Jarom 1:1-6

The Book of Jarom

The Nephites keep the law of Moses, look forward to the coming of Christ, and prosper in the land—Many prophets labor to keep them in the way of truth. About 399–361 B.C.

1 NOW behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept.

2 And as these plates are small, and as these things are written for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites, wherefore, it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall not write the things of my prophesying, nor of my revelations.  For what could I write more than my fathers have written?  For have not they revealed the plan of salvation?  I say unto you, Yea; and this sufficeth me.

3 Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the stiffness of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceedingly merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off from the face of the land.

4 And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked.  And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.

5 And now, behold, two hundred years had passed away [399 B.C.], and the people of Nephi had waxed strong in the land.  They observed to keep the law of Moses and the sabbath day holy unto the Lord.  And they profaned not; neither did they blaspheme.  And the laws of the land were exceedingly strict.

6 And they were scattered upon much of the face of the land, and the Lamanites also.  And they were exceedingly more numerous than were they of the Nephites; and they loved murder and would drink the blood of beasts.

Jarom 1:1-6

Jarom introduces himself by telling us he was commanded by his Father, Enos to keep the plates, “that our genealogy may be kept.”

He faced a problem.  He explains the plates are small.  “[T]hese things are written for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites.”

Why does the fact the plates were small matter?

[I]t is not a simple task to make gold plates. Gold is hard to come by. It undoubtedly wasn't as hard to come by in Nephi's day as it is today, because most gold areas have been mined out, but it would still have been very difficult to mine. And the various writers of the Book of Mormon in many places express that they wish they could write more, but they did not have room on the plates they had (Jarom 1:2; Omni 1:30; Ether 12:25).[1]

Little needs to be written on the plates concerning Jarom’s prophesying and revelations.  “For what could I write more than my fathers have written?”  He writes his fathers have revealed the plan of salvation.

By the way, in Jarom 1:2 we get a line we never get in the Bible. It's "the plan of salvation." That is latter-day revelation. That is not in the Bible, and most Christians think this whole thing kind of unfolded. They don't realize there was a plan from the beginning, that there was a Savior from the beginning.[2]

We are then told that Jarom is facing the same problem faced by his father, Enos.  The Nephites are a hard-hearted people, they do not hear the word of the Lord, and they are a stiff-necked people. 

In spite of this, “God is exceedingly merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off the face of the land.”  In Ether, we learn the Lord’s attitude towards the Promised Land.

8 And [the Lord] had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them.  And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God.  And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

Ether 2:8-10

Hugh Nibley writes about the Nephites at this time.

Were the Nephites good people? Some of the time, but by no means always. Early in their history Jarom marvels that they have not long since been destroyed because of their sins (Jarom 1:3), and tells how the prophets had to threaten and protest continually and how the laws had to be savagely severe to keep the people in line.[3]

Jarom is not the only Nephite receiving revelations.  There are righteous among the Nephites, being filled and in communication with the Holy Spirit. 

We have reached the bicentennial of the Nephites settling in the New World (about 399 B.C.).  Even though the Nephites know about Christ, His mission, and the plan of salvation, they continue to keep the Law of Moses.  Still the laws of the land were strict.

By Jarom’s time, the Nephites had spread throughout the land.  The Lamanites were also spread throughout the land.  They were also more numerous than the Nephites.  According to Jarom, the Lamanites “loved murder and drank the blood of beasts.”  During Ammon’s time, he would describe the Lamanites.

23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi, to preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us to scorn?

24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth?  Do ye suppose that ye can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of a transgressor from the beginning?  Now my brethren, ye remember that this was their language.

25 And moreover they did say: Let us take up arms against them, that we destroy them and their iniquity out of the land, lest they overrun us and destroy us.

Alma 26:23-25

Drinking the blood of beasts would have been abhorrent to the Nephites.  It was clear to them the Lord commanded them not to drink blood.

For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

Leviticus 17:14

Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

Deuteronomy 12:23

And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood.

1 Samuel 14:34

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[1] Metallurgy, S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 30, 2014.

[2] Abinadi: The Message and the Martyr, Todd Parker, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 30, 2014.

[3]Good People and Bad People, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 30, 2014.

Enos 1:22-27

22 And there were exceedingly many prophets among us.  And the people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.

23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord.  I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction.  And after this manner do I write concerning them.

24 And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the course of my days.

25 And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jerusalem.

26 And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth which is in Christ.  And I have declared it in all my days, and have rejoiced in it above that of the world.

27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest.  And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father.  Amen.

Enos 1:22-27

Prophets were sent among the Nephites.  The reason was the Nephites were “a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.”  Jarom, Enos’s son, will write about this as well.  “Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the stiffness of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceedingly merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off from the face of the land” (Jarom 1:3)

As a side note, this is another indication that there were others living in the New World when Lehi’s part arrived.  Gregory Smith explains,

Nephi also doesn't seem to think that it is incongruous—not to mention slightly ridiculous—that a few dozen of his people want him to be their king (2 Nephi 5:18). Enos describes "exceedingly many prophets among us" (Enos 1:22). How many prophets can a population of under a hundred produce, much less require?[1]

Jared Ludlow explains the presence of prophets among the Nephites.

In recounting their history shortly after breaking off from the Lamanites, some early Nephite writers mentioned the presence of prophets in their midst (see Enos 1:22). One of the prophets' major tasks was calling people to repentance and warning them they would be destroyed if they did not keep the commandments (see Jarom 1:10).[2]

We’re only in the 2^nd and 3^rd generation of Nephites.  Yet, they’re already turning away from God.  Enos tells us that only thing that was effective was preaching that was exceedingly harsh.  Nephi warned Laman and Lemuel.

1 AND now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

2 And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.

1 Nephi 16:1-3

Nephi’s closing words include this about the Holy Ghost.  “And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the devil” (2 Nephi 33:5).  Mormon tells us that King Benjamin, on occasion, preached with sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people (Words of Mormon 1:17).

Mormon wrote, “And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him” (Helaman 12:3).

Wealth and prosperity is destructive to the Nephites.  Hugh Nibley writes:

In the Book of Mormon, the destructive power of wealth is pervasive and inescapable, since, as Helaman discovered, we can always count on humanity to do foolish things. The question is, what economic system would suit such people? The Book of Mormon answer is clear: None that they could devise. The Nephites willfully and repeatedly rejected the way that is shown them "with exceedingly great plainness" (Enos 1:23); have we any assurance that we, whom the book is designed to warn against that very folly, are doing any better?[3]

The preaching was, on occasion, effective.  Jarom would explain, “And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto repentance” (Jarom 1:12). After Alma₂ gave up the judgment seat, “he did … go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them” (Alma 4:19).

Preaching to the Zoramites, Alma₂ tells us, “And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God” (Alma 31:5).

As we approach the end of Enos’s book, John Tanner gives us insight to why the plates were written in this manner.

After passing into Jacob's hands, the small plates became increasingly focused on the history of Jacob's family rather than on the history of the whole Nephite group. Understanding this is critical. Many distinctive features of the text can be explained by the fact that the record became primarily genealogical. From Jacob on, the plates were no longer kept by the rulers (see Jacob 1:9). Jacob and his descendants were not kings. From all we can tell, they did not play a leading role in political or military matters. This has major consequences for the record they left. After Nephi, never again do the authors of the small plates occupy a central position in the government. Of course, the small plates were always set aside for spiritual things rather than secular matters (see 1 Nephi 19:1-6; Jacob 1:2), but, from Jacob on, the small plates were written increasingly from a perspective outside the community's official life (see, for example, Enos 1:24).[4]

Enos tells us he is getting old.  He tells us that it has been 179 years since Lehi left Jerusalem.  This raises some problems.  Brant Gardner looks at this issue.

One of the most difficult chronological issues in the Book of Mormon concerns Enos, who nears the end of his life 179 years after the departure from Jerusalem (see Enos 1:25). Into that 179 years we must fit the life of Enos and the life of his father, Jacob. Either we have only two people spanning 179 years, or we must posit a missing generation in which Jacob the father of Enos was Jacob the son of Jacob, or perhaps Enos the son of Jacob was the father of Jacob the father of Enos. Each of these suggestions would be a difficult situation to justify, though either is possible. To make the numbers work at all, the most favorable scenario would be to have Jacob, and his younger brother, Joseph, as young as possible prior to the voyage across the ocean (allowing us to shave up to 8 years from the 179 since they were born during the family's sojourn in the wilderness, not by the time the party left Jerusalem) …

