The plates of brass were the basic scriptures of the nephite nation, and for centuries their prophets read them, quoted them in sermons, and. By richard packham one of the first dramatic episodes in the book of mormon is the story of how lehis family was able, with gods help, to obtain the brass plates from their custodian laban 1 nephi 3 5. While the small plates quote extensively the words of isaiah from the brass plates, the brass plates themselves werent included as part of the abridgement. Nephi was instructed by the spirit to obtain the plates, and the spirit explained that, in so doing, nephi would help to preserve a people. Book of mormon language the encyclopedia of mormonism. The first part of our book of mormon, from first nephi through omni is a translation of the small plates which were written primarily by nephi. Brass plate passage by isaiah quoted by nephi the book. Some of these records were comparable to certain books now found in the old testament, but others did not find their way into the bible.
Nephi was instructed by the spirit to obtain the plates, and the spirit explained. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of. Sep 28, 2012 this word order also applies to descriptions. The first edition of the book of mormon was typeset from that printers manuscript. The influence of the brass plates on the teachings of nephi. Mar 07, 2014 he remembers the commandments god has given him. The brass plates were passed down with the nephite records until came into the hands of nephi the son of nephi 3 nephi 1.
Go ye forth of babylon, flee ye from the chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the earth. For decades the descendants of lehi, the lightskinned nephites and the darkskinned lamanites, warred against each other until both sides met for a final battle in the land. Evidence has been found revealing that important messages were engraved into metal objects at the time just prior to the captivity of babylon. It is clear that the bible and the brass plates differed in many respects. Finally, the plates contained a more extensive account of old testament peoples and events than the bible see 1 nephi 5. Since then, researchers have found several examples of ancient metal plates, gold plates, and plates with rings. Brass plates mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. The information on the plates of brass gave nephi the instructions for constructing many things, including a temple like solomons. While the normal english phrasing would be brass plates, the hebrew word order would be plates brass, translated plates of brass, the of being supplied by the translator. Check out the most recent video, which tells the familiar story of nephi following the spirit to obtain the brass plates. He thought in his heart that his posterity cant keep the commandments if they didnt have them.
Necessarily, only some of what we now have as the book of jeremiah would have been on the brass plates since some of its contents were penned after 597. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked. The following other plates are described in the book of mormon. He needs the brass plates so nephis posterity could keep a record of their language and have the gospel. The phrase brass plates does not occur in the book of mormon, while plates of brass occurs 27 times. The lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. Another likely source for phrases in the book of mormon that seem to match parts of the new testament is the plates of brass that lehis family had in their possession. Nephi is led by the spirit to obtain the plates of brass.
The following is from the introduction to the 1981 ed. The book of mormon does tell how the prophet lehi came to possess the plates of brass. Brass plates 2 mormonism, the mormon church, beliefs. Jan 01, 2004 strang said that his translation of the book of the law of the lord was made from the brass plates that the ancient book of mormon author named nephi obtained from jerusalem as in 2 chronicles 17. The plates of brass are integral to the story and message of the book of mormon. Nephi miraculously obtains possession of the plates by following the guidance of. Nephi said they could not return without the brass plates.
Through the book of mormon we are better able to grasp many of the veiled or deficient details of our present bible. Sep 27, 2019 as a result of a dream, lehi sends his sons back to jerusalem to obtain sacred records on plates of brass from a wicked religious and military leader named laban. Correspondingly, the book of mormon consistently employs phrases such as plates of brass instead of brass plates and walls of stone rather than stone walls. What parts of the old testament were on the plates of brass. King benjamin later gave the sword of laban, the brass plates, and the liahona to his son mosiah. The influence of the brass plates on the teachings of. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a. Contents of the plates of brass book of mormon central. Have the children take turns reading from their books. May 01, 2007 book of mormon scholars postulate that the brass plates are related to one of the sources from which the bible came. The second episode in the book of mormon video series was released to the public on friday, sept.
When reading through the book of mormon, one finds references to many different parts of the old testament. There may be many other possible explanations for the overlap between hebrews and the book of mormon, but this explanation reminds us that it is. When it first appeared, the book of mormon was attacked for the alleged absurdity of having been written on golden plates and its claim of the existence of an early sixth century b. Strang said that his translation of the book of the law of the lord was made from the brass plates that the ancient book of mormon author named nephi obtained from jerusalem as in 2 chronicles 17.
