Time, Zedekiah, and the Book of Mormon
by Don R. Hender
The Book of Mormon begins its record with the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, at least as far as the Small Plates of Nephi are concerned. Just where the ‘Book of Lehi’, which was in the 116 pages that where lost, would have begun is another unknown question. Lehi may have began his story back in the days of King Josiah or even with his parents, but for the time being we just do not know. Where the First Book of Nephi begins is about 600 years before Christ which according to the Book of Mormon is the first year of the reign of King Zedekiah. And though the scholastic world of academia places the date some 3 years different, for a world where they still contend as to just when Christ was actually born, the Book of Mormon gives just as accurate a dating as can be expected.
What will be presented here is a 'speculative' if not somewhat dramatized outline of just what events were occurring, both in the Book of Mormon and in the Bible approximately at the same time in the days of Zedekiah. And while this type of presentation does take on some speculation and dramatization, there is enough fact and circumstantial evidence to such speculations that it is believed to be of benefit to more fully understanding and comprehendeing the Book of Mormon. That is at least in the opinion of this author. And if nothing else, it will expose others to such lines of thought and consideration to which they may not have here to fore been exposed. Hopefully new dialogs of thought just might be opened to reveal additional information of the subjects. So take this 'speculative, dramatized outline' of events with a grain of salt and for what it is worth. But do consider just what possibilities lies herein.
Now for a brief comment on the to major sources for the events of this time frame, being the days of Zedekiah. The primary Biblical source is obviously taken from the pages of the Book of Jeremiah. And as any good Bible scholar who is worth their salt knows, the chapters in Jeremiah are not arrange in a chronological order and there is some speculation as to just how the text should be arranged chronologically in this respect. Thus this author does take the liberty to so rearrange the events as recorded in Jeremiah to present a more logical chronological account of the events, agree or disagree as the reader might. The primary Book of Mormon source is obviously taken from the pages of the book of First Nephi. Nephi does not attempt to give a year by year record account that could be used to specifically associate Book of Mormon events with Biblical events. And here in lies much of the dramatization, as one has to ascertain, speculate, conclude, and even assume to made the associations time wise. Thus I have done and the result is placed here for your scrutiny and likely for your criticism which hopefully will be kind for any such attempt will assuredly not meet with complete approval upon anyone’s account. So I likely will completely satisfy no one but my self and that is enough.
Now Nephi does not write his record until he arrives in the Promised Land. So he is recalling the events of the lands of Jerusalem, perhaps with the aid of his father’s record. When the Book of Mormon begins, I’d guess Nephi was excedingly young about 10-11 years old in the first year of Zedekiah’s reign.
1st Year of Zedekiah
Zedekiah is made king by Nebuchadnezzar – In the midst of the reign of Jehoiakim about a half dozen years before Zedekiah, Danial was taken to Babylon. Most every one knows the story of Daniel and the rich food and how he and the three other youths impressed the King. By the juncture in time when Nebuchadnezzar returns to replace Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim. Nebuchadnezzar is likely of a favorable opinion concerning the God Jehovah and the religion of the Jews as he has been effected by Daniel's behavior. He is not a convert by any means, but he is likely impressed that Jehovah is a true God to the Jews. He may even be acting under the influence of Daniel the Prophet by this point in time if Daniel has received one of his early appointments under Nebuchadnezzar by now. Thus Nebuchadnezzar has Zedekiah swear and covenant with God Jehovah to an allegiance to Babylon and what seems to appear as a recommitment of the Jews of Jerusalem to live the Jewish Laws of Moses.
Zedekiah, though a weak person and king, may well have intended to return to the days of his father Josiah’s devotion to God in this process. A later passage in the 8th or 9th year of Zedekiah so indicates this to the mind of this author though academia has thought to read the passages to be contempory with the 8th and 9th year and not reflective of the past days of Zedekiah’s inauguration. Yet, the dated events do fit quite precisely for it to be so considered in respect to a curious set of possible events. So Zedekiah does according to Nebuchadnezzar’s prescribed design and in committing the Jews to the Law of Moses, Zedekiah includes the releasing of the Hebrew servants under Law of Moses which that law prescribes.
