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1 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.
There is a direct connection between the finding of the or, specifically gold, silver, and copper, with the next verse indicating the creation of the plates. Nephi is writing years after their arrival, and in his description he finds a way to connect the important sequences. In this case, the finding of the ore directly leads to the information about the creation of the plates, as the two are intimately tied together. Historical analysis: The indication of the discovery of both gold and copper in verse 18:25 may be even more significant than might appear on the surface, as the combination of those two metals may be the best explanation for a definable physical problem with the plates Joseph Smith received:
A calculated weight of 100 pounds would not only make the plates extremely difficult to carry, but contradicts the historical estimates of their weight:
This information presents an intriguing solution to the dilemma, as suggested by Reed H. Putnam:
This explanation fits quite nicely with both the estimated "hefted" weight of the plates, and with the specific mention of gold and copper ores in the same clause in 1 Nephi 18:25 (though admittedly not conclusive because silver is also mentioned, and is not part of the tumbaga alloy. The proposition that tumbaga might be a better description of the plates that pure gold is strengthened by the discovery of a tumbaga sample in Honduras dating to no later than the fifth century AD. (Sorenson, John L. AN ANCIENT AMERICAN SETTING FOR THE BOOK OF MORMON. Deseret Book 1985, p. 283). While not at precisely the correct time period, it is nevertheless the correct alloy in the correct location, and it is not a far reach to suppose that the alloy was known earlier. The tumbaga argument also covers both the color (which is "golden"when treated with any simple acid) and is a better writing surface than pure gold would have been. ("The Golden Plates" in REEXPLORING THE BOOK OF MORMON, Deseret Book Company and FARMS, 1992, Page 276 ). The composition of the plates received by Joseph Smith allows us one further bit of speculation. We know that those who handled the plates describe them as a uniform set, yet we know that the plates must have been composed of two different types of records, those abridged by Mormon and the holographic small plates of Nephi. It should also be clear that there was no direct link between the plates created and used by Mormon and those created and used by Nephi - yet they appear to be the same size. Why? With a world full of standard paper sizes, we might forget that there was no such ancient standard. There was no particular reason why the custom created plates of any of the Book of Mormon authors should be a particular size. As pure speculation, I suggest that the size of the Book of Mormon plates in later years was a tradition based upon the original plates of Nephi (and indicating that the physical dimensions of the large and small plates were probably very close to the same). I would also suggest, that while there is no direct evidence for it, that the size of the brass plates was the model Nephi originally used when he created his plates in the first place. Scriptural analysis: It is virtually certain that Nephi's selection of a recording medium was directly influence by the brass plates. With the possibility that the brass plates might have actually been of bronze (see Sorenson, AN ANCIENT AMERICAN SETTING FOR THE BOOK OF MORMON 1985, pp. 283-4) which is a composite of copper and tin, the correlation between the color and the alloys may be even greater. From a spiritual standpoint, however, the connection between the sacred writing on the brass plates and the sacred writings on Nephi's golden plates had to be a conscious and vibrant connection for Nephi, given his personal connection to the obtaining of the brass plates.
2 And I knew not at the time when I made them that I should be commanded of the Lord to make these plates; wherefore, the record of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part of all our proceedings in the wilderness are engraven upon those first plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which transpired before I made these plates are, of a truth, more particularly made mention upon the first plates.
The immediate reference of 1 Nephi 18:25-1 Nephi 19:1 is therefore probably the first record, which we know as the large plates of Nephi. The record referred to in 1 Nephi 19:2 is what we know as the small plates of Nephi. Verse 2 also clarifies some of the relationship between the two sets of plates. Nephi tells us that when he created the first set of plates he was unaware that he would be creating a second set. He indicates that for this reasons the "history" of their journey is more completely told on the first set of plates. Thus we should understand that by the time Nephi began writing the record that we read he has already covered this material, and in greater depth, on a different set of plates. While it isn't specifically stated, it should be obvious that the other set of plates was also in Nephi's possession, and his confusion as to why he should create a second set of plates would have been increased by the ready availability of the first set. The nature of the textual differences between the two sets of plates is set forth in the following verses 3 - 5.
