Jacob 1
People in this chapter
Fifty-five years after his family left Jerusalem, Nephi gives his younger brother a set of plates and a commandment. Jacob was born in the wilderness during that journey (1 Nephi 18:7). Now he is a grown man, a priest and teacher of the people, and he receives the record his brother started.
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Jacob 1:1-4A Few of the Things Most Precious
1For behold, it came to pass that fifty and five years had passed away from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; wherefore, Nephi gave me, Jacob, a commandment concerning the small plates, upon which these things are engraven. 2And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi. 3For he said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.
Nephi is old. Fifty-five years after leaving Jerusalem, he gives the small plates to his brother Jacob, with a commandment about what to write on them.
Jacob is told to write only a few things, the ones he considers most precious. History gets only a light touch.
4And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people.
Three things go on these plates: sacred preaching, great revelation, and prophecy. Jacob is to write the heads of them, the main points.
Jacob writes for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people. The record exists to serve the Savior and to bless those who will read it.
Jacob 1:5-8That We Might Persuade Them to Come unto Christ
5For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made manifest unto us concerning our people, what things should happen unto them. 6And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come.
Through faith and deep concern for their people, Nephi and Jacob received revelation. They knew of Christ and his kingdom centuries before His birth.
7Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.
Jacob's ministry had one aim: to persuade people to come unto Christ. He uses persuasion, the same way Nephi did.
Jacob remembers Israel in the wilderness, who provoked God and did not enter His rest. He wants his people to enter it.
8Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi.
Jacob 1:9-14And It Came to Pass That Nephi Died
9Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soon die; wherefore, he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his people now, according to the reigns of the kings. 10The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his days for their welfare— 11Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance his name. And whoso should reign in his stead were called by the people, second Nephi, third Nephi, and so forth, according to the reigns of the kings; and thus they were called by the people, let them be of whatever name they would. 12And it came to pass that Nephi died.
Nephi anoints a king before he dies. The people love Nephi so much that each new king takes his name: second Nephi, third Nephi.
Jacob records his brother's death in one short line. The man who wrote so much about his life gets one short sentence for his death.
13Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. 14But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings.
The people had seven family names. Jacob simplifies: those who seek to destroy the people of Nephi are Lamanites, and those friendly to Nephi are Nephites.
Jacob 1:15-19We Did Magnify Our Office unto the Lord
15And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son. 16Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.
Under the second king the people start to slide: hard hearts, many wives and concubines, a search for gold and silver, and pride. Notice the word began.
17Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the temple, having first obtained mine errand from the Lord. 18For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi.
Jacob does not decide on his own to rebuke the people. He first gets his errand from the Lord, and then he teaches in the temple.
19And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.
To magnify an office is to take its responsibility seriously. Jacob felt answerable to the Lord for teaching the people with all diligence.
Jacob wants to stand spotless at the last day. Clean garments in scripture are a symbol of being cleansed through Christ.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- Why Do the Authors on the Small Plates Follow a Pattern?Scholars list the obligations in Nephi's charge to Jacob in verses 1-4 and show how later keepers of the small plates carried out the same charge.
- PlatesThe different sets of plates behind the Book of Mormon, including the small plates of Nephi that Jacob receives here.
- Jacob, Son of LehiA short summary of Jacob's life and of the seven chapters of the book that bears his name.
Where this echoes in Scripture
A Few of the Things Most Precious
- 2 Nephi 5:28-31Thirty years had passed away from the time we left Jerusalem.When Nephi began the small plates.
- 1 Nephi 19:5-6I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred.Nephi followed the same rule he gives Jacob.
- Jacob 7:27I said unto my son Enos: Take these plates.Jacob hands the plates down, as he was told.
- Words of Mormon 1:6-7I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me.Mormon later includes these small plates with his record.
That We Might Persuade Them to Come unto Christ
- Psalm 95:8-11Harden not your heart, as in the provocation… they should not enter into my rest.The wilderness provocation Jacob recalls.
- Hebrews 3:7-11To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.Hebrews applies the same Psalm to disciples of Christ.
- Matthew 16:24Let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
- 3 Nephi 12:29-30Deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross.The risen Savior explains taking up the cross to the Nephites.
- D&C 84:24Which rest is the fulness of his glory.What the Lord's rest means.
And It Came to Pass That Nephi Died
- 2 Nephi 5:18They would that I should be their king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king.Nephi's earlier reluctance to be king.
- 2 Nephi 33:6I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus.Nephi's own last testimony.
- 1 Nephi 4:35Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake.Where the Zoramites of verse 13 began.
- Alma 23:17They called their names Anti-Nephi-Lehies… and were no more called Lamanites.Converted Lamanites take a new name.
- 4 Nephi 1:17Neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one.A time when the names disappeared.
We Did Magnify Our Office unto the Lord
- Ezekiel 33:6His blood will I require at the watchman's hand.The watchman's responsibility behind verse 19.
- 2 Nephi 5:16I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon.The temple where Jacob preached.
- 2 Nephi 5:26I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers.
- Alma 5:21There can no man be saved except his garments are washed white.
- D&C 107:99-100Let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.The same diligence asked of priesthood holders today.