Second Book of Nephi

Transcription

1 A Comprehensive Commentary of the Second Book of Nephi together with references for further study from the General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the Encyclopedia of Mormonism and other doctrinal texts by General Authorities of the Church Written and compiled by Paul Nolan Hyde Parrish Press Orem, Utah

2 Copyright 2007; 2015 by Paul Nolan Hyde, Ph.D. All rights reserved. First Electronic Edition Copyright 2015 Parrish Press, Orem, Utah 1842 South 50 East Orem, Utah

3 Preface This project began as an attempt to provide my children and grandchildren something of their ancestor s love and understanding of the scriptures. I began producing volumes many years ago which I was pleased to call Paraphrastic studies. I wrote one of these studies for each of the four Gospels and the letters of Paul. Eventually, however, I began to sense that there was much that I knew about the New Testament that my translations could not communicate. I therefore thought to write a comprehensive commentary on the entire New Testament, beginning with Matthew and concluding with the book of Revelation. As I published each of the nine volumes, I included the paraphrastic studies, where I had them, in conjunction with the commentary for each book in the New Testament. I began this project in 2005 and completed the final volume in The whole effort was a delight to my soul. A year before I retired from the Church Educational System, in 2003, I thought to produce an 1830 formatting of the Book of Mormon using the present text of the 1981 edition. This was a relatively easy task, given the technology available to me. I distributed these to my colleagues at the Orem Institute of Religion, members of my family, and a few other interested parties for the cost of printing and binding them. Sometime in the early spring of 2007, I was impressed to begin a verse by verse commentary on the Book of Mormon, a task that I had not presumed to attempt, inasmuch as there are no translation difficulties that abound in the Old and New Testaments. Yet, there were instances of nineteenth-century word usage and syntactic issues that I thought a commentary might help to clarify. As I began, however, I discovered that there was much more that I could communicate to my children of my understanding of the ancient record of the Nephites, material that I had gleaned as I taught the scriptures during my thirty-five year career with CES. This labor eventually produced five volumes of moderate size. As I published each segment of the commentary, I enclosed the 1830 formatting of each book in the Book of Mormon that I had devise several years before. The last volume also appeared in late By the time that I was fully engaged with writing commentaries on both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, I had become infatuated with the idea that I might be able to expand the commentaries to include the other volumes of scripture as well. Thus, in the winter of 2010 I began writing commentaries on the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants. Once I finished with the Pearl of Great Price, I began to move ahead with the book of Genesis and the rest of the Old Testament. In the late fall of 2014 I finished the last of the commentaries on the Old Testament, for a total of thirty-three printed and bound volumes. With these volumes and the others produced over the past ten years, I have completed commentary on every verse of the Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My procedure for writing the Commentary was similar to that used in creating the original paraphrastic studies. The same reference texts were employed. For difficult words in Greek, Hebrew, 3

