Which Plates Did the Book of Mormon Come From? There would have been no righteous Nephite record to bring forth in the latter days to help the world understand Christ’s true doctrine. When others, ignorant of the happenings at Nephi's garden, came to the scene, having been notified by the servants of the Chief Judge, they assumed the five trembling men to be guilty and put them in jail. [31], After hearing the voice, Nephi turned immediately and began preaching to the scattered multitudes of the Nephites. Aminadab also explained that the cloud of darkness could be removed if they would "repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ." (See 2 Nephi 5:28.). and also Zoram and his family, and Sam. By 59 ROJ (33 BC), the Lamanites were victorious in driving the Nephite armies, headed by Moronihah, entirely out of the land southward. He counseled the onlookers to repent and to overcome the attraction of pride and riches. It would not be easy. 12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. Those whom he converted in the city of Zarahemla went to Nephi, who was "baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must shortly come", to be baptized. Now I’m still not 100% sure of this. To put this story in context, we need to review the events that led up to it. It struck me that it’s not clear Nephi knows about the 2cd temple period and restoration from Babylon. Nephi was the fourth of six sons of Lehi and Sariah. Speaking about a time of peace and growing prosperity, Mormon recorded that both Nephites and Lamanites “did go into whatsoever part of the land they would” and “did have free intercourse one with another” (Helaman 6:7–8).Free trade naturally led to wealth (vv. The point is that he did not. Without the brass plates, they would not have the prophets’ words. "[25], Then, after reminding the people of their wickedness due to choosing riches and pride rather than following the counsel of these prophets, he testified that their destruction was "even at [their] doors" and reveals the secret murder of their Chief Judge by his brother - both of whom were Gadianton robbers. The brothers fled and hid. Consider the example of the Mulekites, a group who left Jerusalem after Lehi. Did God have a right to do this? In the 'agony of his soul,' Nephi lamented the state of the people and wished that he could have lived during the time of Lehi, the forefather of his people. [6], In this period of prosperity and pride within the Church, Helaman, died and Nephi began to govern in his stead. 10:17. He is said to have followed in the footsteps of his father, that "he did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God. Five and a half centuries have passed from 1 Nephi. So Nephi went alone, being “led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [he] should do” (1 Nephi 4:6). [19] In 69 RJ (23 BC), however, Nephi was forced to return to the land of Zarahemla, as those in the land northward rejected "all his words. The deliverance of these plates would be a true test of their faith. Did Nephi Know of the Return from Exile? He had had more than 30 years to ponder the encounter with Laban, and its importance became ever more significant to him. The church to which Nephi's father was a prophet saw "great prosperity" in the same year, with tens of thousands being baptized and united to "the Church of God. Man’s agency cannot delimit or circumscribe the agency of God. 1 Nephi 2:16 states that Nephi wanted to know the “mysteries of God.” When this is understood in its ancient context, it seems likely that Nephi specifically wanted to know the information his father had learned from the Lord in 1 Nephi 1. Nephi recognized that the record would help preserve his people’s language and that his posterity would need to know the commandments in order to keep them (see 1 Nephi 3:19; 4:15–16). Seeing that the people were destroying themselves by the sword, Nephi prayed that God would send a famine "to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God." Instead, the outcome was something much greater—it was intended to assist in the deliverance of all mankind. Nephi mentions having sisters. Before their flight, Nephi's father prophesied the impending destruction and captivity of Jerusalem by the armies of Babylon. Nor was it the deliverance of the Nephite nation alone. "[5] The next three years (50-52 ROJ, 42-40 BC) also passed in "continual peace and great joy", but the pride of the "hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God" began to grow due to their prosperity. The Lord had given Laban two opportunities to part with the plates. The Bible would continue to be written by Jewish prophets after Lehi (Nephi’s father) led his family out of Jerusalem and to a new land. What Does the Fruit in Lehi’s Vision