1 Nephi 17

MDC Contents			1 Nephi 17:1 1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness. Narrative analysis: Nephi writes historically, and his historical writing has frames rather than strict chronologies. It is not Nephi's purpose to provide the history is a chronological order, but rather to tell the history for his own purposes. Thus in the introduction to the journey eastward he notes that they traveled for much time, and suffered afflictions, and that children were born. All of those things are stories, but Nephi ignores them. He simply indicates that time passes. Thus Nephi "frames" his history around the real story he is telling, which is one of spiritual development. The events, chronologies, and "historical" events which were the substance of everyday life become the structure upon which Nephi builds his true theme of spiritual survival and growth. Even before the narrative begins for the eastward journey, they gross historical events are quickly dismissed. We don't know until verse 4 that they have spent eight years in this travel. Where Nephi has previously dealt in "space of days" as an interval in his narrative, now eight years pass in short verses, with little more important information than that they were healthy and had children. Historical Information: In addition to being the burial place of Ishmael, Nahom also serves as an important marker in the journey that eventually leads to Bountiful. From Nahom, the party turns "nearly eastward." The Astons find in their correspondence between the Book of Mormon Nahom and the identifiable Nehem the perfect explanation for the Lehite change in course: "Probably the strongest evidence, however, that identifies Nahom (and therefore Lehi's easterly turning point) can be found in a study of the incense trade routes. The trade routes represent, o course, the available water sources, but they also must follow terrain suitable for camel caravans to use. Scholars still debate the question of how long camels have been used to transport cargo over great distances, but in any event, the method predated Lehi by many centuries. Top-heavy when loaded, the camel is best suited to level ground offering either a sand or soil footing rather than rocky or mountainous regions. As a consequence, the trade routes tended to follow the valleys and plateaus, usually avoiding higher ground. Constantly shifting sand dunes could add days of extra, unplanned travel, as loaded camels cannot traverse steep slopes. Since water holes do not move, the advent of modern mapping allows us to reconstruct these ancient desert highways with a fairly high degree of certainty. No one in 1830 could do so. It is of the greatest interest to the student of the Book of Mormon to note that the major trunk of the trade route passed through the Jawf valley within a few miles of Nehem. And it is here - and nowhere else - that the trade route branched eastward toward the Hadhramaut coast and the ancient port of Qana, the modern Bir Ali, to which most of the incense was shipped. Some minor trade routes did branch off to the south, but the major route was to the east." (Aston and Aston. In the Footsteps of Lehi p. 22). "If we take literally Nephi's statement that they traveled "nearly eastward" to Bountiful, the trade route is ruled out, for it soon veers in a pronounced southeast direction. Also, had Lehi taken the trade route to the coast via Shabwah, the few opportunities for then passing through the coastal mountain ranges would have led to locations too far south of Nahom to be referred to as "nearly eastward." Instead, Nephi's repeated emphasis on the hardships and difficulties of the journey are unmistakable hints confirming that a course almost due east from the Jawf was maintained. The direction took them somewhat north of the trade route, traveling first across the band of wasteland that lies between the shifting sand dunes of the southern edge of the vast "Empty quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, then onto a n extended area of plateau. Here they would have been moving in areas far from known routes. From this time onward, the Lehite group traveled cautiously in a remote region, eating their meat raw as the smoke or light from fires would have invited bedouin attack. Travel through this region - the still almost totally isolated and forgotten northeast plateaus of modern Yemen - certainly occupied the most arduous part of their eight-year journey in the wilderness. The Liahona, which earlier had led them to the "more fertile parts," now likely functioned in directing them to scarcer water sources until Bountiful was reached. Water wells are almost nonexistent in this remote region, but huge standing pools of water sometimes last for months after rain has fallen." (Aston and Aston, p. 31-32). 1 Nephi 17:2 2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings. The immediate reaction of the modern reader to the "we did live upon raw meat" is to be concerned with the great hardship. However, the very purpose of this passage is to explain that they became accustomed to their life, and were made strong enough to live it. While it is certain that they would have cooked their meat in other circumstances, we need not picture savages gnawing at a freshly cut bloody hank. "The culture patterns of this area in correlation with the hints in the Book of Mormon are impressive. Spicy, raw, partially dried meat is still consumed in the area today. The Arabs call it "bastern," which literally means raw meat." (Allen, Joseph L. Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon SA Publishers, 1989, p. 266). We might also slightly wince at Nephi's description that the women became strong "yea, even like unto the men," but this statement can be read on two levels, and is always to be contrasted with the sheltered life this band had lived in Jerusalem. A possible reading of the "yea, even like unto the men" might be that the men also became accustomed to their journeyings, a reading made more likely by the probably sheltered life of wealthy men, as they appear to have been in Jerusalem. While they might have been travelers, or possibly caravaneers, it is not necessarily likely that they would have undergone the same degree of difficulties as they had in this journey. The Book of Mormon's account of the murmurings suggests that even for the men, this was a more arduous journey than those to which they might have been accustomed. 1 Nephi 17:3 3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness. Verse 3 reminds us that Nephi is writing from a perspective of years passed, and that the real purpose of his writing is not historical, but spiritual. Nephi inserts his summary of the relationship of the Lord to that group in this mini-sermon on the blessings of the Lord. Nephi does not suggest that the Lord makes life easy, but that he makes us equal to the task. 1 Nephi 17:4 4 And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness. Verse 4 presents the closing "frame" of Nephi's narration of the journey eastward. He has presented the gross historical details, has extracted a moral, and now closes this episode with a reference again to the historical - in this case a number of years. While we are interested in the number of years from a purely historical point, the number of years is not necessarily as important to Nephi (he begins with "for the space of many years" - and then delineates them). The function here is more than to mark the passage of time, but to close a literary unit. 1 Nephi 17:5 5 And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many waters. 1 Nephi 17:6 6 And it came to pass that we did pitch our tents by the seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore; and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit. Literary analysis: Verses 5 and 6 are puzzling from a narrative standpoint, and they are essentially repetitious, without necessarily falling into a pattern that would allow the structure of poetry to explain the repetition. It is tempting to use the chiastic model as explanation, as Bountiful begins verse 5 and ends verse 6. However, the elements of the phrases the two Bountiful phrases are parallel, and not inverted. In both cases we have the presentation of the name of Bountiful, with the reason for the name, both in the same parallel format. Additionally, the interior elements do not create structured contrasts. In this case, we just might have a case of Nephi being human and repeating himself, rather than being formal or poetic. Narrative analysis: Nephi begins verse 5 with an interesting statement that Bountiful had been prepared of the Lord "that we might not perish." This purpose in Bountiful is interesting because it follows so closely on the heels of Nephi's declaration that although they suffered hardships in the wilderness, they were strong and healthy. It appears, then that the threat of perishing would be in the past - a challenge already conquered prior to entering the land of Bountiful. The "that we might not perish" is not a statement that looks back to the struggles in the wilderness, but forward to the journey across the ocean. It was for this coming journey that Bountiful was prepared of the Lord - a place of sufficient richness that stores could be gathered that would last them family on the voyage to the New World. Historical analysis: The location of Bountiful has been the source of speculation and research. The first identification of a modern location which might have the qualifications for Bountiful was Salalah (identification by the Hiltons, see Hilton, Lynn M. and Hope Hilton. In Search of Lehi's Trail. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976). The Aston's present several candidates for Bountiful (including Salalah) and suggest that the best location for Bountiful would be the modern Wadi Sayq in modern Oman. They suggest that it best meets the criteria described by Nephi, as it is the only candidate with sufficient natural fertility, fresh water, proximity to accessible timber trees, high cliffs, and ore (Aston and Aston, pp. 54-55). 1 Nephi 17:7 7 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord. Nephi tells us of the passage of time only that this next event occurs after "the space of many days." While not critical to Nephi's purposes, it is yet instructive to know how the Lord dealt with the Lehites. Nephi is very clear about their struggles in coming to Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:1) and the contrast between the hardships of the trail and the abundance for which Bountiful was named. It is comforting that after eight years in the wilderness, the Lord allowed them "the space of many days" to rest and recover before announcing to Nephi that they were to build a ship, and leave on yet another difficult journey. After this indeterminate number of days, the Lord speaks to Nephi and tells him to "get thee into the mountain." Nephi does not specifically say that the Lord told him to cry unto the Lord when he got there, but that was clearly the implication. Why would the Lord make such a request? In order to give the request, the Lord was already in communication with Nephi. Why make the extra request to go to a mountain and essentially pick up the conversation there? The answer lies in the sacred nature of mountains. Mountains symbolically serve in the place of temples when there are none, based on the Hebrew conception of the mountain. The mountain was considered to have its