1 Nephi 16:37 - 17:2
1 Nephi 16:37 And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael: Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are his elder brethren.
Laman and Lemuel along with the sons of Ishmael see an opening with the murmuring of the daughters to rid themselves of their father and their pasty little brother Nephi who is continually telling them they need to do what he is telling them.
They see no way of silencing them except by killing them. It sounds very harsh to us, but they could see no way out of their situation. It was obvious that Lehi and Nephi were not going to quit telling them they had to obey the Lord and the only way to let them do what they want to get rid of them.
I can only wonder at the reaction of the Sariah, the wife of Nephi and maybe some of the others who were loyal to Nephi. It must have been especially hard for Sariah to hear her sons plotting to kill her husband and their father and brother.
Laman and Lemuel are now using the opportunity to rebel against their father and leader of the expedition. They are especially going after Nephi. They accuse him of trying to take over the group to become their ruler.
1 Nephi 16:38 Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that angels have ministered unto him. But behold, we know that he lies unto us; and he tells us these things, and he worketh many things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes, thinking, perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange wilderness; and after he has led us away, he has thought to make himself a king and a ruler over us, that he may do with us according to his will and pleasure. And after this manner did my brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.
The brothers accuse Nephi of deceiving them in various ways. They say that Nephi has lied about angels coming and talking to him. The only problem is that they have seem angels too. Angels did come and administer to them as well even though it was to chastised them. So this accusation was false and they knew it.
They accuse Nephi of using some unknown magical technique to make them think they had seen angels. That Nephi's whole intent was to become their ruler and king over them and to do so in a strange land where his position could not be challenged by outside influence. Nephi was just wanting to control them so they would do as he wanted.
Laman is the main person who is behind the rebellion. He seems to be an able to persuaded people and is so in this group which seems split over the value of the whole enterprise
1 Nephi 16:39 And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again with food, that we did not perish.
Since Laman has accused Nephi of deceiving them with magic to make them think they are seeing and hearing angels, the voice of the Lord comes to the group. This voice is blunt and to the point about the necessity of this journey. There is not doubt about it importance and that they are to obey Lehi. I’m sure that a few threats were in the mix as well.
It is amazing to me and only because of our cultural morays that Laman and Lemuel just didn’t get up and say we are out of here and were going back regardless. Why they did not just say the heck with all this and leave is a mystery to many in our culture where people do not give a great deal of homage to parents.
Years ago, young men asked permission to marry the daughters from her parents, but now a days if people want to marry, they just do it. Loyalty to parents is a thing of the past. I guess there maybe some justification considering that many parents now a days are of little inspiration to their children.
Their complaining was also brought on by the difficulty in getting food. After this scolding by the Lord they are able to obtain food once again. It is interesting that both the righteous and unrighteous suffer when the unrighteous are not doing as they ought.
1 Nephi 17:1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
Their journey continues but they are directed by the ball to change direction and head east. Although, we are given no details, the group has many more afflictions. Some have surmised that they may have problems with the locals as they pass through the country. Being as wild as it is, I would be surprised if they did not. And in all this, the women are having children in these very unpleasant conditions which included Sariah. This would make her somewhere about 40 years old or so.
1 Nephi 17:2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.
However hard were the conditions, they were getting used to them. The women were able to give milk to their children and the group could live off raw meat. As with anything difficult, it becomes easier as the soul and body adjust to them. And the benefit is that people stop complaining. Maybe by this time the dissenters in the group were getting the idea that the Lord was serious about there going to the land of promise.
