1 Nephi 5

MDC Contents			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. 1 Nephi 5:1-9 is a fascinating glimpse at a beloved mortal woman, with all of her hopes and dreams. The Book of Mormon rarely deals with women at all, but in these verses Nephi gives a very realistic and poignant vignette of his mother's struggles with the burdens of her husband's visions. Nephi notes that his father was "filled with joy" to see his sons return, but then notes that his mother, Sariah, was "exceedingly glad". Nephi spends more time discussing his mother's reaction, because her transition from misery to joy was so great. Nephi and his brothers had been gone long enough, and had gone on a mission she must have known to be dangerous, that she had thought them dead. Perhaps in addition to knowing Laban had the brass plates, Lehi and Sariah knew a little more about Laban, and knew that he could be dangerous, and even murderous. 1 Nephi 5:2 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. 1 Nephi 5:3 3 And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father. Rather than see Sariah as one whose faith wavered, we should rather see her in the light of a loving mother with tremendous concern for her sons. It is only after she fears that her sons are dead that she decries Lehi as a visionary man. There is no indication that Sariah was hesitant to follow Lehi into the desert. Nephi tells of Laman and Lemuel's dissidence, but not of Sariah's - not until these verses. Sariah appears to have believed her "visionary" husband up until the time that her sons did not return when she supposed they should have. Sariah has the imagination of a concerned mother, and every day they were late multiplied the calamities which might have befallen them. In her self-constructed despair, she is certain that "my sons are no more". It is only at this point, when she feels she has lost her sons, that she begins to revile her husband, and to expand her concerns to the entire episode. After all, if her sons had died on an errand from Lehi, could he really be a prophet? 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. 1 Nephi 5:5 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. 1 Nephi 5:6 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. To Lehi's credit it does not dismiss Sariah's fears. Rather than responding directly to her question about her sons, Lehi responds to his label as "a visionary man". It is probably that Lehi had no vision of the outcome of the mission, only a confidence that the Lord would see them through it. Lehi did, however, know about the visions he had received, and he attempts to comfort Sariah with his statement of faith in the visions and knowledge he had received. One can imagine that while well-intentioned, this would have been little comfort to Sariah, who really didn't want to know whether or not Jerusalem was lost, but whether her sons were lost. 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. Here is the proof of Sariah's comfort. Lehi says words of comfort to her, but Sariah is not comforted until she has seen her sons return safely. Perhaps Nephi does not tell us more, perhaps Sariah really was comforted by Lehi. Regardless, the picture painted here of the grieving mother, the caring (but in this case helpless) Lehi and the continuation of tension until her sons return, is a completely believable picture of a very human, and very devoted mother. 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. The return of her sons without harm allows Sariah to believe in her husband as a prophet. In addition to now "knowing" that the Lord had protected her sons, and delivered them from Laban, she also indicates that she now knows "of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness." There is nothing in the return of her sons which provides any level of "proof" that the flight into the wilderness was inspired, yet she believes. This bolsters even further Sariah's willingness to believe Lehi - right up to the point where her son's lives were thought to have been forfeit. 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. Recognizing the hand of God in their lives, both in the vision which sent them into the desert, and in the safe return of the brothers from the hand of harm, the family offers thanks to God. Thus one of the most well-rounded descriptions of a woman in any of the scriptures. Sariah appears here not as a heroic figure, but in her role as a mother. In that role we see here in three dimensions, with hopes, fears, overriding love, and eventually faith. 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. Concerning the brass plates: "What were the 'brass plates' of the Book of Mormon? Following standard early modern English usage, the term brass in the Book of Mormon most likely has reference to various forms of the copper and tin alloy that we currently call bronze, rather than the alloy of copper and zinc now known as brass" (Hamblin, William J. "Sacred Writings on Bronze Plates in the Ancient Mediterranean" F.A.R.M.S. 1994, p. 2). "Specific Hebrew examples of writing on metal plates are relatively limited in number, but clearly attest to the practice. There are five major examples: 1. The oldest example of Hebrew writing on metal is the engraved gold plate attached to the front of the turban of the high priest {at least 10C}. According to Exodus 28:36, Moses was ordered to "make a plate (tzitz) of pure gold, and engrave upon it as an engraved seal (khotem), 'Holy to Yahweh.'" 