7 For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should perish not.
I love Moroni’s use of the story of Jacob and Joseph here. Earlier in the Book of Mormon, this story was invoked to refer to the promise of a restoration. But here, the story takes on a much deeper personal resonance. Moroni points to the Lord’s mercy to Jacob as a a metaphor of the Lord’s mercy towards his people. 

Jacob was brought evidence of his son’s demise. He lived decades with the certain knowledge that his son had perished. Yet, the Lord was merciful and gave him reason to hope. And in time, the Lord restored to Jacob what he loved the most. 

What a great analogy to the people of Nephi. Moroni had witnesses the sign of their complete destruction. He had little reason to hope. Yet, he also knew that even though they now appeared dea, his people would speak from the dust and eventually be restored.