Book of Mormon Commentary

Darwin on 1 Nephi 2

By Darwin Stull

1 Nephi 2:1 2013-06=24 21:12:10? Darwin wrote the following:

Lehi has another dream in which the Lord tells him he is blessed because of what he has done. Some of our evangelical friends claim to believe that all we have to do is “accept Christ,” and we will be saved. This verse teaches that we must not only accept and believe; we must act. The evangelicals also seem to believe that everyone will receive the same reward if they accept Christ, and everyone who rejects Him will receive the same punishment. I cannot believe that. There are many good people in the world who do many good things and help God’s children, even if they don’t believe in the Savior. Will they receive the same punishment as those who knowingly abuse others, steal from the poor, betray the weak and take advantage of their brothers? I think not! I see no justice in that. In Matthew 11:23-24 Jesus declares that “it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for [Capernaum]”

In his dream, Lehi is told that because he has been faithful and taught (declared to) the people, they seek to take away his life. A lot of prophets anciently, and even modern, have faced dangerous people, angry because the prophets called them to repentance. Lehi is being told he must leave or he will be killed. We will read later in the Book of Mormon that Lehi was not killed by the people, but he was persecuted, even by his own sons. I’m sure that Lehi bore some sorrow to his grave because of Laman and Lemuel.

People don?t much like to be told to repent, even when they know they are in need of change. It?s hard to hear that we have done wrong in God?s eyes. We tend to try to condemn the messenger apparently thinking that if we can destroy the messenger, the message becomes void and we can ignore it.

Citations: 1Nephi 2:1

In the previous post the citations for the chapter were all at the end.? In this post the citations will be after each verse or group of verses.

George F. Richards, President of Council of Twelve, October 1946

Elder Richards believed in dreams and referenced Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar?s dream, Genesis 42, Pharaoh?s dream and 1 Nephi 2:1. He also referenced Act 2:17 ? ??your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.?

Elder Richards said that because of a dream he had forty years earlier he had a love for the Savior such that ?? no matter what might be required at my hands, what the gospel might entail unto me, I would do what I should be asked to do, even to the laying down of my life.?

David A. Bednar, Member of the Twelve, April 2010

Elder Bednar spoke of early warnings and referenced 1 Nephi 2:1 saying ?Lehi was warned to leave Jerusalem and take his family into the wilderness because the people to whom he had declared repentance sought to kill him.

Robert D. Hales, Member of the Twelve, April 2013

Elder Hales taught about standing strong in holy places. He said that sometimes standing strong means avoiding or even fleeing from the world. ?The Savior declared, ?Get thee behind me, Satan.? Joseph of Egypt ran from the temptations of Potiphar?s wife and Lehi left behind Jerusalem and took his family into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 2:3 2013-06-24 22:09:35?Darwin wrote the following:

Lehi was obedient. This verse, like many others, starts with the phrase “And it came to pass.” Mark Twain supposedly ridiculed the Book of Mormon because of that phrase, yet the wording is strong evidence of the Book of Mormon’s Hebrew background. I will record more about that later in this journal/blog. I am not knowledgeable of Hebrew literature or writing styles, so I have to depend on the studies and knowledge of others.

Can we be obedient without doing as the Lord commands us? Perhaps we can be obedient to the rules and covenants of the church or of the scriptures, but fail to recognize the Lord’s commands to us personally

1 Nephi 2:4 2013-06-24 22:50:38?Darwin wrote the following:

Lehi left behind his house, the land of his inheritance, and his precious things. He only takes his family, provisions and tents. Is this supposed to be analogous of man’s leaving our heavenly home and entering mortality? Lehi only has enough to survive – we only have what we need in this life for basic survival. We didn’t even bring our memory of our the premortal world. Lehi’s tents may represent the shelter we have in the gospel. Again, we have what is essential. What more is there? Are there ordinances we don’t know which haven’t been revealed because they aren’t required, or we aren’t ready for them?

This verse is also a chiasmus; it begins with a short list of items, reaches a turning point, then repeats the list, or a similar list, in reverse order. It starts with Lehi departing into the wilderness. It ends with the same expression. The second item in the list is he left his house. The corresponding phrase is his tents. Next comes the land of inheritance versus provisions. Following are gold, silver and precious things balanced against family. The turning point in this verse is “he took nothing with him.” The focal point is that Lehi left everything behind except what was essential. Another way of expressing a chiasmus is as an outline.

