1 Nephi 7:17

17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.

I don't remember the source, but Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles points out that Nephi did not ask for the bonds to be removed, he asked for the strength to overcome them. This is a powerful lesson to apply to our challenges and difficulties as well.

1 Nephi 7:15–16

15 Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto Jerusalem ye shall also perish with them. And now, if ye have choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak unto you, that if ye go ye will also perish; for thus the Spirit of the Lord constraineth me that I should speak.

16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.

Here is an indication of the pride and general ill temper of Laman and his followers. After chastising them and telling them of the fate of those in Jerusalem, Nephi tells Laman and the others that they were free to return to Jerusalem, but the same fate would come to them. This is why I think there was a spark of something in Laman and Lemuel. They didn’t return to Jerusalem. They had the chance to go, and didn’t. They didn’t like it, but they didn’t return. They knew, or were maybe afraid, that Nephi was right, but they were still pretty angry with him. Instead of considering that his message could save their lives, they tried to kill the message bearer, because they could not be happy in their sin, and Nephi pointed that out to them.

• 1 Nephi 16:1–3

1 Nephi 7:14

14 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive with them; for behold, they have rejected the prophets, and Jeremiah have they cast into prison. And they have sought to take away the life of my father, insomuch that they have driven him out of the land.

Everyone born into this life is endowed with the Spirit of Christ, which gives us the means to judge good from evil. (Moroni 7:16) This Spirit of Christ also “inviteth and enticeth” each of us to live according to God’s commandments. When we reject that influence often enough, when we refuse to repent, that Spirit stops working on us. When that happens, there really is no hope for our redemption. Why? Not because it is not available to us, but because we will not accept it. When we go so far along that path that the Lord stops working with us, essentially gives up on us, then we truly are left alone to find our way back to Him without benefit of light or direction. At that point we have no desire for anything good and beautiful. Once the Lord sees we are beyond His help (and He won’t force His way where He isn’t wanted), He withdraws and we are left to our own strength. This was the situation in Jerusalem that Lehi and his family was fleeing. Jerusalem’s days were numbered, and those who were not listening to the prophets couldn’t, or wouldn’t, see it. As long as we feel guilt for our sins, the Spirit of the Lord is working with us.

• Ezekiel 5:6
• Jeremiah 37:15 (15–21)
• Ether 2:15
• Helaman 4:12–13
• Moroni 8:28
• Moroni 9:3–5
• D&C 1:33

1 Nephi 7:13

13 And if it so be that we are faithful to him, we shall obtain the land of promise; and ye shall know at some future period that the word of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning the destruction of Jerusalem; for all things which the Lord hath spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem must be fulfilled.

Looking at this verse as a spiritual metaphor is interesting. The concept of being led to a promised land is something I have discussed before in this journal (see entry for 1 Nephi 2:20), so I won’t spend any more time with that here. Nephi promises his brethren that at “some future period” they will know that Jerusalem was destroyed according to the word of the Lord. One thing that the saints and the humble have always had to do is take it on faith that those who are breaking the commandments (represented by the Jews in Jerusalem) would eventually be judged and punished, and those who keep the commandments would be rewarded. For example, some people who don’t pay tithing seem to be blessed financially. At some future time they will need to be accountable for that oversight, but right now they seem to be doing alright. What about those who, breaking the Sabbath commandment, go on outings or recreation on Sunday? We are asked to trust that those who seem to be enjoying themselves while breaking the commandment, who seem to be getting away with it, will get their reward at “some future period.” This is something we need to accept on faith, that all will eventually be rewarded according to their works.

• 1 Nephi 2:20
• 2 Kings 25:4 (1–21)
• Omni 1:15

1 Nephi 7:12

12 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.

Sometimes I wish I really understood the principle of faith. Nephi says that the Lord is limited in how He can bless us. He’s limited by our faith, or lack of faith. A key word in this verse is IF. The Lord can do anything for our benefit IF we exercise faith in Him. Moroni tells us in Ether 12 (a great chapter about faith) that our witness comes after the trial of our faith. It also says that God cannot perform miracles among those with no faith. This is described in Matthew 13:58, where Christ could not perform many miracles in his home country because of their unbelief.

• Ether 12:12, 18
• Matthew 13: 58

1 Nephi 7:9–11

9 How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the Lord?

10 How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel of the Lord?

11 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?

When Nephi got after his brothers about giving up the mission to retrieve the brass plates he cited Moses’ experience of helping the children of Israel escape the Egyptian army. This time they have had their own experiences with the Lord that they can remember, and that is what Nephi reminds them of. I don’t suppose Laman and Lemuel had really forgotten these experiences, but they sure weren’t thinking about them when they rebelled this time. Here is evidence that miracles or signs don’t necessarily convert. In 3 Nephi chapter 1 we read about the signs of Christ’s birth and how as soon as those signs were shown Satan sent “lyings” forth among the people, “to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen” (3 NE 1:22; emphasis added). Satan had fertile ground with which to work in Laman and Lemuel. They were all too willing to forget or disregard their own experiences with the Spirit. That’s a dangerous attitude to take with the Lord. Our very salvation depends on remembering His workings with the children of men. (See Moroni 10:3 for the importance of remembering)

• 3 Nephi 1:22

1 Nephi 7:8

8 And now I, Nephi, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, therefore I spake unto them, saying, yea, even unto Laman and unto Lemuel: Behold ye are mine elder brethren, and how is it that ye are so hard in your hearts, and so blind in your minds, that ye have need that I, your younger brother, should speak unto you, yea, and set an example for you?

How it must have hurt Nephi and Lehi that Laman and Lemuel were so hard and rebellious. Little brothers want to look up to their big brothers. I think that Nephi would have loved to have the luxury of letting Laman be the spiritual leader after Lehi. It’s a great feeling when that responsibility is someone else’s. And I think Nephi would have been a good follower. He never really got the chance to follow his older brothers, however. Nephi was the one who put forth the effort to be converted. From all that I can read, I think Laman and Lemuel had testimonies, but they were not converted. Someone who is not converted cannot be a spiritual leader because their behavior is not worthy of being followed, at least not consistently. Laman wanted the position of leader, but he wasn’t willing to make the changes needed to be the leader. Nephi, on the other hand, was converted and not willing to compromise. Therefore he, by default, became the spiritual leader, and usually the temporal leader as well.

• Mosiah 28:3
• Alma 31:2
• 3 Nephi 17:14
• Moses 7:41

1 Nephi 7:6–7

6 And it came to pass that as we journeyed in the wilderness, behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us; yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and his wife, and his three other daughters.

7 And it came to pass in the which rebellion, they were desirous to return unto the land of Jerusalem.

We learn a couple of things about these two families here. We learn that Ishmael had seven children that came on the journey: two daughters and two sons with families of their own, who were inclined to rebellion. They are followers of Laman. These two daughters probably married Laman and Lemuel. Ishmael also had three daughters who were inclined toward righteousness. These are most likely the ones who married Nephi, Sam, and Zoram.