roots below the ground, reaching into the primordial waters. The summit symbolically reached the heavens, and thus the mountain was an appropriate location for one to meet with their God. When Nephi is told to go to the mountain, he clearly understands the request in terms of the sacred nature of the mountains, and like Moses, Nephi goes to the mountain to obtain the word of the Lord. In this context it is again interesting that the command comes to Nephi and not to Lehi. It is probably that Nephi's physical ability to make a ship were greater than Lehi's but the reception of revelation is not dependent upon the ability to carry it out. Lehi received a revelation to send his sons to Jerusalem for the brass plates, and he could easily have received a revelation that Nephi should build a ship. He didn't. That revelation comes to Nephi directly. As has been increasingly the case in the last few chapters, the mantle of leadership is being lifted from Lehi, and placed on Nephi's shoulders. Lehi will continue to be the patriarch, and continue to command respect, but this is not Nephi's journey, and Nephi receives revelation directly for it. 1 Nephi 17:8 8 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters. While our understanding of Nephi's reaction to this command is simply one of acceptance, it is not hard to imagine how difficult the command would be to their small community. After eight years struggling to survive they finally arrive at a place that might actually make a good home, and the Lord tells them to leave it. The very idea will be an item of dispute among the family, and as will be seen, causes severe tensions between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel. 1 Nephi 17:9 9 And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me? While we don't know the full response Nephi makes to the Lord's request, it is interesting that the only record we have from his is such total acceptance and reliance on the Lord that Nephi's first response was to ask were to go to find the needed raw materials. It is also obvious that Nephi is not giving us all of the details of the conversation with the Lord, because he indicates in verse 9 that the Lord as, at this point, shown him the ship he is to build. That must have taken some time in the vision, and that and perhaps other information is simply not presented. For Nephi's purposes in writing this part of his record, the spiritual information is of much greater import that the mundane details of building a ship sufficiently seaworthy to sail to the Americas. 1 Nephi 17:10 10 And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore, that I might make tools. 1 Nephi 17:11 11 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make a bellows wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts; and after I had made a bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire, I did smite two stones together that I might make fire. These verses form the basis of the argument that Lehi's family was engaged in some form of blacksmithing, as Nephi is shown how to construct a ship, but not demonstrably shown how to make the tools required to do the building of the ship. While this information would be just as easy to impart as the knowledge of shipbuilding, there is also no reason to suppose that the family would not have been engaged in the processing of ore, or the making of tools. 1 Nephi 17:12 12 For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not; At the end of verse 11 Nephi notes that he had two strike rocks together to make fire. Verse 12 serves as the explanation as to why he did this (it begins with the explicative "for..."). We may speculate somewhat, therefore, on the preferred nature of traveling at the time. It is not uncommon to wrap and carry coals from the previous nights fire to the next campground, and nurse them back to flame. This would probably have been the means of transporting the fire from one place to the other. In this case, however, the long years without fire surely made that method impossible. As Nephi had no coals with which to make fire, he had to return to the more difficult method of starting a fire from sparks. This method of beginning the new fire likely made it into mention in his record precisely because it was out of the ordinary. 1 Nephi 17:13 13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led. 1 Nephi 17:14 14 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem. 1 Nephi 17:15 15 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence. Verses 12 to 15 are another insertion in the narrative. Nephi's style in the small plates is to present historical information, and then extract the spiritual lesson from it. These verses are the inserted moral. Nephi returns to the theme of the fire, and notes the promises of the Lord for both their food and their guidance. He certainly understood the parallel between his own family's exodus, and the exodus of his people from Egypt where the Lord similarly provided nourishment and guidance. 1 Nephi 17:16 16 And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock. 1 Nephi 17:17 17 And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters. Verse 17 notes that is the building of the ship which starts the murmuring. It was not the making of the tools, which again is at least suggestive that the process of smelting the ore and making tools was not unknown to them. Ship building was, however, and they call their brother a fool for believing that he can do it. Laman and Lemuel are not shipbuilders either, but they know enough about ships to understand that the requirements of a vessel to cross the oceans are high. For this reason (and their lack of faith) they deride Nephi's efforts. 