A: Departed into the wilderness
B: Left house and Land
C: Left precious things
D: Took nothing
C: Except family
B: Provisions and Tents
A: Departed into the wilderness

The chiasmus structure is rarely found in non-Hebrew literature, or so I understand. Joseph Smith could not possibly have known of this literary construct.

The footnote on this verse refers to prophecies that the Savior will come six hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem.

Citations: 1 Nephi 2:4

L. Tom Perry, Member of the Twelve, October 1979

?? As you arise one morning, your father calls a family council. He states that he had a dream last night, and then makes a startling statement to you: ?Go get your sleeping bags and the tents. Just take what provisions we can carry on our backs. Don?t worry about the gold and silver and you precious things. We will have no room for them. I have been commanded by the Lord that we should depart into the wilderness.?

1 Nephi 2:6 2013-06-24 23:40:07?Darwin wrote the following:

Nephi continues his narrative of his father’s story. Lehi has taken his family three days into the wilderness. Certainly the tents or some shelter was set up each night. On the third night the tents were set up beside a river in a valley. As we read farther we will see that this looks more like a somewhat permanent camp. Lehi expected to stay here for a while. A three day hike from Jerusalem with family, tents and provisions was probably less than a one day ride on horseback for someone traveling light. As far as we know, Lehi had only been told to depart into the wilderness. So far, he did not know the final destination of his journey. He probably thought that he needed only go far enough that the Jews would not bother to follow him, and where he and his family would be safe from the coming destruction of Jerusalem and captivity of the Jews. Perhaps Lehi thought they would stay fairly close to Jerusalem for a few years, then return when the current crisis had passed. In the meantime, his family was protected in a valley, with a river, so they could grow crops. There was probably game available in this valley, and the tents provided shelter. Again the tents could be a metaphor for the gospel. Soon in our reading we will see that Lehi establishes a metaphorical reference for the river and the valley.

Citations:? 1Nephi 2:6

Delbert L. Stapley, Member of the Twelve, October 1971

Elder Stapley commented ?Many rivers have their beginnings from springs of pure, crystal clear water gushing from a mountainside. As the water wends its way to the sea, there are side tributaries that join the main stream. Some of these tributaries are polluted and contaminate the main stream, which started pure at its source. By the time the river reaches the sea, pollution has occurred in the body of the stream

1 Nephi 2:8 2013-06-30 19:39:24?Darwin wrote the following:

By naming the river after Laman, Lehi stresses the importance of Laman’s position in the family as the oldest son. Laman had a responsibility to help feed and provide for the family and to be resource, just as a river provides food and supports both plant and animal life in and around the river.

The river emptied into the Red Sea. When God created this earth, He separated the waters from the dry land and made rivers and streams on the first day after creating the earth itself, before light and darkness were separated. Nephi gives us a little geographical information by telling us that the valley was near the mouth of the river, so even though the family had only traveled three days, they must have arrived close to the Red Sea

1 Nephi 2:10 2013-06-30 20:02:50??Darwin wrote the following:

Lehi continues the analogy with Lemuel, charging him to be firm and steadfast as the valley. We are not specifically told that Lehi has named the valley Lemuel, but that would be a reasonable assumption. Lehi’s use of the word “firm” seems to refer to the strength or might of a man, according to the footnotes

1 Nephi 2:12 2013-07-08 01:51:46??Darwin wrote the following:

The two older sons murmur against their father. Again, Nephi speaks of “their” father rather than “our” father. Is this because Nephi wants to separate himself from his brothers, or is this simply the way the expression would be said in Hebrew? Nephi reminds us that Laman and Lemuel are the eldest. It was only a few verses back (verse 5) that Nephi told us that they were his elder brothers.

This reminds me of John 20:17 when the Resurrected Christ tells Mary to go to His brethren and tell them “I ascend unto my father, and your father; and to my God and your God.” I have long held that to be a gentle reminder that while Christ is our brother, He is still different from us. His body was subject to death only to the degree that He allowed it. God is Jesus’ Father just as He is the Father of us all, but He is also Jesus’ Father in a unique way – unlike He is to any of us.