3 And after I had made these plates by way of commandment, I, Nephi, received a commandment that the ministry and the prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be written upon these plates; and that the things which were written should be kept for the instruction of my people, who should possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which purposes are known unto the Lord.
These new plates are then a new literary paradigm for recording the workings of the Lord with some of his people. Where the large plates appear to follow in an established tradition, the small plates forge a new one, one which intentionally leaves out much historical context for the sake of the spiritual lesson. This is indeed the definition of the accounts thus far in Nephi's narrative. Years in the wilderness are summarized in a sentence where a vision of a few hours covers entire chapters. Understanding the small plates of Nephi requires that we also understand that this is a very different set of scripture, and may be unique to the corpus of scripture in its conception and implementation at Nephi's hands. It is unique if for no other reason than that we have a very personal record of a major prophet. Even contrasted with Joseph Smith's prophetic writings, the small plates of Nephi are unique in that they are crafted as a continuous narrative with a future purpose, only some of which was known to Nephi at the time.
4 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates, which gives an account, or which gives a greater account of the wars and contentions and destructions of my people. And this have I done, and commanded my people what they should do after I was gone; and that these plates should be handed down from one generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until further commandments of the Lord.
The large plates are specifically to be handed down from generation to generation. Nephi assumes that they will go from prophet to prophet, though that concept of transmission is obviously transcended in later practice, and the large plates stay with the ruler and follow the same transmission line as the political rulership. Perhaps Nephi, being both prophet and leader assumed that the two roles would remain intertwined. That was not the case in Nephite history at all times. Nevertheless, the transmission of the large plates appears to be consistent with the changing of the authority to rule, coming back into the hands of the prophets late in Book of Mormon history. With this dual transmission line and plates with differing purposes, it is not surprising that they eventually become separated, such that Mormon is apparently unaware of the small plates until he comes across them in the course of his abridgement (Words of Mormon 1:3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi).
5 And an account of my making these plates shall be given hereafter; and then, behold, I proceed according to that which I have spoken; and this I do that the more sacred things may be kept for the knowledge of my people.
6 Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself.
If there is a contrast for the "nevertheless," it must be to a previous clause in verse 5, most likely the "I proceed according to that which I have spoken." Nephi's narrative to this point in the text has largely focused on himself and his own actions, with the historical information about his family interwoven in the procession of Nephi's spiritual development. It is possible that Nephi's humility dictated that he qualify his apparent self-indulgence (in relating his own story) by noting that the focus is on spiritual things, and not upon his own greatness. The very next sentence appears to support this idea as Nephi then declares his essential humanity and fallibility. While Nephi wants to make it clear that this is a sacred narrative, he also wants to make it clear that it is a narrative written by a man, subject to human error. Scriptural analysis: Nephi declares that he might err in writing this history. It is interesting that he would so indicate, and that he would place the blame for any errors on his fallibility. What errors might be in the text? For one thing, a lack of completeness. Nephi's concern over spiritual matters clearly (and explicitly) overrode his more historical concerns. Thus we can expect that the historical record we have received through Nephi might not be complete, as he had no real intention of creating a complete record. What else might be in error? Because of Nephi's powerful spiritual experiences, it is unlikely that any of the information Nephi attempts to communicate might be in error. It is possible, however, that some of the words he use might be less than idea (particularly for an English audience who receive the text in our language and not in the language Nephi used on the plates). The "nevertheless" in verse 6 is perhaps an example of a construction that is more difficult understand than perhaps it could have been. None of this should or can detract for the power of the spiritual message. Nephi's declaration of his humanity and fallibility should remind all of us that even the prophets begin just as we are, and that should give us some confidence as we progress toward more knowledge.
7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words--they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.