The Law of Moses states that after 7 years of servitude, Hebrews held as servants/slaves are to be released as free men. What significants the 7 years are is not known. Perhaps it was in memory of the 7 years plus 7 more year that Laban required of Jacob. And still Laban didn't wnat to let him go. Or perhaps it was the 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine and the Egyptian slavery being considered. Or perhaps it was the 7 days of the week and the Lord's day being remember. If someone knows let me know.
Now since this observance of letting Hebrew slaves was not likely to have been widely observed and practiced in the days of wicked Jehoiakim nor his son Jehoiachin’s short stay, such a release was now passed due at Zedekiah's inauguration for most all of the Hebrew slaves. And Zedekiah request was that all the Hebrew servants where to be released. And the Jews did release them all, at least temporarily and perhaps only while Nebuchadnezzar/Daniel were still there.
Thus Zedekiah’s reign begins on a highly favorable note of combining the Kingdom of Judah with the grand Kingdom of Babylon where Daniel the Prophet is either in or ready to be place in as second only to Nebuchadnezzar in authority and to rule over the Jews. Zedekiah himself has committed to be subject to Babylon and has placed the Jews under covenant to Jehovah to live the Law of Moses like unto his father Josiah in that Golden righteous age not long past. What a bright beginning. But it was all too short lived!
While it was the intention of Zedekiah to so run the kingdom as prescribed by Nebuchadnezzar being committed to the Law of Moses, it was not the desires of the ‘Princes’, ‘Rulers’, ‘Priests’ and 'Elders' of the Jews. And just as Laban had obtained double the work from Jacob, the rulers of the Jews where ready to so interpret a fine point of the Law. Since the covenant with Jehovah to live this particular facet of the Law of Moses was not ‘renewed’, that is it had not been entered into by passing through the parts of the sacrifical beast until just the present day, therefore the seven years should not begin to be counted except from that covenant date. Zedekiah, while Nebuchadnezzar was present had committed the people to an immediate release of the Hebrew slaves. And that was done, but it was to be very short lived. As soon as Nebuchadnezzar departed, the rulers, princes, and priest of the people presented the ‘finer interpreted point of the law’ that the seven years was to begin with the covenant date, and thus the Hebrew slaves would have to return to their masters for the next seven years, so did Laban trick Jacob of old.
Can you image? Laban of the Book of Mormon would have just released Zoram his Hebrew servant, and now Zoram among all the other released Hebrew slaves would now have to return to their master under the so interpreted technicality of the law. Lehi and Ishmael would have also released any such Hebrew servants in their charge. And when the degree came forth that all Hebrew slaves had to return to their masters, what a conflict it would have raised in a righteous man’s conscience. So was Lehi. So was Ishmael. Wisdom would however have to dictate that the servants had to return or be found in violation of the law. Lehi would have accepted his servants back but not as servants. He would have accepted them back as free equals, but with the appearance for the ‘Law’s’ sake that they had returned to him. Lehi’s servants would have been a most devoted people because of the righteous treatment they were receiving at Lehi’s hand. And this devotion would come into play later in an attempt at obtaining of the plates of Laban.
It was under such a circumstance of a departure from the covenant to live the Law of Moses which the people had just entered into, that Lehi retired to inquire of the Lord. He knew it was not right. He knew the Jewish leaders where leading them into the paths of wickedness. And he had some extreme questions that needed to be resolved by the Lord. Listen to the accounts of the scriptures of these events.
1 Ne. 1:4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
2 Chron. 36:15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
1 Ne 1:18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
1 Ne 2:1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
Thus the Lord answered Lehi. He called him to be a prophet unto the people to call them into repentance, which Lehi did with great vigor. During that time a number of other prophets also so spoke against the people. But Lehi was not just an average prophet. Before the end of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, the Jews, the leaders of the people, where up in arms over Lehi’s prophecies. For Lehi was no poor man’s son. He was a wealthy member of high Jewish society. He could not just be ignored. So they plotted to have him killed. Laban, Captain and commander of 50, associate of the 'Elders' of the Jews and relative of Lehi, was party to this plan as he implicates himself by his unlawful and belligerent treatment of Lehi's sons and the stealing of Lehi's wealth without fear of reprisal. The Lord warned Lehi and Lehi and his family took their provisions and depart into the wilderness.