We read that the reason Laman and Lemuel murmured was that they did not know the dealings of God. Elder Packer said “…The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.” (Conference – Oct 1986). In this verse we see that Laman and Lemuel did not know the dealings of God. Surely Lehi had taught them, but apparently they had not learned. Did they not know because they would not – because they refused to know?

We are told in Moses 4:6 that Satan knew not the mind of God. He had been in the Grand Council with the rest of us. How could he not know? Perhaps none of us, except Jehovah, really understood the plan. Maybe we all accepted it because we knew Heavenly Father and we knew that whatever He offered us would be for our good. Were we already walking by faith in pre-mortality?

In other writings Moses reminds us that we should be grateful to the Lord: “Is he not thy father, that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?” (Deut 32:6)

I like the fact that Nephi reminds us in this verse that God created us. He is not some idol that we created. He created us spiritually in the pre-mortal world, then created our physical bodies on this earth, then created us as eternal souls (body and spirit, united eternally) through the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I am sure Lehi taught his sons all of that, but Laman and Lemuel would not know.

Citations:? 1 Nephi 2:12

Bonnie D. Parkins, Former Relief Society General President, April 2007

?? Frequently we are oblivious to the Lord?s hand. We murmur, complain, resist, criticize; so often we are not grateful. In the Book of Mormon, we learn that those who murmur do not know ?the dealings of that God who ? created them.? The Lord counsels us not to murmur because it is then difficult for the Spirit to work with us.?

Neal A. Maxwell, Member of the Twelve, October 1999

I always enjoyed listening to Elder Maxwell speak. He was easy to listen to and used alliteration, metaphor, and irony in a way that made me want to listen to every word and learn every lesson. Every time I hear the hymn ?I Know That my Redeemer Lives? I think of Elder Maxwell?s promise made at our stake conference in Great Falls, Montana. He promised that when we heard that hymn we would remember the powerful Spirit we felt at that conference. It has been so for me. Rather than attempt to summarize his general conference address on Laman and Lemuel, I provide this link to that talk so it may be read in its entirety: “Lessons from Laman and Lemuel“?

1 Nephi 2:14 2013-07-08 02:16:22? Darwin wrote the following

Sometimes it?s necessary to reprove with sharpness. In D&C 121:43 we are counseled to reprove with sharpness when moved upon by the Holy Ghost.? That last phrase is important. I wonder how often I have sharply reproved my children without the prompting of the Holy Ghost.? Lehi was ?filled with the Spirit.?? The outcome of the reproof was that Laman?s and Lemuel?s frames shook, they were confounded and dared not utter against Lehi.? They obeyed Lehi, at least for a time.

This verse affirms that the valley mentioned in verses six and eight was named Lemuel. I think it was the custom of the Jews that when they settled an area or founded a city, the area or city was named after the founder, at least that was the custom of the people of Nephi (Alma 8:7). Naming the valley Lemuel must have been flattering to the son. Laman and Lemuel must have seen that Lehi showed them some deference over Nephi, perhaps only because they were older. At least we know that Lehi had not disowned Laman and Lemuel

1 Nephi 2:15? 2013-07-08 03:26:52? Darwin wrote the following:?

The shortest verse in the Book of Mormon. Again we have the analogy of the tent. This verse reminds us that Lehi had become nomadic; he no longer lived in a house, surrounded by treasures, lands, crops, flocks, etc. He gave up everything except his family and his protection against the elements of this world. We also need to give up everything that does not fit in our tent which is the church or the temple (Moses? tabernacle, or portable temple, was called the tent of the congregation, Exodus 39:32, etc.). As Lehi dwelt in a tent he was leading his family to the promised land. As we dwell within the gospel tent we can lead our families to the promised land. We may have members of our family who are reluctant or even rebellious. They may arrive, but not enjoy all of its bounty, or they may arrive and then leave (we?ll see more about that when we get to the Tree of Life). Laman and Lemuel made it to the promised land, but only while rebelling at nearly every turn.

Personal Thoughts and Comments 2013-07-08 23:20:42

I just did some quick calculations and realized that I will not live long enough to complete this study of the Book of Mormon at the pace I?m going. If I speed it up to one chapter a week, it will take 15 months just to study Alma, and over a year to get through First and Second Nephi. I?ll never reach 3 Nephi which is the center of this entire chiasmic book. If I study a chapter a day it will still take over two months for just Alma, but I may be able to finish before my grandchildren are old and gray. I must re-dedicate myself to this work. I feel that it is an important legacy.