Prior to the discussion of the plates, Nephi was involved in a historically framed narrative, where the timeline of events structured both the details and the elaborations of the spiritual implications/revelations that occurred during those chronological events. This framework for Nephi's writings appears to culminate in the arrival in the new world and the finding of the ore, which we have noted leads directly to the discussion of the creation of both the large and small plates of Nephi (and in particular the discussion of this specific set - the small plates). From this point on in Nephi's writings, there is a shift in the conceptual framework he works with. While the earlier sections followed loosely a historical/chronological frame, from this point on that chronological framework is much less evident. Certainly events occur in some place in time, but the inclusion of material is not directly related to specific events as was the earlier part (with the very obvious exception of the narrative of Lehi's final blessings). I suggest a possibility or the shift in the nature of the narrative. Clearly the entire narrative at least up to this point has been written years after the events, and some amount of time after the arrival in the New World. I suggest that at this point in First Nephi we begin to catch up to "real time" in Nephi's writing. This shift in focus appears to bring Nephi into the present, with the specific discussion of the plates he is writing on. This suggests that Nephi's consciousness is now focused on the present rather than past events. Nephi has previously dropped into editorial asides, and this one is perhaps similar, except that it marks the general abandonment of that earlier structural paradigm. From this point on we get significantly less history, and an increasing focus on the spiritual, even to the point of the inclusion of large sections of scripture (a feature absent from the historical section). Scriptural analysis: There is a weariness in Nephi's voice as he writes this. He has just stated (emphatically, and over two verses) that he writes scriptural things that he deems to be of great value. In verse 7 he notes that his understanding is not universal, and that while he (and others - the generic "some men") deems these things to be of tremendous worth, there are those that disdain them. It is impossible to avoid the mental picture of a Nephi writing of the things that stir his soul, and contrasting them with what must have been one of his greatest sorrows - the spiritual (and political) apostasy of Laman and Lemuel and those that followed them. Perhaps there is just a little of the dim fraternal love in Nephi's shift in terms from the very vivid "trample under their feet" and his own rephrasing to "hearken not to the voice of his counsels." Surely the general effect was the same, but the second appears to have a somewhat lesser dark aspect. In a short and very personal verse, Nephi sets out the great paradox of the gospel, that for some it is so clear and precious, and for others a point of derision. It has always been so. The individual reaction to the revelation of God's will strikes each person in a different way, depending upon their own spiritual capacity to receive. To those prepared it is precious. To those who have chosen to believe in a different voice, the light is painful, and therefore something to attack - in Nephi's words, to "trample under their feet."
8 And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.
Historical analysis: The six hundred year prediction is the basis for most Book of Mormon dating, but is complicated by two factors. The first is the possibility that the angel was "rounding off," and that for prophecy there is little pragmatic difference between 600 years and 601 years (or 602, etc.). The second problem is that we can use the 600 years from Christ's birth, but we are then embroiled in the general controversies over that date. The current consensus would place Christ's birth at 4BC in our current calendar, based on the scriptural requirement that Harod be alive when Christ was born, and the historical information that Herod died in 4BC. Even without dating to the precise year, it is important to realize that the general timing of the events of the Book of Mormon do fit with the known chronology of the Old World, up to the time of their departure. Dating events in the New World is much more problematic as we do not know which calendar the Nephites used, and we do know that while the Mesoamerican calendric system was fairly standard, the specifics of dates for different cultures could vary. From this point on in the Book of Mormon, chronology is a guesswork affair, bounded by this general marker of 600 years. Because the Book of Mormon does note Christ's birth, the early dates, and those near the birth of Christ have a reasonable chance of being fixed in time. Other dates are relative to those. John Sorenson suggests another interesting possibility of correlating the Book of Mormon timetable with that of the Old World:
9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.