4 and English I resorted to the works of James Strong and other lexicographers for linguistic insight. I consider the contributions made by conservative Protestant scholarship (as recorded in the New International Version) and conservative Catholic scholarship (as related in the New Jerusalem Bible). I resorted to the considered thought of Adam Clarke, one of the most prominent and prolific commentators on the sacred manuscripts available at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and who, I believe, was a man of great faith. I consulted with the Joseph Smith Translation at appropriate times (including in another column an indication that a JST change had been made for any given verse), and frequently to the writings of the General Authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, as I contemplated the possible meanings of each word and phrase. From time to time I resorted to Smith s Bible Dictionary and Discovering the World of the Bible by LaMar Berrett for some of the more arcane information that I thought would illuminate the text. I have attempted to maintain a steady course throughout my commentaries, treating each verse as unique, and where appropriate, duplicate notes and the text rather than use cross-references within the volume. Some may find this a waste of paper and ink, but I frankly dislike having to rifle through pages or volumes trying to find the first instance of the note or commentary. The duplications are easily ignored; fumbling through pages cannot be. It is in the best interests of the reader, however, to contemplate the reasons why such duplications exist in the biblical text in the first place. They are purposeful and I have attempted to point out their purpose as I have progressed through each volume. My numbering system for the notes used in the body of the commentary was adapted from historical linguistic texts with which I am familiar and which I had found quite useful. The pattern used is chapter.verse.word; thus note would contain material referring to the fifth word in the book of Hosea 3:4, for example. I make no comprehensive promises regarding the preciseness of my word count in any particular verse, but it will be close enough to eliminate any distressing confusion. Inasmuch as I began this series with the Gospel of Matthew, there will be times when I will make reference to my own work in that first volume. Sometimes there will be no more than a reference, MT-C ; other times I may quote directly from the original text. In either case my sole motivation will be to facilitate the flow of ideas rather than to multiply words. There are enough words already. References to the Commentaries on other books of the New Testament are abbreviated as follows: Matthew MT-C Mark MK-C Luke LK-C John JN-C Acts AC-C Romans RM-C 1 Corinthians 1 CO-C 2 Corinthians 2 CO-C Galatians GA-C Ephesians EP-C Philippians PP-C Colossians CL-C 1 Thessalonians 1 TH-C 2 Thessalonians 2 TH-C 1 Timothy 1 TM-C 2 Timothy 2 TM-C Titus TT-C Philemon PL-C Hebrews HB-C 1 Peter 1 PE-C 2 Peter 2 PE-C 1 John 1 JN-C 2 John 2 JN-C 3 John 3 JN-C Revelation RV-C 4

5 References to the Commentaries in the books of the Old Testament are as follows: Genesis GE-C Exodus EX-C Leviticus LV-C Numbers NM-C Deuteronomy DT-C Joshua JO-C Judges JD-C Ruth RU-C 1 Samuel 1 SM-C 2 Samuel 2 SM-C 1 Kings 1 KG-C 2 Kings 2 KG-C 1 Chronicles 1 CR-C 2 Chronicles 2 CR-C Ezra ER-C Nehemiah NE-C Esther ES-C Job JB-C Psalms PS-C Proverbs PV-C Ecclesiastes ES-C Song of Solomon SS-C Isaiah IS-C Jeremiah JR-C Lamentations LM-C Ezekiel EZ-C Daniel DA-C Hosiah HS-C Joel JL-C Amos AM-C Obadiah OB-C Jonah JH-C Micah MH-C Nahum NA-C Habakkuk HB-C Zephaniah ZP-C Haggai HG-C Zechariah ZE-C Malachi ML-C I have also made reference to the other standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. The references to the Book of Mormon are articulated in bold and italics lettering using the following abbreviations: 1 Nephi 1 NE-C 2 Nephi 2 NE-C Jacob JA-C Enos EN-C Jarom JM-C Omni OM-C Words of Mormon WM-C Mosiah MS-C Alma AL-C Helaman HE-C 3 Nephi 3 NE-C 4 Nephi 4 NE-C Mormon MM-C Ether ET-C Moroni MR-C The abbreviation TPW-C refers to the material found on the Title Page of the Book of Mormon and in the Testimonies of the Three and Eight Witnesses. The references to Sections that are in the Doctrine and Covenants are indicated as DC-C followed by the section number and verse (OD1-C and OD2-C are self-explanatory); The Pearl of Great Price references contained herein use the following abbreviations: MO-C, AB-C, SM-C, SH-C, and AF-C. In some cases I have taken on what some would consider controversial material. I make no apologies for so doing. I have found that my children are best served when an issue is approached head on, the differing points of view presented, and the rationale given as to why one school of thought ought to be preferred over another. Sometimes the decisions are logically founded; others the result of doctrinal points that are unique to theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In most cases I have not argued authorities, even though I could have inserted multiple references to the writings of scholars with whom I am familiar. I have chosen to have my sources on any particular issue to remain anonymous in the text of the commentary for several reasons. First and foremost, this work is my commentary, what I believe and hold to be true. In the end, that is what my children wish to know. Secondly, I did not wish to have my children accept or dismiss a particular view merely because of who had been the author of it. Many wonderful insights have been made by scholars both inside and outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wherein I have found one view to be preferable over another has not been a partisan matter, but rather a matter of the mind, heart, and spirit cooperating together in an attempt to understand what must be the truth. Thirdly, I have been quite clear who my authorities have been. It is my fondest 5