These plates are only one of many other records that make an appearance in the book of mormon, and often people attribute qualities of other records to the plates of brass incorrectly. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. Mar 01, 2011 if this was so important, what happened to the brass plates. Jan 01, 2008 the reference to jeremiah in verse emphasizes the truncated nature of the contents of the brass plates. The plates that joseph smith received were the golden plates, the official record and history abridgement that was translated into what was published as the book of mormon. According to nephi, the plates of brass contained the books of moses and the mosaic law see 1 ne. There is, of course, another way by which the knowledge on the brass plates is to be disseminatedfar more extensive in its scopethan through the book of mormon. Book of mormon scholars postulate that the brass plates are related to one of the sources from which the bible came. Jun 25, 2019 later in the book of mormon, we are told that king benjamin, a nephite ruler, used the sword to help defend his people against their enemies. The golden plates are often confused with the brass plates, which while important to the book of mormon, are not the same thing.
An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi. Brass plate passage by isaiah quoted by nephi book of mormon. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which, according to adherents, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421. Brass plates the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Among his possessions was a set of brass plates containing the genealogy of lehi, a major character in the early portion of the book of mormon. The book of mormon is a sacred record of peoples in ancient america, and was engraved upon sheets of metal. The brass plates book of mormon stories, 812 make this mini book created by kevin merrell. He told his brothers to have more faith in the lord and they would be able to get the brass plates. The golden plates were a set of plates that joseph smith, jr. Although the information is sparse concerning the origin of the plates of brass, the book of mormon is quite detailed on what the plates contained. How the dead sea scrolls shed light on similarities. In a fashion duplicating smiths employment of first three and then eight more witnesses to his book of mormon. Far more often than readers usually realize, many new testament passages are quoting or paraphrasing old testament texts that could have been available to the nephites through the plates of brass. Hebraisms in the book of mormon judaicaworld archives.
Nov 12, 2019 it is possible that the author of hebrews drew on texts that were available to him that were also on the plates of brass, resulting in the similarities we see between hebrews and the book of mormon. Ancient metal plates book of mormon archaeological forum. The following other plates are described in the book of mormon the brass plates were a set of plates retrieved by nephi at the direction of his father, lehi. The book of mormon bears testimony of the critical nature of record keeping and particularly of the necessity for scriptural records in the development and preservation of a civilization. The plates later played an important role in the religious life of lehis righteous descendants, the nephites. You try spraying, scrubbing, and still were left with so many persons whose testimonies of the physicality of the golden plates, angels, and other artifactsnever wavered. Lehi sends his sons back to jerusalem to get the brass plates from king laban. The mormon church owns the property and it certainly has the financial means to do so. The influence of the brass plates on the teachings of nephi robert l. Problems with the brass plates of laban by richard packham one of the first dramatic episodes in the book of mormon is the story of how lehis family was able, with gods help, to obtain the brass plates from their custodian laban 1 nephi 3 5.
But, what never seems to go away for book of mormon critics are those pesky witnesses. Some of the prophets mentioned in the book of mormon when quoting the brass plates do not appear in the bible. Further, the of construct is common for adjectival relationships in hebrew. The plates of brass contained a copy of the law five books of moses, a history of the jews, lehis genealogy, and the writings of many prophets. This video, based on 1 nephi 35, follows nephi and his brothers as they return to jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass from a wicked leader named laban.