2. Excavations in the late 1970's uncovered First Temple period tombs at Ketef Hinnom, near Jerusalem. Among the artifacts discovered in this dig were two small silver plates dating to the seventh century B.C., containing the priestly benedictions found in Numbers 6:24-26 and representing "the earliest known fragments of the biblical text." 3. In 161 B.C. Judas Maccabaeus concluded a treaty with the Romans which "the Romans engraved on bronze tables and sent to Jerusalem for the Jews to keep there as a record" (1 Maccabees 8:22). Josephus' account states, however, that the Jews themselves engraved the document in bronze. In his analysis of this incident Jonathan Goldstein concludes that since there are no other known instances of Romans sending bronze treaties to their allies (as opposed to keeping copies of the treaties on bronze plates in Rome), Josephus' account is probably more accurate. Later, in 140 B.C., when Simon was proclaimed by the Jews as both high priest and prince, "they ordered that this text [of Simon's privileges and responsibilities] be drawn up on bronze tablets and set up in the precinct of the sanctuary [of the temple] in a conspicuous place and that copies of the tablets be placed in the treasury [of the temple] so as to be available for Simon and his sons." These examples clearly indicate that, following the common practice of most other cultures of the eastern Mediterranean, the Jews kept records of important historical documents on bronze plates in their temple. 4. The most well-known example of Hebrew writing on metal plates is the famous Copper Scroll (3C15) from Qumran {1C A.D.}, containing a list of hidden temple treasures. Although the origin and purpose of the Copper Scroll is widely debated, it is a clear example of an attempt to preserve an important sacred record by writing on copper/bronze (Heb. nechushah) plates and then hiding the document. 5. The Hebrew ritual magic and ascension text Sefer ha-Razim {late 3C A.D.} contains numerous references to writing on metal plates or amulets (Heb. tzitz). In conclusion the evidence leaves no doubt that the Hebrews had a longstanding tradition dating at least to the First temple Period (i.e. well before 587 B.C.) Of writing sacred texts on metal plates for amulets, inscriptions, and literary documents" (Hamblin, 1994, pp. 3-7). While the tradition of writing important documents on bronze plates may be accepted to explain the plates themselves, there is somewhat more to the brass plates in that they may have been written in something requiring the learning of the Egyptians to read them (Mosiah 1:4 "For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings, and teach them to his children,..."). Dr. Hamblin cites an interesting example which may also support this idea: "Byblos Syllabic texts. The earliest known example of mixing a Semitic language with modified Egyptian hieroglyphic characters is the Byblos Syllabic inscriptions (eighteenth century B.C.), from the city of Byblos on the Phoenician coast. This script is described as a "syllabary [that] is clearly inspired by the Egyptian hieroglyphic system, and in fact is the most important link known between the hieroglyphs and the Canaanite alphabet." Interestingly enough, most Byblos Syllabic texts were written on copper plates. Thus, it would not be unreasonable to describe the Byblos Syllabic texts as a Semitic language written on metal plates in "reformed Egyptian characters," which is precisely what the Book of Mormon describes" (Hamblin, "Reformed Egyptian" available from FARMS web site. See also Hamblin 1994 p. 8). There are a couple of important points to note concerning the Byblos Syllabic texts. The first is that the date clearly precedes that of the Book of Mormon (importantly the early portions). Thus there is a precedence with sufficient time to both a "reformed Egyptian" and writing on plates. The second issue is that the very fact that the brass plates were written in "reformed Egyptian" is the most likely reason why the rest of the plates would be written that way. The concept and tradition of mixing a syllabic character with a different underlying language would be part of the inheritance. The concept of recording on metal plates are also part of the cultural inheritance which crossed the sea. More than just the record of Lehi's ancestors, more than the preservation of the religious history (not to diminish that), the brass plates may have also formed the model for the recording of the Book of Mormon, both in the materials and in the conceptual script. 1 Nephi 5:11 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; 1 Nephi 5:12 12 And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah; 1 Nephi 5:13 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. While Lehi may have known of the existence of the brass plates, these verses hint that he was not very familiar with them. After receiving the plates, Lehi searches them, and gives a description. The nature of the description tells us something about Lehi's religious/historical knowledge, and something about the plates themselves. While the words we read come from Nephi, it can be surmised that Nephi is either working from Lehi's record in this instance, or that Nephi was present as his father examined the plates. The description of the contents of the plates indicates both what was on them, and the points which Lehi/Nephi thought were important. Thus we understand from verse 11 that the brass plates held the