6 desire that my children would become as familiar with their writings as I have. Were I to cite all of my sources with extensive quotes from each, there would be no need for them to open any of the books that I have come to love. That, in part, is why I included the third column containing crossreferences to the various doctrinal works in the Commentaries. Exceptions to this practice should be noted as being of extreme importance. In addition to the text of the Standard Works, together with my own commentary, I inserted a column of references for further study. The citations are taken from three major sources: the Conference Reports of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from April 1980 to November 2002 (abbreviated as CR followed by the year, month and page number); the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (four volumes, abbreviated EM followed by the volume and page number); and A Scripture Index (a compilation of scripture references cited in various texts published by General Authorities of the Church). For those not familiar with the abbreviations used in A Scripture Index. I include them below: TPJS Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith GD Gospel Doctrine MA Mediation and Atonement FWR Far West Record DHC History of the Church (7 vols.) TSWK Teaching of Spencer W. Kimball MF Miracle of Forgiveness FPM Faith Precedes the Miracle MD Mormon Doctrine PM Promised Messiah MM Mortal Messiah (4 vols.) MLM Millennial Messiah DNTC Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (3 vols.) JC Jesus the Christ AF Articles of Faith DS Doctrines of Salvation (3 vols.) AGQ Answers to Gospel Questions (5 vols.) As with each of the volumes previously published, I include two lists. The first, bound in front of the Commentary, is a listing of all of the words and phrases upon which I have made extensive remarks, a kind of sequential table of contents. I have also arranged this list alphabetically and have placed it at the end of the Commentary as a kind of index. A comprehensive alphabetical index for the entire volume appears as the last section of this book. Needless to say that all of the errors in the material submitted herein to the reader are the product of my own limitations as a scholar; all of the brilliance which may appear here is the product of minds and hearts filled with the fire of the Spirit of God, from whom all truth and beauty ultimately derive. A Note on the Electronic Edition Not only did my children and other family members receive bound copies of commentaries, but there were a number of friends and neighbors who had expressed an interest in them. There were requests from others who desired copies of what I had done, but I was not in a position to provide them with hard copies. Inasmuch as I had all of the volumes in computer files, I thought to compile each of the commentaries in some format that could be read on a smart device. I opted to use the Adobe Acrobat, turning all of the work into PDF files. I have used these on my tablet for many years and have found them useful and far easier to cart about with me. In the early spring of 2015, my neighbor David Dollahite arranged for a meeting with Jack Welch and Marny Parkin regarding the possibility of BYU providing a dedicated web site so that there would be greater public access to my 6

7 work. Thus began the present enterprise of editing and standardizing all that had done during the last ten years. My commentary on the Gospel of Mark is the second of these electronic volumes. Within a year or so I hope to have all of the books available in the same format. PNH Orem, Utah August

8 Sequence of Specifically Noted Words and Phrases in the 2 Nephi Commentary Nephi Lehi Nephi Lehi Jerusalem Jerusalem Jerusalem Lehi Lehi Jerusalem Israel Messiah Redeemer visitations them statutes judgments Jerusalem Laman Lemuel Sam Ishmael Nephi first blessing Zoram Laban Jerusalem true friend Nephi Jacob tribulation rudeness Jacob consecrate Wherefore Nephi service redeemed free law spiritual law Messiah grace ends broken heart contrite spirit merits mercy grace layeth down first firstfruits intercession law destroy created eternal purposes sweet bitter enticed Lehi devil serpent father of all lies Adam Eve Eden prolonged transgression Adam Eden children innocence Adam Messiah Mediator Mediator prophet Joseph thy brethren Israel Joseph Joseph Egypt covenants Joseph Israel Messiah Joseph seer Joseph seer Moses Egypt Israel Moses Egypt seer fruit of thy loins Judah confounding contentions he Israel Joseph Joseph Moses Moses rod writing tongue expedient faith simpleness my mouth Joseph among them Israel Joseph Nephi Amen Nephi Joseph Egypt Joseph Laman Laman Lemuel Laman Ishmael his household Sam Nephi Lehi Laman Lemuel Ishmael Nephi mine other plates these delighteth 8

