two divisions of the kingdom of Israel—the northern tribes (Ephraim) and the southern tribes (Judah). Both of these branches were plucked off because of their wickedness—Israel in about 721 B.C. by the Assyrians, and Judah about 607 B.C. by the Babylonians. Many people from both branches were destroyed, which is the equivalent of the burning referred to in the allegory (v. 9). Those who destroyed them also took away the young and tender branches to Assyria and Babylon.
One of the grafts of the wild olive-tree into the tame olive-tree can be identified as the Gentiles that Assyria brought to intermarry with the Israelites who had been left behind after the Assyrian conquest. “And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof” (2 Kings 17:24). The Gentiles’ exposure to the roots of the house of Israel is shown by Israelite priests later being sent to teach them how to worship the God of Israel.
26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.
28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. [2 Kings 17:27–28]
God does work in mysterious ways.
Another Gentile graft into the tame olive tree would be the Babylonian captivity of Judah, in which many of Judeans were carried into Babylon and “served the king of Babylon seventy years” as prophesied (Jeremiah 25:8–11). We also have an account of some of Judah intermarrying with Gentiles at this time (see Ezra 2:61; Nehemiah 7:61–64). The graft’s productivity was furthered through the work of the gentile, King Cyrus of Persia, whom the Lord said “is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built” and “whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations before him” (Isaiah 44:28–45:1). While Cyrus is mainly known for his work with the return of the Jews, the Lord seems to have used him for the grafting of the wild-olive branch as well. For example, who were the “wise men [who came] from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him?” (Matthew 2: 1–2). How would they have known of the new born king and of his star? These men may well have been the product of the Gentile graft.
A further grafting may have taken place after the Babylonian captivity when Jeremiah and many of the Jews went down into Egypt (see Jeremiah 43). We have no account of this, but the same pattern probably applies.
While the Gentiles were grafted into Israel, many of the Israelites were also scattered among the Gentiles. This accounts for the roots of Israel being identified as yet alive among the Gentiles (Jacob 5:54). This preservation of the roots is the purpose for the grafting as given in the allegory (v. 11). It also fulfills the prophecy of Amos, that the Lord would “not utterly destroy the house of Jacob” but would sift them “among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve” (Amos 9:8–9). This was also foretold by Nephi, based on Isaiah’s prophecies: “It appears that the house of Israel, sooner or later, will be scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also among all nations (1 Nephi 22:3; emphasis added).
While Israel was scattered among the nations, three groups (Jacob 5:39), or three branches, were kept intact but planted elsewhere in the vineyard. These can be identified in the order in which they were taken away: the ten tribes in about 721 B.C., the Jews in about 607 B.C., and the Lehi colony in about 600 B.C. (see 2 Kings 17:23; 25:1–11; 1 Nephi 1:1–4). Keeping this order in mind is very important in understanding later parts of the allegory.
Thus, the first period of the allegory is from about 1800–400 B.C., when the house of Israel was “scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also among all nations” (1 Nephi 22:3). The second period is one of apostasy, from 400 B.C. to the ministry of Jesus Christ, which is covered in one verse (29) and needs no further commentary.