1 AND now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in
athis part of my record; neither at any time shall I give
it after upon these bplates which I am
cwriting; for it is given in the record which has
been kept by my
dfathera;
wherefore, I do not write it in this work.
2 For it sufficeth me to say that we are descendants of
aJosepha.
3 And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full
account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon
athese plates, for I desire the room that I may write of
the things of God.
The Record of Lehi
We would have had additional information from this
record of Lehi which would most likely tie the Book of Mormon in more closely
with the times of King Zedekiah and preceding kings and more particularly
integrate the Book of Mormon record into those times and Biblical events. As
it was, according to the 1830 original Book of Mormon Preface, that record
which was known as the Book of Lehi as abridged by Mormon was lost. And it
may well be likely that in that abridgment Mormon may have provided or even
began that record with the genealogy of Lehi, including those family
relationships with the family of Ishmael as spoken of by Erastus Snow and
attributed to Joseph Smith's own further report. (see Journal of Discourses,
vol. 23, pp. 184, 185 and/or Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Volume 1, p.
260-261 or click link: Lehi's Record)
". . . I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God,
and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen
pages, the which I took from the Book of
Lehi, which was an account abridged from the
plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some
person or persons have stolen and kept from me . . ."
(1830 Book of Mormon Preface)
Though variously surmised and reported just what was on the 116 lost pages,
here it seems to be stated plainly that it was that abridgment from the plates
of record of Lehi called the Book of Lehi which Mormon had made. Thus we may
suppose that when Joseph Smith again began to tranlate with the small plates
of Nephi which we have in the Book of Mormon today, he did not return to
Mormon's abridgment exactly where he left of after translating the abridged
Book of Lehi, but he jumped in Mormon's abridgment to where it matched with
the ending of the small plates of Nephi at the time of King Benjamin and the
Book of Mosiah. Thus more than the abridged Book of Lehi is gone from Mormon's
abridgment, from the end of the Book of Lehi to the beginning of the Book of
Mosiah, which would include the record of the Nephite kings from Nephi to
King Benjamin as contained on the large plates of Nephi as so abridged by
Mormon from that 'large plated of Nephi' record.
It is also interesting to note here that Lehi also recorded his
record upon plates of metal ore as were the plates of brass obtained from
Laban and the two sets of plates of Nephi and the abridged plates of Mormon,
as well as those Jaredite 24 plates of gold, and also plates which Moroni
had added. Thus
there are a number of sets of plates. And Lehi either was also a metalurgist
and engravor of plates or perhaps Nephi made him his plates and another, Zoram
or Nephi engraved them for him according to his dictates as Lehi's scribe.
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1a record which has been kept by my
father Lehi kept his own record as stated here by Nephi. We do
not hear much of it as Mormon took his abridgment from the plates of Nephi.
Nephi kept his large plates which became the record kept by the Nephite
kings and his small plates which was a record of the more spiritual and
precious things. Nephi would have consulted his father's record, but that
record appears to be separate from the compiled Book of Mormon record. And
though the lost 116 pages has been called the 'Book of Lehi' being that it
was taken from the time of Lehi, and included a parallel history of Lehi,
we may not presume incorrectly that the 116 pages was taken from this record
of Lehi which Nephi here alludes to. For the 116 pages was that abridgment
of Mormon taken from the large plates of Nephi. It is not the abridgment of
Mormon of the record of Lehi. Though we may presume a parallel account with
Nephi having consulted his father's record in the preparation of his own
sets of plates.
2a it sufficeth me to say that we are
descendants of Joseph Now Nephi, like other such prophets, had
seen that vision of all. But whether merely seeing that vision without the
further explanations of the spirit are sufficent to understand all things is
of question. Why Nephi would not disclose that Lehi's family was a descentant
of Manasseh and not of the covenant firstborn Ephraim is to be considered.
Perhaps that which Nephi was restricted to reveal was that nature of the
promised land that while is was unto all the remnant of Joseph, that it was
specific to the leadership of 'Ephraim' in the latter-days in their
responsibility to take the gospel to all the nations of the earth to their
blessing according to the covenant of Abraham. And while Nephi and Lehi were
somewhat influenced by that 'Jewish perspective' which emphasized the Jews
over all the other tribes, certainly Lehi and Nephi must have understood that
if was the covenant birthright of Abraham and the fathers which extended
past Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and continued on down through Joseph (D&C 27:10)
and Ephraim (see Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben
Joseph). But for what purpose would Nephi not make plain that greater
blessing upon Joseph which continued in the promised land and that Christ
was of Joseph? Could it be that until the latter-day gospel had a change to
roll forth within the 'philosophies of the world', it was necessary to keep
such from being given to understanding as per the added conflict and
persecution against the latter-day saints that such a 'non-traditional' view
would have provoked? Joseph Smith himself indicated that there were many
things which were revealed unto him which he understood that he could not
reveal as they would be even too much of a test of the saints to receive
them and likely because of their own 'traditional Christian' backgrounds
which would have caused them to fall out and dwendle in unbelief. It such as
the truth of the 'hiden Messiah' being actual of the Covenant linage of
Joseph and Ephraim one such currently unrevealed doctrine which must wait
perhaps until the coming forth of the plates of brass where Joseph's and
Ephraim's position in the gospel is to be further revealed and established
beyond the 'doctrines of the Jews and Traditional Christianity'?
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1a
2 Ne. 4:15
b
1 Ne. 9:2
c
TG
Scriptures, Writing of
d
1 Ne. 1:17 (16-17);
1 Ne. 19:1-6
2a
1 Ne. 5:16 (14-16)
3a
Jacob 7:27;
Jarom 1:2, 14;
Omni 1:1, 30
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Records Analysis I
The Book of Mormon is an abridged and compiled record taken from many
sources. Though all such sources are not analyzed in their entirety, the
following graphic and discussion is designed to identify a number of the
major record sources and relationship for a greater understanding as to just
what the Book of Mormon is made up of and consists of.
Old Testament: The Old Testament records have been compiled and preserved by
the hand of the Jews. Through time and process, items have been edited,
abridged, lost and even purposefully altered. Yet the Old Testament
represents a parallel record inter-related to the plates of brass.
Plates of Brass: The Plates of Brass have been compiled and preserved by
the hand of the descendants of Joseph. Though they contain many of the same
books and records as did the record of the Jews and even became closely
paralleled during the time when the remant of Joseph lived among the Jews, it
has a number of distinct differences. It preserved the genealogies of Joseph
down to the time of Lehi who was a likely near relative to Laban, who was
also a descendant of Joseph and whose family had kept the record. It also
contained a number of 'Ephraimite' related prophet records which was not
appearently had in the record maintained by the Jews, namely Zenos, Zenock,
Neum, and Ezias (see 1 Nephi 19:10 & Helaman 8:19-20). It also contained the
prophecies of Joseph which had been removed or lost from the first Book of
Moses by the Jewish compilers (see 2 Nephi 3:5-15 and JST Genesis 50:24-38).
It also evidently contained a more complete and correct record of the Messiah
than has been preserved in the Jewish maintained record, as Moses is stated
in the Book of Mormon to have clearly and plainly taught about Jesus Christ,
which the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible confirms (See
Moses 1:6, 13, 16, 21, 32, 33; Moses 2:1, 26-27 (JST Genesis 1:2, 27, 29;
Moses 3:18 (JST Genesis 2:23); Moses 4:1, 3, 28 (JST Genesis 3:1, 4, 28);
Moses 5:7, 9 (JST Genesis 4:7, 9); Moses 5:57 (JST Genesis 5:43);
Moses 6:52, 57 (JST Genesis 6:53, 60); Moses 7:50 (JST Genesis 7:57);
JST Genesis 8:11; Helaman 8:14-15; Alma 33:19-22). What further
truths will be found in the Plates of Brass which were not preserved by the
Jews will come to be known when the Plates of Brass are brought forth in the
due time of the Lord as they are promised to one day be had among us.
Record of Ether: The record of Ether, evidently taken from 24 plates of gold,
contains the record of the Jaredites as recorded by Ether and a record of the
'Vision of All' as received by Mahonri Moriancumr, the brother of Jared. King
Mosiah II translated that record and the Book of Mormon also stated that
Moroni also translated it. The 'Vision of All' as so preserved we understand
to be had in the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon. Whether that sealed
portions contains Ethers plates and the two Nephite translations of them, is
not known for sure. But we are assured that it does at least contain that
'Vision of All' which will one day be translated and revealed to man in the
due time of the Lord. (See Mosiah 8:9; Mosiah 21:27; Mosiah 22:14; Mosiah 28:11;
Alma 37:21-32, Ether 1:2; Ether 3:22; Ether 4:1)
Record of Lehi: Lehi made his own record which Nephi alludes to in
this current chapter of 1 Nephi (1 Nephi 6:1). Nephi certainly would have
drawn upon his father's record and may be the prime source of such chapters
as 1 Nephi 8, Lehi's Dream and 2 Nephi 3, Lehi's blessing of his son Joseph.
Large Plates of Nephi: Upon arriving in the Land of Promise, Nephi was
instructed of the Lord to make his own record (1 Nephi 19:1). He did so and
it became known as the Large Plates of Nephi which became the record of the
Nephite Kings. Mormon primarily basis his commanded abridgment upon this set
of plates, though there is some question as to what other sets Mormon may
have also referenced such as the record of Zeniff (See Mosiah 8:5;
Mosiah 22:14) and the Sons of Mosiah (Alma 17-26).