Lehi’s party, consisting of his four young sons, his wife Sariah, and perhaps some younger daughters, traveled a couple of weeks, some 200 miles along the ‘Merchant’s Highway’ from Jerusalem to just North of the Gulf of Aqaba, the eastern arm of the Red Sea. From thence, Lehi departed from the road and traveled three more days, perhaps 50 more miles, into the wilderness along the eastern coast of the Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba) before coming to a valley which he would name the Valley of Lemuel after his second oldest son. The river in the valley he called Laman after his oldest son. And it appears that they arrived in the valley at the beginning of the rainy season for the river was flowing and they would have been able to plant their crops for their season of harvest to sustain life in the valley. But like Laman and Lemuel, the valley was likely only seasonal, and would dry as the rainy season ended and the dry season began. How like Laman’s and Lemuel’s relation to the gospel of the Lord was the performance of the valley and river. In good and easy times they would believe, but in hard times they would rebel, the fate of the valley following after the course of the river.
This all occurred in the first year of the reign of King Zedekiah
2nd Year of King Zedekiah
By the beginning of the second year of Zedekiah, Lehi has established his wilderness homestead. He has planted his crops and they are growing and they will be harvested as their first year’s crop during this second year of Zedekiah’s reign. The region around the Gulf of Aqaba has a rainy season from November to April. During this time the arid surroundings produce temporary rivers and run off into the Gulf of Aqaba that would flow down the desert valleys into the eastern fountain of the Red Sea. This is the land in which Lehi now dwells in a tent. This fact to Nephi is worth mentioning as he notes that his wealthy father, for the Love of God, has left all of his possessions and high life style to come out into a desert valley setting and to live in a tent. (1 Nephi 2:15 And my father dwelt in a tent.) This was no weekend camping trip being reported here. Nephi is pointing out that they were living here. Day in and day out. Season in and Season out. Crop growing season after crop growing season. Even to what would be year after year.
Perhaps it was after that first harvest, and the dry season had began that the Lord calls upon Lehi to send his sons back to Jerusalem for the record of the House of Joseph, the Brass Plates of his cousin Laban. Nephi was very young, about 11-12 years old at the time I would guess. And though Nephi was exceedingly young, he was large in stature. Listen to Nephi’s own words:
1 Ne 2:16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
After Nephi’s visit with the Lord, he returns to his father’s tens and Lehi informs him of the mission that the Lord has requested of returning for the Brass Plates. He tells Nephi that his older brothers are murmuring and complaining that it is a hard thing being asked of them to do. And Nephi says that he will go and do the thing which the Lord hath commanded. (3 Nephi 1-7)
It would have been in the second half of the second year of Zedekiah’s reign that Lehi sent his sons back for the record of Laban. It would have been after that first harvest and during the dry season when work around the homestead was slack. They would have to plan and prepare for the journey. The planned journey should take only a month and a half. They would be back in time for the work required during the next planting season. (This second year dating is of course only an assumption, it could have been any one of a few years during this first duration of Lehi’s stay in the Valley of Lemuel.) It would take them two and a half weeks there, a week to obtain the record and to visit and make contacts according to their encamped homestead needs, and then two and a half weeks return, 6 weeks, a month and a half at most.
But the best-laid plans do not always go smoothly. Nephi and his brothers would have likely returned first to their father’s lands of inheritance. These lands they would have left in the caring hands of Lehi’s devoted servants. Thus the logic for the lands and properties still being in tact, well watched after and cared for. Then they would have proceeded into the city proper. Laman was elected by lot to go and obtain the plates from Laban. Laban who likely was a member of the Jewish rulers who where in on the plot to kill Lehi would have had no time for one of Lehi’s sons requesting the scriptural record of the House of Joseph. With no fear of retaliation from the now deposed Lehi, Laban made quick work of Laman. Laban was angry at the request of that ‘prophet Lehi’s’ son, he cast him out of his house, calling him a robber and threatening to kill him. (1 Nephi 3:12-13) And Laman fled for his life.
Laman was now not wanting to return to Laban’s house. But Nephi presented a plan whereby they would buy the plates with a value that would far exceed the earthly value of brass plates, because they would give gold and silver and all manner of precious things for the plates of brass. And Laman would not have to go along they would all go. Thus they journeyed back to the land of their father’s inheritance where the faithful servants of Lehi had been keeping everything of Lehi’s in tact. And with the faithful servants blessing, they returned to buy the plates of brass.
