Book of Mormon; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saints
We think it probable that the design near the top of the accompanying
Aztec map is intended to represent this incident; as the bird has
evidently been shot by an arrow from the hunter's bow. The lower
portion seems to show some of the many attempts made by Nephi's
brethren to slay him, when they bound him to trees in the wilderness
and otherwise abused him. Picture four is evidently a record of the
months or years occupied in the journey.
The journey was thus continued for a long time. The company would
travel for a few days, then rest and hunt, then again take up the line
of march as the compass directed. It generally guided them through the
most fertile portions of the desert. Their journeys appear to have
been frequently disturbed by the bad conduct of Laman and Lemuel and
of those who would heed them. Before long, Ishmael, who was an aged
man, died, at a place which they named Nahom. This was a cause of great
grief to his children, and a fresh excuse for Laman and his following
to murmur. They complained that they had been led into that strange
land to die of want and fatigue, and desired to go back to Jerusalem.
So hard hearted had Laman by this time become that, with others, he
formed a plot to murder his own father and his brother Nephi. But the
voice of the Lord came to them, chastened them severely for their sins,
and reproved them with such power that their hearts were softened and
they repented. After this the Lord again blessed them.
From this time the compass changed the course of their travel and they
journeyed almost directly eastward. This must have taken them across
the peninsula of Arabia to its eastern coast.
It took them eight years to make the journey, during which time a
number of children were born, including two sons to Lehi's wife. These
he called Jacob and Joseph. As they went the Lord strengthened them,
that they endured their privations and labors without fatigue. He would
not permit them to make much fire to prepare their food, but rendered
it sweet to them without cooking.
They had great joy when they came to the sea. They gave to it the name
of Irreantum, which word means many waters. The land on the coast they
called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and wild honey. While they
rested on the sea shore the Lord gave Nephi a new command. It was that
he should build a ship to carry the company across the ocean. As we may
suppose, Nephi's brothers made all kinds of fun of him when they found
he was about to try to build a ship. But this did not affect him. He
knew that God never told a man to do a thing that he did not give him
power to do. It was so in this case. The Lord revealed to Nephi all
that was necessary, and the building of the ship began.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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