Today Grandma and I gave our farewell testimonies at the Brazil MTC (CTM or CCM). We spoke in the monthly mission conference and were released from our assignments in a branch presidency and the Relief Society. We will still attend the MTC next Sunday and finish some assignments related to those callings (I will teach part of the priesthood lesson), then the following week we will attend one last time with our son and say our goodbyes to the amazing people we have worked with. I will miss the weekly blessing of being with the young missionaries. We don?t know what will be next for us, but we hope it will involve working with young adults or with adolescents.

1 Nephi 2:18 2013-07-09 01:44:55? Darwin wrote the following:

Again we see that those who seek to serve the Lord are saddened when others don?t. Nephi doesn?t ask for punishment for Laman and Lemuel; instead he prays for them. Once more the word ?pray? is not used. Nephi cries to the Lord for Laman and Lemuel.

Alma 31:24 shows the same quality in Alma. Alma was grieved when he saw that the Zoramites had their hearts set on gold and silver and that they were a ?wicked and a perverse? people.

3 Nephi 7:15 repeats the same message. Nephi (the prophet at the time of Christ?s mortal ministry) was grieved because of the hardness of the hearts of his people.

1 Nephi 2:20 2013-07-09 02:03:20??Darwin wrote the following:

The Lord gives Nephi some information that we have not seen before. As far as we know this is the first time a land of promise is mentioned to Lehi?s family. Are they not leaving the promised land? Wasn?t the land of Canaan given to the Israelites as a land of promise when they were rescued from Egypt? The land of promise had become a land of corruption because of the loss of faith. As I think about this I realize that the Jews did not seek or depend on personal revelation. They had built an entire culture based on the interpretations of the scriptures by some rabbis. They argued the points of the law. The boys and men were expected to defend their positions by citing the known and respected rabbis. This may work in a legal/judicial system, but it does not allow room for personal spiritual guidance. Fortunately Nephi was free to cry to the Lord and receive answers to his prayers. From this verse we now know that Nephi has the potential to prosper in a new land of promise.

Joshua 1:7 ? Joshua is counseled to follow a straight course so that ?thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.?

1 Nephi 4:14 ? Nephi changes his description of the Lord?s promise to him, saying that the promise was that his seed?would prosper in the land of promise if they kept the commandments. I don?t think this was really a change. The promises have always involved our seed. When the Lord gives me a promise it is given to my seed as well. Even the sealings in the temple are promises and covenants to us and to our seed.

As I think about lands of promise I realize that it means much more than a land of physical prosperity, though that is surely part of the covenant. A land of promise is a land where we can receive promises from the Lord if we are willing to keep our promises to Him. Perhaps wherever a temple stands is a land of promise. If we go to the temple we will receive promises including the promises of tithing: ?that there may be meat in mine house?, the devourer ?shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field.? While there are obvious spiritual analogies here, the physical promises also stand. (Malachi 3:11-12)

Citations:? 1 Nephi 2:20

Gregory A. Schwitzer, Member of the Seventy, April 2010

?The Book of Mormon, in addition to being another testament of Jesus Christ, is a book about the results of keeping and not keeping commandments.?

Russell M. Nelson, Member of the Twelve, April 1986

?Missionary work throughout the world is part of his plan. It brings the light of the gospel to those who embrace the truth. Then, as saints learn and obey the commandments of God, they will prosper. This promise has been recorded by prophets throughout time and in diverse places.?

1 Nephi 2:23 2013-07-09 02:10:46??Darwin wrote the following:

A warning to Nephi ? The seed of Lamen and Lemuel may have power over his seed if Nephi?s posterity also rebels against the Lord.

Mosiah 15:26 reminds us that those who willfully rebel against God have no part in the first resurrection.

D&C 41:1 ? Those that hear the Lord will receive the greatest of all blessings; those who don?t will receive the heaviest of all cursings.

Below are some additional Resources for Book of Mormon Study

Young Readers:? Book of Mormon Stories Videos?

Chapter 1- How we got the Book of Mormon,

Chapter 2 ?? Lehi warns the People