Again Laban had no fear of Lehi’s reprisal or of any reprisal of the law. He was a member of the ‘ruling body’ of Jerusalem. Zedekiah was a mere puppet of the ‘princes of the Jews’ who consisted of the Priests, rulers and those of high Hebrew birth. Laban like Lehi his cousin was of high Hebrew birth. He was one of the rulers, a captain in charge of a garrison of 50 men. Laban knew that the Jewish rulers had already put a price on Lehi’s head by plotting Lehi’s death. He had no physical fear of the sons of Lehi, he had no legal fear of the sons of Lehi. So when the sons of Lehi offered Laban the wealth of Lehi for the Brass Plates, Laban merely made it a matter of robbing the sons of Lehi of their father’s wealth and sending his guard after them to kill them.
Now Laman and Lemuel where really mad. They had to run for their lives out of the city and into the country side, hiding themselves in a cavity of a rock. They then proceeded to beat their younger brother until an angel of the Lord stopped them. Even then they would not return themselves to do the Lord’s bidding. Instead the waited without the city walls and sent in only Nephi, likely of the mind that Laban would slay Nephi and that would be that.
Nephi finds Laban in the streets. He has been celebrating with the ‘Elder’ of Israel. Likely telling the story of Lehi’s sons and enjoying his new level of wealth. An angel constrains Nephi to kill Laban. Laban by his very words had called the sons of Lehi robbers and as such they where to be slain. Now the same words came back upon Laban. He had been the robber and he was about to be slain. By circumstantial implication, he had revealed himself as one of those who had plotted against Lehi’s life, why else would he have treated the sons of one of Jerusalem’s high society figures as he had done? He was one of those who had determined to brake the covenant of the Law of Moses as he had, had Zoram returned to his service. Now God’s justice hung over his head and by the decree of a destroying angel did Nephi smite off the head of Laban.
Nephi dresses in Laban clothes and captain’s armor. He goes to the house of Laban where he finds Zoram taking care of his master’s house. Nephi, being large in stature, clothed in the dress of Laban including his armor, in the shadows of the night, and by disguising his voice; persuades Zoram to go to Laban’s treasury to obtain the Plates of Brass. Perhaps Laban had previously so done when he was in conference with the ‘Elder’ of the church so came to obtain the scripture for consultation. Perhaps he had done so when they where considering the finer point of the 7 year servant release question. At any rate Zoram showed little hesitancy at obtaining the records to be taken to the supposed meeting of the Jewish Elders of the Chruch.
Upon entering the treasury, Nephi would have been primarily concerned with the Brass Plates. Yet the wealth of his father Lehi more than likely also stared upon Nephi from the shelves and walls of Laban’s treasury. Now whether the brass plates where just the plates or if they where packaged with their relative bundle is a matter of speculation. Zoram, being the servant with the keys to the treasury could have possession certain relative skills. I don’t know that Laban himself would have serviced the Brass Plates by recording in them. He seems to lack a certain incentive of righteousness. Perhaps Laban or even Laban’s father had trained the treasury servant in the skills of maintaining the record of the Brass Plates. To me it would not be surprising to find out one day that Nephi had not only obtained the Brass Plates upon his venture, but that he had also obtain a master engraver in the deal in the person of Zoram.
It was not until after leaving the outer walls of the city and the appearance of the bothers of Nephi, that Zoram finally recognizes that it is not Laban that he is with. As Zoram turns to run, Nephi seizes upon Zoram. Listen to the account:
1 Ne 4:31 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.
Nephi has Zoram swear an oath of allegence to Nephi and Lehi and then grants Zoram his freedom. Free again, Zoram is now free again after having tasted of such momentarily just about a year’s time prior.
Now it has been more than 6 weeks time that the sons of Lehi have been gone to obtain the plates. They had to spend extra time obtaining their possession and taking them to Laban. They had to spend extra time hiding from Laban’s 50 soldiers who were seeking them out. And finally it was by night that they returned for the Brass Plates. Perhaps 8, 9 or more weeks have passed by. With the death of Laban in the streets they may have even had to travel a round about route back along the way to Lehi’s homestead in the Valley of Lemuel. At any rate they were will passed due. It is likely that the rain season had began back in the Valley of Lemuel. And there was Lehi, a man pushing 50 with a wife and some young daughters to provide for. The previous harvest provision were getting scarce and it was time to plant again. And the strong young sons who would help with the planting were not returned. Sariah feared the worse that they had been killed as Lehi had been threaten with his life, and she began tocomplain against her husband.