One possibility [is] that … they could have been twins … No direct evidence exists for this hypothesis, but some details suggest this is more than simple wishful thinking. The line of evidence lies in the nature of the names and the fact that we know that Jacob precedes Joseph. Both of these sons were born after the retrieval of the brass plates from Jerusalem. It is important to remember the value of these plates to Lehi … Clearly, the discovery of Lehi's ancestry was a transcendent event for him ... When Lehi had sons born after the plates were in his possession, it was no surprise that he would name those sons Jacob and Joseph for the two important names in his lineage. I suggest that the order in which the names are given is important. Of course, had they been born a year or two apart Lehi might still have used the names in that order, but I propose that the promises made through the lineage of Joseph were so strong that Lehi would have used that name first unless he knew that another son could receive that name. In other words, we would expect Joseph to be the most important name and that Jacob would be second. Given Lehi's age and circumstances, this is best answered if the two were twins, since it would not be assured that he would have any more children, let alone that any future child would be male.[5]

Enos is approaching his death.  Through the power of God, Enos had to preach and prophesy to his people.  He declared the “word according to the truth which is in Christ.”  He did this all his day and “rejoiced in it above that of the world.”

He is ready to go to “the place of rest, which is with my Redeemer, for I know that in him I shall rest.”  Nephi expressed similar feelings.  “I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell” (2 Nephi 33:6).

The Savior taught, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3).

Moroni would also write similar words.

32 And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.

33 And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men.

34 And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.

Ether 12:32-34

Having lived the good life, Enos was ready to meet Christ. 

After his wrestle with God, Enos expressed the hope that, at the resurrection, he would “stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure” (Enos 1:27). This passage is also reminiscent of Jacob’s reunion and reconciliation with his brother Esau the day after his nightlong wrestle. Jacob said to his brother, “I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me” (Genesis 33:10). Just as Esau was “pleased” when Jacob saw his face, Enos hoped to see the face of God “with pleasure.”[6]

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[1] Often in Error, Seldom in Doubt: Rod Meldrum and Book of Mormon DNA, Reviewed by Gregory L. Smith, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 28, 2014.

[2] A Tale of Three Communities: Jerusalem, Elephantine, and Lehi-Nephi, Jared W. Ludlow, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 28, 2014.

[3] The Book of Mormon: Forty Years After, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 28, 2014.

[4] Jacob and His Descendants as Authors, John S. Tanner, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 28, 2014.

[5] The Other Stuff: Reading the Book of Mormon for Cultural Information, reviewed by Brant A. Gardner, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 28, 2014.

[6] Jacob and Enos: Wrestling before God, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 28, 2014.

Enos 1:19-21

19 And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen.

20 And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God.  But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax.  And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.

21 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.

Enos 1:19-21

After his wrestle with the Lord, Enos “went among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen.”  The Nephites continued their missionary efforts to the Lamanites.  These efforts were made during Jacob’s lifetime as well.  “And it came to pass that many means were devised to reclaim and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; but it all was vain, for they delighted in wars and bloodshed, and they had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren.  And they sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually” (Jacob 7:24). 

Jacob was the religious leader of the Nephites during his lifetime.  This appears to change with Enos.

Jacob's family eventually passed out of the prophetic line as well. Only Jacob himself clearly held a position of religious authority equivalent to that of high priest (see Jacob 1:17-19). His son Enos and grandson Jarom described themselves as only one among many prophets (see Enos 1:19, 22; Jarom 1:4).[1]

Mormon wrote Moroni, calling on him to continue to bring the gospel message to the Lamanites.  “And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God” (Moroni 9:6).

Zeniff would later describe the Lamanites.  “Now they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they were desirous to bring us into bondage, that they might glut themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might feast themselves upon the flocks of our fields” (Mosiah 9:12)

We begin to get insight into the Lamanite culture and beliefs. 

However much the founding saga influenced individual Lamanites, there is no question that it definitively established Lamanite policy toward the Nephites. "Their hatred was fixed," Enos said (Enos 1:20). Even when circumstances acted to moderate the hatred, it only subsided; it was never wholly extinguished.[2] 

Lindon Robinson describes the condition of the Lamanites.

[The Lamanite] condition of not caring … not only limited their means of food production to hunting and stealing, but it also reduced the quality of their housing and clothing to tents and loincloths made of animal skins. Meanwhile, their diet consisted of raw meats (Enos 1:20).[3] 

Enos tells us that, unlike the Lamanites, the Nephites tilled the land.  They raise grains and had flocks and herds of animals.  They had cattle, goats, and horses.  No doubt the grains were from the seeds brought from the Old World.  “And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind” (1 Nephi 8:1).