The book of mormon indicates that laban and his father had inherited and preserved the record because they were descendants of this joseph. In the book of mormon the plates of inspiration and. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints distributes free copies of the king james version of the bible and the book of mormon. The book of mormons description of sacred records written on bronze plates fits. The plates he held referred to several other sets of plates and records, an understanding of which is necessary to understand the book of mormon. Nephi said that the plates of brass contained the five books of. The story of both sets of plates is told in the book of mormon, which is a translation of the golden plates, which is a collection of sacred books recorded by numerous prophets on those plates which were passe. To show the children how nephi felt about going to get the brass plates, read aloud 1 nephi 3. Nephi is led by the spirit to obtain the plates of brass 1. The plates of mormon, which, except for the sealed portion, were subsequently translated by joseph smith, are known today as the gold plates. How the dead sea scrolls shed light on similarities between. It is interesting to note that the 20 chapters of the book of mormon isaiah, hand copied from the brass plates by the nephite prophets, and translated into english by joseph smith, by the gift and power of god, represent the most correct and the most ancient record of the book of isaiah in existence. From my studies, it seems that the gold plates did not contain the same information as what was covered in the brass plates i.
The brass plates of laban in jerusalem prior to the invasion of babylon. Why new testament words and phrases are in the book of. In the book of first nephi, chapters three and four, laban is described as a notable citizen of jerusalem who commanded great wealth and many servants. The present english book of mormon, however, is not simply a translation of all those gold plates. For people who know and love the book of mormon, parts of the book of hebrews in the new testament may seem vaguely familiar. After many attempts they are able to get the plates and, zoram, one of labans. Joseph smith founded his church on the translation of a metallic record that he said was the ancient book of mormon.
Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of mormonism. The book of mormon itself portrays the golden plates as a historical record, engraved by two precolumbian prophethistorians from around the year ad 400. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. The plates of brass contained a copy of the law five books of moses, a history of the jews, lehis genealogy. Mar 02, 2018 but, what never seems to go away for book of mormon critics are those pesky witnesses. As a result of a dream, lehi sends his sons back to jerusalem to obtain sacred records on plates of brass from a wicked religious and military leader named laban. Book of mormon the idea of an ancient record on gold plates was one of the most mocked claims of joseph smith. There are numerous examples of ancient writing on metal plates. Why new testament words and phrases are in the book of mormon. When reading through the book of mormon, one finds references to many. Did moroni take it with him with the gold plates or did he bury them with the rest of the plates mormon acquired.
If this was so important, what happened to the brass plates. Laban is a character in the first book of nephi, near the start of the book of mormon, a scripture of the latter day. Copying that original manuscript, parts of which survive today, oliver cowdery prepared a printers manuscript owned by the rlds church. When discussing melchizedek in alma, for example, the book of mormon appears to allude to the joseph smith translation of genesis 14. Laman and lemuel did not want to go back to jerusalem and were very angry, but nephi and sam were willing to go. The brass plates were a book of scripture made from metal brass pages. What parts of the old testament were on the plates of. Dear steve, what moroni hid up in the hill cumorah and delivered to joseph smith was one volume of gold plates containing three separate records. Lehi sent his sons back to jerusalem to obtain scriptures engraved on brass.
Joseph dictated the original manuscript of the book of mormon from the plates of mormon. Later facsimile editions are less precise representations of the original brass plates, and in the absence of the plates themselves this early printed facsimile is the closest depiction possible of what was either strangs cleverest scheme or his most sacred feat. The book of mormon claims that a record was kept on brass plates prior to the invasion and captivity of babylon. Among these remnants are teachings of four prophets not mentioned in the bible. The brass plates were a set of plates retrieved by nephi at the direction of his father, lehi. Mormon apologist john tvedtnes doubts that the hill cumorah contains any caves. The reference to jeremiah in verse emphasizes the truncated nature of the contents of the brass plates. It is possible that the author of hebrews drew on texts that were available to him that were also on the plates of brass, resulting in the similarities we see between hebrews and the book of mormon. For further information, see a brief explanation about the book of mormon, which is in the book of mormon. When the book of mormon was published, critics mocked joseph smith because of this claim. The second video in the book of mormon series was released.
For your free copy of the bible, go to free holy bible and for a free book of mormon, go to free book of mormon. Mormon and moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of metal plates. However, plates mentioned in the book of mormon, such as labans plates of brass, ethers 24 gold plates, and the record that moroni eventually buried were all made by cultures that lived in or originally came from the middle east. Later in the book of mormon, we are told that king benjamin, a nephite ruler, used the sword to help defend his people against their enemies. Nephi is led by the spirit to obtain the plates of brass 1 nephi 35. The book of mormon plates religious studies center.
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