Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

Book of Mormon Commentary
1 Nephi Chapter 5
The "honey in abundance" may have been both the product of the bee, and the syrup made of
dates, which the Hebrews called "honey" ("de- bash," Gen. 43:11).
5:!8! We put forth into the sea, and were driven forth before the wind.-After loading their
provisions and gear into the ship, they launched their homemade boat for its first and only voyage.
It was a sailing vessel and must have been blessed with a favorable wind at the start as nothing
worthy of comment seemed necessary.. Their journey was through the Indian and Pacific oceans
and ultimately 'brought them to the western coast of America. They had to learn the art of
handling the sails by trial and error. Fortunately divine provision had been made for an automatic
"compass," which compensated for the lack of a navigator aboard.
1 Ne 5:179 And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the eldest was called Jacob, and
the younger, Joseph.
5:179 The failure to mention the mother in this part of the history is typical of the age. It was a
man's world and the lineage was traced through the father. Jesus was the first great leader to give
equal status to women, but this was six centuries later. Jacob was the older of these two sons and
was entrusted with the plates to continue the records. Joseph, the younger, and Jacob were
ordained by Nephi as "priests and teachers of this people” Ob. 1:18).
No record is given of their ages at the time of embarkation. Jacob begins his record by dating it as
fifty-five years after leaving Jerusalem.
1 Ne 5:181 We did put forth into the sea, and were driven forth before the wind, towards the promised
land;
5:181 After loading their provisions and gear into the ship, they launched their homemade boat for
its first and only voyage. It was a sailing vessel and must have been blessed with a favorable wind
at the start as nothing worthy of comment seemed necessary. Their journey was through the Indian
and Pacific oceans and ultimately brought them to the western coast of America. They had to learn
the art of handling the sails by trial and error. Fortunately divine provision had been made for an
automatic "compass," which compensated for the lack of a navigator aboard.
THE VOYAGE AND REBELLION, VER. 182-208
1 Ne 5:182 And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my
brethren, and the sons of Ishmael, and also their wives, began to make themselves merry, insomuch that
they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much rudeness,
5:182 Doubtless the daily routine on the ship became monotonous, since there was not much work
or adventure to challenge the people. Their singing and dancing could have been excused, but a
more serious aspect was their rough talk and "exceeding rudeness" (184). The Lord has warned
against "loud and boisterous speech" and "coarse and vulgar stories" (D. and C. 119:3).
1 Ne 5:186 Wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness;