The Book of Mormon contains an energizing doctrine regarding kings and their rule in the Americas. Jacob told his people that “this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles” (2 Nephi 10:11). 

This verse has traditionally been understood to mean that no kings would rule over the United States. For example, the current chapter heading reads “America will be a land of liberty where no king will rule.” This understanding excludes other nations of the Americas that recognized the legitimate rule of monarchs for many centuries, and that after Nephite existence. There are problems with this interpretation. Brant Gardner points out that Nephi had just been named as king over the Nephites then-existing in Jacob’s colony.²⁶¹ Furthermore, it might be pointed out that there are many other kings said to rule in the Americas after Jacob made this statement including King Mosiah₁, Mosiah_2, Benjamin, Laman, Lamoni, Limhi, Amalickiah, and Noah. Gardner writes:

Verse 9 offers an explanatory context: “the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them.” Jacob’s statement makes more sense by removing a comma: “There shall be no kings upon the land who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.” The context thus is one of conquering Gentile kings and the opposition that might “rise up” and defeat them. In other words, Jacob is prophesying that no non-Genitle kings will defeat the Gentiles, whose kings are the nursing fathers who will provide salvation to his colony of Israelites. Verse 12–13 confirm the context. Here the promise is clearly that Yahweh’s people will be protected against those who fight against Yahweh. In verse 14 Yahweh declares that he is the king of heaven and will be the Nephites’ king. 

In short, Jacob, in quoting this passage from Isaiah, is not saying that there will be no kings. He cannot, for his brother is the king. His point is that that [sic] no other kings shall stand against the Nephites if they are righteous, for their true king is Yahweh who has promised to preserve them.²⁶²

The prophecy can still be construed to cover the United States, but it needs to be understood contextually first. It means that there will be no non-Gentile kings that will overcome the United States and other nations that have become nursing mothers and fathers to the Nephites and Lamanites that remain at the time when the Lord inaugurates the gathering of Israel. 

Thus, this passage is a unique and exclusive gift to Latter-day Saints and even those that are Americans–just not in the way that it is traditionally understood. The broader point of this passage is that the Lord will preserve His covenant people from violence if they are righteous.