1 Nephi 17:18 18 And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was instructed of the Lord. By now the complaining of Nephi's brothers is no surprise. The part of this verse that provides more insight into the dynamics of the family is the attempt at a work boycott by the brothers. Perhaps they were simply protesting working on something so difficult after their arduous journey, but Nephi is at least personally clear that their attempt to refuse to work came directly as a protest to Nephi's leadership. Laman and Lemuel are denying the authority of Nephi to require their labor, and they deny it on the unstated (but in no need of stating) incongruity of a younger brother commanding his elder brothers as well as the important denial of deity-favored status for their younger brother. In order to continue to maintain their opposition to Nephi's assumption of leadership over them, they must deny his direction from the Lord to do so. 1 Nephi 17:19 19 And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work. This verse provides an important glimpse into the humanity that is described for the family Lehi. Nephi sorrows, and his sorrow is visible. Laman and Lemuel see that sorrow and interpret it in their own terms, seeing it as a discouragement that the ship will not be built due to the labor boycott. Nephi's reason for sorrow, however, had more to do with the brothers denial of the influence of the Lord than the delay in building the ship. By this time, Nephi is confident that if the Lord requires a ship, a ship will be build. His sorrow is not discouragement - despite the way his brothers read him. 1 Nephi 17:20 20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions. 1 Nephi 17:21 21 Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy. It is abundantly clear that even after eight years Laman and Lemuel cannot become reconciled to their departure from the land of their inheritance. With no understanding of the greater purposes of the Lord, with no ability to fall back on their faith in the overarching purposes of the Almighty, Laman and Lemuel are left with a secular view of the world in which it is painfully clear that living in relative ease in Jerusalem was better than eight years of difficult travel in the wilderness. Though the specific speaker is not mentioned, the sentiments clearly belong to both Laman and Lemuel. The telling phrase is "we might have been happy." It is certain that they were not happy, and their state is an important contrast to Nephi, who, while undergoing the same hardships, would nevertheless be likely to proclaim that he was happy. Because Laman and Lemuel's happiness was based on physical comforts, and not the comfort of the Spirit, they were unable to experience the joys of communion that Nephi had, experiences which certainly brought him more true joy than he had ever previously known. 1 Nephi 17:22 22 And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us. Laman and Lemuel's self justification continues with their denial of the original premise of their father's vision. In order to create their own rationale for their opinions, they are required to deny not only Nephi, but their father, and must deny for both of those men any true inspiration. From a cultural standpoint (certainly not a spiritual one) Laman and Lemuel would be unable to deny a command from God. They must therefore deny that the command came from God, and deny the messengers. 1 Nephi 17:23 23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying: Do ye believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel, would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians if they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord? Narrative analysis: Nephi's response to his brothers is a marvel of condemning logic. Nephi knows that for all of their complaints against himself and their father, that Laman and Lemuel are in the very least cultural children of Abraham and Moses. He uses their assumptions of the way their world is constructed to place them in a position where they must see themselves as similar to the children of Moses who complained at times against him. By so placing them, Nephi also highlights to them the futility of their position in denying the power of God. It is a very calculated speech. Nephi sets up his discourse with a rhetorical question. He asks if they believe that the children of Moses could be led from Egypt had they not headed the counsel of the Lord. Nephi is setting up his brothers by requiring from them an admission they cannot withhold. Of course they believe that the children of Israel were led from Egypt by the hand of God. Of course it required their God to lead them. To believe anything else would be to deny their conception of who they were in history. While Laman and Lemuel might deny Lehi and Nephi, they could not deny Moses. By choosing this particular example, Nephi sets in motion an argument that is first undeniable, and secondly parallel to their own, and hence directly aimed at Laman and Lemuel. 1 Nephi 17:24 24 Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead them out of bondage? 1 Nephi 17:25 25 Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage; and ye know that they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to be borne; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing for them, that they should be brought out of bondage. Nephi again requires of them assent to the basic premise of his argument, that their might be a situation in which children of Israel might be in bondage, that they could only be led from bondage by a prophet, and that it is a good thing that it happened. This is setting up their own departure, which is being paralleled to the departure of Israel from Egypt. The bondage of the children of Israel will be correlated with the bondage their family would have been in had they remained in Jerusalem. 