I Nephi…
Thus begins in the Book of Mormon. Who is this Nephi who is writing this
book? What’s his purpose for
writing? Before we begin studying the
Book of Mormon, we should know about the author of the first two books in the
Book of Mormon.
Nephi was born to Lehi and Sariah. He had three brothers – Laman, Lemuel, and
Sam. Two others were born during his
journey in the wilderness – Jacob and Joseph.
There is no mention of any sisters.
This, of course, does not mean he did not have sisters. In this record, he makes no mention of them,
if he had any.
Nephi recorded his life and teachings on two different sets
of plates, both called the planets of Nephi (1 Nephi 9:2). On one set of plates, he recorded “an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and
contentions of my people” (1 Nephi 9:2).
While making his record, he received a commandment of the
Lord that he should make a second set of plates. He wrote, “I
should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an
account engraven of the ministry of my people … wherefore these plates are for
the more part of the ministry” (1 Nephi 9:3-4).
Nephi had no idea why he was commanded to make the second
set of plates. “Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I
know not. But the Lord knoweth all
things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his
works among the children of men” (emphasis mine) (1 Nephi 9:5-6).
Nephi did not begin working on his second set of plates
until thirty years after they left Jerusalem [569 B.C.] (2 Nephi 5:28). While keeping the other set of plates, the
Lord came to him and commanded him, “Make
other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in
my sight, for the profit of thy people” (2 Nephi 5:30).
Mormon was specifically referring to this record in the
Words of Mormon when he wrote:
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.
And
the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of the prophecies
of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing that many of them have been
fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many things as have been prophesied
concerning us down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond
this day must surely come to pass—
Wherefore,
I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my
record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth
part of the things of my people.
But
behold, I shall take these plates, which
contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of
my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto
my brethren.
And I do this for a wise purpose;
for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord
which is in me. And now, I do not know
all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh
in me to do according to his will.
Words of Mormon 1:3 – 7 (Emphasis mine)
The first set of plates, the record of the reign of the
kings as well as wars and contentions were the first part of the record
translated by Joseph Smith. This portion
of the record is what was contained in the 116 pages of manuscript were given
to Martin Harris and were eventually lost.
Briefly, Martin Harris had been asking Joseph Smith to allow
him to take the manuscript pages to show his wife and other family
members. This would “allay their skepticism
and criticism of the translation. Joseph
inquired of the Lord twice, and each time was told no. Harris persisted, and Joseph went to the Lord
a third time. This time, he received
permission to allow Harris to take the manuscript. “The Prophet required Harris to solemnly
covenant that he would show them only to his brother, his parents, his wife,
and her sister.”
Harris did not return the manuscript when he said he
would. Joseph, living in Harmony, PA at
the time, returned to Manchester, NY. He
learned someone had stolen the manuscript.
Harris had not kept his word, and had “indiscriminately showed it to
persons outside his family … The most widespread rumor was that Harris' wife,
irritated at having earlier been denied a glimpse of the ancient plates, had
removed the manuscript translation from Martin's unlocked bureau and burned it.”[1]
Joseph Smith was chastised by the Lord.
Behold,
you have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your
commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did
not transgress them.
And
behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and
have gone on in the persuasions of men.
For,
behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of
God, and despise his words—
Yet
you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported
you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with
you in every time of trouble.
NOW,
behold, I say unto you, that because you delivered up those writings which you
had power given unto you to translate by the means of the Urim and Thummim,
into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them.
D&C 3:5 – 8, 10:1
So we see the “wise purpose,” what would be called the small
plates of Nephi, was made. “And, behold, Satan hath put it into their
hearts to alter the words which you have caused to be written, or which you
have translated, which have gone out of your hands. And behold, I say unto you,
that because they have altered the words, they read contrary from that which
you translated and caused to be written; And, on this wise, the devil has sought to lay
a cunning plan, that he may destroy this work” (D&C 10:10-12).
This gives us an idea of who Nephi was. We will learn more about him as we look at
his record.
[1] Manuscript,
Lost 116 Pages, William J. Chritchlow, III, Encylopedia
of Mormonism, pgs. 854-855, Macmillan Company (1992), Daniel H. Ludlow,
editor
Thus begins in the Book of Mormon. Who is this Nephi who is writing this
book? What’s his purpose for
writing? Before we begin studying the
Book of Mormon, we should know about the author of the first two books in the
Book of Mormon.
