134 And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren, he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me, and return to the city of Jerusalem.
135 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban, and held him that he should not flee.
136 And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.
137 And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a free man like unto us, if he would go down in the wilderness with us.
138 And I also spake unto him, saying, Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing, and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord?
139 Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my father, thou shalt have place with us.
140 And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake.
141 Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our father.
142 And he also made an oath unto us, that he would tarry with us from that time forth.
143 Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.
144 And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him.
145 And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed unto the tent of our father.
146 And it came to pass that after we had come down into the wilderness unto our father, behold he was filled with joy, and also my mother Sariah was exceeding glad, for she truly had mourned because of us; for she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness;
147 And she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying, Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.
148 And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.
149 And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying, I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision, I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my brethren.
150 But behold I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice;
151 Yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.
152 And after this manner of language did my father Lehi comfort my mother Sariah concerning us, while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of the Jews.
153 And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold their joy was full, and my mother was comforted;
154 And she spake, saying, Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness;
155 Yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and gave them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them.
156 And after this manner of language did she speak.
157 And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel.
158 And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father Lehi took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.
159 And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world;
160 And also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents;
161 And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;
162 And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah;
163 And also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah.
164 And it came to pass that my father Lehi also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers;
165 Wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father Jacob and all his household from perishing with famine.
166 And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.
167 And thus my father Lehi did discover the genealogy of his fathers.
168 And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records.
169 And now when my father saw all these things he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed; that these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, who were of his seed.
170 Wherefore he said that these plates of brass should never perish, neither should they be dimmed any more by time.
171 And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.
172 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.
173 And we had obtained the record which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children.
174 Wherefore it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise.
