“Zoram, the True Friend of Nephi”

Monte S. Nyman

We do not know the ethnic background or bloodline of Zoram, the true friend of Nephi. Being a servant to Laban suggests he was not of the blood of Israel. Regardless, as patriarch of Joseph’s branch of Israel, Lehi extends all the blessings of the Lord to this faithful man and to his seed. If he were not of the house of Israel, he was adopted into it. These blessings were to come through the family unit of Nephi (another suggestion that he was not of the blood of Israel), but were conditional upon their keeping the commandments of Lord.

The entire chapter is addressed to Jacob, the first of two sons born to Lehi and Sariah in the wilderness. Lehi had spoken briefly and collectively to his sons Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and the sons of Ishmael, and had individually blessed Zoram, but it was also a brief blessing. Perhaps Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi had been given longer blessings before they left Jerusalem, or even since they left. Jacob (and Joseph) may have been given an extensive blessing because of this being their first one or because of their youthfulness. Nevertheless, the blessing to Jacob is filled with great doctrinal concepts drawn from the prophets who had written or been written about on the plates of brass, and are applicable to all mankind in a doctrinal sense.

Book of Mormon Commentary: I Nephi Wrote This Record

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