(All of my own thoughts are in blue type. red is from 4/20 Green 1/21 orange 3/22 Brown 2023)
CHAPTER 3
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.
1 And it came to
pass that I, Nephi, returned where did he return from? from aspeaking with the Lord, How great would that be…he's not praying "to" the Lord, but speaking "with" the Lord! to the tent of my father. To tell him what he had just learned? It almost doesn’t seem like he said anything to Lehi, or
Nephi doesn’t record any response, but immediately goes into Lehi telling him about Lehi’s dream. Maybe Lehi had been looking for him and as soon as he returned he was told Lehi wanted to see him...
2 And it came to pass that he spake unto me,
saying: Behold I have dreamed
a adream, seems like this would be a harder “source” for Laman and
Lemuel to accept than a visit… I could see Nephi saying in his heart, "...but dad...I just was speaking with the Lord! I wanted to tell you that first! Ok...I honor you...you go first..." in the which the Lord hath commanded me
that thou and thy brethren shall breturn to Jerusalem. So many emotions could have been aroused by this request. "Yeah! Let's go back and stay; go back and get some more stuff!"
3 For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews
and also a agenealogy of my forefathers, and they are
bengraven upon plates of brass.
4 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me not an option that thou and thy brothers should go
unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into
the wilderness. Even though it was a dream, Lehi was clear that the Lord had commanded him, through the dream, to send the boys back for the plates.
5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur they
must have already been informed…maybe while Nephi was “out” praying…,
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. Is anything too hard for the Lord? If He’s commanded it…then it’s NOT too
hard. Trust Him…Believe Him… I think as a parent, I would have said, "I know it's hard, but I'm not requiring it...the Lord is, and what is too hard for Him?"
6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be
favored of the Lord, because
thou hast anot bmurmured.
Want to find favor with the Lord? Don’t murmur when He
asks you to do something…EVEN if it seems hard! He must be referring to not murmuring in
the past, because Nephi hasn’t even had a chance to respond to this request…
7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto
my father: I awill
go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know ...because I
just got through speaking with Him myself… that the Lord giveth no bcommandments
unto the children of men, save he shall cprepare
a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth
them. We must have faith in this fact about God…
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. ...with knowledge, a witness, and a
testimony…because anyone who doesn’t murmur has been blessed.
9 And I, Nephi, and my brethren So Laman and
Lemuel went…perhaps they were looking for an opportunity to stay, or bring some
things back, or for proof that Jerusalem was “still standing”…but I doubt they
went without some ulterior motive… took our journey in the wilderness,
with our tents, to go up to the land
of Jerusalem. They must have had several tents and not just a family
tent.
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. God gave them the commandment but didn't tell them how to accomplish it. They had a long time to talk about how to accomplish this commandment.
11 And we acast lots I
should research this…I think it was a tradition of the day, but I’m not
sure. Why would they not pray to know
who should go?…maybe Laman and Lemuel would not accept that as a valid way—who of us should
go in unto the house of Laban. And it came to pass that the lot fell upon
Laman; …funny that the lot should fall on one who would likely cry “not fair”….and Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as he
sat in his house. I’m pretty sure there was a blood
relation there, but whether it was close enough that they had an ongoing
relationship, I don’t know. Seems like there would have to be some kind of relationship to be so bold as
to just “ask” for the plates to be given to you. Also seems like it would be God's will that the oldest would go first and that just asking would be the first thing you should try.
12 And he desired of Laban the records which
were engraven upon the plates of brass, which contained the agenealogy of my father. I wonder what reason Laman gave him for wanting them?
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. Attempt on their lives – number one… Though my understanding is that robbers could be put to
death, much like you are justified in defending your own property with a gun if
necessary. Funny also, that the first
thing he accuses him of being…a robber…is the very thing he ends up being
himself, which justifies his own death. Also…where does Laban get off accusing
him of robbery when he politely came in, sat down with him, and just asked? Maybe Laman told Laban that God had commanded that Lehi should have them and he felt threatened like he would take them anyway...(which they did)
14 But Laman fled out of his presence, and told
the things which Laban had done, unto us. And we even Nephi…
began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my
father in the wilderness. You can feel sad…just don’t
let it sway your testimony….perhaps we need to
look at our failures as tests to see if we’ll give up quickly. The "easy" thing didn't work. I would have had faith originally that if God asked us to get the plates, that he would soften Laban's heart that he would just give them to us. Since that didn't work, they knew they had NO IDEA how to get them now, and that anything else would put them in danger. No wonder they were exceedingly sorrowful!
15 But behold I said unto them that: aAs
the Lord liveth, and as we live apparently this
is an oath of the day that was used that to mean you were giving your word…, we
will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have baccomplished the thing which the Lord
hath commanded us.