One of the first things Zeniff’s people did was to till the ground.  “And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land” (Mosiah 9:9).

We read about flocks elsewhere in the Book of Mormon.  Upon arriving at the New World, Nephi wrote, “And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men” (1 Nephi 18:25).

We also read about Jaredite animals.  “And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms” (Ether 9:19).

We know that, in the Old World, taking care of flocks was not a common practice.  If so, where did the Nephites learn about caring for flocks of animals?  John Sorenson explains:

Since it is certain that "others" passed on knowledge about and a taste for corn to the Nephites and Lamanites, it becomes likely that other cultural features also came from them. The keeping of "flocks," for example (Mosiah 9:14; cf. Enos 1:21), was not a pattern which Lehi's folks are said to have brought with them; no animals are mentioned in Nephi's Old World record (it is purely speculation that they utilized camels or any other animals in their trek from Jerusalem to Bountiful).[4]

What about the horse?   It is claimed by critics of the Book of Mormon there were no horses in the New World until they were brought here by the Spanish.  How could there have been horses in Book of Mormon times?

There are a number of reasons.  First, there may have been small groups of horses where the Nephites landed.  Another possibility is that another animal was called the horse.  A tapir has been mentioned as a possibility.  We don’t know exactly what was meant by the Nephites use of “horse.”[5]

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[1] Jacob and His Descendents as Authors, John S. Tanner, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 26, 2014.

[2] The Lamanite View of Book of Mormon History, Richard L. Bushman, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 26, 2014.

[3] Economic Insights from the Book of Mormon, Lindon J. Robison, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 26, 2014.

[4] When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? John L. Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 26, 2014.

[5] Once More: The Horse, John L Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 26, 2014.

Enos 1:14-18

14 For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them to the true faith.  And they swore in their wrath that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also all the traditions of our fathers.

15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.

16 And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.

17 And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; wherefore my soul did rest.

18 And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their faith; for their faith was like unto thine.

Enos 1:14-18

After receiving a promise from the Lord that the records would be preserved to go forth to the Lamanites at some future date, Enos discusses the Lamanites.  They had been preaching to the Lamanites, with no success.  Jacob had written about the effort to preach to the Lamanites.  “And it came to pass that many means were devised to reclaim and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; but it all was vain, for they delighted in wars and bloodshed, and they had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren.  And they sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually” (Jacob 7:24).

We are informed the Lamanites are desirous to destroy the records.  This desire continues throughout Book of Mormon history.  As the final fight begins, Mormon wrote, “And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill” (Mormon 6:6).

Enos 1:14 notes that the Lamanites wanted to destroy the Nephites, their records, and their traditions. King Benjamin later noted that had it not been for the written records they possessed, the Nephites would have "dwindled in unbelief" like the Lamanites because of the false traditions passed down by their Lamanite ancestors (Mosiah 1:5). Alma believed that the Nephite records would someday convince the Lamanites of the falsity of those traditions (see Alma 9:16–17). His friends, the sons of Mosiah, hoped to convince the Lamanites of this very thing by using the scriptures they possessed (see Alma 17:9; 18:34–40; 21:9, 17; 23:3; 24:7; 25:6; 26:24).[1]

The Lamanite hatred of the Nephites was based on events that had during their departure from Jerusalem to the time the family separated.  The Lamanites believed they were robbed of their proper heritage.  Laman, as the oldest son, should have ruled.  He was entitled to the sword of Laban and the brass plates.  Hatred of the Nephites, based on these occurrences will be seen through the entire record.[2]

The Lamanites also wanted to destroy the records kept by the Nephites.  This is why we see constant requests of the Lord that these records will be preserved for future generations.

Methods of handling sacred writings are conditioned by the hostile world in which they find themselves. There are those who have sworn "in their wrath that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also all the traditions of our fathers." (Enos 1:14.) Failing that, they can damage and corrupt them: "They have taken away … many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away," with the disastrous effect that "an exceeding great many do stumble." (1 Nephi 13:26, 29.)  Why should anyone want to do that? For whatever reason, the burning of the books is a stock motif of real history.[3]

Enos knew the Lord would preserve their records; nevertheless, he continued to cry unto the Lord, asking for their preservation.  He did so because the Lord had told him, “Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.”

Enos placed his faith in God.  He knew the records would be preserved and the day would come when they would go forth to the Lamanites.  A covenant had been made and Enos was satisfied.