9 pondereth writeth encompassed beset Amen Nephi thinks afflicted belongs to us Nephi Nephi Zoram Sam Jacob Joseph sisters all those wilderness many days Nephi people of Nephi judgments statutes commandments Moses Nephi compass Nephi Laban Lamanites my children my people precious ores Nephi temple Solomon precious things Nephi Nephi scourge Nephi Jacob Joseph Jerusalem Nephi Nephi Jacob Nephi Jacob Nephi Isaiah king exceedingly many things anxiety are brother your sakes Isaiah Israel Gentiles faces towards wait for me Jacob Jerusalem Israel Israel Gentiles prophet Zion his children prophet Zion Messiah prophet Messiah Israel Jacob Behold deliver Behold sackcloth learned season Israel When opened ear smiter plucked spitting confounded flint me Who and who light ye rock from are hole from Abraham alone him Zion Eden light people righteousness isles he cut Rahab dragon he redeemed Zion and holiness heads Behold man son of man fury God waves roared Zion Behold Jerusalem And sons two sons save these two strength Zion Jerusalem uncircumcised Jerusalem bands Zion Israel Jews prophets our bodies Jerusalem expedient first judgment endless duration grace Israel this death this death death hell Israel paradise all men incorruptible immortal 9

10 souls perfect knowledge our knowledge first death Israel lake of fire brimstone law saints Israel crosses it Israel saints Adam Israel Israel Israel Israel us cunning plan uncircumcised in fine Israel Israel saints chains rock Israel Israel our seed Israel Amen Jacob righteous branch Christ priestcraft Jerusalem Christ Gentiles Gentiles Gentiles Gentiles Zion Zion Jew Gentile whore Gentiles Israel choice land these things land of our inheritance isle isles Israel broken off reconcile grace Amen Jacob Nephi Isaiah Jacob Christ Moses grace justice power mercy death Christ Christ Isaiah Isaiah Amoz Judah Jerusalem last days when mountain mountains all nations many people Jacob Zion law word of the Lord Jerusalem beat plowshares pruninghooks learn Jacob Lord O Lord Jacob replentished east hearken soothsayers Philistines please strangers mean not not him enter the glory of shall smite thee the men soon cometh cedars Lebanon oaks Bashan and And sea and Tarshish pleasant pictures shall come upon them shall smite them he hath made Jerusalem Judah stay staff staff bread water unto them and shall say not there Jerusalem Judah provoke show doth declare to be even Sodom cannot hide it Say is them for they shall perish their And them who plead and Ye beat grind Zion haughty stretched-forth necks 10

11 wanton mincing tinkling Zion their ornaments cauls round tires bonnets ornaments headbands tablets ear-rings wimples crisping pin glasses veils sackcloth branch to Israel they Zion remain Jerusalem Zion Jerusalem Zion of Zion and And then well-beloved very fruitful hill fenced stones choicest vine tower wine-press wild grapes Jerusalem Judah grapes I Israel Judah can cities bath homer strong drink that harp viol tabret pipe wine hell multitude the the stubble chaff law Israel hand shall be bent flint their carry deliver they year Uzziah train seraphim wings twain face feet fly one posts smoke undone unclean lips for they understood they perceived said for yet there they teil-tree oak Ahaz Jotham Uzziah Judah Rezin Syria Pekah Remaliah Israel Jerusalem David Ephraim trees Isaiah Ahaz Shearjashub conduit upper pool fuller s tails fire-brands Rezin Syria Remaliah Syria Ephraim Remaliah Judah yea son of Tabeal Syria Damascus Rezin three score and five years Ephraim Ephraim Samaria Remaliah s Ahaz depths heights Ahaz David weary shall Immanuel thou abhorest Ephraim Judah Assyria fly Egypt bee Assyria razor river Assyria silverlings which word of the great roll man s pen Maher-shalal-hash-baz record Uriah 11

