After offering the sacrifice, Lehi took the brass plates and
looked at them. The plates contained:
- The five books of Moses.
- A record of the Jews from the beginning to Zedekiah.
- Prophecies of the holy prophets from the beginning to Zedekiah.
- Prophesies of Jeremiah.
Who added the current record of the Jews and prophecies of
Jeremiah? It’s unlikely Laban would have
done this, since he apparently gave little credence to Jeremiah. Zoram was charged with keeping the plates, so
it is possible he kept the record current.[1]
Lehi also learned his genealogy, learning he was a
descendant of Joseph. Amulek would
proclaim his genealogy to the people of Ammonihah.
I
am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of Ishmael, who was a
descendant of Aminadi; and it was the same Aminadi who interpreted the writing
which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God.
And
Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the
land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph
who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren.
Alma 10:2 - 3
He also learned that Laban was a descendant of Joseph. This is how he and his fathers received and
kept the records.
Lehi was filled with the Spirit after reading the plates and
began to prophesy. He spoke of a day
when “these plates of brass should go
forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed … these
plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by
time” (1 Nephi 5:18-19).
Sidney Sperry explained the importance of the brass plates.
When Lehi had searched the brass
plates, he was filled with the Spirit and began to prophesy to the effect that
the day would come when they should be made known unto all kindreds, tongues,
and people who were of his seed (1 Nephi 5:17—18). Moreover, he prophesied that
the brass plates should never perish or be dimmed by time (1 Nephi 5:19). We
know, therefore, that many unknown or hitherto corrupted texts of Hebrew
scripture will be restored to the world in correct form. To those of us who are
interested in the study of the Bible, this is a comforting and even a thrilling
prospect.[2]
Nephi tells us both he and his father had kept the
commandments the Lord had given them.
They had obtained the records, searched them, and found they were of
great worth. Jared Ludlow explains the
importance of scriptures among the Nephites.
Scriptural texts played a very
important role among the early Nephites, beginning when Nephi and his brothers
risked their lives to retrieve the brass plates from Laban (see 1 Nephi 3–4).
As Lehi said, one of the major purposes of obtaining the plates, which were
"desirable; yea, even of great worth," was to "preserve the
commandments of the Lord unto our children" (1 Nephi 5:21). Nephi took
"the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass" when he and
his followers separated from the Lamanites (2 Nephi 5:12).[3]
Nephi tells us “it was
wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the
wilderness towards the land of promise” (1 Nephi 5:22). Monte Nyman writes about the time when the
brass plates come forth.
The plates of brass will certainly
be of great worth to future generations as well, though in a different way. For
example, while the Book of Mormon continues to serve as a second witness to the
truth of the holy scriptures (see D&C 20:11), the plates of brass will
serve as a third witness to the Bible and also will testify that the Book of
Mormon is a witness to the Bible. They will make known many of the plain and
precious parts that had been lost from the Bible up to the time of Jeremiah
(see 1 Nephi 13:26–29). This knowledge will come in a different way than did
the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and Joseph
Smith Translation, for the actual ancient records of such prophets as Zenos,
Zenoch, and Neum will be restored (see 1 Nephi 19:10; Alma 33:3–16; Helaman
8:19–20; 3 Nephi 10:16). Those records will also restore plain and
precious parts of our biblical books that have been altered, as Joseph Smith
said, by "ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and
corrupt priests." Thus Latter-day Saints will have their belief in
the Bible verified in many ways.[4]
[1] Killing
Laban: The Birth of Sovereignty in the Nephite Constitutional Order, Val
Larsen, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 14,
2013.
[2] Some
Problems of Interest Relating to the Brass Plates, Sidney B. Sperry, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 14, 2013.
[3] A
Tale of Three Communities: Jerusalem, Elephantine, and Lehi-Nephi, Jared W.
Ludlow, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 14,
2013.
[4] Other
Ancient American Records Yet to Come Forth, Monte S. Nyman, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 14, 2013.
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