1 Nephi 3:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
Nephi tells his father that he knows that the Lord will not asked men to do things that are impossible to carry out. In fact, he prepares events and people to be in place so as to be able to carry out assignments given. This is an oft quoted scripture to convince people that they are not alone when carrying out divine assignments.
I am convinced also that these assignments were know in the preexistence and people and events were scheduled in advance to help the assignee to be able to carry out the assignment. I really think that the Lord is not reacting to circumstance. He knew what was going to happen eons ago and move people around so that things would turn out as he wanted. No one was forced. We are just put in situations and the Lord knowing how we would react that the wanted result would happen. No one's free agency was violated.
1 Nephi 3:8 And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord.
Lehi is encouraged by Nephi’s willingness which made him happy. Lehi knew that Nephi truly had been blessed and would succeed in that which Lehi had commanded his sons to carry out.
1 Nephi 3:9 And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem.
The boys now pack up for the trip back to Jerusalem. It is probably a few weeks of travel to get back to Jerusalem, so they take their tents and some provisions. I can readily envision Laban and Lemuel complaining all during this time.
What makes them comply with their father’s request? The leadership of the father in Mideast tradition was supreme. No one dare disobey the father of the family. To be excluded from the family for whatever reason was like being cast into outer darkness. If a man did not belong to a family, he was consider undesirable and was not a person that one would not want to associate with.
1 Nephi 3:10 And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.
Upon arriving near Jerusalem, the boys now make plans on how they will get the plates from Laban. I can readily envision the complaints behind their father’s back lodged the older brothers as they made their plans.
1 Nephi 3:11 And we cast lots—who of us should go in unto the house of Laban. And it came to pass that the lot fell upon Laman; and Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as he sat in his house.
They come up with a plan and it includes one of them approaching Laban directly. The selection of the this representative of the boys was done by casting lots. Laman got the short stick.
I can only assume that Laban may have known Laman. It sounds from the description of the conversation that they were somewhat relaxed which would indicate some familiarity. Or it maybe that saying he was the son of Lehi may have been the motivation for Laban to see Laman.
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