12 Zechariah Jeberechiah prophetess Maher-shalal-hash-baz behold not before Damascus Samaria Assyria this people waters of Shiloah Rezin Remaliah s river Assyria Judah neck Immanuel strong hand all this people their fear Israel Jerusalem law Jacob Israel Zion to hear from law and they they it hardly bestead fret Nevertheless Zebulun Naphtali Red Jordan Galilee great light shadow of death increased yoke staff rod oppressor Wonderful, Counselor Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace is David Jacob Israel Ephraim Samaria bricks hewn stones sycamores cedars Rezin him Syrians Philistines Israel hand Israel branch rush ancient of them Manasseh Ephraim Judah decree unrighteous decrees grievousness prescribed Assyrian rod staff their indignation in his heart it is Calno Carchemish Hamath Arpad Samaria Damascus founded Jerusalem Samaria Samaria Jerusalem to that Zion upon Jerusalem Assyria standard-bearer Israel Jacob yea Jacob Israel sand determined in Zion Assyrian Egypt Midian Oreb Egypt anointing Aiath Migron Michmash carriages passage Geba Ramath Gibeah Saul Gallim Laish Anathoth Madmenah Gebim Nob Zion Jerusalem Lebanon rod stem Jesse branch roots him wisdom understanding counsel might knowledge fear him quick understanding eyes ears he judge reprove equity smite rod breath 12

13 girdle his loins reins cockatrice sea root of Jesse Gentiles that day Assyria Egypt Pathros Cush Elam Shinar Hamath islands of the sea ensign Israel Judah Ephraim Judah Philistines east Edom Moab children of Ammon tongue Egyptian sea river Assyria Israel Egypt that day Zion Israel burden Babylon Isaiah Amoz a sanctified ones for mine anger the hosts end of heaven yea them amazed faces flames Ophir it proud to the wicked Medes Babylon Chaldees Sodom Gomorrah Arabian doleful satyrs islands dragons prolonged Jacob Israel people them yea Israel them servants and handmaids rule that day proverb Babylon staff scepters also Lebanon mount of the congregation shall and shall say And and yea of them and the remnant them Babylon remnant bittern Assyrian Ahaz Palestina rod root cockatrice fiery flying serpent Palestina shall then Zion Nephi Isaiah Jews Nephi Jews Israel Isaiah Jerusalem Isaiah Jerusalem Jews prophets Nephi Jews Jerusalem Isaiah Isaiah they he them confine destroyed Jews Jerusalem Babylon Jerusalem they three days wings Messiah Jerusalem Jews Babylon scourged persuaded Christ pure hearts clean hands another Messiah these things second time Wherefore marvelous work and a wonder Messiah prophets Jews prophets Messiah six hundred years Jerusalem Jesus Christ err Israel Egypt 13

14 Moses nations poisonous serpents serpent water Jesus Christ Joseph perish Christ reconciled grace Christ Moses law law Christ Christ law Christ stiffnecked cannot misunderstand Christ prophets law Christ Israel might mind strength whole soul law Moses Christ law Messiah birth death resurrection perish prophets saints stubble prophets saints swallow mountains whirlwinds buildings stubble Nephi prophets Christ speedy Jews Jesus Christ Gentiles these things smitten Gentiles forts dust not righteous faithful them ground familiar spirit him They sealed book destroy Wherefore It Gentiles Gentiles pride stumbling block buy milk honey synagogues Zion Zion Zion Jew Gentile last days Gentiles Jews drunken Zion doeth stay behold For, behold, ye have rejected prophets seers covered book slumbered sealed revelation beginning ending people book man another house tops power of Christ book man three witnesses testify few wo him book words another learned Bring man again read witnesses seal Forasmuch removed hearts Therefore marvelous work yea and learned prudent And And they also say potter s clay them it Lebanon fruitful field forest deaf blind And increase and rejoice Israel the And redeemed Abraham Jacob Jacob Israel Israel our precept 14