first five books of Moses, including the Genesis account of Adam and Eve. Clearly that was an expectation, and there is little elaboration of the information. This indicates not only that the plates contained the texts, but that it was not surprising that they do so. When neither Lehi nor Nephi explains any more of the books of Moses or of Adam and Eve, it can be presumed that they were familiar with those texts. Thus, while they may not have been intimately familiar with the brass plates, they were familiar with the scriptures, simply from a different source. It would appear that the version of the scriptures used in Lehi's regular worship were something other than the brass plates, though obviously the brass plates contained much of the same information. The contents of the brass plates themselves suggest that while they are clearly related to our received text for the Old Testament, there are some differences. While there is scholarly disagreement on the precise way in which the Old Testament texts came into being, there is general agreement, and excellent evidence, to indicate that the Old Testament, like the New Testament, is a fortuitous collection of manuscripts, which are miraculous in their preservation, while at the same time unfortunate in those which were lost. The description of the brass plates appears to place them in the category of a set of texts which were of a different composition than the Masoretic text of the Old Testament upon which our modern versions are based. John Sorenson analyzed the makeup of the brass plates, and suggests that they are a set of scripture which is more oriented to the Northern Kingdom, as opposed to the Masoretic text, which is more representative of the Southern Kingdom: "Book of Mormon writers mention five prophets whose words appear in the brass plates: Zenos, Zenock, Ezias, Isaiah, and Neum (the last might be Nahum). Of the first four only Isaiah is surely known from existing biblical texts. Internal evidence suggests a reason why: all four direct a great deal of attention to the Northern Kingdom. Since the Masoretic text, which lies behind our King James' version, came out the South, omission of the three of the four (or four of the five, counting Neum) is explicable. Zenos is quoted as saying, "And as for those who are at Jerusalem... " (1 Nephi 19:13). Nowhere else in the extensive quotes from Zenos does he mention Judah or Jerusalem. This in context strongly suggests that he was not located in the territory of Judah. (It is implied in 3 Nephi 11:16 that Zenos and Zenock were of a Joseph tribe, although nothing is said of the location.) The reference to Jerusalem implies a date after David's capture of the city and quite probably after the division of the monarchy (about 922 B.C.). Careful reading of the allegory of the olive tree, from Zenos, as well as Alma 33:3-17 concerning both Zenos an Zenock further confirms a context of a sinful Israel more reminiscent of the time of Amos (mid-8th century B.C. ) than earlier or later. Moreover, Zenock was said to be a "prophet of old," (Alma 33:17) a chronological term not used regarding Jeremiah or even Isaiah. The probability is high, therefore, that the prophets cited from the brass plates date between 900 B.C. and the end of the Northern Kingdom in 721 B.C." (Sorenson, John L. "The "Brass Plates" and LDS Biblical Scholarship" undated mss, p.5). 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. 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. 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. Our received version of the Old Testament also contains genealogies, but they are through Judah, not Joseph. The Josephite genealogy is a further indication of the differing source of the brass plates text from that which we use today. As Sorenson points out, this genealogy itself points to a Northern Kingdom origin for the brass plates (Sorenson, John L. "The "Brass Plates" and LDS Biblical Scholarship" undated mss, p. 5). Verse 16's indication that Laban kept the records because he too was a descendant of Joseph tells us that the record was related to the tribe of Joseph, and that the task of preservation (if not the addition of texts) was in the hands of that tribe. The Brass Plates as a Model for the Book of Mormon: We have the information about the brass plates because we have the Book of Mormon. It is possible that we have the Book of Mormon because the Lehites have the brass plates. They may have provided many of the models used in the development and transmission of the Book of Mormon texts up to the time of Mormon's compilation. The first obvious similarity is the preservation of the sacred text on metal. The brass plates and Nephi's gold plates are both structurally similar. It may even be that Nephi's use of gold was a "poor man's" attempt to copy the brass. The strength of brass would exceed that of gold, and the refinement of gold might be a simpler process than the combination of elements required to produce brass (or bronze). In a Mesoamerican context, gold may even have been sufficiently more plentiful that is was the logical available choice. From a physical standpoint the brass plates provided a model for the Nephite plates. The language of the Nephite plates may also have been influenced by that of the brass plates. As indicated before, there is reference to the necessity of having an understanding of Egyptian to be able to read the brass plates. If they were written using any form of Egyptian, the