Nephi Obtains the Scriptures but it Wasn't Easy

I am back folks. I had to take some time off to finish up the semester. I apologize for leaving you hanging. It is time to find out what Nephi is going to do to pry the records out of Laban's greedy hands.

As you know I love the back-story. At this time in history the Jews were in dire straights. They have already been invaded by Babylon, the temple, as well as the population, has been pillaged. It is no wonder that the few precious things that remained from the temple were entrusted to a treasurer. It is my opinion (and only my opinion) that Laban was that person. As such he doesn't have ownership rights to the objects, including the scriptures, in his possession. It is apparent that Laban has forgotten that his is a sacred trust given to him by the people.

And now for the story....

Nephi turns to his brothers and gives them a pep talk beginning with "Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?" "Let's be strong like unto Moses," he says. "We have seen an angel," he reminds." "Let us go up: the Lord is able to deliver us!" "Ready break!" (Just kidding about that last part.) True to form Laman and Lemuel are still grousing but go to Jerusalem they did.

When they arrived outside the walls of the city Nephi instructed his brothers to hide and wait. I will let Nephi tell you the rest of the story in his own words:

"I, Nephi crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban. And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine. And When I came to him I found that it was Laban! I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel..."

OK I have to interject something here. Imagine Nephi at this point. He is young. He is alone and he has no idea how he is going to accomplish the task he has been given. When he sees Laban wallowing in a drunken stupor young Nephi does what many young men would do. He is distracted for a moment and takes a look at the cool awesome sword. He has no idea what is coming. Back to our story.

"And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban! But I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of a man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him."

Me again. Laban has threatened the brothers' lives and stolen from them. According to Mosaic law Laban has sealed his fate but Nephi is appalled at the idea of killing a man so the Holy Ghost has to really talk Nephi into it.

" And it came to pass the the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief."

Now Nephi gets the message. He knows that his family has been commanded to go to a new land and become a new civilization. He knows that if they don't have the scriptures they will not know God or his commandments or his prophets or his laws. The future of his people hinges on getting the scriptures and he has to do what he has to do. Sooooo......

"Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit and took Laban by the hair of the head and I smote off his head with his own sword. And after I had smitten off his head...I took the garments of Laban and put them upon my own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor..."

Nephi now has the plan fully in mind. He goes to Laban's house and meets up with Laban's servant who, of course, thinks that he is seeing his boss. Nephi tells the servant that he needs to take the engravings out to the city walls. Zoram, the servant, walks with Nephi to the treasury, chatting all the way about this and that. They get the plates and walk to the edge of town where Laman, Lemuel and Sam see Nephi and freak out. They run off in terror thinking that Laban has killed Nephi and was now coming after them. Nephi says, "And it came to pass that I called after them and they did hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence." Now Zoram knows the jig is up and he starts to freak out and shake all over and was about to take off back to the city but Nephi grabs him and talks Zoram into going back to camp with them and joining in the journey. Nephi promises with an oath that Zoram has nothing to fear. Zoram agrees and swears an oath that he will remain with Nephi and his family from that time forth.

Nephi is no fool. He knows that if Zoram goes back to the city he will spread the word about what has happened and Nephi & company will be running for their lives again. Zoram is no fool either. His master is dead and the engraved scriptures are gone. His head is probably going on the chopping block if he goes back to Jerusalem.

Nephi finishes the story, "And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness and journeyed unto the tent of our father."

When I first read this part of the Book of Mormon my reaction was pretty much the same as Nephi's. I thought, "Eeegad, is this really necessary?" You will find out as I did that it was absolutely necessary. Keep this story in mind when we get to the part where the risen Christ visits the Nephites 600 years later. Christ specifically asks to see the Nephites scriptures. But more on that later.

What would you do to keep the commandments of God? Right here and right now could God ask you to do anything and know that you wouldn't let him down? Does God still require that kind of devotion and obedience today? Good questions.

See you back at Lehi's camp. By the way, Zoram turns out to be no prize in the future. His people are always at the center of the Nephites troubles.