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Book of Mormon Commentary
1 Nephi Chapter 5
NEPHI'S BROTHERS REACT TO HIS DISCOURSE, VER. 1-6
1 Ne 5:1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren,
behold, they said unto me, Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.
5:1 It is rather common for those who have been chastised for sin to resent and revile those
attempting to correct them. Nephi's brethren in this instance showed it was their consciousness of
guilt which was hard. Nephi had spoken only the truth. Then Nephi exhorted his brethren to keep
the commandments of the Lord.
John the Baptist saw certain Pharisees and Sadducees who came out to the Jordan where he was
baptizing. Discerning their hearts, he challenged them, "0, generation of vipers!” He then
upbraided them for their unbelief (Matt. 3:33).
Peter became quite bold after Pentecost and said, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of
Nazareth, a man approved of God among you ...ye have taken, and by wicked hands have
crucified and slain" (Acts 2:22, 23). At the close of his sermon they cried out, "Men and brethren,
what shall we do?" (Acts 2: 37). Hard sayings alone have little or no redemptive power. It is the
power of the Holy Spirit accompanying the truth which brings conviction, and repentance follows
from choice.
1 Ne 5:5 And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy
and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.
5:5 The chief difficulty was that the older brothers could not or would not accept Nephi as their
leader. This was in essence rebellion against God, for he had revealed to them by an angel (1:93,
94) that Nephi was chosen to be their ruler. This issue had to be settled before the caravan could
move on its journey.
The law of primogeniture also was involved. The birthright, carrying a double portion (Deut.
21:17), was the heritage of the eldest son under normal conditions. He not only inherited property
rights but he also was looked to as the head of the house or tribe or colony when he came into his
heritage. The eldest son of Jacob (Jacob was later called Israel) was unfitted for this heritage, and
the birthright went to Joseph (1 Chron. 5:1), creating great jealousy on the part of his elder
brethren. Similarly, Lehi's eldest sons were unfitted for the rights and responsibilities of the
birthright. Nephi was the fourth son. Laman and Lemuel were rebellious from the start. Sam, the
third son, seems to have shown some instability (II N. 1:52).
Laman and Lemuel, prompted by jealousy and murderous hatred against Nephi, jeopardized his
life at times. They accused him of seeking the position of leadership (1 N. 5:48-51, 187; II N. 4:1-
4). This was the basis for the hatred that grew in intensity from the days in the wilderness and
stretched on down through the centuries, causing the Lamanites to teach their children that Nephi
had usurped their rights, lied, and unlawfully gained supremacy over them (Mos. 6:44-53; A.
12:192,196).
It was thus a cause of rejoicing to Nephi that his brothers became humble and that this settlement
was reached, temporary though it proved to be.