“The Lord Chasten Them”

Brant Gardner

This brief resolution is not very satisfying. To whom did Yahweh speak? If he spoke directly to Laman and Lemuel, that would be tremendous indeed. Was it because they were involved in their worst sin to date—plotting the deaths of their father and brother? Or did Lehi or Nephi act as Yahweh’s voice in calling those recalcitrants to repentance? It is not said. Yahweh knew their future and knew that they would not live up to their current repentance. Had Yahweh spoken directly, he would be placing them in the position of directly disobeying his very word to their direct damnation. It seems more likely that the command was delivered either through an angelic or human messenger, perhaps Lehi or Nephi.

Apparently, hunger was one of their motivations, because Yahweh again blessed them “with food.” It thus follows the cause of the previous murmuring: lack of food after journeying.

Text: There is no chapter break at this point in the 1830 edition.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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