We can also see by the rebellion that Laman and Lemuel did not make this trip because of conversion to the Lord or any desire to serve Him, even though we have no record of murmuring until now. If they had willingly made the trip due to their conversion, they would not have rebelled on the way back to the tent of their father. The fact that they wanted to go back to Jerusalem says they still didn’t believe the situation there was as serious as it actually was.

1 Nephi 7:4–5

4 And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord.

5 And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.

We have no record that Ishmael was a prophet. In fact, the scripture says that “the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household,” which would probably already have been done if he were a prophet. But he at least was a religious man who would listen to the words of the Lord. If Ishmael was not a prophet, I’m sure that as the Lord softened his heart he could see an advantage to leaving Jerusalem. It’s possible that it wasn’t healthy or safe for anybody who believed in the prophets at that time. So in addition to his heart being softened, Ishmael and his family may have seen joining Lehi as their ticket out of a very bad situation.

• Proverbs 3:5–6

1 Nephi 7:3

3 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did again, with my brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.

It is interesting that there is no record of murmuring on this trip. Apparently Laman and Lemuel felt like obtaining wives was a more acceptable reason for returning to Jerusalem than risking their lives for the brass plates.

1 Nephi 7:2

2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi, and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem, and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.

Why Ishmael? One obvious reason is because his children matched up favorably with Lehi’s children. There were enough daughters for Lehi’s sons to marry. According to The Journal of Discourses, 23:184–85 (as quoted in the Book of Mormon Institute Manual, p. 19), Joseph Smith said that in the 116 pages of manuscript that was stolen, Lehi found out that he was of the lineage of Manassah. Ishmael was of Ephraim, thus fulfilling prophecy that Ephraim and Manassah would grow into a multitude (Genesis 48). Because their children intermarried, both lines of Joseph’s children were represented in the “Stick of Joseph.”

1 Nephi 7:1

1 And now I would that ye might know, that after my father, Lehi, had made an end of prophesying concerning his seed, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise.

Obviously there are practical reasons to have women and men together on a journey such as Lehi and his family are making, but the commandment was to “take daughters to wife,” not just “take daughters.” Marriage is critical for many reasons. Among those reasons is that marriage provides a sense of order to society. The family organization is the basic unit of any society. The stronger the individual family units, the stronger the society is. It’s like a chain made up of individual links. Any weak link affects the integrity of the whole chain.

On an eternal level, celestial marriage is critical for our exaltation. Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4 says that without celestial marriage we cannot attain the highest degree of glory in the Celestial Kingdom. We can come close, but marriage is what makes that last reward possible. Men and women depend on each other to be exalted. It’s been said that salvation is individual; exaltation is a family reward.

• D&C 131:1–4

1 Nephi 7 overview

Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem and enlist Ishmael and his household in their cause—Laman and others rebel—Nephi exhorts his brethren to have faith in the Lord—They bind him with cords and plan his destruction—He is freed by the power of faith—His brethren ask forgiveness—Lehi and his company offer sacrifice and burnt offerings. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

Here is the account of another trip taken to Jerusalem, this time to get wives. There’s no account of Laman and Lemuel murmuring that they had to make another trip to Jerusalem. Perhaps they felt like a wife was a more worthy mission than a record. After they got the wives, however, they started in with the bad attitude again. The Lord and other faithful family members had to intervene in order for Laman and his followers to not take Nephi’s life.

1 Nephi 6:5–6

5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.

6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.

Nephi has a clear understanding of his calling. He knows that his calling is from God, not man. That being the case, he knows that he needs to be concerned with pleasing God. He needs to record the things that God wants recorded. He leaves the commandment to his seed as well to decide what to put in the record and what to leave out.

• Galatians 1:10

1 Nephi 6:3–4

3 And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.

4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.

I get the feeling that Nephi wants to move forward rather than retell his father's spiritual experiences and prophecies. He is very focused as to the purpose of the plates and does not want to be distracted. His whole purose in keeping this record is conversion. He is doing this to bring people to Christ.

1 Nephi 6:1–2

1 And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in this part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after upon these plates which I am writing; for it is given in the record which has been kept by my father; wherefore, I do not write it in this work.

2 For it sufficeth me to say that we are descendants of Joseph.

As important as genealogy is, Nephi is a realist and decides that it would be a waste of space, time, and effort to re-write his genealogy. It would, afterall, be the same as his father's genealogy, and that was already set forth in Lehi's record.

1 Nephi 6 Overview

Nephi writes of the things of God—His purpose is to persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham and be saved. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

This is a very short, but important chapter. In it, Nephi sets forth the criteria for what is and is not included in his record. He also gives commandment to his seed after him that they use the same criteria as they continue the record. This gives us a basis to consider any story or event as a spiritual experience, so that is the point of view I will take in my journal.

1 Nephi 5:20–22

20 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.

21 And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children.

22 Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise.

These verses talk about the value of scripture preservation. This is how we learn the mind and will of God. Later we will learn other benefits of carrying scriptures with them, but these verses focus on preserving the word of the Lord.

1 Nephi 5:17–19

17 And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed—

18 That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.

19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.

Lehi makes an interesting prophecy about the brass plates going to “all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.” I believe this has reference to the gathering of Israel in the last days. Lehi’s descendants probably are not the main people of every nation on earth, nor are they the only ones receiving the Book of Mormon, which contains the record of the brass plates. But that is not what Lehi said in his prophecy, or at least I can see a different understanding. Lehi is of the seed of Joseph, which he discovered from the plates. Probably about 95% of people who get their patriarchal blessings are of the tribe of Joseph, mostly Ephraim. Those who receive their patriarchal blessings are members of the Church who have received the Book of Mormon. This verse could also refer to how Lehi’s descendants who may be found throughout the world will accept the Book.

1 Nephi 5:16

16 And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records.

I wonder how much Lehi knew about his genealogy before he read the brass plates. When he first told Nephi about them (1 Nephi 3:3–6) he said “Laban hath the record of the Jews, and also a record of my forefathers,” which could have been a reference to Jacob, which would have been a general record of the forefathers of all the tribes of Israel. It makes sense to me that “the record of the Jews” would reside with the tribe of Joseph, due to Joseph’s birthright. But this language makes it sound as if Lehi didn’t know why his genealogy should also be on these records, nor did he realize what he would find. Once the brass plates were brought back and Lehi had a chance to look them over, he found a “genealogy of his fathers; wherefore (for this reason) he knew that he was a descendent of Joseph.” (vs. 14) The word “wherefore” means “because of” or “therefore.” In other words, it seems that this record is the means of Lehi learning of his royal lineage, and maybe he didn’t know it before. This verse says that “thus…Lehi did discover the genealogy of his fathers.” So it seems he didn’t know that a) he was descended from the royal or birthright line of Joseph, and b)that he was related to Laban. Laban must have known, having access to the record, unless he just wasn’t aware that he had any living relatives. It is possible that this is another reason for him not wanting Lehi to have the record. If someone else were known to have the royal bloodline, it would weaken his political position.

