Showing posts with label Prosper in the land. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prosper in the land. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

2 Nephi 1 contains references to 1 Nephi, Part 3 -- 2 Nephi 1:5 and 1 Nephi 2:20

2 Nephi 1:5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.
Compare to:
1 Nephi 2:20 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.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Chiasmus in 1 Nephi 4:5-24

Verses 5-24 contain a great example of chiasmus. Although some people dismiss the entire notion of chiasmus in the Book of Mormon as no big deal, I believe there are several solid examples in which the structure of the words add to the poetic effect and help emphasize the central purpose of the passage. This is one of those examples:

The basic overview is as follows:

A v. 5 The brothers hide outside the walls. 
B v. 5 Nephi went forth towards the house of Laban and sees Laban.
C v. 9 Nephi holds Laban's sword 
D v. 10 Nephi is constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban 
E v. 12 "the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands" 
F v. 14-15 "I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law. 16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass." 
E' v. 17 "I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands" 
D' v. 18 Nephi obeys the voice of the Spirit 
C' v. 18-19 Nephi kills Laban with his sword. 
B' v. 20-21 Nephi went forth unto the treasury of Laban and Zoram believes he sees Laban. 
A' v. 24 Nephi and Zoram carry the plates to his brothers outside the walls.

Nephi teaches us the importance of keeping the commandments of the Lord by placing that concept at the apex of a chiasm detailing how he obtained the plates of brass through obedience.

Internal Consistency between 1 Nephi 2:20 and 1 Nephi 4:14

In verse 20, we read:
20 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.

This experience is referenced again in 1 Nephi 4:14, when Nephi is faced with the difficult choice to kill Laban in order to obtain the plates:
14 ... I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.
This becomes a repeated theme throughout the Book of Mormon, referenced multiple times by many writers.

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