Supplimental Reading for Nephi 4-6

Here's just a few quick notes to ponder while discussing these chapters. First, we see again Nephi using an oath commonly found amoung middle eastern peoples. After Zoram finds out the Nephi is not Laban, he tries to run away. He is caught by Nephi but continues to struggle until Nephi says "as the Lord liveth, and as I live...we would spare his life".

Once again Nephi swears by both his life and the Lords. And this seemingly simple phrase calms Zoram and convinces him to listen to Nephi and ultimately go with him. This is because of the emphasis and power placed on this type of oath. No one in that time would have considered breaking such a solemn covenant, and that idea has persisted through to our times. Hugh Nibly stated that "Hardly will an Arab break his oath, even if his life be in jeopardy, for there is nothing stronger, and nothing more sacred than the oath among the nomads."

One other note concerns the brass plates. We all know that the Lord, and consequently Lehi and Nephi, thought the brass plates were important. This is because the plates contained their religious teachings and prophecies from Adam to their current time. It also contained the Law of Moses and the 5 books of Moses, which were some of the most important scriptures to the Jewish people. Further, the plates recorded genealogy the Lehi's ancestors. When we look at the effect the plates had on the Nephites, we can see how their teaching were able to stay in line with the doctrines of the gospel and their language was preserved. This contrasts with the Mulekites, who left Jerusalem about 11 years after Lehi, but did not have access to any scripture. When the 2 civilizations eventually came together, the Mulekites had lost their language, religion, and civilization. It's amazing just what having the scriptures will do for a people!!