1 Nephi 5:15

15 And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.

The whole experience of the Israelites being led out of captivity from Egypt is such a pivotal and defining event for the House of Israel that it is referred to time and again. References to it and the miraculous way the deliverance was accomplished can be found in every book of scripture (except Pearl of Great Price, maybe) from the Old Testament to the Doctrine and Covenants. Because it is simply a matter of history and so undeniably evidence of the Lord having a direct interest in His covenant people, Nephi and other prophets refer to it even to non-believers as a common point they can start from. That whole deliverance story also serves as a great type of how the Lord can miraculously deliver us from the bondage of sin.

1 Nephi 5:14

14 And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.

This verse verifies that Lehi is descended from Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. It also shows that The Book of Mormon fulfills Ezekiel’s prophecy in Ezekiel 37 about combining the records of the house of Judah (Bible) and of Joseph (Book of Mormon) and using both records together.

• Ezekiel 37: 16–17
• 1 Chronicles 9:3

1 Nephi 5:11–13

11 And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents;

12 And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;

13 And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah.

These brass plates, in many ways, were similar to our Old Testament. They contained the books of Moses, which is something each tribe of probably had a record of, as well as a history of the Jews and prophesies and writings of the prophets. My guess is that each tribe of Israel kept an official record, each one containing these items. The things that would differ between the tribes is which prophets to include. They probably kept the record of the main prophet plus any others that pertained to that tribe specifically. In verse 14 we’ll see that the plates also contained a genealogy of the tribe of Joseph, which means that if my theory is right, each tribe also kept a genealogy of its own. It would be impossible to keep everybody’s genealogy on one official record, so it’s probably a royal genealogy, which would indicate that Lehi was in the royal line.

• 1 Nephi 19:23

1 Nephi 5:10

10 And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.

It is generally understood that the brass plates were made of a copper and tin alloy. Although, technically that would make bronze. True brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, and there is some discussion of whether the ancients had the recipe for brass or not. I tend to side with the record the way it was written, and believe the brass plates were brass, not bronze. (www.learnthebible.org/straining-at-brass.htm)

1 Nephi 5:9

9 And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel.

Under the Law of Moses, sacrificial offerings were a common way of showing gratitude to the Lord. This particular offering would have probably been a peace offering, which “presupposed that the sacrificer was at peace with God; they were offered for the further realization and enjoyment of that peace. The characteristic rite was the sacrificial meal. A feast symbolized fellowship and friendship among all its partakers and providers, and also a state of joy and gladness.” (Bible Dictionary, p. 766, “Sacrifices”)

1 Nephi 5:8

8 And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them. And after this manner of language did she speak.

I am sure that Sariah was well aware of the dangers of her sons’ mission. They were returning to Jerusalem, where Lehi was a wanted man. They were crossing harsh wilderness country full of dangerous animals and men both. I’m sure that after they returned safely and told their story of miraculous deliverance, with Zoram as evidence of their truth, Sariah’s testimony of Lehi’s visions only increased. She may not have seen any direct evidence that this was the Lord’s mission for Lehi, but rather she was accepting it on faith. Now here were her sons giving evidence, tangible evidence, that this mission really was from God.

• 1 Nephi 3:7

1 Nephi 5:7

7 And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold their joy was full, and my mother was comforted.

Imagine the joy and relief our Heavenly Parents must feel when we return from our earthly missions spiritually safe.

1 Nephi 5:5–6

5 But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.

6 And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of the Jews.

Lehi shows a lot of faith here in the promise he received from the Lord of giving him a land of his own for his inheritance. He uses his own great faith to strengthen Sariah, telling her that the Lord had brought them this far and He would continue to take care of them. This is not all. As I indicated in my notes for 1 Nephi 2:20, this Promised Land seems to be more than just dirt and plants. It seems to be symbolic of a more spiritual or eternal inheritance. After all, Lehi did not live long after they arrived in the Promised Land to enjoy it. And although he couldn’t know about that at this point in the narration, I’m sure Lehi was aware of the more spiritual inheritance. Sariah, at this time however, was concerned for the lives of her sons, so that is what Lehi appropriately focused on: their temporal promise and safety.

• Hebrews 11:16

1 Nephi 5:4

4 And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying: I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my brethren.

Lehi’s response is not a rebuke to his wife, nor is it even an expression of anger or frustration. He freely admits to being a visionary man. Unlike those who complain against visions, though, Lehi sees it as a good thing that saved him and his family from certain destruction had they stayed in Jerusalem. Besides, to deny that you had seen the Lord in a vision would not be a good thing. Joseph Smith was right on when he said, “who am I to withstand God? I had seen a vision; I knew it and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.” (JS-H 1:25)

Lehi was looking at a real, physical manifestation of the Proverb that tells us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (PRO 29:18) This is true on several levels, not just the physical sense, as it seems Lehi refers to here. A careful reading shows the most important way visions can help us: to know the goodness of God. Once we know that, we can leave the “world” or worldly attitudes that would cause us to perish spiritually.

• Joseph Smith—History 1:24–25
• Proverbs 29:18

1 Nephi 5:2–3

2 For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness; and she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.

3 And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.

Even good, faithful people, such as Sariah, struggle sometimes with things they do not understand. Here Sariah has been worried sick about her sons who have gone on such a dangerous mission that they may not return alive. Who knows what delays they may have experienced beyond what was described. Apparently they did not return in the amount of time they agreed upon. That is hard on a worrying parent. She starts second guessing herself, and maybe, as in this case, takes her worries out on her husband. This is not to justify murmuring or complaining; it is just a recognition of how that murmuring could be a temptation in some cases. On the other hand, murmuring and complaining could lead to mocking and eventually to apostasy. It needs to be taken seriously and avoided. I think it would be a mistake to assume from these verses that Sariah’s faith was lacking. We all have our moments of weakness, even the best among us.

1 Nephi 5:1

1 And it came to pass that after we had come down into the wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had mourned because of us.

I suppose this joy that Lehi and Sariah felt over the safe return of their sons is in a small measure what our Heavenly Father must feel when one of us returns safely (in a spiritual sense) from our mission to earth. The love and concern of a mother for her children is legendary; it’s throughout the scriptures as well. And yet, it’s interesting to note that the love of a Heavenly Mother is not mentioned. If these traits or tendencies of greater love for her children than even a loving father shows holds true, how great must our Heavenly Mother’s joy be when we return safely and with honor after this earth life is over.

1 Nephi 5 Overview

Sariah complains against Lehi—Both rejoice over the return of their sons—They offer sacrifices—The plates of brass contain writings of Moses and the prophets—They identify Lehi as a descendant of Joseph—Lehi prophesies concerning his seed and the preservation of the plates. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

In this chapter we get a look at Nephi’s mother, Sariah. We also, through Lehi and Nephi’s eyes, get a look at the brass plates. The way this is written makes it sound like this is the first time Lehi had seen the plates, that he only had a general idea about what he would find on them. I find it interesting that he seems to be surprised, or at least did not expect to see his genealogy on the plates, along with other things.

1 Nephi 4:34–38

34 And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with us.

35 And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth.

36 Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.