16 Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the
Lord is he referencing other commandments
besides the one to get the plates?; therefore let us go down to the land of our father’s
ainheritance, this
makes it sound like Lehi didn’t live right in Jerusalem… for behold he
left gold and silver, and all manner of riches. And all this he hath done because of the bcommandments
of the Lord. This could mean the Lord specifically
told him to leave it all, or that it was left because they followed the command
to leave Jerusalem and logistically couldn’t take it…
17 For he knew that Jerusalem must be adestroyed,
because of the wickedness of the people.
18 For behold, they have arejected the words
of the prophets. If we reject the words of the
prophets…we will be destroyed as well...I just read something that said, civilizations are destroyed because they reject prophets. Which means they must always be sent before destruction to warn. The Jaredite record doesn't say anything about churches or established religion. Just that prophets were sent throughout their generations and they were destroyed for rejecting them. I would think that is a pattern that will repeat in our day. Wherefore, if my father should dwell in the
land after he hath been bcommanded to flee out of the
land, behold, he would also perish Because he was one of the prophets that would be killed. Or would that class Lehi among the wicked for rebelling against God? Someday we
may be commanded to “leave” as well. If we choose to stay…we may perish….
Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the land.
19 And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should
obtain these arecords, that we may preserve unto our
children the language of our fathers; Reason
number one…
20 And also that we may apreserve unto them the words which
have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy bprophets, Reason number two… which have been delivered unto
them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this
present time. The Old Testament prophets are ones we are commanded to follow too...
21 And it came to pass that after this manner of
language did I apersuade my brethren,
that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God. See…you don’t have to use force…
22 And it came to pass that we went down to the
land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our agold,
and our silver, and our precious things. What a test
for these boys to not only have to “see” their wealth again...but touch it,
gather it up, carry it…why not just haul it off back to camp?
23 And after we had gathered these things
together, we went up again unto the house of Laban. No
discussion about this being a temptation…I think they all could reason that surely Laban would let them buy the plates for all the wealth they would offer him.
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 aplates of brass, for which we
would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things. A little scarier this time since a threat was made last
time…but surely the offer to buy the plates would be proof they didn’t come to
steal them.
25 And it came to pass that when
Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, Nephi
has been trying to tell us they had a lot! he did alust
after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, Attempt on their lives number two… that he might
obtain our property. Now who’s the robber…and
murderer!
26 And ait came
to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to
leave behind our property, Can’t run with “all” that
gold and stuff…and it fell into the hands of Laban. Must have been particularly painful for Laman and Lemuel….but they let it go…good job! Interesting to consider that the first time they left it, they did so willingly, because of a future threat of destruction. The second time they left it, also willingly...though under direct threat of destruction. Are these both a type of the need to "leave" the world (not be "of" the world) or we face destruction?
27 And it came to pass that we
fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not overtake us, probably because they were gathering the things Nephi and his brothers had left
instead of chasing them. And of course, God
was protecting them…and we ahid
ourselves in the cavity of a rock.
28 And it came to pass that Laman
was angry with me, see….and also with my father;
and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman. Okay, older siblings….sometimes your younger siblings are
following you WHEREVER you lead, regardless of what they believe on their
own. BE CAREFUL!!! Wherefore
Laman and Lemuel did speak many ahard
words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even with a rod. Where did desire to use this physical abuse come from? I think the absolute loss of their wealth was the tipping point. These two knew, up to this point, that it was just still sitting at home. Now it was gone. No returning for it now! This is where their hearts still lay. So there is more to "leaving" the world than walking away from the physical. You have to leave it in your heart as well.
29 And it came to pass as the Lord allows the wicked their agency that he may be justified in his
judgements… they smote us with a rod, hopefully,
the angel wasn’t tooo long in coming….behold, an aangel of the Lord came and
stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger
brother with a rod? Why no mention of smiting Sam when
Nephi said “us”? Maybe they were only hitting Nephi when the angel appeared... Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a bruler over you, and this because
of your iniquities? Ouch…and yet, he also seems to be saying that this didn't have to be. If they were righteous Nephi would not be a ruler over them. It was more about their own choices than it was about Nephi's. It's not so much about God playing favorites The angel also confirms what the Lord told Nephi about being a ruler over his brothers and the type of Joseph of Egypt. Behold ye shall go up
to Jerusalem
again, and the Lord will cdeliver Laban into your hands. There seems to be some significance to trying 3 times…think temple, think Adam in the wilderness… How could you doubt after an angel tells you that Laban WILL be delivered into your hands? You don't have to go get him or figure anything out now. He'll be given to you. Why did the Lord wait til now to deliver Laban into their hands? Did Laban have to exercise his agency in this story too?
31 And after the angel had
departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to amurmur,
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? We laugh at them for saying this, immediately after seeing an angel,
but how often do you say “how is it possible?” when asked by the prophet or a
bishop to do something? Nephi never responded with “how”...only "show me the
way." "Show me the way"…should be the beginning of
every prayer of obedience. “My ways are not Thy ways…my thoughts are not Thy thoughts.” Maybe it comes down to receiving our own witness of what the Lord wants us to do that allows us to do hard things.
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