15 power my precept saints Christ wise learned rich anger Zion Zion rock sandy foundation Gentiles many remember Israel Nephi my mouth hiss forth standard Israel Gentiles Jews Gentiles Gentiles Jews Jews Jews Nephites Israel Jews Nephites Israel Israel Abraham Nephi Gentiles Gentiles Jews Israel Jews Gentiles sealed up many Jerusalem Jews gospel Jesus Christ pure delightsome Jews Christ delightsome judge reprove equity smite rod breath girdle his loins reins cockatrice s sea Nephi prophesying few things Jacob Christ prophet Lamb of God which Lamb of God Lamb of God dove straitness path gate name follow full purpose hypocrisy deception real intent name of Christ baptism of fire Holy Ghost tongue of angels shout praise Israel Christ steadfastness Christ perfect brightness love feasting endure one God Christ Christ Nephi unbelief wickedness ignorance stiffneckedness Christ Nephi Nephi it it Jesus Jesus Christ Jew Gentiles Christ Jew Christ Christ Christ Israel Jews Lamb of God Amen 15

16 A Commentary on the Scriptures by Paul Nolan Hyde, Ph.D. The Second Book of Nephi 0.0 Nephi begins his account in his first book by saying that he was going to abridge his father s record and then continue his own record (see 1 NE-C ). This abridgement of Lehi s record, in some respects, continues throughout 1 Nephi, even though Nephi adds a great deal of his own teachings along the way (see also 1 NE-C 9.1). Once Lehi dies and is buried, there is, of course, nothing more of his record to abridge. Nephi does not begin his Large Plates until arriving in the promised land as recorded in the first few verses of 1 Nephi 19. According to modern chronologists, this would have been sometime after 588 BC. The fabrication of the Small Plates of Nephi, the second record made by Nephi from which the text of the first 145 pages of the Book of Mormon is taken, did not take place until approximately thirty years after Lehi left Jerusalem and eighteen years after Nephi first fashioned the plates with which to compile the Large Plates of Nephi (see ). Therefore, the commanded synopsis of Lehi s record did not begin until that time. In making the Small Plates, Nephi was able to draw upon his Large Plates where Lehi s record had been permanently copied along with Nephi s parallel account of the same period of time. After 2 Nephi 5, the rest of Nephi s contributions to the Small Plates are almost completely nonhistorical and completely didactic. Chapters 6 10 contain Jacob s teachings regarding the scattering and gathering of Israel in conjunction with the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The fourteen-chapter citation from Isaiah (chapters 2 through 14 and chapter 29), together with Nephi s extended commentary on that great prophet s words, constitute the remainder of 2 Nephi Nephi The fourth son of Lehi and Sariah. He proved to be a faithful follower of the Lord and a willing servant who did much to preserve his father s family from privation and destruction. His posterity and the posterity of those who followed his example are generally known as Nephites Lehi The first prophet of the Lamanites and the Nephites who left the land of Jerusalem about the year 600 BC. Many of his experiences are recorded in the writings of his son, Nephi, engraved upon the Small Plates of Nephi. 1.1 The teachings to which Nephi is referring begin in 1 Nephi 19 about verse 7 and continue through to the end of 1 Nephi, including the words of the angel, and the writings of Zenock, Neum, Zenos, and Isaiah as found in the Brass Plates. The final chapter of 1 Nephi constitutes Nephi s direct answer to the specific questions raised by his elder brethren regarding that which he had read from the Brass Plates. Lehi s concern seems to be that his boys are not keeping in mind the manner in which the Lord God had blessed them as they traveled. It is probable that they were still not convinced that Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians. Lehi will continually point out that it has been the mercy of God that has preserved their lives. *THE SECOND BOOK OF NEPHI An account of the death of Lehi. Nephi s brethren rebel against him. The Lord warns Nephi to depart into the wilderness. His journeyings in the wilderness, and so forth. {Chapter I} (Chapter 1) { 1830} 1 AND now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem. * p Ne. GD 438 EM 1:146, 196, 198, 212, 213 EM 2:714, 855 EM 4: Ne. 1 MD 167 EM 1:146, 186, 213 EM 2:827, 828 EM 3: Ne. 1:1 27 EM 1:146 16

