“Future Generations”

Brant Gardner

For modern sensibilities, verses 1 and 2 read better as the conclusion to Chapter 3 than as the beginning of Chapter 4. Here Nephi summarizes Lehi’s blessing on his son Joseph, quoting prophecies made by Joseph of Egypt. These prophecies were contained on the brass plates, underscoring the significance of that record to Lehi. Not only was obtaining them a divine commandment, but the mission was fraught with personal danger for Lehi and Sariah’s sons, causing great fear and anxiety as they awaited their sons’ return. Lehi obviously spent a great deal of time reading them and thus could quote fluently from them, incorporating their teachings easily into his theology. It is also evident that Nephi had equal familiarity with them, or at least, sufficient familiarity to authoritatively identify the source of Lehi’s quotations.

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2

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