Nephi was born to Lehi and Sariah. He had three brothers – Laman, Lemuel, and
Sam. Two others were born during his
journey in the wilderness – Jacob and Joseph.
There is no mention of any sisters.
This, of course, does not mean he did not have sisters. In this record, he makes no mention of them,
if he had any.
Nephi recorded his life and teachings on two different sets
of plates, both called the planets of Nephi (1 Nephi 9:2). On one set of plates, he recorded “an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and
contentions of my people” (1 Nephi 9:2).
While making his record, he received a commandment of the
Lord that he should make a second set of plates. He wrote, “I
should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an
account engraven of the ministry of my people … wherefore these plates are for
the more part of the ministry” (1 Nephi 9:3-4).
Nephi had no idea why he was commanded to make the second
set of plates. “Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I
know not. But the Lord knoweth all
things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his
works among the children of men” (emphasis mine) (1 Nephi 9:5-6).
Nephi did not begin working on his second set of plates
until thirty years after they left Jerusalem [569 B.C.] (2 Nephi 5:28). While keeping the other set of plates, the
Lord came to him and commanded him, “Make
other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in
my sight, for the profit of thy people” (2 Nephi 5:30).
Mormon was specifically referring to this record in the
Words of Mormon when he wrote:
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.
And
the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of the prophecies
of the coming of Christ; and my fathers knowing that many of them have been
fulfilled; yea, and I also know that as many things as have been prophesied
concerning us down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond
this day must surely come to pass—
Wherefore,
I chose these things, to finish my record upon them, which remainder of my
record I shall take from the plates of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth
part of the things of my people.
But
behold, I shall take these plates, which
contain these prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of
my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be choice unto
my brethren.
And I do this for a wise purpose;
for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord
which is in me. And now, I do not know
all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh
in me to do according to his will.
Words of Mormon 1:3 – 7 (Emphasis mine)
The first set of plates, the record of the reign of the
kings as well as wars and contentions were the first part of the record
translated by Joseph Smith. This portion
of the record is what was contained in the 116 pages of manuscript were given
to Martin Harris and were eventually lost.
Briefly, Martin Harris had been asking Joseph Smith to allow
him to take the manuscript pages to show his wife and other family
members. This would “allay their skepticism
and criticism of the translation. Joseph
inquired of the Lord twice, and each time was told no. Harris persisted, and Joseph went to the Lord
a third time. This time, he received
permission to allow Harris to take the manuscript. “The Prophet required Harris to solemnly
covenant that he would show them only to his brother, his parents, his wife,
and her sister.”
Harris did not return the manuscript when he said he
would. Joseph, living in Harmony, PA at
the time, returned to Manchester, NY. He
learned someone had stolen the manuscript.
Harris had not kept his word, and had “indiscriminately showed it to
persons outside his family … The most widespread rumor was that Harris' wife,
irritated at having earlier been denied a glimpse of the ancient plates, had
removed the manuscript translation from Martin's unlocked bureau and burned it.”[1]
Joseph Smith was chastised by the Lord.
Behold,
you have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your
commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did
not transgress them.
And
behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and
have gone on in the persuasions of men.
For,
behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of
God, and despise his words—
Yet
you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported
you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with
you in every time of trouble.
NOW,
behold, I say unto you, that because you delivered up those writings which you
had power given unto you to translate by the means of the Urim and Thummim,
into the hands of a wicked man, you have lost them.
D&C 3:5 – 8, 10:1
So we see the “wise purpose,” what would be called the small
plates of Nephi, was made. “And, behold, Satan hath put it into their
hearts to alter the words which you have caused to be written, or which you
have translated, which have gone out of your hands. And behold, I say unto you,
that because they have altered the words, they read contrary from that which
you translated and caused to be written; And, on this wise, the devil has sought to lay
a cunning plan, that he may destroy this work” (D&C 10:10-12).
This gives us an idea of who Nephi was. We will learn more about him as we look at
his record.
[1] Manuscript,
Lost 116 Pages, William J. Chritchlow, III, Encylopedia
of Mormonism, pgs. 854-855, Macmillan Company (1992), Daniel H. Ludlow,
editor
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