Referring to the records, Mormon would write, “Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob; and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time” (Mormon 5:12)

Abridging the book of III Nephi, Mormon would break into the record and write,

13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

14 And it hath become expedient that I, according to the will of God, that the prayers of those who have gone hence, who were the holy ones, should be fulfilled according to their faith, should make a record of these things which have been done—

15 Yea, a small record of that which hath taken place from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem, even down until the present time.

3 Nephi 5:13-15

In this dispensation, speaking of the Book of Mormon, the Lord would tell Joseph Smith,

46 And, behold, all the remainder of this work does contain all those parts of my gospel which my holy prophets, yea, and also my disciples, desired in their prayers should come forth unto this people.

47 And I said unto them, that it should be granted unto them according to their faith in their prayers;

48 Yea, and this was their faith—that my gospel, which I gave unto them that they might preach in their days, might come unto their brethren the Lamanites, and also all that had become Lamanites because of their dissensions.

49 Now, this is not all—their faith in their prayers was that this gospel should be made known also, if it were possible that other nations should possess this land;

50 And thus they did leave a blessing upon this land in their prayers, that whosoever should believe in this gospel in this land might have eternal life;

D&C 10:46-50

The Lord reminded Enos that He had been asked by his ancestors to preserve the record for the Lamanites in some future day.  According to their faith, as well as Enos’s, the record will be preserved.

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[1] Hidden Record, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 24, 2014.

[2] The Book of Mormon as a Mesoamerican Record, John L. Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 24, 2014.

[3] A Strange Thing in the Land: The Return of the Book of Enoch, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 24, 2014.

Enos 1:11-13

11 And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.

12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

13 And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of him—that if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites, should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed, and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation—

Enos 1:11-13

Having been assured by the Lord that, if the Nephites kept His commandments, they would be preserved, Enos began to pray “for my brethren, the Lamanites.”  Here we see a sign that, even though the Lamanites were enemies and there had been wars with them, Enos still considers them his brethren.^[1]

After Enos had “prayed and labored with all diligence,” the Lord told Enos he would grant his desires because of his faith.

Mormon reminds us, “the Lord will remember the prayers of the righteous, which have been put up unto him for them” (Mormon 5:21).  Moroni, writing his final words in his father’s book, wrote:

And behold, these things which we have desired concerning our brethren, yea, even their restoration to the knowledge of Christ, are according to the prayers of all the saints who have dwelt in the land.

And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be answered according to their faith; and may God the Father remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Mormon 9:36-37

“The experience of Enos is a parable for the later conversion of many of these ferocious Lamanites … [I]n contrast with the idleness suggested in Enos's description of the Lamanites, he prays and labors "with all diligence" on behalf of the Lamanites, ‘that, perhaps, they might be brought unto salvation’ (Enos 1:12–13).”[2] 

Enos tells us what he desired of the Lord.  In expressing his desire, he was following David’s counsel, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalms 37:4).  Should the Nephites be destroyed, he desired the Lamanites would not be destroyed.  He was most likely away of his uncle Nephi’s vision where he say the future of his people.  “And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall” (1 Nephi 15:5).  Mormon also knew he was leading his people to their destruction because of their wickedness.  “AND now I finish my record concerning the destruction of my people, the Nephites.  And it came to pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites” (Mormon 6:1).

He prayed for the day the record of the Nephites would go forth to the Lamanites.  Mormon wrote about the purpose of the record.

6 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.

7 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.

8 And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.

9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the knowledge and the understanding which God has given me.

10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin.

11 And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation until they have fallen into my hands.  And I, Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time henceforth.  And I know that they will be preserved; for there are great things written upon them, out of which my people and their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day, according to the word of God which is written.

Words of Mormon 1:6-11

We have Mormon’s final words.  They deal with the Lamanites.

8 Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come from the Gentiles unto you.

9 For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe that; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among them.

10 And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment.  Amen.

Mormon 7:8-10

Alma₂ emphasized the Lamanites when he gave Helaman counsel about the importance of the records. “And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; and he hath shown forth his power in them, and he will also still show forth his power in them unto future generations; therefore they shall be preserved” (Alma 37:19).

The Lord promised the day would come when the Nephite record would be brought forth and go to the Lamanites.  When preaching to the Nephites, Samuel, the Lamanite prophesied, “Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return again unto me, saith the Lord” (Helaman 15:16).  Alma₂ told the people of Ammonihah, “And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name” (Alma 9:17).