It is equally possible that this passage depended upon Nephi's own prophetic vision, and is much more likely that Nephi would have been familiar with both, and both formed his text. The difference in the text, however, suggests that the phrasing is Nephi's own, however much the specifics might be related to Isaiah. When Mosiah cites this same passage it is an obvious quotation from the brass plates, where Nephi's statement is not:
Nephi's structuring of the salient events of the Passion diverge from a copy and therefore are probably more strongly based on his vision (particularly since we are well aware that Nephi did not avoid long citations from Isaiah!). Nevertheless, Nephi's treatment of the texts of other brass plate prophets in the following verse indicate that at this point in his writing he is interested more in the reference than the citation, even though he cites aplenty later.
10 And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.
Structural analysis: The organization of this section of Nephi's writing indicates both that this text is an aside, and that while Nephi is clearly writing for a future audience, he is not necessarily writing for a present audience. The scope of his discussion ranges from the birth of the Savior to his crucifixion, to the ultimate redemption of Israel through Christ. Because Nephi sees that ultimate redemption as a possibility, but a conditional one, he writes so that the future generations might understand what they need to know to obtain that condition. This future focus suggests that Nephi has no current readership in mind as he writes. Where the large plates of Nephi are kept current with the rulers and the wars and the affairs of state, this record has no present purpose. Nephi is writing what he he wants to write, for both his own sensibilities and for his estimation of a distant and hoped for audience. Textual analysis: Early in Nephi's narrative he discussed the acquisition of the brass plates, and as part of that narrative indicated that they spent time reading the plates. This passage makes it clear that the reading of the brass plates was a continuous process, and that his knowledge of their contents was fairly good. Nephi cites the various brass plate prophets as references, not as specifically copied texts. While Nephi's text assumes a future population, he does not assume a population without access to the references. Nephi may foresee our reading of his writings, but he does not foresee our desire to know more about what have become to us "missing" texts. Nephi's handling of text raises interesting questions for the entire Book of Mormon. What kind of textual citation does the Book of Mormon employ, and how frequently? The answer to this is that there is very little textual citation. The largest cited texts are in the writings of the original Nephi and his brother Jacob. Past that there are only the long explication of Isaiah in Abinidi's preaching, and Christ's specific citation of Isaiah (3 Ne. 16:17). There are some brief citations, such as Alma 33:13 "Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for, behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of thy Son." Other references to prophets take the form of Nephi's reference. The reference is made, but the referred text is not cited (for example, Hel. 8:19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly; for the which he was slain). Of even greater interest is the lack of self-citation in the text. While Nephi was a great prophet, and prophesied plainly, his not cited at all (excepting the references by his brother Jacob). Later generations clearly know of the story of Nephi:
and....
The story may be known, but that is certainly to be expected, as all peoples preserve their personal genesis stories. The interesting point is that while Nephi is remembered, his writings are not, even by a people that apparently continue to have and to consult the brass plates. This suggests even more strongly that Mormon's indication (W of M 1:3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.") that the small plates that Nephi created were lost to the main textual transmission line, and found again only very late.
11 For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.
12 And all these things must surely come, saith the prophet Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because of the groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers.
13 And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, they shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel.
14 And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet, and have despised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a byword, and be hated among all nations.
15 Nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy One of Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to their fathers.
It is worth noting in passing that "remember" in the scriptures has more to do with action than simple cognition. The Lord does not ask us to simply remember our covenants, but to live up to them. Remembrance in the scriptures is involved with the action, not the thought.
16 Yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all the people who are of the house of Israel, will I gather in, saith the Lord, according to the words of the prophet Zenos, from the four quarters of the earth.
Of particular interest is Zenos' themes of the covenants between the Lord and the House of Israel, the scattering, and the gathering. The theme of the gathering of Israel was a moot point until the time of the destruction of the Northern Kingdom. Isaiah is a prophet of the gathering, and he was contemporary with the destruction of the Northern kingdom. If the record of the Southern prophets indicates a lack of concern with the destruction and gathering until the time that the destruction was imminent, it is possible that in the Northern kingdom Zenos was a similar voice, at perhaps a similar time. His restorative theme fits well with Isaiah's timing, and there is no indication of the gathering being an earlier prophetic theme. If Zenos is a "Northern kingdom Isaiah" then it is also quite understandable that he has texts concerning Christ, as Isaiah is also a principle Messianic prophet.