Small Plates of Nephi: For a wise purpose in the Lord, Nephi was
further commanded about 570 B.C. (See 2 Nephi 5:30), at the time of the
building of the first temple of Nephi, to prepare a parallel record of the
more spiritual and precious thing. This record became known as the Small
Plates of Nephi and due to the lost of the first 116 pages of the Mormon
Abridgment, became the source of the first six books in our current Book of
Mormon.
Abridgment of Mormon: Mormon, who lived from about 310 B.C. to some
time after 384 B.C., was commanded to abbridge the Nephite records, which he
did primarily from the Large Plates of Nephi. He wrote as part of the
Large Plates of Nephi, his own contemporary history in a more complete form
than we have in the Book of Mormon. As part of the abridgment of the
Large Plate of Nephi, Mormon abridged his own Large Plated Record into the
highly condensed few chapters we have withing the Book of Mormon under the
title of his own name.
Few Plates of Moroni: At the close of the great battle of Cumorah, Mormon
gave his son a 'few plates' and commanded him to write upon them the ending
chapters of the Nephites. Moroni wrote two chapters in his father's small
abridged book and latter wrote a small book of his own under his own name.
Abridgment of Moroni: Moroni first translated the record of the Jaredites,
the 24 golden plates of Ether. He then prepared an abridgment of that
translation which provides a historical sketch of the Jaredite people and so
significant gospel related material of great importance.
Book of Mormon Plates: We understand that the Book of Mormon plates
consisted of Mormon's abridgment taken primarily from the Large Plates of
Nephi. Mormon found and added Nephi's Small Plates record for a wise purpose
in the Lord to the Book of Mormon plates. Moroni added his few plates
consisting of his own record and an abridged record of the Jaredites. The
sealed portion of records contained the 'Vision of All', the presumed 24
golden plates of Ether, and possibly translations of them.
116 Pages: Joseph Smith first began translation of Mormon's abridgment.
The first portion of this translation was lost by Martin Harris and because
of the evil designs of men, the Lord never had Joseph retranslate that
which was lost. Instead, the Lord had Joseph use the prepared parallel record
of the Small Plates of Nephi.
Book of Lehi: We are told by Apostle Erastus Snow that the 116 page portion
of the Book of Mormon that was lost bore the title of 'The Book of Lehi'.
This would have meant that the record began with a history of Lehi. It was
not the same as the Record of Lehi which Lehi had written. It was Nephi's
parallel record upon the Large Plates of Nephi which Mormon had taken his
abridgment from of the time of Lehi's life and event.
The Book of Mormon: The Book of Mormon that we have today consists of
Nephi's prepared Small Plates of Nephi. This record was hand down to Nephi's
brother Jacob and through his descendants until it came into the hand of King
Benjamin, the son of King Mosiah I. Independant of where Joseph Smith had
stopped translating when the 116 pages were lost, the Lord had Joseph Smith
begin translation in the abridgement of Mormon with the Book of Mosiah and
this same King Benjamin to whom the small plates where given to. What else
may or may not have been between the Book of Lehi and the Book of Mosiah,
we can only speculate upon. It may be that a significant portion of the
abridgment of Mormon was thus never translated as it was replaced by the
Small Plates of Nephi.
As a contibuting factor to one's testimony of the truth of the Book of Mormon
is this fact of the various records and their complexity which have gone into
the Book of Mormon. What writer of fiction could or would have ever conceived
of such? But this is only a contributing factor, as one's real testimony of
the book must come through the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost. Reason and
logic fail in the halls of the debates of men who contend upon various supposed
facts to conclude their opposing opinions. Only the sure word of God and
the sure witness of the Spirit to the inner Spirit of man can atest to what
is and what is not really true and of God.
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4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may
apersuade men to bcome unto the God of
Abrahama, and the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob, and be saved.
5 Wherefore, the things which are apleasing unto
the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto
those who are not of the world.
6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth
unto the children of men.
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4a mine intend is that I may persuade
men to come unto the God of Abraham The prophet Nephi exemplifies
the attributes of Godliness in word and action. Here one of the Godly
attributes of the principles of righteousness which was pronounced in action
by the life of the Savior and recorded as one of the required attibutes of
character to administer the power of the priesthood of God, is that of
persuasion (see D&C 121:41). God will force no man to heaven. Men are to
exercise their freedom of agency. God will encourage and persuade but not
force the human sole or mind against it own free will and agency.
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4a
Luke 1:4 (3-4);
John 20:31 (30-31)
b
2 Ne. 9:41, 45, 51
5a
Gal. 1:10;
1 Thes. 2:4;
Heb. 13:21;
W of M 1:4
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CHAPTER 6