The Book of the Law and the Plates of Brass
I have written before about the fact that Lehi and Sariah were in Jerusalem at the time of Josiah’s reforms around 622 BC. Hilkiah found the book of the law in the temple during Josiah’s reign, and it was read to the king: “And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes” (2 Kings 22:11). He was upset because they were not living according to the words of the law, and so he wanted to ensure that all of his people understood the law: “And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord” (2 Kings 23:23). Lehi and Sariah were likely there when this reading took place and a covenant was made by the king to keep the law, and this fact highlights why it was so important for Lehi to obt...