1 Nephi 17:26 26 Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on dry ground. 1 Nephi 17:27 27 But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, who were the armies of Pharaoh. Nephi recites history here, not just to finish the story, but to make certain that they brothers understand that a journey undertaken by command of the Lord also receives his blessings and protection, even in the face of the pursuing armies of Egypt. We don't have any specific instances recorded of the conflict between Lehi's band and any pursuers, or any thieves on the road, but the need to eat their food without fire is an indication that those fears were present, and the possibility of a direct parallel here is not far-fetched. 1 Nephi 17:28 28 And ye also know that they were fed with manna in the wilderness. The feeding of the children of Israel with manna, and the use of the Liahona to point to sources of food, is a parallel that Nephi has understood before, and makes evident here. We need not suppose that Laman and Lemuel were so unthinking that they were unable to make these associations as Nephi spoke. 1 Nephi 17:29 29 Yea, and ye also know that Moses, by his word according to the power of God which was in him, smote the rock, and there came forth water, that the children of Israel might quench their thirst. 1 Nephi 17:30 30 And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God, their Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving light unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the true and living God. In these two verses Nephi gets to the heart of his point. He begins with the story of Moses and the drawing forth of the live-giving water. Once again the brothers cannot deny this. They must admit that there was a prophet leading the children of Israel, and that the power of God was manifest. Verse 30 is pointed directly at Laman and Lemuel. Just as the children of Israel murmured against their prophet and leader, so have Laman and Lemuel done. Once again the brothers cannot deny the history, and cannot miss the allusion to their own situation. Nephi's use of this historical fact to highlight the position of his brothers is a wonderful example of a clear warning message with a hopeful side. The children of Israel may have murmured, but all turned out well after their repentance. So too is the hope held before Laman and Lemuel that they might repent, and all will be well. Nephi is not condemning his brothers outright, but calling them to repentance. 1 Nephi 17:31 31 And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy them; and according to his word he did lead them; and according to his word he did do all things for them; and there was not any thing done save it were by his word. Nephi clarifies to his brothers that they are on the cusp of an important choice. With the children of Israel God both destroyed and saved. The difference was the righteousness of the people. Nephi is laying the choice at his brother's feet, and reminding them of the consequences of their choosing. 1 Nephi 17:32 32 And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea, unto the scattering them to destruction. 1 Nephi 17:33 33 And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers, do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. 1 Nephi 17:34 34 Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay. Verses 32-24 set up the conclusion in verse 35. The build-up of the argument centers on the righteousness of the children of Israel, and the relationship of that righteousness to their success in entering their promised land. Verse 34 makes Nephi's point that their success was directly related to their comparative righteousness over the people they conquered. 1 Nephi 17:35 35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it. Verse 35 is the moral summation of the argument begun in 32-34. Nephi makes his point that when there is a conflict between two peoples, the people who are favored of the Lord will prevail. Once again Nephi is using history to make his point. From a much later point in history, modern men might dispute Nephi's assumptions, but they were sufficient for his purposes. Nephi was using history as a spiritual model, and was using a model he shared with his brothers. 1 Nephi 17:36 36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it. 1 Nephi 17:37 37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked. 1 Nephi 17:38 38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes. Redaction analysis: Verses 36 -38 make their point structurally in addition to textually. In verse 36 Nephi gives us a paired set, and continues with paired sets in the next verses. 36: creates earth to be inhabited; created children to inhabit it 37: raises up a righteous nation; destroys wicked nation 38: leads righteous into lands, removes wicked from the lands In these three verses Nephi is creating a parallel between the entry of Israel into their promised land with the journey (and subsequent entry) of the Lehites into their promised land. He makes his point by a logic of progression. Because God creates the land and his children to inhabit it, we must understand that God wants his children to inhabit land. Because there are both righteous and wicked nations, the righteous (having the Lord on their side) will prevail. The shift in meaning from the raising and destroying of verse 37 and the closely parallel verse 38 is the concept of God leading his children to that land. That final point was part of the historical example of Israel, and extemely to the point as Nephi attempts to build a ship so that they might also be lead to