At the end of Sariah’s complaints, her sons returned and then she knew from the stories told by Nephi that her husband was a visionary man. And her day of complaint was over. This would have been at the end of the second year of Zedekiah or at the beginning of the third year when they were planting their crops for their second season and year in the valley of Lemuel.
Now when Nephi first went into the wilderness with his father, he referred to himself as being exceedingly young and when he returns with Zoram with the plates he then refers to himself as a ‘man’ large in struture when he seized upon Zoram. Did you notice that? What has occurred? What turns a boy into a man? When Lehi first goes into the wilderness, Nephi is younger but only by months or a year at most, exactly how much younger we do not know. But time passes from Lehi’s first departure to when the 4 sons return with the retrieved the brass plates. How much time? Enough time to have a boy age into a man? What makes a boy a man? There is most likely not enough time passage to make a boy a man, less than a year or so. Lehi’s group is some 250 miles from Jerusalem. Travel time alone takes weeks. Lehi would have established his camp and time passes before the sons are able to return. How much time? Perhaps three months, a half a year, a year? Nephi may have been 11 or 12 years old whenhis father departed into the wilderness and he may have be 12 – 13 years when he returned with the plates, but enough to become a man? In ancient societies, often a first kill marks a man. Perhaps having killed another man, Laban and having obtained the Plates of Brass, Nephi now considers himself a proven ‘man.’ I’d suggest at least a year of harvest and journeying has occurred, perhaps longer before the sons return with the obtained brass plates.
In Jerusalem, just what stir is caused by Laban, a captain of 50, a leader of the people of high birth, being found dead in the streets behead is a matter of some speculation. He had been out with the Elders of the Church as the investigation would have revealed. His sword, garments, and armor where taken. Tie in the fact that Laban’s head servant Zoram had disappeared. And there would be those who would report of the sons of Lehi having attempted to obtain the Brass Plates from Laban, which where now missing. A plot involving the servant of Laban, Zoram, and the sons of Lehi seeking to obtain the plates of Laban would have been investigated. It was time for the sons of Lehi to lay low and not reappear in the city for a time. It would be risky for Lehi’s sons to immediately return again to Jerusalem, and the facts of the matter indicated that they didn’t return to Jerusalem for some 5 years or so.
3rd Year of King Zedekiah
With her sons’ return, Sariah was releived and reconciled to Lehi being God's Prophet. Thus the very next matter of business would be planting the crops. After the planting season and perhaps with the aid of Zoram, Lehi begins to review through the Brass Plates scriptures. He finds his genealogy from Joseph of Egypt which would have been Laban's genealogy also. He finds the writings of the tribes of Israel prophets who where prophets more specifically to the seed of Joseph and concerning the promises of Joseph such as Zenock and Zenos. He finds the writing of Joseph perhaps in the more accurate rendering of the five books of Moses and also the writings of all the major prophets of Isreal including Isaiah and many of the writings of Jeremiah. Specifically, how the Brass Plates paralleled or differed from the Old Testament Bible we have today is not known in detail. But there is enough to indicate that the Brass Plates were more a record prepared for the descendants of Joseph than for Judah and thus the assumption that the Brass Plates should be considered as a part of and extention of the 'Stick of Joseph' rather than just a part of the 'Stick of Judah.' As the crops are harvested at the end of the growing season, Lehi likely settles into some real serious ‘dry season’ scripture study (See note at end of article/chapter/page as to Lehi's language skills).
4th - 7th years of Zed
While in the Valley of Lemuel, Lehi’s sons grow from the ages of about 10-16 when they first left Jerusalem to ages the ages of about 18-24. Just what the purposes for this period of life in the Valley of Lemuel accomplished can only be speculated upon. Perhaps they learned methods of irrigation and dry farming. Perhaps they would frequent the trade route and gather and try different seed products. Where did maze come from anyway? Perhaps the Lord was preparing them for what it would take to colonize a new world. Or perhaps it was mostly to just raise their family apart from the wicked Jewish society of their day. But one thing is for sure, by the time these years had past, their sons were all men and ready to marry, but no girls! It is at this point that Lehi likely asks the Lord what he should do and recieves his answer to send his sons back for daughters of Ishmael.
