Post by Nephi –
After admonishing my brothers with several illustrations of the Lord’s power, they reluctantly and unhappily followed me back to the outer walls of Jerusalem. It was night time after my brothers had hidden themselves, when I made my way back into the city towards Laban’s house. I was being led by the spirit and really didn’t know what I was going to do. The streets were very dark and quiet. These dark narrow streets were never welcoming to visitors. Everyone had carefully locked themselves into the safety of their homes.
Creeping through the streets late at night didn’t seem the respectable way to go about the Lord’s errand, yet we had failed in both previous attempts and I knew there was not to be another chance to bargain. I had been encouraged by the angel that the Lord would be with me. With that knowledge I continued toward Laban’s house.
We had reached the end of our resources, and our situation was completely desperate. Not far from Laban’s house, where our very lives had so seriously been threatened, I stumbled upon the form of a man lying dead drunk in the deserted street.
As I approached, I recognized it to be the very Laban who would have taken my life then and there had he not been completely unconscious. With what little light there was, I saw that he was dressed in full armor as if he had been involved in a very high level meeting.
I reached down and took his sword from its sheath. It was a masterpiece of craftsmanship. I am certain in some future post I will take the time to tell you about it.
Still not knowing what to do next, I stood above Laban, his magnificent sword in hand, when I was constrained by the Spirit to kill him. I became sick at that thought. How could the Spirit that I had felt so strongly as it bore witness to me of God’s love, now command me to kill a man. I had never shed human blood before. I shrunk and could not bring myself to kill him.
The Spirit did not let up. It spoke again and as it did I remembered that Laban had tried to take our lives, that he would not harken to the commandments of God, and he had taken all of our property. The Spirit assured me that in taking Laban’s life I would be in the right. I remembered that we had been commanded to obey the laws of the Lord and if we did, we would prosper in the land.
It therefore became very clear that my family could not keep the commandments of God according to the law of Moses without the Brass Plates upon which the law was written and which remained in Laban’s possession.
The Spirit again told me to slay him, for that reason Laban had been delivered into my hands. The Spirit said the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth His righteous purposes and it was better for one man to perish than that a whole nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
I would very much like to tell you that I stumbled upon Laban and found him dead already, or that he was killed in a drunken brawl, or was attacked by robbers, or even tell you that I just ran across the brass plates, but that would not be the truth. At long last, and with great reluctance, I obeyed the voice of the Spirit. I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause.
I took Laban’s sword and cut off his head.