37 And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him.

38 And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed unto the tent of our father.

Once again we see the power of an oath to those who are living the Law of Moses. When Zoram made his oath to return with the sons of Lehi, they were no longer concerned about him running away. Zoram must have been more committed to the Law than was Laban, his master. I suppose it is possible that Zoram kept the record up to date with the current prophet’s (Jeremiah) words without Laban’s knowledge or approval. I say this because of Zoram’s quick acceptance of Nephi’s explanation of how this whole episode was a commandment from the Lord. Zoram’s oath was not made out of desperate fear for his life, I don’t think, because he remained a true friend to Nephi from then on. He was even given the same inheritance with Nephi (2 Ne 1:30–32). Zoram must have been acting out of a testimony rather than fear for his life, or his true colors would have shown as he sided with Laman and Lemuel.

1 Nephi 4:32–33

32 And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.

33 And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us.

How important is an oath, or how binding is a man’s word? In these verses Nephi is able to calm down Zoram by making an oath that he would spare him. This is part of the Law of Moses (Num 30:2; Deut 23:21) that when you swear an oath it is completely binding, even if you swear it under duress to an enemy. Look at Alma 44 and you see that Captain Moroni would have let Zarahemnah go in peace, without a battle, if he had just agreed to not come to war again. When he wouldn’t make that covenant, Moroni’s men beat Zarahemnah’s men until finally the oath was made, at which time Moroni simply let them go. They were under the law of Moses. And even if the Lamanites didn’t live up to the practices of the Law, it was so much a part of their culture that they still honored their oaths. An oath was simply binding. As part of the new covenant that Christ established, a man’s word was his bond even if he didn’t swear to it. A promise was binding. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gives the people a higher law (Matt 5:33–37). The Law of Moses said don’t swear falsely (“forswear thyself”), but Christ said to not swear at all. Anything beyond giving your word with a simple yes or no was “from the evil one” (see footnote for Matt 5:37). Is my word my bond?

• Numbers 30:2
• Alma 44:1–12

1 Nephi 4:31

31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.

It is interesting to me that Nephi refers to himself in this verse as a man large in stature. Just before they left on this mission, Nephi described himself as being, “exceeding young, nevertheless being large in stature.” [1 Nephi 2:16] What happened between being exceedingly young and being a man? There’s not a lot of time passage, but the big difference seems to be Nephi’s level of self-confidence and spiritual maturity. In that short time span, Nephi had been converted [1 Nephi 2:16], heard the voice of the Lord [1 Nephi 2:19–24], stood up to his older brothers, and in the process received backup from an angel [1 Nephi 3:28–31; 4:1–4], had the experience of putting his complete and total trust in the Lord’s inspiration [4:6], in total faith that he was following that inspiration, beheaded a man as a result [4:18], impersonated that man successfully to his most trusted servant [4:19–28], and in the process of all this he took over the leadership of the expedition. After all that, Nephi had every right to call himself a man. Other places in the scriptures talk about manhood in terms of bravery and taking responsibility for your life. In 2 Nephi 1:21 Lehi encourages his older sons to “arise from the dust” and be men. He then goes on to describe how to be men. Manhood seems to have less to do with age than it does with bravery and maturity.

• 1 Nephi 2:16

1 Nephi 4:29–30

29 And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.

30 And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem.

Here Nephi is forced to reveal his true identity, not only to his brothers, but also to Zoram. All Nephi’s brothers could have seen at night was a big guy in officer’s armor, specifically Laban’s armor. So they ran. Their hiding place had been compromised, and they probably assumed that if Laban knew where they were, and if Nephi was not with him, he had already killed Nephi and would not hesitate to do the same with them. So they ran. When Nephi called after them, he told Zoram that he had been deceived, that this was not his boss after all, so Zoram tries to run. The whole mission could have been blown right here, but we will see that it all works out for the best.

1 Nephi 4:19–28

19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.

20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into the treasury.

21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.

22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.

23 And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.

24 And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who were without the walls.

25 And I also bade him that he should follow me.

26 And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church, and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he did follow me.

27 And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the walls.

28 And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.

[verses 19–28] After beheading Laban, Nephi took his identity in order to more freely move about and get into Laban’s treasury. Presumably this was also inspired by the Spirit. He obviously did a great job of imitating Laban, because he fooled Laban’s servant. Granted, it was night, but the servant (Zoram) either wasn’t too bright, not very observant, or more probably, influenced by the power of the Lord. You would assume that a servant would know his master, especially a servant who was entrusted with the keys to the treasury. Nephi was able to impersonate Laban well enough that Zoram was convinced. As much as Zoram talked to Nephi about things happening in Jerusalem, Nephi must have understood Jerusalem politics and personalities pretty well. His deception was good enough that he also scared his brothers, who had been waiting for him outside the city walls. Of course, they were pretty nervous about the whole thing anyway, and probably took off before they got a good look at Nephi.

1 Nephi 4:18

18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

Here is where Nephi shows he is more than just talk. This would be probably the most difficult part of this mission, to kill the defenseless Laban. I am still impressed that Nephi was confident enough with his inspiration to actually follow through and kill Laban. There’s nothing to say that his inspiration was spectacular, such as a heavenly being appearing to him. He apparently had to sort out the voice of the Spirit from his own thoughts. There’s no indication of second guessing, either. That is the mark of a person who is in tune with the Spirit. That’s someone who has the commitment to keep the commandments no matter how hard.

1 Nephi 4:17

17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.

Nephi shows a huge amount of faith that he’s doing the right thing, not to mention confidence in his receiving some difficult revelation here as he affirms that Laban was delivered into his hands to get the plates. Again, Nephi keeps his eye on the purpose of the mission.

1 Nephi 4:16

16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.

Again, I wonder why Laban would have these plates of brass. They contained the Law of Moses, the record of the Jews that was kept current (1 Nephi 5:12), and also the prophecies of the prophets, including the current prophet, Jeremiah (1 Nephi 5:13). Obviously, Laban had no personal use for these things. Why would he keep them current, especially the prophecies? Was he some sort of official record keeper? Was this happening without him knowing it? Was there some official reason for keeping these things current?

1 Nephi 4:15

15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.

One of the convincing arguments that Nephi thinks about as he considers killing Laban is the importance of these records in teaching his posterity to live the Law of Moses. There is no way that the whole Law could have been taught without records. Their memory just wouldn’t allow that, and besides, each successive generation would forget more and more until there was nothing left. This is why it is so important to have the printed scriptures. We know the Nephites lived the Law of Moses because it is recorded in Jacob 4:5 that they did. They also understood why they had and kept the Law. Compare that to the Mulekites, whose language and religion had both become corrupted. This was because they had no records (see Omni 1:17). This is why it’s so important to study the scriptures themselves instead of just commentaries. Always return to the source. They needed the brass plates because they were a primary source.

• Jacob 4:5
• Omni 1:17

1 Nephi 4:14

14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.

Here is mention again of prospering in the land of promise if Nephi and his seed keep the commandments. I see this as a multi-layered expression. The obvious and most visible layer is exactly what is said, that Nephi’s seed will prosper in the land as long as they are obedient. Ether 2:7–12 brings that promise to any nation that inhabits the land, and Mormon here speaks directly and pointedly to us Gentiles of the last days. This promise extends to any nation that possesses the land. Getting more specific, in Mosiah 2:22, King Benjamin makes this a personal promise, that “if [we] do keep his commandments he doth bless [us] and prosper [us].”

