Lehi’s Brass Plates

By Don R. Hender

Many Scholars agree that it is Ezekiel who should be credited for the compilation and preservation of the bulk of the records of the Bible. When Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews taken to Babylon for the fourth and final time, it was Ezekiel who was the prophet in Babylon. Besides the fourth and last group which includes Zedekiah, three groups had earlier so parted, first during the reign of Jehoaikim when Daniel was taken, second at the end of the reign of Jehoiakim when Ezekiel was likely taken and Jehoiakim died along the way, and thrid when Jehoiachin was taken with even additional others to Babylon. In the days of Zedekiah, Ezekiel was the recognized prophet who wrote letters back to Jerusalem against whose prophecies Jeremiah’s were compared.

While in Babylon, the Lord had commanded Ezekiel to write the record of the Jews. Because of the upheaval of the day in Jerusalem being destroyed and carried away to Babylon, the Jewish records were in fragmented status and in great need of a compiler of them with authority from God. As its most likely primary compiler of that day, Ezekiel may be thought of as the Mormon of the Jews, who compiled and edited with commentary the records of the Jews down to and including many of the writings of Jeremiah. Of course after the Babylonian captivity other Jewish scribes continued to write and thus there is a small compilation of records after Ezekiel’s day.

Now the commandment given to Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 37 verses 16 and on, was not the first time that such a commandment had been given. Joseph of Egypt had received such a commandment (See JST Genesis 50:31). Now it may be considered that the brass plates of Laban may well have been that record which had been commanded of the fruit of the loins of Joseph to write, for the Book of Mormon so states that it was because that Laban was of the seed of Joseph that he did keep the record (1 Nephi 5:16).

Thus it is that the Brass Plates may well be the more extended Record of Joseph beyond the current representation of it that we have in the Book of Mormon. Even all of the extended records of the Nephites may well be included in this consideration. The Book of Mormon is but an abridgment taken from the Large Plates of Nephi and Nephi did take much of his understanding and writings from the Brass Plates, all a part of the writings of the seed of Joseph of Egypt. Even the scriptures of the Church to day may well be included in that greater extended writings of the seed of Joseph.

To help substantiate this further, the brass plates did not only contain the same type of writings from Moses as did the Bible, but the Book of Mormon contained both an extended and more detailed genealogy of the descendants of Joseph, thus Lehi found his own genealogy in it; and also, the brass plates contained prophets particular to the seed of Joseph, such as Zenos, Zenock and others who were even so stated to be actual ancestors to the remnant of the people of the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 10:16-17). And thus we have the brass plates being very particular to the seed of Joseph, being keep by the seed of Joseph.

Now the Record of Joseph and the Record of Judah are to be joined together and become one record. But it is quite interesting that that which is to come forth as the Record of Joseph is that which will correct the errors, confound the false doctrines and return much that has been taken out of the record of Judah. Thus in truth, the Record of Joseph needs be the most correct book upon the earth, for it even corrects the Bible.