Symbolize? mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and Joseph my younger brethren, alJ(l also my sisters, and allthost! ), Their Joy Was Full, by Walter Rane, courtesy of Church History Museum. To me, this is unambiguous and clear. [26], Five members of the crowd ran to the judgment-seat to test Nephi's words. To him, Nephi looked and sounded like Laban—another part of the miraculous deliverance. After years of peace and prosperity, there arose some contention in 78 ROJ (13 BC) leading to 'much strife' in 79 ROJ (12 BC). According to Joseph Smith and subsequent presidents and apostles of the LDS Church, the geographical extent of Book of Mormon lands included virtually all of North and South America. "[13] At the time they were to be taken from prison and executed, however, they were protected by a 'pillar of fire' and the Lamanites were "struck dumb" with amazement and were afraid of being burned. by Clark Goble • July 30, 2017 • 13 Comments. The followed his counsel and received the confession as promised, freeing both Nephi and the five runners from blame. 16:34–35). Nephi and his family lived in Jerusalem, circa 600 BC, during the reign of King Zedekiah, until Lehi was commanded by God to take his family and flee into the wilderness. Come, Follow Me: Book of Mormon (Jan. 20–26). What Was Jerusalem Like in Lehi’s Time? It strongly suggests that Nephi and his people arrived on the west or the Pacific coast of the Americas. Immediately after their release, the five men argued powerfully against the Gadianton robber judges, who blamed Nephi for the murder, due to his apparent foreknowledge of the event. [15] This was followed by a "voice of perfect mildness" that is said to have pierced "even to the very soul" when it twice times urged the people to repent and not to "destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings" and once spoke "marvelous words which cannot be uttered by man", interspersed with more earthquakes. The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry (/ ˈ n iː f aɪ /), usually referred to as First Nephi or 1 Nephi, is the first book of the Book of Mormon and one of four books with the name Nephi. "[7], Despite his apparent honor in rule, there were contentions among the people and many dissented from the Nephite nation, eventually resulting in war between the Nephites and the Lamanites. Unable to agree, the people separated, leaving Nephi alone. While we do not know from the record, it is likely that the Lord would have given promptings or warnings to Laban,2 who ignored them. In each case he saw that the outcome for all these people hinged on their acceptance of Jesus Christ. "[17], Upon the preaching of these three hundred witnesses, the majority of the Lamanites "were convinced" and "did lay down their weapons of war, and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers" and "did yield up unto the Nephites the lands of their possession. Why did the king of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies say he and his people would be slaves to the Nephites? Lastly, he testified that he knew what he had spoken was true "because the Lord God has made them known" unto him. The Translation of the Book of Mormon: A Marvel and a Wonder, The Power of Deliverance: Why Nephi Killed Laban, Come, Follow Me: Book of Mormon—Support Articles and Activities, ”In the Wisdom of Him Who Knoweth All Things”, It’s Where I’m Headed, Not Where I’ve Been, Three Things to Remember before You Judge, Getting Back on the Path after My Unplanned Pregnancy, Going “All In”: My Journey Back to the Gospel, Shame versus Guilt: Help for Discerning God’s Voice from Satan’s Lies, How the Book of Mormon Opened the Heavens for Me, Digital Only: Young Adults and the Ongoing Restoration, Guided by the Spirit, before I Even Knew It, “The Power of Deliverance: Why Nephi Killed Laban,” Ensign, January 2020. "[38], texts from within a religion or faith system, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Book of Mormon Index entry on Nephi, son of Helaman, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nephi,_son_of_Helaman&oldid=963442265, Articles lacking reliable references from January 2011, Articles needing more viewpoints from January 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 19 June 2020, at 20:39. There would have been no Book of Mormon as we know it. He then "departed out of the land, and whither he went, no man knoweth. Little is known about the activities of his early life, beyond his birth year of 54 BC. (See 1 Nephi 4:36. Nephi, did take my family. [24], Seeing that he had convinced at least some of the crown, Nephi continued his preaching. ), For their second attempt, they decided to retrieve their father’s riches to bargain for the plates. This teaching session unfolded as a series of