17 Nephi The fourth son of Lehi and Sariah. He proved to be a faithful follower of the Lord and a willing servant who did much to preserve his father s family from privation and destruction. His posterity and the posterity of those who followed his example are generally known as Nephites Lehi The first prophet of the Lamanites and the Nephites who left the land of Jerusalem about the year 600 BC. Many of his experiences are recorded in the writings of his son, Nephi, engraved upon the Small Plates of Nephi Jerusalem There has been much speculation as to the linguistic heritage of the name of the Holy City. Simply said, the name literally derives from roots which mean together, flowing peace or established in peace. The great city of Salem, built in the days of Melchizedek and Abraham, was a Zion society and may have indeed enjoyed the same destiny as that of the city of Enoch. Any city, established in peace is by definition, the City of the great King. 1.2 Although Laman and Lemuel had been rebuked on several occasions by a variety of divine messengers, Lehi attempted to focus their minds on the troubles which they had brought upon themselves after having boarded ship and set sail for the promised land. In that instance they had almost drowned in the depths of the sea (see 1 NE-C ). It was the most recent and most memorable of their flagrant rebellions against the constituted authority of the family and against God. 1.3 Lehi testifies to his sons that they could not deny that they had been led to a place of peace and plenty, a far cry from what their meager inheritance might have been in the land of Jerusalem. They had already found vast reserves of gold, silver, and copper in the promised land (see 1 NE-C18.25), far greater than anything they may have lost to the vile Laban. At some point the burden of proofs would have to be acknowledged unless the brothers were absolute determined not to humble themselves before the God who had inspired the entire enterprise Jerusalem There has been much speculation as to the linguistic heritage of the name of the Holy City. Simply said, the name literally derives from roots which mean together, flowing peace or established in peace. The great city of Salem, built in the days of Melchizedek and Abraham, was a Zion society and may have indeed enjoyed the same destiny as that of the city of Enoch. Any city, established in peace is by definition, the City of the great King. 1.4 As part of His instructions to Nephi concerning the building of the ship, the Lord promised that he would provide the family with further information regarding the destruction of Jerusalem (see 1 NE-C 17.14). For the spiritually minded, like Sam, Nephi, and their younger brothers, the fact that Lehi received a revelation to the effect that Jerusalem had been destroyed was sufficient. For Laman and Lemuel and others, cynicism would have been their best response. For the temporally minded among them and their posterity, it would be another 400 years before the absolute evidence of the destruction of Jerusalem would be provided. When Mosiah, the father of King Benjamin, discovered the land of Zarahemla while fleeing with the righteous from the land of Nephi, there could be no more doubt, for the original inhabitants of that city were descended from Mulek and his entourage who had barely escaped the swords of the Babylonians (see OM-C ). The lesson to be 2 And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they were not swallowed up in the sea. 3 And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained how merciful the Lord had been in warning us that we should flee *out of the land of Jerusalem. 4 For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished. 2 Ne. 1:2 5 DHC5:553 *p Ne. 1:4 MD 824 DNTC 2:445 17

18 learned is that the Lord will reveal all things to His children, but the righteous will live by faith and the whisperings of the spirit of truth rather than by the lusts of the flesh. Since the city of Jerusalem was destroyed in the eleventh year of the reign of King Zedekiah and Lehi shortly after the first year of that reign, we may conclude that the revelation came to Lehi sometime around 591 BC Jerusalem There has been much speculation as to the linguistic heritage of the name of the Holy City. Simply said, the name literally derives from roots which mean together, flowing peace or established in peace. The great city of Salem, built in the days of Melchizedek and Abraham, was a Zion society and may have indeed enjoyed the same destiny as that of the city of Enoch. Any city, established in peace is by definition, the City of the great King. 1.5 The lands which comprise the western hemisphere of this earth had first been granted to Adam and Eve and their righteous posterity, but the wicked claimed much of that land until the time of Noah and the great flood. After the flood, Jared and his brother were brought by the Lord God from the Tower of Babel into this land that it might be an inheritance for them. That continued until the Jaredites had fallen into such degradation and corruption that they destroyed each other finally at the hill Ramah (see ET-C 15). Only Coriantumr and Ether survived that conflagration. The covenant of God with Lehi regarding the promised land was that his posterity would possess it forever, notwithstanding the perfidy of both the Nephites and the Lamanites. As Nephi and Lehi had seen in vision, there would be others led from among the Gentiles who would have an eternal claim upon western continents. 1.6 In applying Lehi s prophecy to the history of this hemisphere we ought not to become completely embroiled in the personal motivations of each of the individuals who have made their way to the Americas during the past 500 years and equate them with the Lord s motivation for having them do so. Nor should we conclude that the divine rationale in any given case must be universally applied to every immigrant who crossed the waters to this land. In some instances, the Europeans who came to the Americas did so in order to establish religious freedom, the sort of atmosphere that would permit the restoration of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of the Church and Kingdom of God upon the earth. In other instances Europeans came to his Americas as instruments in the hand of God to afflict a covenant people who had fallen from grace through their repeated violations of the law of God. At some point we will without question comprehend the blessings associated with the introduction of forced African immigration, blessings which have befallen their posterity in the process of time. We will undoubtedly discover that there have been a multitude of divine reasons why people have crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, perhaps one for each of the men and women who have established themselves here Lehi The first prophet of the Lamanites and the Nephites who left the land of Jerusalem about the year 600 BC. Many of his experiences are recorded in the writings of his son, Nephi, engraved upon the Small Plates of Nephi. 1.7 The governments of the various countries in the western hemisphere have varied somewhat since the Europeans first arrived here. For the most part, they were established originally as lands of freedom. The establishment of the United States of America, while not perfect, became a pattern for the other states that rose up in rebellion against the European powers in order to found 5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord. 6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord. 7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it 2 Ne. 1:5 EM 3:1160 CR88-O Ne. 1:6 EM 1:146 2 Ne. 1:7 MD 378 MF 318 EM 4:1495 CR85-A 79 18

