The Brass Plates

“When the Lord led Lehi and his colony out from Jerusalem, they were required to take with them the Brass Plates of which Laban had been the custodian. These plates—which Nephi acquired through his faith, works, and zeal (1 Ne. 3; 4)—were a volume of sacred scripture. They contained a record of God’s dealings with men from the beginning down to that day. They were ‘the record of the Jews’ (1 Ne. 3:3), a record of many of the prophecies from the beginning down to and including part of those spoken by Jeremiah. On them was the law of Moses, the five books of Moses, and the genealogy of the Nephite forbears. (1 Ne. 3:3, 20; 4:15–16; 5:11–14.)


“There was more on them than there is in the Old Testament as we now have it. (1 Ne. 13:23.) The prophecies of Zenock, Neum, Zenos, Joseph the son of Jacob, and probably many other prophets were preserved by them, and many of these writings foretold matters pertaining to the Nephites. (1 Ne. 19:10, 21; 2 Ne. 4:2, 15; 3 Ne. 10:17.)

“The value of the Brass Plates to the Nephites cannot be overestimated. By means of them they were able to preserve the language (1 Ne. 3:19), most of the civilization, and the religious knowledge of the people from whence they came. (1 Ne. 22:30.) By way of contrast, the Mulekites, who were led out of Jerusalem some 11 years after Lehi’s departure, and who had no record equivalent to the Brass Plates, soon dwindled in apostasy and unbelief and lost their language, civilization, and religion. (Omni 14–18.)

“From prophet to prophet and generation to generation the Brass Plates were handed down and preserved by the Nephites. (Mosiah 1:16; 28:20; 3 Ne. 1:2.) At some future date the Lord has promised to bring them forth, undimmed by time and retaining their original brightness, and the scriptural accounts recorded on them are to ‘go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.’ (Alma 37:3–5; 1 Ne. 5:18–19.)” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 103).

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Sacrifice

In verse 9 of the 1st book of Nephi, the term Sacrifice, is there to remind us that they were still living the Law of Moses, including animal sacrifices, to symbolize of the coming Atonement of Christ.  Nephi's time is during the Old Testament times. 

And for further note:  This part of the Book of Mormon as being Old Testament, it's important to remember tha tthe Book of Mormon gives us a more accurate underestanding of Old Testament teachings about Christ than our current version of the Old Testament does.

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1 Nephi 4:32–37. A Binding Oath

“When he [Zoram] saw the brethren and heard Nephi’s real voice he got the shock of his life and in a panic made a break for the city. In such a situation there was only one thing Nephi could possibly have done, both to spare Zoram and to avoid giving alarm—and no westerner could have guessed what it was. Nephi, a powerful fellow, held the terrified Zoram in a vice-like grip long enough to swear a solemn oath in his ear, ‘as the Lord liveth, and as I live’ (1 Ne. 4:32), that he would not harm him if he would listen. Zoram immediately relaxed, and Nephi swore another oath to him that he would be a free man if he would join the party: ‘Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with us.’ (1 Ne. 4:34.)

“What astonishes the western reader is the miraculous effect of Nephi’s oath on Zoram, who upon hearing a few conventional words promptly becomes tractable, while as for the brothers, as soon as Zoram ‘made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth . . . our fears did cease concerning him.’ (1 Ne. 4:35, 37.)

“The reaction of both parties makes sense when one realizes that the oath is the one thing that is most sacred and inviolable among the desert people and their descendants: ‘Hardly will an Arab break his oath, even if his life be in jeopardy,’ for ‘there is nothing stronger, and nothing more sacred than the oath among the nomads,’ and even the city Arabs, if it be exacted under special conditions. ‘The taking of an oath is a holy thing with the Bedouins,’ says one authority, ‘Wo to him who swears falsely; his social standing will be damaged and his reputation ruined. No one will receive his testimony, and he must also pay a money fine.’

“But not every oath will do. To be most binding and solemn an oath should be by the life of something, even if it be but a blade of grass. The only oath more awful than that ‘by my life’ or (less commonly) ‘by the life of my head,’ is the wa hayat Allah ‘by the life of God,’ or ‘as the Lord Liveth,’ the exact Arabic equivalent of the ancient Hebrew hai Elohim. . . .

“So we see that the only way that Nephi could possibly have pacified the struggling Zoram in an instant was to utter the one oath that no man would dream of breaking, the most solemn of all oaths to the Semite: ‘As the Lord liveth, and as I live!’ (1 Ne. 4:32.)” (Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, pp. 103–5).

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1 Nephi 4:26. The Church in Lehi’s Day

There was not so much as the twinkling of an eye during the whole so-called pre-Christian Era when the Church of Jesus Christ was not upon the earth, organized basically in the same way it now is. Melchizedek belonged to the Church; Laban was a member; so also was Lehi, long before he left Jerusalem.
“There was always apostolic power. The Melchizedek Priesthood always directed the course of the Aaronic Priesthood. All of the prophets held a position in the hierarchy of the day” (Bruce R. McConkie, “The Bible, a Sealed Book,” in Supplement, a Symposium on the New Testament, 1984, p. 6).

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Articles of Faith

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH

OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

History of the Church, Vol. 4, pp. 535—541

1 We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.

3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

4 We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

5 We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6 We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

7 We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.

8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

9 We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.

10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its fparadisiacal gglory.