8th year of King Zedekiah
Back in Jerusalem, with the end of the 7 year postponement of releasing the Hebrew servants, comes an emphasis by the rulers of the people wishing not to so release their slaves and a decision to turn to an alliance with Egypt, thus forsaking Chaldean rule. The puppet King Zedekiah complies to his princely peers of high birth who are the Elders, Priests and true Rulers of Jerusalem and he rebels against Babylon, turning to an alliance with Egypt instead. When King Nebuchadnezzar hears of this, he begins his preparations and sends his armies against Jerusalem.
Now Babylon is some 500 miles traveling distance from Jerusalem, so by the time the communications and arrangements had been made and the troops arrive in Judea and began to besiege Jerusalem, it was the second half of the 8th year of King Zedekiah’s reign. And though the alliance with Egypt had been made, Egypt’s response was not as speedy as Babylon’s as they did not have various troops already throughout the regions. Thus the Egyptians were only on their way when the Chaldeans had already arrived and had begun their initial siege of Jerusalem. When the Chaldeans heard that the Egyptian army was advancing in the Sinai Desert toward Jerusalem they made the smart military decision and broke off their siege against Jerusalem. They had decided to travel to the desert and meet the Egyptians alone there rather than to have to deal with both the Egyptians and the Jews at the same time. When the leaders in Jerusalem saw the Chaldean withdrawal, it looked as though they were vindicated by their prognosis. And they let everyone know it. ‘Their alliance was working just as they had said it would work.’ The Chaldeans had left and Egypt was on her way.
At this point the Lord told Jeremiah to go and speak with Zedekiah (Jeremiah 34 – see lengthier discussion here). The Jews had now ripened in their iniquity. They were beyond looking to the Lord at all to repent and come unto him. They had been placed under temple covenant at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah. And the single point that Jeremiah has been instructed to make is how they’ve broken the Law of Moses and in the single respect of releasing the Hebrew servants. This is being done for a couple of reasons. The non compliance with the Law of Moses concerning the release of Hebrew slaves was a matter of public record. It was not a personal matter or sin at all. No one could deny the facts of the matter. There was no skirting this matter like there would be with the personal sins that people could readily deny and the only real proof being what was in the individual. This was a matter of fact, public record of the braking of the Law of Moses, though they were as guilty as sin on numerous other accounts also. So Jeremiah clearly states that it is because they had broken the Law of Moses, their temple covenants, and he used the one instance of so doing that none could deny. And Jeremiah said that is was for this cause that God would have the Chaldeans return and completely destroy Jerusalem.
King Zedekiah’s court was taken by surprise in chapter 34. In another chapter, 37, which is not in exact chronological order, it summarizes the events of the end of the 8th year and the beginning of the 9th year of Zedekiah (note that Chapters 35 and 36, right in the mist of chapter 34 and 37, jump back to events in the time of King Jehoiakim). In chapter 37 Jeremiah has already delivered in person the message from the Lord in chapter 34. This is alluded to in verse 2 of chapter 37. Then chapter 37 summarizes the events of that period in a bit of a mixed order. It seems that after Jeremiah’s surprise visit (J-34), the leaders of the Jews have King Zedekiah send messengers, Jehucal and Zephaniah to Jeremiah to have him further inquire of the Lord, and if the Lord will not change his verdict concerning Jerusalem now that the Chaldeans have departed. They expect that Jeremiah will again appear before the King to give his answer and at that point they will accost him. But Jeremiah is finished, he has no desire or need to return before the King. He has already delieved the Lord’s last message and the answer is the same. So Jeremiah unexpectedly answers by way of the same messengers that are sent to make the inquiry and he does not reappear before he King. Instead his just wants to go home.
Even though Jeremiah does not reappear, the rulers still feel threatened by Jeremiah, or should it be said they are threatened by God’s truth, to which they have turned their backs. So thus thwarted by their initial plan, they are now on a determined hunt to rid themselves of this ‘rebel’ to their cause with Egypt. As previously noted, at this point Jeremiah’s job is done. The Lord has had his final word on the matter and Jerusalem will be destroyed. There is really nothing further for Jeremiah to do in Jerusalem. Thus Jeremiah takes the opportunity of the withdrawn Chaldeans to make his way to his homeland and relatives in the land of Benjamin. But the rulers who are on the hunt have Jeremiah taken at the guarded gate that leaves the city. Then they accuse him as being a traitor leaving to join the departed Chaldeans. They place him in Jonathan’s dungeon illegally without an initial proper hearing before the King.(Jeremiah 37:1-15)
It is at this point in time that Lehi has been told by the Lord that it was not the Lord's intent that Lehi should depart into the wilderness without a provision of wives for Lehi’s sons. So Lehi instructs his sons to return to Jerusalem for the family of Ishmael. The boys, now men, are more than ready to return for wives. Again, likely in the dry season in the latter end of the 8th year of King Zedekiah’s reign, Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem to the house of Ishmael. It has been over 5 years since Laban was found beheaded in the streets and the guards at the gates are not looking for Lehi’s young sons, instead they are looking for an elderly prophet of God, Jeremiah. Thus there is little problem of Lehi’s sons coming to the house of Ishmael.