The whole concept of the “Promised Land” can be taken even deeper as a metaphor of this life’s journey and our return to our Heavenly Father. In 1 Nephi 2:20, where Nephi is first given this promise, the Lord tells him that he would be led to “a land which I have prepared for you; yea a land which is choice above all other lands.” This reminded me of John 14:2, where Christ tells his disciples that in “my Father’s house are many mansions…I go to prepare a place for you.” This life is a spiritual journey leading back to Heavenly Father. 1 Nephi 17:13 talks about how the Lord will lead them to the promised land, which is how we return to the “most promised land” of the Kingdom of God. That is, only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

• Omni 1:6
• Mosiah 2:22
• Ether 2:7 (7–12)

1 Nephi 4:13–18

Here Nephi is reminded of the main purpose for this whole mission of getting the plates. He’s reminded that he has to think beyond himself (as we all do in fulfilling callings for the Lord). He has a whole nation of his seed to consider. The Lord promised him that his seed would prosper in a promised land if they would keep the commandments. He realizes that if he doesn’t get the plates, which have the Law of Moses engraved on them, his people will not learn it, and therefore won’t be able to keep those commandments. Nephi also realizes that this opportunity was provided by the Lord. So he obeyed the voice of the Spirit and killed Laban. It’s interesting to glimpse Nephi’s thought process as he struggles to keep this commandment. It tells me that even after we are converted, as Nephi most definitely was, we sometimes struggle with a commandment. There is no shame in the struggle, unless we decide to not keep the commandment. Even though this instruction or commandment from the Spirit went against everything that Nephi had been taught and believed about “Thou shalt not kill,” etc., acting with faith that it really was the right thing in this case, Nephi killed Laban. It reminds me of an example I have used since my mission to explain the relationship between the scriptures and living prophets. A living police officer directing traffic at an intersection might give instruction different from, even contrary to the signal from the traffic light. We follow the instruction of the living officer (living prophet) instead of the light (scriptures), which works perfectly well. The traffic light is the default, but the officer is aware of the particular circumstance with the traffic. The scriptures give us the law and the principles to live by, but the living prophet is aware of how those teachings apply to the current circumstances.

1 Nephi 4:13

13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

Nephi is reminded that the Lord makes way for His righteous purposes often by removing the wicked obstacle. He teaches us to do the same thing with our personal obstacles. In Matthew 5:29–30 we are taught that if there is something preventing our righteousness, we should remove it (“if they right eye offend thee, pluck it out…it is profitable for thee that one of thy members shall perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”). It is not God’s work that is frustrated, but man’s. And if the wicked need to be removed to make room for the righteous, so be it. This really does have application in our personal lives. If there is a part of our personal lives that is preventing our coming to Christ, some sin that is an obstacle, we should remove it and replace that sin with a positive righteous practice. In this way we repent; in this way we return to our Heavenly Father. I’m reminded of King Lamoni’s father, who in praying after Aaron taught him, said he would “give away all [his] sins to know [God].”

• Matthew 5: 29–30
• D&C 3:1–4

1 Nephi 4:11–13

11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.

12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

Here is where Nephi has to show a lot of faith. The Spirit is commanding a reluctant but determined Nephi to kill a defenseless man, which, under normal circumstances, would have been murder. Even though it is the Lord commanding him to do this, Nephi still struggles with justifying this thing that is against everything he has been taught. He remembers his past experiences with Laban. He’s reminding himself that Laban is not just a bad guy, he’s done personal harm by stealing Lehi’s property, and by trying to kill Nephi and his brothers. Even at that, the Spirit has to remind Nephi that the Lord sometimes works this way. He sometimes kills the wicked so that his righteous purposes can be accomplished. This is consistent with D&C 3:1–4 that tells us that God’s work is not frustrated, but man’s. Still, it’s interesting that the Lord had Nephi kill Laban instead of just doing it himself. I think this was one of the very defining moments in Nephi’s life, similar to Abraham being willing to sacrifice Isaac. Just how committed are you, Nephi, to obeying the Lord?

1 Nephi 4:10

10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.

I suppose I would doubt myself if I received inspiration to kill someone. Knowing that murder is on of the most serious of sins, I would struggle with inspiration to kill a helpless person like Laban was at this point: passed out drunk. I might even question the source of my inspiration. This must be what was going through Nephi’s mind. But when the Lord tells you to kill someone, you do it, or the sin of disobedience overshadows. In 1 Samuel 15:3–33 we read about king Saul and how he was told by the prophet Samuel to wipe out the Amalekites. He wasn’t supposed to leave anyone or anything alive. So they went in, wiped out the Amalekites, but kept the king alive and the best of the flocks and herds for the purpose of sacrificing. When Samuel chastised him, Saul tried to repent, but it was too little too late. While he was allowed to worship the Lord again, the kingdom was taken from him, and he no longer had the blessing of the Lord. So when the Lord tells you to do something, do it, even if it seems against what you have been taught.

1 Nephi 4:9

9 And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel.

It seems that Nephi was being led to do things he normally would not do, one step at a time. For example, as we see in the next couple of verses, Nephi was not a man drawn to violence, yet he took special note of Laban’s sword, to the point of actually drawing it from its sheath. I just wonder what was going through his mind at that time. Why would a non-violent person draw a sword and admire its craftsmanship, especially when the sword belonged to someone else. Did he already know that he was going to have to kill Laban? Maybe this is why Nephi was “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things [he] should do.” (vs. 6) If he had known that he was to kill Laban ahead of time, would he have had the courage to go into the city? How often do we start a calling, a marriage, parenthood, whatever, not knowing beforehand what it will involve? If we had known that, would we have the courage to move forward?

1 Nephi 4:7–8

7 Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine.

8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.

It’s interesting to me how often the Lord uses the effects of alcohol to accomplish His purposes. We see it sprinkled throughout the scriptures. I’m not sure that it means anything in particular, but it’s interesting.

1 Nephi 4:6

6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

Sometimes we have to take these leaps of faith where all we know is that we’re doing what the Lord wants us to do. We can’t always know why He has us do certain things or go certain places. The important thing is that we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit. This goes for callings in the Church as well as other, more mundane activities as well.

• Proverbs 3:5–6

1 Nephi 4:5

5 And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.

Laman and Lemuel don’t seem to be too impressed by this visit from an angel. However, as before, they went to try one more time, even though they didn’t want to. Once again, they are doing the right thing, but, but for the wrong reason. This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13:1—3, where we learn that keeping the commandments does us no good if we do it with the wrong attitude. In contrast, when Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son Isaac, he didn’t grumble and murmur, rather he obeyed faithfully. Brigham Young said, “It is not by words, particularly, nor by actions, that men will be judged in the great day of the Lord; but, in connection with words and actions, the sentiments and intentions of the heart will be taken, and by these will men be judged.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p.273 - p.274. My emphasis.)

The whole experience didn’t seem to have much effect on Laman and Lemuel. They were still angry and reluctant about the whole thing. This is where Nephi takes charge. He now becomes the leader of the expedition. It’s like he gave Laman the first chance to lead; he couldn’t do it, so now Nephi has to take over. It’s as if the angel gave him the go-ahead to take the lead.