11 We claim the aprivilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.

12 We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to gendure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Joseph Smith

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Laban

One Latter-day Saint writer pointed out a few things we can learn about Laban from these chapters: “We learn in passing that he commanded a garrison of fifty, that he met in full ceremonial armor with ‘the elders of the Jews’ (1 Nephi 4:22) for secret consultations by night, that he had control of a treasury, that he was of the old aristocracy, being a distant relative to Lehi himself, that he probably held his job because of his ancestors, since he hardly received it by merit, that his house was the storing place of very old records, that he was a large man, short-tempered, crafty, and dangerous, and to the bargain cruel, greedy, unscrupulous, weak, and given to drink” (Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the Desert, and the World of the Jaredites [1988], 97).

1Nephi Chapter 3:
3 For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.
12 And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my father.
13 And behold, it came to pass that Laban was angry, and thrust him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have the records. Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a robber, and I will slay thee.
23 And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of Laban.
24 And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.
25 And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.
26 And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban.
27 And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.

1Nephi Chapter 4

7 Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine.
8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.
9 And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel.
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.
20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into the treasury.
21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.
22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them

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What does it mean to "Cast Lots"

Casting lots was used as a way of making a choice. The exact method is not known, but the modern practice of drawing straws or flipping coins are examples of the same idea. Anciently, however, it was believed the Lord determined the outcome (see Proverbs 16:33; Bible Dictionary,
“lots, casting of,” p. 726).

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Why did Nephi Write this book?

There are some specific truths that Nephi hoped we would learn by reading this book. His introduction gives a brief overview of his family and their travels and struggles (see the paragraph under the book title, before chapter 1). He wrote that he would show “that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:20). He also explained that his purpose was to “write of the things of God” in order to “persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved” (1 Nephi 6:3–4; see also Jacob 1:1–4).



As you read 1 Nephi, therefore, be aware that he is teaching us to come unto Jesus Christ and be saved. He uses the experiences of his family to demonstrate the Lord’s power to save the faithful both in this life and in the life to come.

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Nephi's Language

Sample characters from the Book of Mormon plates

1 Nephi 1:2—In What Language Did Nephi Write on the Plates?

Nephi referred to the “language of my father” and to the “language of the Egyptians.” Toward the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni described his and his father’s writing as “reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32). “It is unknown whether Nephi, Mormon, or Moroni wrote Hebrew in modified Egyptian characters or inscribed their plates in both the Egyptian language and Egyptian characters or whether Nephi wrote in one language and Mormon and Moroni, who lived some nine hundred years later, in another” (in Daniel H. Ludlow, ed., Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 5 vols. [1992], 1:179).

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Sariah

Sariah was the wife of Lehi, and the mother of Laman, Lemuel, Sam, Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph. She traveled with her husband from Jerusalem, into the wilderness, and eventually, across the ocean to the "promised land" (the Americas). She is perhaps best known for the story in First Nephi where she complains against her husband for sending her sons back to Jerusalem. She becomes convinced that they have perished in the desert, but is overjoyed upon their eventual return.[1] In Lehi's vision of the tree of life, Sariah eats the precious fruit, symbolizing that she is righteous and will be saved

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Lehi

Nephi, Son of Lehi


See also Lehi, Father of Nephi; Nephites

In the Book of Mormon, a righteous son of Lehi and Sariah (1 Ne. 1: 1-4; 2: 5). Nephi had strong faith in the word of God (1 Ne. 3: 7) and became a great prophet, record keeper, and leader of his people. Was obedient and prayed in faith, 1 Ne. 2: 16. Returned to Jerusalem to get the brass plates, 1 Ne. 3-4. Returned to Jerusalem to bring Ishmael’s family into the wilderness, 1 Ne. 7. Received the same vision that Lehi received, 1 Ne. 10: 17-22; 11. Saw in vision the future of his people and the restoration of the gospel, 1 Ne. 12-13. Interpreted the vision of the tree of life, 1 Ne. 15: 21-36. Broke his bow but through faith was able to obtain food, 1 Ne. 16: 18-32. Built a ship and traveled to the promised land, 1 Ne. 17-18. The Nephites and Lamanites separated, 2 Ne. 5. Bore final testimony, 2 Ne. 33.

The book of 1 Nephi: Chapters 1 to 18: 8 deal mostly with the prophet Lehi and his family leaving Jerusalem. They traveled through barren deserts until they reached the sea. 1 Nephi 18: 9-23 tells of their voyage to a promised land, as directed by the Lord, despite the rebellion of Laman and Lemuel. Chapters 19-22 tell Nephi’s purpose for keeping records (1 Ne. 6: 1-6; 19: 18)-to persuade all to remember the Lord their Redeemer. He quoted Isaiah (1 Ne. 20-21)and interpreted Isaiah’s messages, with the hope that all might come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Redeemer (1 Ne. 22: 12).

The book of 2 Nephi: Chapters 1-4 contain some of Lehi’s final teachings and prophecies before his death, including blessings on his sons and their descendants. Chapter 5 explains why the Nephites separated themselves from the Lamanites. The Nephites built a temple, taught the law of Moses, and kept records. Chapters 6-10 contain the words of Jacob, Nephi’s younger brother. Jacob reviewed the history of Judah and prophesied of the Messiah, some of which was taken from the writings of the prophet Isaiah. In chapters 11-33 Nephi recorded his testimony of Christ, Jacob’s testimony, prophecies of the last days, and several chapters from the Old Testament book of Isaiah.

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