Who was this Laban
with whom they were going to meet? “Laban of Jerusalem epitomizes the seamy
side of the world of 600 B.C. as well as Lehi or Jeremiah or Solon do the other
side. With a few deft and telling touches Nephi resurrects the pompous Laban
with photographic perfection – as only one who actually knew the man could have
done. We learn in passing that Laban commanded a garrison of fifty, that he met
in full ceremonial armor with ‘the elders of the Jews’ for secret consultations
by night, that he had control of the treasury, that he was of the old
aristocracy, being a distant relative of Lehi himself, that his house was a
depository of very old family records, that he was a large man, short-tempered,
crafty, and dangerous, and to the bargain cruel, greedy, unscrupulous, weak,
vainglorious, and given to drink.”[1]
Having arrived in
the land of Jerusalem, the brothers had to decide who would go to Laban. At
this point, Laman appears to be in charge. He will determine who will go and
ask Laban for the plates. He apparently is reluctant to decide, so he has them
cast lots to determine who will go. The Lord wanted to demonstrate to Laman
this was a hard and possibly impossible task. When they eventually get the
plates, the Lord is demonstrating to Laman they only way they could get the
plates was through the Lord’s intervention.[2]
The brothers, “in
the immemorial and inevitable manner of the desert, drew lots to see who would
go in to Laban.”[3] The
lot fell to Laman. It was appropriate Laman, as the oldest son, first attempt
to obtain the plates.[4]
Laman went to Laban
and made the request for the plates of brass.
We have no idea what
occurred during Laman’s meeting with Laban. What we do know is that, for some
reason, Laban became angry at Laman. He accused him of being a robber and
threatened to kill him. “Since Laban had falsely accused Laman of being a ‘robber’
(a serious capital offense) and had sent his soldiers to execute the sons
of Lehi on this pretext (1 Nephi 3:13, 25), Laban effectively stood as a false
accuser. Such an accusation, coming from a commanding officer of the city, was
more than an idle insult; it carried the force of a legal indictment. Since
Nephi and his brothers were powerless to rectify that wrong, God was left to
discharge justice against Laban.”[5]
Laman was able to
escape and return to his brothers in their place of hiding. He and his brothers
were ready to call it quits and return home without the plates.
Why was Laban
persistent in his efforts to keep the plates? It is obvious he considered them
important. It is here we get a sense that records are important in Jerusalem at
this time. Through the records we get a sense of history. They also give a
sense of the right of leadership to he who possessed the plates.[6]
Laban takes glory in
his power. He has an army who will follow his commands. His actions are those
of a wicked man. The Lord does give him chances to give up record but
he’s not willing because of greed for both power and money and position.[7]
We will learn that Laban’s genealogy ties into Lehi’s at
some point. They are probably are distant relatives.[8]
How did Laban end up with the plates? They were a record of
Joseph which started with a prophet ended up in hands of wicked man whose
society is in apostasy. The Babylonians would look for records like this. By
destroying them, they would destroy a culture and a people by getting rid of
heritage by destroying their records.[9]
Nephi, however, was
not ready to give up. “[W]e will not go down unto our father in the wilderness
until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us” (1 Nephi
3:15). He encouraged them to be faithful and to keep the Lord’s commandments. He
then told them to return “to the land of their father’s inheritance.” This
tells us that Lehi did not live in the Jerusalem proper. In fact, the land in
question was probably not a part of the land of Jerusalem.
He reminded his
brothers that Lehi knew Jerusalem would be destroyed. The people rejected the
prophets and had become a wicked people. The Lord commanded Lehi to take his
family and escape the destruction of Jerusalem.
He told them that
they must have the records to “preserve unto our children the language of our
fathers” (1 Nephi 3:19). This turns out to be an incorrect assumption on Nephi’s
part. King Benjamin would explain the importance of the plates to his sons.
“And [King Benjamin]
also taught [his three sons] concerning the records which were engraven on the
plates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it
not for these plates, which contain these records and these commandments, we
must have suffered in ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the
mysteries of God.
“For it were not
possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have
taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for
he having been taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read
these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach
them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to
this present time” (Mosiah 1:3–4).
Nephi was correct
when he told them that the words of the prophets must be preserved. Nephi
convinces his brothers to go back to their home, get their wealth, and use it
to purchase the brass plates. In verses 22-23, we read they left Jerusalem and “went
down” to their former residence. Having gathered things together, they left and
“went up” again into Jerusalem. From this, we can imply Lehi’s residence was
not in Jerusalem but some distance outside the city.
Earlier in the
record, Nephi referred to this land as “the land of our father’s inheritance.” In
verse 22, Nephi refers to this as “the land of our inheritance.” Apparently, it
was intended this land was to be passed on to his sons.[10]
[2] Discussions on the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3-7, KBYU,
Dr. Clyde Williams.
[4] Discussions on the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3-7, KBYU,
Dr. Paul Hoskisson.
[6] Discussions on the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3-7, KBYU,
Dr. Gaye Stratheran.
[7] Discussions on the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3-7, KBYU,
Dr. Clyde Williams.
[8] Discussions on the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3-7, KBYU,
Dr. Paul Hoskisson.
[9] Discussions on the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3-7, KBYU,
Dr. Clyde Williams.
[10] Lehi’s House at
Jerusalem and the Land of His Inheritance, Jeffrey R. Chadwick, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute.
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