questions and answers. Without them, they “would have dwindled in unbelief, and … should have [become] like unto … the Lamanites” (Mosiah 1:5). When Nephi and his brothers arrived outside Jerusalem, they cast lots to determine who would approach Laban first.1 The lot fell to Laman, who went to Laban’s house and asked for the plates. The Traditional View. "[18], By 63 RJ (29 BC), the Lamanites "had become, the more part of them, a righteous people, insomuch that their righteousness did exceed that of the Nephites, because of their firmness and their steadiness in the faith" and Nephi and Lehi went with many Lamanite missionaries into the land northward (also known as the land of Mulek) to preach. Upon arriving they found the Chief Judge murdered and they fell to the earth with fear, knowing that all of Nephi's prophecies would also be fulfilled. This year marked the a turning point in the affairs of the people, as two years of "much contention" "began to cease, in a small degree." For examples of the plain and precious truths restored in the Book of Mormon, see Clyde J. Williams, “Plain and Precious Truths Restored,” Ensign, Oct. 2006, 50–54. In addition to that, when read alongside the Elijah story, Helaman 11 becomes a powerful reminder of the reality of the priesthood. It’s important to note that when Nephi began this record, he wrote with hindsight. They had no sacred record. For some people, especially those new to the Book of Mormon, a most challenging or unsettling story is Nephi’s slaying of Laban (see 1 Nephi 3–4). The Spirit commanded Nephi to kill Laban, something he did not want to do and did not know if he had the courage to do. 31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much a strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee. But Laban called Laman a robber and threatened to kill him. Sometime later, following Lehi’s important vision of the tree of life, Nephi was shown a similar vision of the Savior’s ministry among the Jews, the history of his people, and a view of the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles in the latter days (see 1 Nephi 11–14). Lastly, he taught of the people's ancestors, including Nephi and Lehi, as witnesses of the "coming of Christ. Except, he is said to have begun "to grow up unto the Lord" in the 48th year of the "reign of the judges", which likely corresponds to 44 BC. Nephi also knew by the Spirit that the Lord had delivered Laban into his hands and that it was “better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief” (1 Nephi 4:13). Nephi thought of other, related reasons. Later, after Lehi dies, Nephi escaped north possibly using the Chattahoochee River to Unicoi Gap, GA, and then traveling on the Hiawasee River which connects to the Tennessee River then, settling near Chattanooga, Tennessee which area became the land of Nephi and also called the Land Lehi-Nephi. Nephi was only doing what God had commanded. As Nephi looked upon this man who had sought their lives, the Spirit constrained him to slay Laban. Except, he is said to have begun "to grow up unto the Lord" in the 48th year of the "reign of the judges", which likely corresponds to 44 BC. How did this happen? We believe Lehi landed in Florida near Tallahassee about 589 BC. Right? His father was Helaman, and his sons include two of the twelve Nephite disciples at the time that Christ visited the Americas. [30], While on the way back to his home "being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites", Nephi heard a voice from heaven praising him. 2 Nephi 28:30 states, “I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept.” Nephi told his people to continuously seek knowledge from God, because God teaches people, “line upon line, precept upon precept.” This phrase is a modified quote from Isaiah 28:10, where the prophet condemned the inability of the false priests and prophets of Israel to receive See also [ … [37], In 91 ROJ (1 BC), Nephi turned "the plates of brass, and all the records which had been kept, and all those things which had been kept sacred from the departure of Lehi out of Jerusalem" over to his eldest son, also named Nephi. Through their preaching, however, "Nephi and Lehi, and many of their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many revelations daily", were able to resolve the disputes. What can we do to become more like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies in honoring our covenants? When they arrived at Laban’s house, he again showed his corrupt nature by stealing their precious things and trying to kill them. [1] This year marked the a turning point in the affairs of the people, as two years of "much contention"[2][3] "began to cease, in a small degree. If this isn’t a different Nephi, we need a word stronger than “geriatric” to describe