19 independent nations. To the degree that these countries have maintained the principles of righteousness among themselves, they have continually prospered. To the degree that they have embraced wickedness, to that same degree they have lapsed into bondage. The political atmosphere of the western hemisphere is a direct result of immutable laws which cannot be ignored. Change for the better will come only as the citizens of these nations choose to be righteous. 1.8 The knowledge of the western hemisphere among the nations of the earth would be held in abeyance for more than two thousand years, even though we may point to occasional visits from other peoples prior to the general influx that began in the late fifteenth century AD. 1.9 The posterity of Lehi and Mulek would have nothing to fear from the Europeans or anyone else who might be led to this hemisphere so long as they themselves were righteous. Those who would immigrate to the Americas, establishing themselves in free and independent countries would have nothing to worry about from the mother Gentiles nations, so long as they abided by the light and truth of the Gospel of Christ to the best of their ability Lehi The first prophet of the Lamanites and the Nephites who left the land of Jerusalem about the year 600 BC. Many of his experiences are recorded in the writings of his son, Nephi, engraved upon the Small Plates of Nephi Jerusalem There has been much speculation as to the linguistic heritage of the name of the Holy City. Simply said, the name literally derives from roots which mean together, flowing peace or established in peace. The great city of Salem, built in the days of Melchizedek and Abraham, was a Zion society and may have indeed enjoyed the same destiny as that of the city of Enoch. Any city, established in peace is by definition, the City of the great King The prerequisite for prospering in the western hemisphere, whether the inhabitants be the descendants of Lehi s family or of any other group led by the Spirit of God to come here, is the continual observance of the principles of righteousness. To the degree that the citizens of the Americas incline the heart and spirit to the Lord God of Israel, to that same degree will they be protected, guided, and blessed by their God. To reject that protection through disobedience or sophistication is to invite the instruments of destruction into the sanctuary of the blessed Israel In reference to the covenant people, traditionally the posterity of the patriarch Jacob. There are those, however, who have been adopted into the House of Israel through obedience to the principles and ordinances of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ Messiah A Hebrew word meaning the Anointed One. Translated into Greek, this phrase becomes, in its anglicized form, Christ Redeemer The English word Redeemer derives from roots which mean to obtain, purchase, ransom. shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever. 8 And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance. 9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever. 10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them. CR86-O 15 CR87-O 6 CR88-O Ne. 1:8 CR87-O 3 2 Ne. 1:8 9 EM 4: Ne. 1:9,20 CR86-A 34 CR02-O 42 2 Ne. 1:9,20, 31 CR85-A 16 2 Ne. 1:10 MD 489 PM 237 EM 1:340 19