The basis for the hatred of the Nephites was the traditions of the fathers of the Lamanites.  Because of these traditions, the Lord is more understanding and tolerant of the Lamanites.  They do not have the promises and covenants that were made with the Nephites.  The Nephites were held to a higher standard.  They were not able to meet these standards and paid the price.

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[1] The Charge of "Racism" in the Book of Mormon, John A. Tvedtnes, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 22, 2014.

[2] "Not Cast Off Forever" – Imagery, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 22, 2014.

Enos 1:6-10

6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?

8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen.  And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.

9 Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.

10 And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments.  I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity; wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said; and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their own heads.

Enos 1:6-11

Enos, having heard a voice telling him his sins were forgiven, knew it had to be true.  Why?  “I … knew the God could not lie.”  His guilt was swept away.

Enos than asked the Lord, “how is it done?” Enos was forgiven through his faith in Christ, “whom [he] hast never before heard no seen.”  Enos was a man of deep faith.  In some ways, he resembled the brother of Jared.  When the brother of Jared asked the Lord to touch the stones, he saw the finger of the Lord.  His faith was so strong, the Lord could not prevent him from seeing His finger.  After the brother of Jared asked the Lord to show Himself to him, the Lord asked if he believed His words.  The brother of Jared replied:

12 And [the brother of Jared] answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

Ether 3:12-13

Through Enos’s faith, he had been made whole.  During the Lord’s ministry, a woman with serious health problems believed that if she touched the Savior’s robe, she would be healed.  She touched His robe and was healed.  The Savior knew what had occurred, and used this to teach the woman why she was healed.  “But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.  And the woman was made whole from that hour” (Matthew 9:22).  He wanted her to understand it was her faith in Christ, not the touching of His robe, made her whole.

Susan Easton Black wrote about the importance of faith.  (This is a great article. It is well worth the time to read the whole thing.)

From the scriptures I have learned that "the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him" (1 Nephi 7:12). We must "ask in faith, nothing wavering" (James 1:6) because "it is by faith that miracles are wrought" (Moroni 7:37). "Jesus [is] the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2); "your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7). We all yearn to hear, "Thy faith hath made thee whole" (Enos 1:8).[1]

Having received forgiveness of his sins, Enos began to think about his people the Nephites.  “I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren.”  Lehi desired his family partake of the fruit of the tree.  “And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit” (1 Nephi 8:12). Alma₂, talking to Helaman, told him, “Yea, and from [the time of his miraculous conversion] even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost” (Alma 36:24)

The wife of king Lamoni, awaking from the miraculous conversion, worried about the welfare of her people. “And it came to pass that [Abish] went and took the queen by the hand, that perhaps she might raise her from the ground; and as soon as she touched her hand she arose and stood upon her feet, and cried with a loud voice, saying: O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell!  O blessed God, have mercy on this people!” (Alma 19:29).

Enos continued his prayer, [pouring] out my whole soul unto God for them.”  Nephi prayed for the welfare of his people until the end of his life.  “But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people.  For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry” (2 Nephi 33:3).

Amulek taught the poor Zoramites the importance of pouring out you soul to God.

26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

Alma 34:26-27

While Enos continued his struggle with the Lord, the voice of the Lord came to him.  “I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments.”  Once again, we see that the Nephites keeping the land of promise is based on whether they are wicked or righteous.  The Nephites had been given the land and it will be cursed only if the people are wicked.  The brother of Jared received a similar promise.

7 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.

8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.

9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them.  And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God.  And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

11 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.

12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

Ether 2:7-12

The Lord told Enos if the Nephites transgress the law, “I will bring down with sorrow upon their heads.”

The same land is both blessed and cursed, and the inhabitants likewise are blessed or cursed not by virtue of their family connection, but according to their behavior: "It is a holy land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity" (Enos 1:10). The old Hasidic curse on the land of Canaan is virtually identical with that which is pronounced on this promised land in the Book of Mormon…[2]

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[1] A Legacy of Faith, Susan Easton Black, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 19, 2014.

[2] The Trouble with Ham, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 20, 2014.

Enos 1:1-5

The Book of Enos

Enos prays mightily and gains a remission of his sins—The voice of the Lord comes into his mind promising salvation for the Lamanites in a future day—Nephites sought to reclaim the Lamanites in their day—Enos rejoices in his Redeemer. About 420 B.C.