him. who would go with me. Nephi began his record by praising his parents and noting that he had been “taught somewhat in all the learning of my father” (1 Nephi 1:1). II. Laman fled and told his brothers what Laban had done. Come, Follow Me: Book of Mormon (Jan. 6–12). Upon seeing the gathering people, Nephi turned his attention from praying to preaching. Enrichment Activities But reading in 3 Nephi this morning made me change my mind. He reminded them that they had been given THIS LAND for … Not only that, but they also were encircled by fire, were filled with the 'Holy Spirit of God' and again they heard the voice, this time urging them to be at peace. These were called the Small Plates of Nephi. Nephi is the author of the first two books of the Book of Mormon, the First and Second Nephi. First of all, there was a Book of Lehi, the record Nephi’s father kept (1 Nephi 1:17). "[20], Upon returning to the "land of his nativity", Nephi found the people in a state of "awful wickedness." What Plain and Precious Truths Were Restored by the Book of Mormon? (Alma 27:4–8.) Nephi and Lehi seized this opportunity to spread their missionary message, and told the people to "[f]ear not" and that the "marvelous thing" was of God. Nephi called to them in his own voice, and they stopped. Zoram retrieved the brass plates and followed Nephi out of the city. Nephi was sane. [36], In 87 ROJ (5 BC), after years of wickedness and the rise to power again of the Gadianton robbers, Samuel the Lamanite prophesied to the Nephites concerning the coming of Christ. Casting lots was an ancient practice whereby the Lord could make known His will (see Proverbs 16:33). In the 49th year of the reign of the judges (c. 43 BC), there was "continual peace established in the land" ou… According to John Gee, the name "Nephi" might reflect connections between Egypt and Israel at his time. 3 Nephi 12:3-12 These verses are commonly known as the “Beatitudes” in the New Testament account. The idea was abhorrent to Nephi, and he resisted. He also quoted to them the words of Isaiah. Jeremiah he addressed specifically with respect to the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, something the people knew of from the descendants of Mulek in their own land. Much like Nephi saying, after finishing his ship the Lord instructed him to build, and entered into it, writing: “we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land” (1 Nephi 18:8). [32], By the end of the 71 ROJ (21 BC), a civil war had broken out among the people[33] and it intensified over the next two years. It is Christ who offers the most profound deliverance to all people—deliverance from sin and death—through His atoning sacrifice and eternal life in the world to come. The voice promises that Nephi will receive whatever he asks because he only asks for that which is according to God's will and also gives him power that "whatsoever [he] shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever [he] shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." From there he transferred into a discussion of different prophecies that had been made concerning the coming of Christ, first by teaching of the parallels between the serpent staff Moses raised in the wilderness and then teaching of the Priesthood given to Abraham, which was after the order of Christ. It contains many of the plain and precious truths that were on the brass plates and were once in the original record of the Jews, the Bible.4 The brass plates became a source of inspiration for generations of Nephite prophets. Nephi didn’t know, but it must have seemed surreal. That sequence is revealed in the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi … In conclusion, the voice commanded Nephi to call the people again to repentance upon threat of destruction. The point is that he did not. Couldn’t he have skipped the difficult detail about killing Laban and just said that by the power of God he and his brothers were eventually able to get the plates from him? After slaying Laban, he dressed in Laban’s clothing and armor and went toward the treasury, where he met Zoram, Laban’s servant. (See 1 Nephi 3:22–27.). For that we need to look closer. [29], The events left the people in a state of confusion. While Nephi’s reluctance reflected his respect for life, this experience ultimately demonstrated his deep reverence for obeying the will of the Lord. It must have become clear to Nephi that without the word of God on the brass plates, his posterity would not have been prepared to meet Christ (see Mosiah 1:3–4). The Story of Nephi (Son of Lehi) Prophet Nephi is one of the central figures described in the Book of Mormon. "[35], After the end of the famine, Nephi continue to lead the Church in the land, to which the majority of the people belonged by 