1 Nephi 4:4

4 Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

Unbelievable that they still complain after what they have just witnessed!

1 Nephi 4:3

3 Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.

Nephi gives his brothers two really strong reasons to believe that God would deliver the plates and help them accomplish their mission. First, he reminds them that the Lord CAN deliver them, and he uses an historical reference to back that up. If the Lord can divide the Red Sea, surely He can deliver to us a set of plates. Second, Nephi reminds them that they just saw an angel of God. This would seem to be a strong indication that the Lord was behind the mission. In other words, not only CAN the Lord deliver us, He WILL deliver us, because this is His project. Given those two strong arguments, Nephi again asks why they are doubtful. For Nephi’s part, he was all about the mission from the beginning. After the angel left, there was no wasted time confirming and reiterating what he said about no beating their brothers. Nephi didn’t rub that in their faces, but instead he got right back on task: get the plates.

1 Nephi 4:2

2 Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.

I wonder if the exodus of the Children of Israel out of Egypt has been replaced yet as the most significant moment of their history. Certainly it had not been at this point in the Book of Mormon. Nephi often refers to how the Lord stepped in and helped the Children of Israel escape from Egypt. In particular the parting of the Red Sea is mentioned as evidence that the Lord can do anything. Nephi here, citing the Red Sea incident as evidence or inspiration, encourages his brethren to be strong like unto Moses. What kind of strength? Spiritual strength. Faith. This is one of Moses’ greatest legacies. In spite of all kinds of opposition and adversity, Moses was a pillar of spiritual strength. In Proverbs 24:10 we read, “If [we] faint in the day of adversity, [our] strength is small.” How do we increase our spiritual strength and faith in the Lord? Maybe the best answer to that is found in D&C 121:45 (41—46). Nephi seems to have had these qualities of charity and virtue, which gave him strength. Laman and Lemuel were sadly lacking in both qualities. This is also mentioned in Moroni 8:16, where Mormon says that “perfect love casteth out all fear.” As I develop my qualities of charity and love and virtue, I will also become stronger “like unto Moses,” and my confidence before God and man will increase.

• Moroni 8:16
• D&C 121:45 (41—46)

1 Nephi 4:1

1 And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?

Nephi apparently never loses sight of 1) the mission, and 2) his faith in the power of God and that through that power man can accomplish great things and keep any commandment the Lord gives him. Nephi's big faith is that if we keep the commandments, or if we desire to keep the commandments and do our best to do so, the Lord will provide a way for us to do it, no matter how impossible the odds (1 Nephi 3:7). Genesis 18:14 asks the rhetorical question, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” And really there isn’t anything too hard for the Lord. The scriptures are full of stories where through the Lord the “underdog” wins. In fact, He seems to delight in accomplishing His purpose through the weak things of the world. I’m reminded of David and Goliath, and also Moses going up against Pharaoh and winning Israel’s freedom for examples. Sometimes He seems to purposely stack the odds against His people. One example of that is when the Lord had Gideon reduce his army to only 300 to win Israel’s freedom from the Mideonites (Judges ch. 7). Or Elijah challenging the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:17—39). The Lord wants to ensure that people know who should get the credit for these victories, so He creates seemingly impossible odds. (1 Corinthians 1:27—29) He wants to be sure we don’t begin to boast in our own strength (Mormon 3:9).

• 1 Corinthians 1:27—29
• Genesis 18:14

1 Nephi Chapter 4 Overview

Nephi slays Laban at the Lord’s command and then secures the plates of brass by stratagem—Zoram chooses to join Lehi’s family in the wilderness. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

This is a kind of coming of age chapter for Nephi. He was converted back in chapter 2, but this is the first real test of his mettle or his faith. It’s one thing to make the trip to get the plates, it’s another thing to act on your faith. He goes into the city totally relying on the Spirit. He has no plan, and certainly did not expect to kill Laban. That would be a real test of your faith, to kill somebody at the Lord’s command. This chapter also tells us how Zoram joins the family.

1 Nephi 3:30–31

30 And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.

31 And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?

How can a person see an angel and immediately doubt it? It’s because he doesn’t have any kind of testimony. I would think, though, that just having the kind of experience these brothers had would make an impact on them of some sort. Laman and Lemuel really were a strange case. Satan will try to have you doubt these kinds of manifestations when they occur. In a very scary and detailed account in Moses 1:9—22, we read that just after he finished talking with the Lord, Moses was visited by Satan, who tried to get Moses to worship him instead of the Lord. Moses had a testimony of what he had seen, so it didn’t work, but there are other accounts of where Satan’s tactics did work. Around the time of the birth of Christ, we have recorded that Satan caused people to disbelieve signs and wonders they had seen. (3 Nephi 1:22; Helaman 16:22—23) Laman and Lemuel fell into that same trap. Immediately after seeing this kind of manifestation, they started in with the complaining again. That’s amazing to me. Christ taught a parable in Jerusalem about Lazarus and the rich man. (Luke 16:19—31) After dying and getting his just dues, the rich man wanted the Lord to send the beggar Lazarus to his (the rich man’s) family so they wouldn’t suffer his same fate. The Lord said they had the prophets (scriptures) and should believe in them. The rich man said that they would repent if they saw someone from the dead. Abraham’s answer was that if they won’t believe the scriptures, a spirit wouldn’t persuade them either. This is where Laman and Lemuel were. They apparently were not impressed by the visit of an angel.

• Luke 16:31 (19–31)
• 3 Nephi 1:22 (15–22)

1 Nephi 3:29

29 And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.

Here is evidence that heavenly manifestations only strengthen our testimonies if we allow them to. There are those who are seeking a sign, such as a visit from and angel. Then they will believe, they say. Educated people often have a difficult time with religion because they have no faith in things they can’t see, and they have no physical evidence to convince them of a God. They don’t recognize that everything testifies of God. “Show me a sign,” they say, “then I will believe.” Time and again the scriptures show that the faith needs to be there first, or the sign has little or no effect. Signs don’t convert; they can only strengthen. (Of course there are always exceptions, such as Alma and Saul, but the rule is that faith must precede the miracle) Other examples might be Moses and Pharaoh, Abinadi and King Noah, several of the leading brethren of the Restoration who fell away. Well, the angel tells Laman and Lemuel straight out that Nephi has been chosen as a ruler over them. He also tells them the reason is because of their iniquities. I wonder if Laman could have gotten his birthright of leadership back if he had repented and turned his life around. This is something we’ll never know.

1 Nephi 3:28

28 And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman. Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even with a rod.

How short sited of Laman and Lemuel. If they had been converted, they would not have been angry, but they still blamed Nephi and Lehi for their hard lives. How much easier life must have been for them before Lehi had his vision. Easier until Jerusalem got destroyed anyway. If they had been converted and realized where the commandment to retrieve the plates came from, the Lord, and not Lehi or Nephi, they would have endured this hardship much better. Instead, they took out their frustration on Nephi and Sam. It all goes back to 1 Nephi 3:5; it was the Lord’s commandment.