1 BEHOLD, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it—

2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

As Jacob ended his record, he told us that his son, Enos would receive and keep the plates.  Enos begins by telling us Jacob was a just man.  Jacob taught Enos “in his language.”  This was not unusual in the Book of Mormon.  For example, at the beginning of Mosiah we read, “And [King Benjamin] caused that [his sons] should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord” (Mosiah 1:2).

But, what did Enos mean when he wrote his father taught him “in his language”?  This is something we would expect, so why did Enos make a point of telling us this?

Enos was passing on information about how the Book of Mormon was written. 

The phrase language of his fathers does not occur in the Bible. In the Book of Mormon, language generally refers to speech or words ... and also in a more technical sense, to a system of written communication … Speculation as to what Benjamin meant by the language of his fathers has varied. Apparently Benjamin taught his sons Egyptian and … Nephi "choose to record his message … in a world language rather than in his own tribal Hebrew" (Nibley, Lehi in the Desert/The World of the Jaredites/There Were Jaredites, 1994, 17). He may also have taught them Hebrew or other language…[1]

John L. Sorenson explains further.

Evidently, full mastery of the Nephite script system required that the meanings of hundreds of characters had to be committed to memory, along with a knowledge of their symbolic, geographical, and mythological backgrounds and contexts (compare Enos 1:1 and Mosiah 9:1).[2]

Robert Smith explains the use of Egyptian in the record. 

Since Israelites (and Canaanites) had had close political, commercial, and cultural ties with Egypt during much of the previous thousand years or so, and since this included Hebrew settlements in Egypt, it should not seem odd that the brass plates of Laban were engraved in Egyptian or that Nephi and his successors kept their records in Egyptian (1 Nephi 1:2; Enos 1:1; Mosiah 1:2–6; Mormon 9:32–34).²⁹ After all, foreigners had been learning Egyptian since at least the time of the Twelfth Dynasty.[3] 

Enos wants to share with us “the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.”  The choice of words may tell us something about Enos.  It is possible “Enos had his ancestor Jacob in mind is found in his words ‘I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God’ (Enos 1:2). In Hebrew the words before God would be liphney el, literally ‘to the face of God.’ The name of the place where Jacob wrestled all night, Peniel, is from the same Hebrew phrase. ‘And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved’ (Genesis 32:30).”^[4]

Enos’s story begins with him hunting beasts “in the wilderness.”  “A surprising part of the Book of Mormon history takes place in the wilderness. Of the first generation we have already said enough. In the second generation we find the righteous Enos hearing the words of the Lord as he "went to hunt beasts in the forests" (Enos 1:3).”[5]

During this time of solitude, Enos had been contemplating his father’s teachings.  He specifically was considering the words he spoke “concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints.”  They had made a great impression on him.

His soul hungering, Enos followed his father’s advice.  Jacob had taught, “Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.  Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness” (2 Nephi 9:51).

He got on his knee and cried to the Lord.  He pleaded for forgiveness.  He prayed all day long and through the night.  Hugh Nibley described Enos’s wrestle before God.

He had to come to peace with himself. It is an intensely personal story. If he had nothing better to do than to hunt by himself, he was wasting his talents and he knew it: he knows he is missing something, that this is not what he should be doing—his father had told him about that. "And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul" (Enos 1:4). He prayed all night long, determined to find release from an intolerable situation.[6]

And finally, the wrestle ended.  He heard the voice of the Lord.  “Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.”  David wrote about pleading with the Lord.  “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul” (Psalms 138:3).

Clifford Jones explains why Enos received his forgiveness.

It is true that Enos received revelations while hunting, but only after the teachings of his father "sunk deep into" his heart and his soul "hungered" such that he prayed fervently to the Lord (Enos 1:3–5).[7]

The Savior made this clear.  “And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 12:6).

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[1] Complete Text of Benjamin's Speech with Notes and Comments, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2014.

[2] Mormon's Sources, John L. Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2014.

[3] Epistolary Form in the Book of Mormon, Robert F. Smith, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2014.

[4] FARMS Update - Jacob and Enos: Wrestling before God, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2014.

[5] The Nature of Book of Mormon Society, Hugh Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2014.

[6] The Book of Mormon: Forty Years After, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2014.

[7] The Great and Marvelous Change: An Alternate Interpretation, Clifford P. Jones, Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2014.