A Ruler and Teacher

One of the themes that we see in the story of Nephi is the idea that he would be a ruler and teacher over his brethren.  Nephi is told right up front at the start of their journey that this is to be the case.  The Lord told him, “And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren” (1 Nephi 2:22).  Interestingly, the Lord made sure that Laman and Lemuel also knew this fact when he sent the angel to stop them from killing Nephi: “And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities?” (1 Nephi 3:29)  And yet they clearly didn’t believe the words of the angel, for they repeated became embittered by Nephi because they thought he was trying to be a ruler and teacher over them. 

                On three different occasions Laman and Lemuel  sought to kill Nephi because of their perception that he was trying to be their ruler.  After Ishmael died they said, “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.   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” (1 Nephi 16:37-38).  They had somehow convinced themselves that they hadn’t really seen an angel.  The second occasion was on the boat when, after his chastisement, they said, “And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us” (1 Nephi 18:10).  The last was after Lehi’s death: “Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people” (2 Nephi 5:3).  Ultimately I think the brothers were jealous because he was so capable as a leader and they weren’t; so they simply threatened to kill him when their jealousy got high enough.    

                As someone pointed out in a class I was in today, Laman and Lemuel were pretty hypocritical about their desire to be the rulers among their people.  When Nephi’s bow broke and he couldn’t get food, Laman and Lemuel were mad at Nephi but did nothing to solve the problem.   If they really wanted to be rulers and leaders, this was their chance to show some leadership!   But they didn’t, and Nephi had to find the solution alone.  If he hadn’t made the new bow and new arrow and went looking for food through the Liahona, all would have perished.   Nephi’s description of what happened next shows how much he had to do by himself: “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.  And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.  And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had obtained food, how great was their joy!” (1 Nephi 16:30-32).  In those three verses he said the word “I” five times there, I think showing us how unwilling his brothers were to help him.  We see the same kind of attitude in the experience building the ship and crossing the ocean: Laman and Lemuel didn’t really want to be leaders; they simply wanted power without responsibility.