1 Nephi 16:7 - 16:11

1 Nephi 16:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife.

While there, all the boys are married to the daughters of Ishmael. Zoram, Laban’s servant marries the oldest daughter. It does not mentioned Lehi’s daughters getting married. It also sounds like Ishmael had sons in his family so did they married Lehi’s daughter or daughters or were they already married?

1 Nephi 16:8 And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him. And also, I, Nephi, had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly.

Nephi tells us that up to this point in time, Nephi and Lehi have done all that they were commanded to do. Nephi says that he has been blessed beyond measure. He is now married, has seen visions, done miracles such as the loosening of ropes the he was tied up with, and all the knowledge he had received in vision and from his experiences in the journeys back and forth to Jerusalem. He maybe reflecting on his whole life as he is writing this many years afterwards and when he is in the land of promise.

1 Nephi 16:9 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord spake unto my father by night, and commanded him that on the morrow he should take his journey into the wilderness.

Lehi is informed in the night, that tomorrow he and all that are with him are to pack up and begin the journey to the land of promise. Curious that many commandments and instructions come in the night. I guess it is because our whole attention is on the experience and does not come as an interruption during the day when we might be pre-occupied with some pressing matter or other.

1 Nephi 16:10 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.

Upon getting up in the morning and coming out of his tent, Lehi see a ball on the ground make of brass. It is round and it has two spindles inside which he learns points the direction they should travel in the desert.

Wonder why the ball is referred to being as round? Aren’t all balls round or was items like this pointer sometimes referred to as a ball but were not round in shape. And how did one see the spindles? Did the ball have opening to see inside? Also were the spindles side by side and horizontal to the ground? Wonder how big the ball was? Also says that one of the spindles pointed the direction they should travel. What did the other do or what was it purpose? Wonder if other such devises were used in times past by prophets but were not written about such as Brother of Jared?

It was described as of ‘curious workmanship’? What does that mean? Did it cause Nephi to wonder how sure an object could be made as he knew how to work metal? Or was it curious because of what it did without seeming to have any internal power source. We would be looking for a battery, but sure things were unknown to these people so they might not be looking for a power source but may still have wonder what made it work?

1 Nephi 16:11 And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.

So they packed up whatever they needed for the journey. That included what was left of what the Lord has given them in the way of provisions. They also took seeds with them as well. Wonder if they took them to plant and grow in resting places in the desert or to take with them to the land of promise. If so, are their any plants in Central American that could have come from Palestine?