2 Nephi 5:26 - 5:30

2 Nephi 5:26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.

Nephi tells us of his setting apart his two younger brothers who were born in the wilderness to be priest and teachers of the Nephites. Jacob and Joseph are called to the ministry to assist Nephi in his ministry to his people and to take over after Nephi dies.

2 Nephi 5:27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.

The people were happy with the leadership setup put in place by Nephi. They were prosperous and enjoyed the fruits of their labors.

2 Nephi 5:28 And thirty years had passed away from the time we left Jerusalem.

Nephi records that this peace and prosperity was in placed by the thirtieth year after leaving Jerusalem. It is now 570 B.C. Since it took eight years to get to Bountiful and I’m guessing another year or two to build the ship and anther year to make the voyage and another year if that long for Nephi to split off from Laman and Lemuel, they must have started their own settlement about 18 years before.

The population of Nephi’s group must have been only 50 to 100 people who were descendents of Lehi or married into the group. I wonder if there were any others who were living in the promised land who may have joined up with them? I sure there were other peoples living in the land and they would have been proselyted by the Nephites.

2 Nephi 5:29 And I, Nephi, had kept the records upon my plates, which I had made, of my people thus far.

In addition, Nephi tells us that he kept a record of all the events among them as he was commanded.

2 Nephi 5:30 And it came to pass that the Lord God said unto me: Make other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people.

The plates were two sets. The one we are reading from in this record were from the second set which were to contain the more spiritual things. Nephi had made the plates himself and would be more valuable to his people than what was on the first set.