17 Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall be blessed.
18 And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer.
Because this statement appears in Nephi's justification of his record (following his description of the command to write this particular set of plates 1 Nephi 19:1-4) it is probable that he is writing of his immediate people, and his heart is currently turned toward them. That his descendants appear to have forgotten these words is irony available to we as his future readers, but not available to the intents of his heart at the time. When writing these words, Nephi wrote them for his people. The delivery of the import of those words may or may not have been through the medium of the small plates, but it is certain that he would have communicated that information orally.
19 Wherefore, I speak unto all the house of Israel, if it so be that they should obtain these things.
20 For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have perished also.
21 And he surely did show unto the prophets of old all things concerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they are written upon the plates of brass.
Nephi states that the prophets of old have prophesied "of them" and the referent for that is clearly the previous statement concerning Jerusalem. He next notes that the prophets "did show unto many concerning us." Nephi is certain that his people are foretold in prophecy. He does not mention any prophet specifically, but it is almost certain to have been at least Zenos, as Zenos' phrase "isles of the sea" Nephi assumes to mean his people (see the discussion of "Isles of the sea" at the end of this chapter). His last phrase is "it must needs be that we know concerning them...." In the context of prophecy, it appears that Nephi is saying that because the prophecies of his people are written on the brass plates, that his people should know concerning their future just as those at Jerusalem knew of their (had they listened to the prophets). This analysis of the meaning of Nephi's words continue to support the possibility that he refers to at least Zenos, as the record of Zenos is on the brass plates where Nephi indicates they will find these important prophecies.
22 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.
23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.
24 Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.
The Isaiah texts immediately following are included for a specific message - the stated redemption of Israel in Jerusalem also applies to the Nephites who are also separated, and awaiting a redemptive restoration to their ancestral House. Nephi's Self-Perception: "The Isles of the Sea": The phrase "isles of the sea" is not absolutely unique to Nephi, but is used in Nephi in such as way to make it an important concept for Nephi's self-understanding. Of the ten occurrences of the phrase in the scriptures, eight of them are in Nephi's writings. To understand Nephi's usage, it is important examine the way the phrase is used in the other two examples:
The usage in Esther is obviously to known lands as it entails a tribute. While "isles of the sea" could be either specific or generic (as a term for "everywhere") it is certainly referencing the known world. The usage in Isaiah may be the more generic usage of the term:
Here it is not clear whether or not there are specific locations indicated. It is most likely that "isles of the sea" is a euphemism for "everywhere" in this passage. This usage is directly contrasted to Nephi, however, where Nephi considers himself to be on one of the "isles of the sea":
In this verse Nephi is citing promises to those on the isles of the sea, and specifically notes that because it is in the plural, that it must indicate "more than this." Nephi clearly believes that they are on one of the isles of the sea, and uses this verse to speak of their scattered brethren on other islands of the sea. Nephi's understanding of their location certainly stems from two sources. The first, and most obvious, was that they crossed an ocean to arrive at their location. That Nephi would not have know that they were on a continent rather than an island is certainly not surprising given the geographical knowledge of the times, and the little time that Nephi and his people would have had for exploring. A more important reason, however, is that Nephi had a theological reason for associating his people with the isles of the sea. In his readings of the brass plates Nephi obviously reads Zenos, and finds in Zenos a reference to a gathering from the isles of the sea:
When combined with Nephi's clear perception of his people on the isles of the sea, the connection between Nephi's concerns for his lost Jerusalem (for example 1 Nephi 19:20) and his desire for a gathering of his people as well as all of Israel becomes obvious. When likening the scriptures to their own needs, the gathering from the isles of the sea strikes a very strong emotional chord in Nephi who so poignantly remembers the separation from Israel. While Nephi clearly makes this connection, it is a connection and a description that fades from the Book of Mormon, and is never used after Nephi ceases to write. |
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| by Brant Gardner. Copyright 1998 |
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Nephi 19:1|
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