their promised land. 1 Nephi 17:39 39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool. 1 Nephi 17:40 40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt. Nephi continues his discourse to his brothers. Nephi's theme has been the deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians, and the care of their God in that process. While unstated, his correlation between the fate of the children of Israel and their own family is the direct point of his teaching. In these verses he again uses the unquestionable facts to provide the foundation of his oblique criticism of his brothers. The description of the Lord in verses 39-30 is not one that either Laman and Lemuel could possibly argue with. 1 Nephi 17:41 41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished. While this verse appears to be a recitation of the story of the Exodus, it is a very pointed attack at Laman and Lemuel. Nephi has previously noted their families hard time in the wilderness, and the miraculous assistance of the Lord. Having set the comparison between the Exodus and Lehi's family's travels, this verse is designed to hit at the hearts of Laman and Lemuel in a way that they cannot deny, and must see the correlation. No longer content with an oblique reference, Nephi makes the correlation explicit: "And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have." Nephi reminds his brothers that the children of Israel in the desert suffered afflictions. Here Nephi boldly suggests that some of the afflictions might actually be the fault of Laman and Lemuel because of the hardness of their hearts. That suggestion must have hit them hard, as they have been blaming their troubles on Lehi, and now on Nephi, and yet now they hear that they might be the ones at fault. As with other occasions when Nephi points out Laman and Lemuel's errors, he indicates that there is a way back. Nephi does not cut them off without hope, but uses the example of the children of Israel and the fiery flying serpents to show that there is a simple way back. He is obviously suggesting that Laman and Lemuel avail themselves of it. 1 Nephi 17:42 42 And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the land of promise. It is fascinating to read the possible unstated message in this verse. Just as the children of Moses hardened their hearts, and yet were led into the land of promise, is Nephi suggesting to Laman and Lemuel that their efforts to return to Jerusalem are going to be futile, and that in spite of their objections the designs of the Lord will be carried out, and they will go to their own promised land - even if they don't see the hand of the Lord in their journey? 1 Nephi 17:43 43 And now, after all these things, the time has come that they have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but they are at this day about to be destroyed; for I know that the day must surely come that they must be destroyed, save a few only, who shall be led away into captivity. Nephi now moves his narration of the history of Israel to more current times, and addresses the main issue of Laman and Lemuel's complaints. Those two have consistently expressed their desire to return to Jerusalem. Nephi intends to show that as a futile option, as the Jerusalem that they remember is no more. The destruction of Jerusalem is the very thing that the family is fleeing. 1 Nephi 17:44 44 Wherefore, the Lord commanded my father that he should depart into the wilderness; and the Jews also sought to take away his life; yea, and ye also have sought to take away his life; wherefore, ye are murderers in your hearts and ye are like unto them. At the end of the narrative Nephi has skillfully used the story of the Exodus to underline their own situation. He has likened their family to the children of Israel, pointing out the contentiousness of those children while he directs his focus to the contentiousness of his own brothers, Lehi's children. He reiterates the guiding hand of the Lord, and then moves to the modern world. He is still making explicit the connection between the less faithful of Israel and his brothers by noting that they left Jerusalem because the unrighteous there sought their father's life, and Nephi boldly accuses his brothers of the exact crime in their hearts. 1 Nephi 17:45 45 Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder. Narrative analysis: This verse continues the devastating condemnation of Laman and Lemuel, pointing out their ability to fall away, even after seeing an angel. Little does Nephi know that this situation will happen to them again, with no better effect. Scriptural analysis: Even removed from its context, this is a powerful verse, with much to teach about the relationship of the Lord and his children. Like Laman and Lemuel, we are all likely to "have heard his voice from time to time" the voice that Nephi indicates is a "still small voice."The Lord will speak to us, but it is our responsibility to listen. To rework a common aphorism, there are none so deaf as those who will not hear. The efforts of the Lord to speak to us must be matched by our ability to hear. When our hearts have been hardened, when we steel ourselves against the pricks of the spirit, we are unable to "feel his words." They may come, but they do not have the profound effect on the hard of heart that they do on the truly humble and receptive. It is even likely that, as with Laman and Lemuel, the Lord shouts at us from time to time. In our own experience there might be the equivalent of the Lord speaking "like unto the voice of thunder." Laman and Lemuel's hearts had gone so far past feeling, that even the appearance of an angel could not permanently change their hearts, though it did have a temporary effect. Mankind's ability