Lehi’s sons are successful in persuading Ishmael to leave the city. Ishmael’s family is also a family of high birth as Ishmael’s oldest two sons have married the oldest two daughters of Lehi. Ishmael would be aware of the news of the day, of how Jeremiah is now prophesying that Jerusalem would be destroyed upon the return of the Chaldeans. Ishmael apparently believes the word of Jeremiah over the word of the Jewish leaders, as he is easily persuaded to take this opportunity to leave Jerusalem and escape into the wilderness with Lehi’s family, who would be giving reports of how they have a home all set up and have lived there for the last seven plus years. At this point, let me state that there is an anachronism caused by the suggested dates in the footnotes of the Book of Mormon supplied by James E. Talmage via George Reynolds in 1921 (see this link for a further discussion of this anachronism).
Jeremiah is evidently taken captive prior to Ishmael’s and the sons of Lehi’s departure. Thus the guard for departing citizens is relaxed and Nephi, his brothers, and the family of Ishmael depart. And they all do know of Jeremiah’s capture. This is shown by Nephi’s reference to the fact that Jeremiah has been placed in prison on their journey back to the Lehi homestead in 1 Nephi 7:14. These tightly correlated happenings of Jeremiah’s imprisonment and Lehi’s sons return for the family of Ishmael give more strength to Nehpi’s argument he presents in 1 Nephi 7 when he refers to Jeremiah’s imprisonment because it would now be known that Jeremiah was also stating that Jerusalem would be destroyed as father Lehi had been saying all along.
The 9th Year of King Zedekiah
Jeremiah is held for many days in the dungeon prison of Jonathan’s house. It is not until the Chaldeans have returned that King Zedekiah who certainly by now knows that Jeremiah has been taken to prison, calls for Jeremiah to appear before him. (See Jeremiah 37:16-21) Seeing that Jeremiah’s prophesy is coming to pass, King Zedekiah asks Jeremiah what the Lord’s word is now to which Jeremiah replies with the same prediction that he had previously stated. Then Jeremiah asks the King to not send him back to Jonathan’s prison lest he die there, perhaps as it is the ‘priest’s’ prison and they are starving him to death there. Thus the King allows Jeremiah to be placed in the King’s court prison and see to it that he is fed daily.
It may seem ironic, but at the time that the siege of Nebuchadnezzar is beginning to have its effect of staving the Jews held up in Jerusalem, is the same time that the sons of Lehi are courting, marrying, and harvesting their last crop. In short they are much better off than those left in Jerusalem despite their humble surroundings 250 miles away in the Valley of Lemuel.
But good times for Jeremiah do not last long, for while in the King’s court prison, Jeremiah is where his word can be heard or delivered unto the people. And Jeremiah’s advise to the people is to leave the city. The logic is quite obvious, the people are starving in the walls of the city because of the siege and Jerusalem will be destroyed, so why stay within the city walls to starve and be destroyed? This is called treason by the princes and they want Jeremiah dead, to which the King states his position, ‘he is in your hands; for the king is not he that can do anything against you.’ So they cast Jeremiah in the cistern dungeon in the mire and leave him to die a horrible death of starvation in muck and mire. It is Ebed-melech the Ethiopian that actually saves Jeremiah as he reports what has been done to Jeremiah to Zedekiah in an atmosphere, likely in public court, where Zedekiah dare do nothing but save Jeremiah. Then Ebed with a troop of men pull Jeremiah out of the muck and mire. And Jeremiah is placed back in the court prison.
