Book of Mormon Feast
An Internet Tour of 1 Nephi 4
1 And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: 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?
Nephi and Goliath: A Reappraisal of the Use of the Old Testament in First Nephi
FAIR Mormon Conference 2001, by Ben McGuire
2 Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.
Joshua Crockett
3 Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.
Lessons from the Loaves
4 Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.
KnoWhy #7: Did Jerusalem Have Walls Around It?
Book of Mormon Central
5 And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.
Interesting Language Use of “I, [Name],” throughout the Book of Mormon
6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.
Not Knowing Beforehand – the Power of Revelatory Faith
comments by James E. Faust, Richard G. Scott, and Boyd K. Packer
Not Knowing Beforehand the Things Which I Should Do
Curt Dahl
“Not Knowing Beforehand” – An Adventure in Letting Go – Step 3
Twelve Step Reflections – Addiction Recovery, Healing, and Prevention – Notes from Nannette Wiggins
7 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.
Lyle Cottle, Devotional Speech given at BYU Hawaii October 12, 2012
Brother Cottle shares gripping stories of when he was guided by the Spirit
8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.
9 And 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.
“The Workmanship Thereof Was Exceedingly Fine”
John A. Tvedtnes, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, Volume 6 Number 1
10 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 man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.
Killing Laban: The Birth of Sovereignty in the Nephite Constitutional Order
Val Larson, 2007. Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies
11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 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.
14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.
The Ancient Temple Is Associated with Abundance and Prosperity
LeGrand L. Baker, Book of Mormon Central
An examination of the code-
15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.
Why Did Nephi Have to Kill Laban?
By Lisa Teixeira, Mormon Hub
Gives an allegorical understanding of this true story.
16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.
The Brass Plates of Laban in Jerusalem Prior to the Invasion of Babylon
Evidences of the Book of Mormon
17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause
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18 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.
Baby Steps – Come Study with Us
Nephi’s Honorable Execution of Laban
Mormon Chronicle
The Justified Slaying of Laban, by Steve Reed
One Climbs
A Libertarian Analysis of the Slaying of Laban
Defiant Saint
19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.
20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into the treasury.
21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.
22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.
Scripture Study 1 Nephi 4:21-
Families.com
23 And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.
24 And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who were without the walls.
25 And I also bade him that he should follow me.
26 And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church, and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he did follow me.
27 And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the walls.
Character of the Jewish Elders in Jerusalem in Nephi’s Day
Scriptorium Blogorium, by Michaela Stevens
28 And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.
29 And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.
30 And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem.
31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.
32 And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.
Recurrence in Book of Mormon Narratives
Richard Dilworth Rust, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 3/1 (1994): 39-
Abstract: Repetition appears purposefully within Book of Mormon narratives as a
principle of reinforcement and confirmation. It seems that every important action,
event, or character is repeated in the Book of Mormon. These repetitions emphasize
the law of witnesses at work within the book (e.g., “in the mouth of three witnesses
shall these things be established”; Ether 5:4). Further, they underscore the relevance
of one character or action to people living in a different time, and they link narratives
together with what Robert Alter calls “type-
33 And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us.
Five Principles to Live and Lead By
Paul E. Koelliker, LDS Business College Devotional, January 2006
Richard G. Peterson, Ensign February 2007
34 And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with us.
Jonathan Green, September 2009, Times and Seasons
35 And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth.
Dadzoo
36 Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.
37 And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him.
Scott D. Whiting, BYU Hawaii devotional speech, October 18, 2011
38 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.