to rationalize away the feelings of the communication of the Spirit are amazing. We are able to deny the undeniable, if we set upon doing so. 1 Nephi 17:46 46 And ye also know that by the power of his almighty word he can cause the earth that it shall pass away; yea, and ye know that by his word he can cause the rough places to be made smooth, and smooth places shall be broken up. O, then, why is it, that ye can be so hard in your hearts? Narrative analysis: Nephi's focus has now shifted away from story telling, and away from subtleties. He has openly accused his brothers of denying the Lord, causing their afflictions in the wilderness through their hardness of hearts, and of being murderers in their hearts. In spite of these terrible accusations, Nephi does not express anger, but sorrow. He wonders how it is that they are able to withstand the power manifestations of the Lord that they have seen. 1 Nephi 17:47 47 Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you, and my heart is pained; I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever. Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God, insomuch that my frame has no strength. The end of Nephi's discourse is filled with powerful compassion, and his deep spiritual pain for the hearts of his brothers. Nephi's last sentence indicates that he is so full of the Spirit that he has become physically weak. This is a recurring theme in the scriptures, where the tremendous presence of the Spirit can have a debilitating effect on the physical body. In the conversions of Alma the Younger, and King Lamoni later in the Book of Mormon we have the spirit so thoroughly overpowering the body that they body appears dead (though the death/resurrection, repentance/forgiveness images are also quite important in those cases). Joseph Smith had first hand knowledge of the draining effect of overwhelming spiritual manifestations. 1 Nephi 17:48 48 And now it came to pass that when I had spoken these words, they were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him. Narrative analysis: So hard are the hearts of Laman and Lemuel that the power of Nephi's forgiving message is lost on them, and they hear only the accusations. Those accusations probably touch a sufficiently familiar cord that Laman and Lemuel are embarrassed by their truthfulness, but the reminder is painful. To remove their pain they do not repent, but rather project their anger once again toward Nephi to attempt to remove their source of pain by killing him. Historical analysis: This passage has been used to provide topographical data about Bountiful. If Laman and Lemuel were going to throw Nephi into the depths of the sea, the logical conclusion is that they were near a cliff that fell away into the ocean. Had they been standing on a beach, the threat to throw Nephi into the water would have been shallow indeed. 1 Nephi 17:49 49 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they should murmur no more against their father; neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should build a ship. 1 Nephi 17:50 50 And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done. 1 Nephi 17:51 51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship? 1 Nephi 17:52 52 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said many things unto my brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and could not contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon me nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days. Now they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so powerful was the Spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon them. Nephi gives us the words he spoke to Laman and Lemuel. He shows them by his own brand of logic that since the Lord had commanded him to build a ship, that he would build it. Perhaps Nephi thought that it was this explanation that would appease Laman and Lemuel. It is unlikely, however, that it was Nephi's words that impressed Laman and Lemuel, for they had heard a masterful discourse, and found a way to be angry with it rather than repentant. The change in Laman and Lemuel is undoubtedly due to their fear of the power of the Lord manifest through Nephi. While they were unable to feel his words, the undeniable power of the spirit in him when he commands them not to touch him clearly affected them, and they obeyed that fear. While their hearts were past feeling, they were still able to feel when hit with a spiritual sledge hammer. 1 Nephi 17:53 53 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God. Perhaps Laman and Lemuel's hesitation was little more than hesitation. They had shown an ability to rationalize away the power of the Spirit, and perhaps they were doing so again. The Lord certainly felt that an even more powerful (and literal) shock to their system was required to jolt them into an at least temporary state of repentance and humility. 1 Nephi 17:54 54 And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken. 1 Nephi 17:55 55 And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee. In the end, Laman and Lemuel prove themselves very much like the children of Israel. They were capable of at least temporary repentance, only after significant manifestation of the power of the Lord. Also like the children of Israel, their understanding of the nature of the power of the Lord was not accurate, and Laman and Lemuel were willing to see Nephi as the source of the power, not the Lord (just as the children of Israel could attempt to see the power in an idol). Nephi is forced to set them straight, and attempt to remind them that their spiritual devotion was to their Lord, and their familiar respects belonged to their father, not Nephi.
			by Brant Gardner. Copyright 1998