decision to use Egyptian, or later reformed Egyptian on the Nephite plates would be clearly taking a model from the brass plates. The brass plates contained a collection of the works of individual prophets. Also in the Nephite plates, the tradition was kept that each person writing on the plates would contribute their "book" (a tradition from which the small plates departed at the end - see the Book of Omni). The construction of a canon which consisted of the collected works of individuals follows the brass plates, though it also follows any other set of scripture which would have been known to Lehi. The brass plates were kept (and perhaps maintained) by the lineage of Joseph. They appear to have a greater tie to Joseph than to Judah. This lineal affiliation of the record may have influence the lineal affiliation of the Nephite record. The small plates clearly had a specific lineal history while they were being maintained. That tradition, of having a set of scriptures related to a particular lineage, would have fallen in line with the model of the brass plates. The dual transmission line of the large and small plates may also have some connection to the model of the brass plates. Clearly the brass plates followed a lineal transmission, and were known to the members of that lineage. Just as clearly, however, there were other sets of scripture available (if only that of the line of Judah). We therefore have a model of multiple sets of scripture which could serve for the large/small plates distinction. Since the large plates became the politically transmitted set, there may have been precedence in Jerusalem for an "official" record which followed the political power, with the brass plates representing the smaller lineage tradition. That conceptual model fits directly with the known transmission lines of the large and small plates in the Book of Mormon. 1 Nephi 5:17 17 And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed-- 1 Nephi 5:18 18 That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed. 1 Nephi 5:19 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. The effect of reading the scriptures of the brass plates had a profound effect on Lehi, sufficient to induce prophetic vision. While the scriptures may always have a similar effect on all of us - to inspire us to greater receptivity to the things of the spirit - the brass plates had a particular strength for Lehi due to their relationship to his ancestry, and the Spirit-guided means in which they were delivered to him. It is interesting that when Nephi records that Lehi began to prophecy that Nephi limits his record of that prophecy to that which concerned the plates themselves. Surely what Lehi had to say about his seed (v. 19) would be more interesting to Nephi than a general prophecy on the effect of the brass plates. Nevertheless, all we have recorded is that the plates would "go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed." This prophecy appears directed at the Nephites more than the modern recipients of the Book of Mormon, though that new book should surely continue the prophecy of delivering the words (or at least some of those not present in the biblical canon) to all nations.. The prophecy that the plates would no longer be dimmed by time has two possible references. One is that the words of the plates would be preserved and be present in the minds of his descendants. This would contrast with Lehi's general knowledge about the plates before receiving them, but his lack of specific knowledge (witnessed by his wonder at reading them). The second is a near magical contention that the plates themselves would no longer be "dimmed by time", that is, that the effects of time would not diminish their sheen. To be read in this literal sense, we would have to accept some tarnishing of the plates already "neither should they be dimmed any more by time" (v. 19). Perhaps they had required cleaning from during the years of storage, and from then on were miraculously kept free of age. As I know of no further reference to their miraculous state of preservation, I prefer the former reading. 1 Nephi 5:20 20 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us. Earlier I noted that the story of the acquisition of the brass plates served as a turning point in the narrative of the events of the Lehite exodus, primarily the shift from the story of Lehi to the story of Nephi. Note how this verse continues the transition. While the initial revelation to leave Jerusalem is clearly Lehi's story (and Nephi treats it as such) at this point in time Nephi equates himself in narration with his father. He notes that "thus fair I and my father had kept the commandments." From a narrative standpoint (probably not from a spiritual or social standpoint - at least not at this time in the story) Nephi is now on equal footing with is father. 1 Nephi 5:21 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. 1 Nephi 5:22 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. Here ends the saga of the plates. Nephi begins the story as a young man, and ends the story as one of the principle characters of his families exodus. He starts as a precocious child, and ends the episode a budding prophet in his own right. Note that it was not only Lehi who searched the brass plates. Nephi himself is involved in understanding the import of the records which he gave so much to obtain (v.21 "we had obtained the records... and searched them...).
			by Brant Gardner. Copyright 1998