1 Nephi 3:26–27

26 And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban.

27 And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.

This gives a picture of how corrupt Laban must have been. According to Hugh Nibley (An Approach to the Book of Mormon, Course of Study for Mechizedek Priesthood Quorums of the LDS, 1957), it was common for people to petition someone in Laban’s position for favors, etc. It was also common for them to try to buy or bribe their way into getting what they wanted from the official. This is what Nephi and his brothers were trying to do to get the brass plates. Laban, in his greed, decided to steal the property and not give up the plates. The sons of Lehi ran for their lives because Laban also tried to take that from them as well.

1 Nephi 3:25

25 And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.

The irony here is that Laban became what he had previously accused Laman of being: a robber. (vs. 13)

1 Nephi 3:22–24

22 And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things.

23 And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of Laban.

24 And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.

The riches that Lehi left behind were shown again to be of less value than following the commandment of the Lord. In the first place, Lehi left all these things behind when he obeyed the commandment to take his family into the wilderness. Now, under the direction of Nephi, all this wealth would be used in an attempt to buy the brass plates. This is burning their bridge behind them. If any of Lehi’s family decide to go back after this, they would go back to no money; a completely different lifestyle than what they had before. Again, to Laman’s credit, he went along with the plan, even though as the oldest son he stood to lose the most. I wonder if prior to this he thought he might go back home if things didn’t work out. This one episode used pretty much his whole inheritance, except whatever real estate the family owned. And he did it for something he didn’t really completely believe in. Had he been converted, the sacrifice Laman made would have been to his credit. But instead, he just let it eat on him until finally he totally rebelled and let the hard feelings consume him in the new land.

1 Nephi 3:21

21 And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God.

This is the Lord’s way of getting people to obey. He will persuade and encourage, but He will not force people to be faithful. Nephi’s efforts to get cooperation from his brothers were consistent with the direction we receive in D&C 121:41—43. He doesn’t pull rank on them; he’s the youngest brother. In verse 15 he put his foot down and told them they needed to finish the job, but even that couldn’t be considered forcing them to obey.

• D&C 121: 41—43

1 Nephi 3:20

20 And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time.

Here is the second main reason why retrieving the Brass Plates was so critical. They contained the “words of all the holy prophets . . . since the world began . . .” The scriptures contain the word of God as spoken by his prophets. D&C 1:37—38 says that we should search the commandments because the words of the prophets are the words of God. Amos 3:7 tells us that before God does anything pertaining to us He first “revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” So not only are the words of God given through prophets, before He does anything to or with his people, He first tells or warns his prophets. That’s why it was so important that Lehi take the scriptures. The purity of the Gospel had to be preserved in writing rather than relying on memory from generation to generation. It’s just so important to be able to go back to the original intent of the author rather than rely on personal memory interpretation, which is what would happen if we didn’t have written scriptures.

• Amos 3:7
• D&C 1:37—38

1 Nephi 3:19

19 And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers;

Here Nephi reveals to his brothers the reasons for, and importance of retrieving the brass plates. The first reason he gives is language preservation. Language tends to degrade (or progress, depending on your point of view) over time even with written records available. We can easily see that here in the United States. After just over 380 years (from 1620 – the pilgrims’ landing) we no longer speak English. We speak American, whose roots are English, but have been altered over time by lots of influences, such as immigration and slang. Those who don’t read the Bible, for example, have a hard time understanding that language. The King James Version of the Bible uses an older language that is not generally spoken any more. So some of the more subtle meanings tend to get lost unless you make it a subject of intense study that takes you into the culture and understanding the more archaic expressions used. Another consequence is that in an effort to modernize the language in scripture some mistranslations can occur, changing the intended meaning. By going back to the original KJV (and other writings of the time) time and again, we slow down the changes in our language.

The Mulekites left Jerusalem around the same time the Lehites did, yet in that same amount of time their language had changed to the point that when the Nephites discovered them (about the same amount of time since the Pilgrims arrived in North America), they could not understand one another. Both groups left Jerusalem at about the same time, so the only real difference was that Lehi brought records, and Mulek did not. (see Omni 1:17)

1 Nephi 3:18

18 For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophets. Wherefore, if my father should dwell in the land after he hath been commanded to flee out of the land, behold, he would also perish. Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the land.

Verse 17 tells us that Jerusalem has to be destroyed because of the wickedness of the people. Verse 18 tells us that rejecting the words of the prophets is the last straw. They obviously were doing more than just disobeying the prophets, or they wouldn’t have been called to cry repentance so strongly. Rejecting the prophets is a sure sign that you have no intention of repenting. Jeremiah, a contemporary of Lehi, records how the Jews chased a prophet all the way to Egypt, just to bring him back to Jerusalem and kill him. (Jeremiah 26:21–24) That is far more serious than merely disobeying the prophets. That's going out of your way to not only disobey, but kill them.

These prophets were subject to their own prophecies, of course. If Lehi had not left Jerusalem as commanded, he would have been killed, either because the people were killing prophets, or by not leaving he would have experienced the same fate as the rest of Jerusalem because he didn’t heed his own warnings.

1 Nephi 3:17

17 For he knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed, because of the wickedness of the people.

Jerusalem’s destruction is now a matter of record, but at the time Lehi and his fellow prophets were being persecuted, their prophecies about that destruction was one of the things that got them (the prophets) into trouble.

1 Nephi 3:16

16 Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; therefore let us go down to the land of our father’s inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the Lord.

The next logical step, if Laban wouldn’t donate the records, was to try buying them. Lehi was a wealthy man, and he left all that wealth behind according to the Lord’s commandment. So Nephi and his brothers had some resources with which they could purchase most anything they wanted. They could also make a good offer for the plates. All that wealth would have been no good to them anyway when Jerusalem fell, so Lehi left it behind.

In our own personal journeys to the “Promised Land,” our temporal, earthly wealth is of little value except as it is used in the service to God.

1 Nephi 3:14–15

14 But Laman fled out of his presence, and told the things which Laban had done, unto us. And we began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in the wilderness.

15 But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.

After Laman returns and tells how things went with Laban, they began to sorrow. I imagine everyone was sorrowing for different reasons. Nephi and Sam may have been sorrowing that this task would not be as easy as they hoped; Laman and Lemuel were probably upset about the wasted trip. They wanted to go home after one try. This is when Nephi begins to rule over his brethren as the Lord had promised him he would. (1 Nephi 2:22) Nephi starts into a speech about how they need to be more faithful and keep the promise they made to the Lord to retrieve the plates. He kind of shames them into doing the right thing. In the end, Nephi prevails with his idea to buy the plates. Notice that Nephi is very careful to say the Lord had commanded them. It was very clear in his mind that they were on the Lord’s errand, not Lehi’s. I don’t think Laman and Lemuel quite understood or believed that. I think they were on this trip for their father, not for the Lord.

1 Nephi 3:13

13 And behold, it came to pass that Laban was angry, and thrust him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have the records. Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a robber, and I will slay thee.

It seems like these records must have been pretty important to Laban. I wonder why he got so angry at Laman and accused him of being a robber when he simply requested the plates. Surely Laban didn’t care that strongly about the records of the prophets that were contained thereon. It must be the genealogy that he was so protective of. Or the artifact itself due to its value.

