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Without the Mormon Lens: 13 - The Head of Laban

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By Mason

The Book of Mormon, pg 12

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
     "Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and still did continue to murmur; Nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem. (pg 12)
~~~~~~~~~~

     We now find Nephi and his brothers outside of the walls of Jerusalem as they return a third time to retrieve the plates from Laban. We can see some similarities to the Book of Joshua as Joshua leads the Isrealites from city to city as they claim their inheritance. This final encounter with Laban is the final colmination of Nephi's effort to preserve their family's records. Much like the Book of Joshua is the finale of the Isrealites claiming their lands.

   As we have seen with previous events, the Killing of Laban will be a conglomerate of multiple events across the Old Testament.

 ~~~~~ The Old Testament~~~~~
   1  And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: (Joshua 8:1)

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
     "And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls." (pg 12)

~~~~~ The Old Testament~~~~~
     3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night. 

     4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: (Joshua 8:3-4

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
     "And after that they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban. (pg 12)
~~~~~~~~~~
     
    Seeing as how we are back in Jerusalem, let's consider the Lord's words about the state Jerusalem should be in at this time as written in Jeremiah.

~~~~~ The Old Testament~~~~~

     13 ...Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. (Jeremiah 13:13)

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
    "And I was led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near the house of Laban, I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine." (pg 12)
~~~~~~~~

   Joseph Smith is likely using Laban as a composite of all the people of Jerusalem. He is drunk, just as God promised to fill the inhabitants with drunkenness. We then are also given a description of Laban's weaponry, which is useless to him due to his drunkenness.

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
    "And when I came to him, I found that it was Laban. And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof, and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine; and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel" (pg 12)

~~~~~ The Old Testament~~~~~
     4 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands... (Jeremiah 21:4)
~~~~~~~~~~

    Nephi in the next paragraph is commanded to then kill Laban. He is hesitant but is reminded of Laban’s sins.

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
     "And it came to pass that I was constrained by the spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart, never at any time have I shed blood of man, and I shrunk and would that I might not slay him. And the spirit saith unto me again, behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands; yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property." (pg 12)
~~~~~~~~~~

    Let's consider for a moment. If Laban is a composite of every wicked inhabitant of Jerusalem, then it should follow that he also represents their rulers. Let's refresh ourself with the words Jeremiah spoke in the kings house.

~~~~~ The Old Testament~~~~~
    14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.(Jeremiah 21:14)

    7 And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. 

     8 And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city?

      9 Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them. (Jeremiah 22:7-9)

    13  Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;  (Jeremiah 22:13)

     21 I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.(Jeremiah 22:21)

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
     "And it came to pass that the spirit said unto me again, slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into my hands."

     "Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes: it is better that one man should perish, than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief."  (pg 12)

~~~~~ The New Testament~~~~~
     50 ...consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. (John 11:50)

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
     "And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, 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. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass. And again -- I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands, for this cause: that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.(pgs 12-13)

~~~~~ The Old Testament~~~~~
     16  And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 

     17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 

     18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage. (Joshua 1:16-18)

~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
     "Therefore I did obey the voice of the spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword." (pg 13)
~~~~~~~~~~

     Symbolically this is the same as Joshua smiting the five kings.

~~~~~ The Old Testament~~~~~
     16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 

     17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.  (Joshua 10:16-17)

     22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.

      23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 

     24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. 

     25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 

     26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. (Joshua 10:22-26)
~~~~~~~~~

-Mason 

Check Your Understanding:

Test what you picked up from the article.

1. In this section of the study, which biblical figure is Nephi most closely paralleled with?




2. Why did Nephi initially shrink from killing Laban?




3. What key justification does the Spirit give Nephi for killing Laban?




4. Laban’s lusting after the brothers’ “gold, and silver, and all their precious things” is compared to which Old Testament episode?




5. Laban’s drunken collapse in Jerusalem is tied to which prophetic image?




6. What literary concept is used to describe how biblical stories and images are lifted from one setting and placed into Nephi’s narrative?




-Next-

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