As Benjamin underscores the importance of preserving sacred scripture, the words of the Spirit as given to Nephi ring true. As Nephi struggled with the Spirit's promptings to take the life of Laban in order to obtain the plates, the Spirit whispered, Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief (1 Nephi 4:13). Benjamin is now confirming what the Spirit had told Nephi. In the 470 years since Nephi obtained the brass plates, the Nephites would have certainly fallen into iniquity and ignorance, as had the Mulekites, without the precious record of the Old Testament. This stabilizing force had preserved the language, the doctrine, the history, the traditions, and the culture of the Jews. It is too bad that the saints of the latter-days don't always see the same value in that historic record.