77 ROJ (15 BC). )3, Nephi obeyed the Lord. He responded, however, after rebuking the people and again calling them to repentance, by showing them "another sign." Another truth that underscored the future importance of the brass plates for Nephi was his vision of plain and precious truths being taken from the record of the Jews (see 1 Nephi 13:23–29). Why were the Anti-Nephi-Lehies not afraid to die? When Christ appeared to the Nephites as the resurrected Savior, He blessed them, He taught them He prayed with them and for them. (2 Nephi 5:6) For the first lime. (See 1 Nephi 4:28–35. The Lamanites were astonished and convinced, with 8,000 of them "in the land of Zarahemla and round about baptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the wickedness of the traditions of their fathers. He had, as Nephi noted, defied God’s commandments, stolen Lehi’s property, and sought to kill Nephi and his brothers (see 1 Ne. Nephi felt impressed by the Spirit to write this detailed account of how he obtained the brass plates (see 1 Nephi 19:6; 2 Nephi 5:30–32). Zoram, however, feared for his life. Couldn’t Nephi have just taken Laban’s clothes, retrieved the plates, and then left with Zoram? He further stated that his record was made “in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians … and I make it according to my knowledge” (1 Nephi 1:2–3). From there, they went "into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites. Surely he understood how hard this would be for others to understand. 3:12). Looking to the Future, Lifted by the Past, How the Lord Prepared the World for the Restoration, Have the Greatest Year with the Greatest Book, What Church Leaders Are Saying about the Book of Mormon, Come, Follow Me: Book of Mormon (Dec. 30–Jan. Eventually, he was convinced. Some claimed Nephi to be a prophet and some even claimed him to be a god. 7:4–6; 1 Ne. His death caused many to murmur against Lehi and Nephi (see 1 Ne. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 114). Zoram—who became a critical second witness of this powerful deliverance—took courage from Nephi’s words and swore his own oath that he would stay with them. [21], Being filled with sorrow because of the wickedness of the people, Nephi 'bowed himself' and prayed upon a tower in his garden, which was by the highway leading to the 'chief market' in the city of Zarahemla. Little is known about the activities of his early life, beyond his birth year of 54 BC. The Gadianton robbers had usurped positions of power and the government had, therefore, become full of corruption. The famine came in 73 ROJ (19 BC) and, as a result, the war ceased. He shrunk, he tried to find another way, but ultimately he knew he must obey. Nephi was the eldest son of Helaman, another Nephite prophet. The Spirit commanded Nephi to kill Laban. He is believed to have been born in 615 BC. 19:10, 21; 2 Ne. [16], During these happenings, a man who was a Nephite by birth "who had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented" named Aminadab observed Nephi and Lehi apparently conversing with "the angels of God" and explained the phenomenon to the Lamanites, who were frozen with fear. Looking at the timeline, it’s about 49-39 BC. Since no change in government form is specifically mentioned after Fourth Nephi, it is possible that the Nephites continued to use judges until their destruction in about AD 385. '[10] Their preaching started in the city of Bountiful and then proceeding to the cities of Gid and Mulek, and then to all of the Nephite cities in the land southward. That night, alone in the streets of Jerusalem, Nephi found Laban on the ground in a drunken stupor. There has never been any confusion about his name and he was never referred to as Nephi. )” (commentary for 1 Nephi 5:10–22.) See Jeremiah 26:20–23 for a clear example of a prophet who fled and was hunted down, brought back to Jerusalem, and put to death. (See Omni 1:15–17.) The Spirit prompted him twice more, reminding him, “The Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes” (1 Nephi 4:13; see also 1 Nephi 4:7–12; Deuteronomy 7:2). These connections demonstrate that both Elijah and Nephi used the power of the priesthood to seal the heavens. Despite the fulfilled prophesy of the Chief Judge's murder, the people hardened their hearts - even to the point of attempting to throw Nephi in jail. He was later instructed by the Lord to make a record of the religious proceedings of his people. [8], In the same year, 'Nephi delivered up the judgment-seat to a man whose name was Cezoram,' being weary of the iniquity of the people, who consisted more of those choosing evil than those choosing good. Upon this man who had sought their lives, the first lime title did not and. 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