1 Nephi 3:10–12

10 And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.

11 And we cast lots—who of us should go in unto the house of Laban. And it came to pass that the lot fell upon Laman; and Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as he sat in his house.

12 And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my father.

Apparently none of the brothers was all that excited about facing Laban to ask for the plates, otherwise there would have been volunteers. But instead they cast lots, a way to make a random choice. Interesting that the lot fell on Laman, who, being the oldest, should have been the volunteer. Was it coincidence that Laman was chosen? Maybe, but Proverbs 16:33 seems to indicate that the Lord has the final say about how the lot is cast. Either way we need to again give Laman credit here. He obviously didn’t want to go in the first place, but not only did he make the trip, he went in to Laban alone when the lot was cast in his favor. And I think he did the reasonable thing. He gave Laban the opportunity to do the Lord’s will first on his own accord.

1 Nephi 3:9

9 And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem.

Give credit where credit is due. As much as Laman and Lemuel murmured about going, they went on this journey anyway. As noted in verse 6, they would have done better to go willingly, but at least they obeyed their father, even if they weren’t obeying the Lord.

1 Nephi 3:8

8 And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord.

One of the most gratifying feelings as a parent is to see that your children value the same things that you do. This verse is Lehi’s response to what Nephi said. He knows from Nephi’s answer to this call to retrieve the brass plates that Nephi has been converted. I feel the same way when I see my children’s testimonies grow. I, too, am “exceedingly glad” to witness that conviction in my children.

1 Nephi 3:7

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

Any good employer will provide resources enough to accomplish an assigned task. The Lord is no different. When He gives us a commandment, He also provides a way for us to accomplish the task or keep the commandment. We still have to actually follow through, however, not only for the sake of accomplishing the task, but also for our own growth and progress. It takes faith in the Lord and in this principle to attempt something the Lord wants us to do that is difficult or even seems to be impossible. Nephi had no idea how to get these plates. He just had faith in the Lord and in his prophet. The Lord could have spirited those plates away to Lehi, but Nephi and his brothers needed to have the opportunity to grow through obedience. The Lord was preparing a prophet as much as He was retrieving brass plates. Nephi was up to the challenge, as will be seen in later verses.

One thing to remember is that we need to do our part in order for the Lord to bless us in this manner. Matthew 19:26 says that “with God all things are Possible.” The Joseph Smith Translation (JST) clarifies that and puts some conditions on it. The JST says, “if they will forsake all things for my sake, with God whatsoever things I speak are possible.” There aren’t any free rides. The Lord gives us what we need, but He doesn’t step in and take over. If we aren’t giving our all, why should He? Indeed, how can he?

• Matthew 5:48; 19:26 (JST)
• 1 Nephi 9:6
• D&C 3:1, 3

1 Nephi 3:6

6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.

This verse talks about going beyond mere obedience. We are blessed according to our obedience, but being favored goes beyond that. Remember that Laman and Lemuel obeyed. They came on the journey. They went back with Nephi for the plates and the wives. They helped build the ship. And they were blessed for all of that, even though they may not have totally appreciated that blessing. But the difference between them and Nephi is attitude. Nephi didn’t complain, and these brothers did. Therefore, Nephi was favored over Laman and Lemuel. This goes back to conversion vs. testimony. Someone with a testimony will keep the commandments, but they may struggle with their attitude about it. Someone who is converted keeps the commandments willingly, cheerfully, and without regrets. The converted person is favored over the person who stops at a testimony. James said that, “the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19) Often, when Christ cast out unclean spirits from people, they would confess Him as God. (See Mark 1:23—25 for example) They have a testimony, but they are not converted.

1 Nephi 3:5

5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.

Laman and Lemuel are still murmuring over every commandment they get from their prophet/father. They apparently can’t see past his role as father to accept him as prophet. Not that they would have accepted him as a prophet even if he wasn’t their father, but this seems to be an added challenge for them. Even Christ got no respect in his hometown, among his own people (Matthew 13:57—58). I need to be able to respect the calling regardless of who holds it, and I can’t get hung up on the humans the Lord calls to fulfill His purposes here on earth. If they are good enough for God, they should be good enough for me.

• Matthew 13:57
• 1 Nephi 2:14
• D&C 1:38

1 Nephi 3:1-4

1 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with the Lord, to the tent of my father.

2 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.

3 For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.

4 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.

After Nephi’s profound experience of talking with the Lord, he returns and tells his father, the prophet, who is no doubt very happy and gratified for Nephi’s experience, both as his father and as prophet. Lehi then tells Nephi of a vision where he was commanded to send his sons back to Jerusalem (a distance of probably over 200 miles, according to the Book of Mormon study manual for Institutes) to obtain some very important records. Laban seems to be well known, but there’s no indication, or at least no strong indication, that Lehi knew he was related to Laban. Why would Laban have a genealogy of Lehi’s forefathers if they were not related? This appears to be the official record of the family, which would seem to indicate royalty. But according to the genealogy, they were descended from Joseph through Manasseh. By this time the other tribes of Israel had been conquered by the Assyrians. So how did the official records of the tribe of Joseph get to Jerusalem?

1 Nephi Chapter 3 Overview

Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass—Laban refuses to give them up—Nephi exhorts and encourages his brethren—Laban steals their property and attempts to slay them—Laman and Lemuel smite Nephi and are reproved by an angel. Between 600 and 592 B.C.

In this chapter, Lehi is told in a vision that his sons were to return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass from Laban. These plates were apparently more than merely a genealogy or record of the Jews, because I’m sure they could have found other records someplace. Who was Laban, that he should keep these records? It almost sounds as if Lehi was not aware of either the record’s existence, or his claim to them, seeing that they contained his genealogy, as the Lord told him. There are some great lessons in this story, as well as some mystery relative to Lehi’s relationship to Laban, the record, etc.

1 Nephi 2:24

24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.

I originally thought the focus of this verse was punishment, as in Mormon 4:5, where we read clearly that the wicked punish the wicked. But upon further reflection, I think it has more to do with the value of opposition, as in 2 Nephi 2:11, where we read that there must be opposition in all things. The Lord purposely allows opposition to remain for our benefit. He did the same thing for the Children of Israel when they came to their Promised Land. These oppositions or weaknesses are given to us to keep us humble, as it tells us in Ether 12:27. This was the purpose of the Lamanites. They helped the Nephites get back in line when they (the Nephites) strayed from righteousness. As much as we would like wickedness to be removed from the world, as much as we would like to not be tempted, these things play an important role in our lives. The Lord will not remove these things without our efforts. We need to do our part so He can strengthen us against opposition. If we are able, with the Lord’s help, to remove opposition, it will be when we are truly converted. When Satan is bound in the Millennium, it will be because we bind him through our righteous desires. That’s why he will have no influence over us, because we won’t allow it. I don’t think it will be because the Lord physically removes him from our presence (although that is also possible). I think we’ll be humble and righteous even without the “Lamanites” to keep us in line.

• Mormon 4:5; 8:7–8
• Ether 12:27
• 1 Nephi 12:2–3
• Joshua 23:12–13