Laban (Book of Mormon)
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- This article is about Laban, a character in the Book of Mormon. For other uses, see Laban.
In the Book of Mormon, Laban is a man in Jerusalem who commands wealth and servants, and also possesses records on brass plates of the genealogy of Lehi. After Lehi and his family leave the city Lehi sends his sons back to Jerusalem to get the records from Laban.
First, Laman enters the city to request the records, but Laban casts Laman out of his house.
Afterwards, the sons of Lehi gathers all their gold, silver and precious objects to bring to Laban as payment for the records. Lehi's sons take the property to Laban. However, Laban keeps the property, and orders his men to kill Lehi's sons.
After fleeing Jerusalem, the elder brothers Laman and Lemuel are angry at Lehi and their younger brothers Sam and Nephi, and they beat Sam and Nephi with rods. During the beating, an angel appears to them, telling them to return to Jerusalem, and that Laban would fall into their hands.
Finally, Nephi sneaks into Jerusalem at night, and finds Laban drunk on the ground. The Spirit of the Lord tells Nephi to kill Laban with his own sword and take the records, saying "It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief."
Sword of Laban
Reluctantly, Nephi takes the Sword of Laban and decapitates him.
Nephi described the Sword of Laban as such: And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel. (1 Nephi 4:9)
Nephi kept the sword after he escaped Jerusalem with Zoram, Laban's servant. Apparently the sword was passed down through the ages to future prophets, kings, and warriors, as it is mentioned centuries later in the Book of Mormon. The sword supposedly existed to the present-day, and was hidden away with the Gold Plates found by Joseph Smith, Jr.
See also
External links
- References to Laban in the index to the LDS edition of the Book of Mormon
- References to brass plates in the index to the LDS edition of the Book of Mormon