After this, Zedekiah once again, still knowing Jeremiah to be a prophet, calls upon Jeremiah and has him brought to him in the third entry of the temple. Zedekiah inquires if there is anything he can do to be saved. Jeremiah tells him to go forth to the king of Babylon and that he should live and his household should live with him. To which Zedekiah tells Jeremiah that he can’t do that due to the fear of man, the ‘peer preasure’ of the princes of the Jewish and the people because they will mock him. Thus Zedekiah loses his last chance, being too proud to humble himself and too worried about what his peers and others will say about him.
By the beginning of the 10th year of Zedekiah, Lehi's party is well into their wilderness journey from the Valley of Lemuel to the site they will call Bountiful. This journey will take 8 years, this being the 8 year wilderness journey referred to in the Book of Mormon, being from the Valley of Lemuel to Bountiful and not being from Jerusalem to Bountiful.
In Jeremiah, chapter 39, it gives an outline summary of the final siege and fall of Jerusalem. The final siege lasts from the end of the 9th year 10th month to the 11th year 4th month. Thus a year and a half is spent with Jerusalem being sieged and Jeremiah in various prisons. The scriptures report that, 'In the 9th year, 10th month, 10th day Nebuchadnezzar comes with all his host, pitching their tents, building forts, and besieging the city for this subsequent and final time, until the 11th year, 4th month, 9th day when the famine prevailed and no bread was in the city.' This is a 1 year, 5month siege. 2 Kg 25:1-4
It may not be so, but one thinks to contrast this dyer situation of impending death and destruction in Jerusalem to the circumstance of the party of Lehi. Perhaps it is about now that Nephi's bow is broken and even Lehi complains of the conditions, as Lehi's party is also hungry but not unto death and destruction. In contrast to those of the city of Jerusalem, who would not harken unto the Lord and live, Nephi turns to the Lord by going to his father Lehi, and asks Lehi to inquire of the Lord to tell him where to go for food during this time of the Broken Bow Incident. This humbles Lehi from his complaining and he inquires of the Lord and tells Nephi where to hunt for food. Nephi mades a bow of wood and goes and finds food for Lehi's party.The family of Zedekiah, that could have been spared if Zedekiah would have followed Jeremiah's counsel even during the last days of the siege, are all rounded up. This is with one known exception. Mulek a son of Zedekiah does escape with a small party of personnel, which Mulek is picked up as the ancestor to the people of Zarahemla in the Bible. Because of Zedekiah's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, all of Zedekiah's sons are killed before Zedekiah's eyes and then Zedekiah is blinded so that the deaths of his sons is the last thing that Zedekiah would ever see. Zedekiah is taken to Babylon but he never sees it as prophecied by Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jeremiah saying that Zedekiah would be taken captive to Babylon and Ezekiel saying that he would never see Babylon. Thus the two prophets where both correct and proven true. And thus is the end of Zedekiah as he dies a prisoner of Nebuchadnezzar. As to Jeremiah, he is released from the prisons and set free by Nebuchadnezzar and his story continues in the Book of Jeremiah.
The skills of reading, understanding and writing the Brass Plate scriptures: Lehi’s language skills consisted of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. We do not know what language the brass plates where in. The Book of Mormon is said to have been writing in a reformed Egyptian. Lehi would more than likely been totally literate, but he had not been keeping records engraved on metal plates. A skilled engraver is trained in the skill and use of engraving tools. The Brass plates had been engraved with skill and with engraving tools. The Brass plates where in the household of Laban, in Laban’s treasury. They were highly up to date as they had many of the writings of Jeremiah, a contempory prophet who was still prophesying. One thinks to ask, is Laban a man who would keep such a scriptural record? Laban was wicked and supported the Jewish Elders against Jeremiah. Who kept the Brass Plates up to date? Perhaps it was Laban’s father and then perhaps Laban’s Hebrew servant Zoram, or perhaps it was someone else. Out of the limited known canidates, Zoram seems to stand out. He was a trusted Hebrew servant likely associated with Laban's father. And he controlled the keys of the treasury. They were in his trusted charge. The question then becomes, did Zoram bring with him the skill of an engraver? And also, did he bring with him engraving tools (perhaps in the brass plates’ bundle or box)? Did Zoram have knowledge of how to work metal into plates that could be engraved upon? And did Zoram, being thus familiar with the Brass Plates, unfold them to Lehi and aid in Lehi’s study of them? Was Zoram therefore much more useful to Lehi’s company than just a ready husband?