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Book of Mormon Commentary
1 Nephi Chapter 1
1:49,50 It was a great blessing to Nephi that one of his brothers also had faith in the mysteries of
God. Laman and Lemuel were of a rebellious spirit. All three brothers were older than Nephi.
1 Ne 1:54 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a
land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all
other lands.
1:54 To prosper as used here means to be successful, to prevail. Nephi needed this assurance to
help him stand firm against the rebellious spirit of the two older brothers. "A land which is choice
above all other lands.” The productiveness of the Americas has been established fully in recent
years. Not only is the soil highly productive, but the Americas also have marvelous natural
resources. As indicated in the blessing pronounced by Jacob upon Joseph's posterity who were to
inherit this continent, the land was to be blessed "for the precious things of the lasting hills, and
for the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof" (Deut. 33:13-17).
1 Ne 1:56 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a
teacher over thy brethren.
1:56 This prophecy was conditioned upon Nephi's obedience to the Lord's commandments. Even
so, being a ruler and teacher over his older brothers proved to be a heavy burden. Resentment and
jealousy were constantly manifested. These attitudes were the source of much sorrow to Nephi and
his father.
1 Ne 1:57 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore
curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed, except they shall rebel against me also.
1:57 The Lord loves even those who are sinful, but often they reap the fruits of their folly.
Note the phrase "curse with a curse." This use of a verb form for a noun is said to be a Hebraism.
Alma speaks of "having warred a good warfare" (1:1). The avoidance of adjectives in the Hebrew
is also noted: "Children of wickedness" instead of wicked children; "rod of Levi" (Num. 17:3),
"rod of Aaron" (Num. 17:8). The first eleven pages of the Book 0£ Mormon contain eight hundred
nouns but only seventy adjectives.
"And it came to pass" occurs 110 times in the Pentateuch, thirty-four times in Joshua, twenty-three
times in Judges, thirty-six times in 1 Samuel, and forty-two times in I Kings. It is used often in
abridged writings for brevity, but in fifteen unabridged books of the Old Testament it does not
occur. Moroni, in the book of Ether, uses the expression 117 times in forty pages of the abridged
record, yet in thirteen pages of his own writing involving no abridgment he does not use the term
once.
Thomas W Brookbanks, Book of Mormon scholar who is acquainted with the more complex and
hidden forms, claims that there is not a paragraph or sentence which does not contain Hebraisms.
1 Ne 1:58 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them
up in the ways of remembrance.