Young, Large in Stature

[Guest tomk]

1 Nephi 2:16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

Why does Nephi say this:

"...being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature,..."

Why do I care that he was young?

Why do I care that he was large in stature?

[Guest tomk]

Is Nephi saying, "I was a young gangly teenager" ???

[Gwen]

ever met the 16 yr old that look 20? that's what i think he's saying...

why is that important? one i think it has to do with maturity, it suggests he's not the average young person (less like his brothers).... also gives insight to later when he talks about his brothers beating him up.

lol and i can't help but think some if it may be he's just proud of it.... guys are that way, that first chest hair and stuff is a big deal. my 4 yr old noticed he had leg hair the other day, "i have leg hair just like daddy!" then he feels his chin lol none there yet but he's watching for it.

[countrygirl66]

I think Nephi physically describes himself because he is the kind of young man most young men would want to look like. I wonder if he and Joseph Smith were similar in build. I know my 15 yr old son looks up to the ute football team. I pray that they will be good men, because he is watching him. I have told my son before that I beleive that moroni, nephi, and joseph smith could have made one heck of a football team.

[skalenfehl]

Where are all my notes...

I've studied Nephi at length, and I've pondered this quite often and at length and it lead me to posting other threads about Nephi's character, description, etc. I believe that Nephi was full grown or almost full grown at this age. For being a very young man, he was already a formidable figure, old enough to pass of as Laban convincingly and strong enough to detain Zoram, who I presume to be a full grown man. Remember that Nephi is writing all this while in the new world, so he presumably is looking back on his life as a youth, maybe even as he observed his own children, thinking, "boy I was really young, and yet look what I did."

It wasn't so much something to brag about, but rather something to marvel at and it solidified his testimony as noted in 1Ne3:7. I think of Nephi reflecting on such thoughts as 'I was just a kid, but I traveled the desert to retrieve a record from a man who had a lot of power, I was strong enough to hold my own against Zoram and my older brothers, I was mature enough to understand my father, believe his words and the power of God. I was faithful enough to obey God without question and witness great things. I built a ship that no other man could build,' etc. He is explaining that he pretty much had to be a tall/big guy in order to do some of the things that he did despite his age.

Nephi was a universal man. Here's some interesting reading that I've shared on this forum before: Meridian Magazine: Book of Mormon: How Nephi Became the Birthright Son

[Justice]

I believe Nephi didn't write this when he was a young age. The plates were in the hands of his father up until his father died. If you look at 2 Nephi 4 where Lehi dies, you see, what I beleive, is the start of Nephi's writing.

Assuming Lehi gave Nephi the plates sometime shortly before he died, and assuming Nephi read them, it seems his heart would be full of memories of his travels from Jerusalem, and he would remember all the things at once that the Lord did for him. This is why, I believe, Nephi started with his "song" to the Lord.

Starting in verse 20 and picking up in verse 30, it reads as if Nephi just read his father's writings and he is writing for the first time on the plates. I don't think he would start "I Nephi, having been born..." and with leaving Jerusalem knowing his father already wrote about it. There was no reason for him to duplicate what was just written. I believe the Lord told Nephi later that he needed to re-write some of the things his father wrote "for a wise purpose unto the Lord."

So, with this perspective, with Nephi looking back many years, it seems much more logical to begin the way he did, and it makes more sense why he would mention his age and stature (because he was looking back). Many times when we tell stories of our youth we say how young and what size we were. It could have been Mormon who reordered Nephi's writing chronologically.

Just my observation.

[Guest tomk]

Very interesting thoughts!

Thank you!

[Moksha]

Why does Nephi say this:

"...being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature,..."

Why do I care that he was young?

Why do I care that he was large in stature?

You would be wishing for this if he played BYU football.

[pam]

I too think he was laying the ground work for his future writings. In explaining his statue he was able to convince those that would read his writings how he could accomplish some of the things he did.

[tefor]

The other night I was listening to a fascinating talk on the literary complexities of the Book of Mormon. The speaker compared 1 Ne. 2:16 ("being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature") with 1 Ne. 4:31 ("being a man large in stature") and concluded that it was in fact the Laban incident that served as the "rite of passage" catapulting Nephi into manhood. It's interesting to see how Nephi went from one level on to another, whereas Laman and Lemuel kept going through the same cycle of perceived victimization and violence (and, as far as we can see, never got past the sulkiy adolescent stage).

[skalenfehl]

I believe Nephi didn't write this when he was a young age. The plates were in the hands of his father up until his father died. If you look at 2 Nephi 4 where Lehi dies, you see, what I beleive, is the start of Nephi's writing.

I have to wonder at what point did Lehi have time to forge plates of gold to make his own record and pass to Nephi. We know of Nephi's talents, and many, if not all learned from his father and brothers. Lehi's plates presumably comprises the 116 pages that Martin Harris lost. Perhaps while Nephi was forging metal for tools to make the ship, he also forged plates for Lehi. Perhaps Lehi already had time to forge them himself and accounts for it in the lost manuscript, the explanation of which is also lost. Nephi presumably, when he reached the new world, used the same method to make new plates, patterned after Lehi's for the record we now have today. Just my thoughts. Or perhaps, Lehi wrote all his prophecies, etc in the new world upon the plates that Nephi had made and Nephi simply took them over and continued the record. Remember that Nephi had first made large plates.

Edited November 12, 2008 by skalenfehl

[Hemidakota]

Going back to OP, Nephi indeed was large in statue as a human being.

[Hemidakota]

I have to wonder at what point did Lehi have time to forge plates of gold to make his own record and pass to Nephi. We know of Nephi's talents, and many, if not all learned from his father and brothers. Lehi's plates presumably comprises the 116 pages that Martin Harris lost. Perhaps while Nephi was forging metal for tools to make the ship, he also forged plates for Lehi. Perhaps Lehi already had time to forge them himself and accounts for it in the lost manuscript, the explanation of which is also lost. Nephi presumably, when he reached the new world, used the same method to make new plates, patterned after Lehi's for the record we now have today. Just my thoughts. Or perhaps, Lehi wrote all his prophecies, etc in the new world upon the plates that Nephi had made and Nephi simply took them over and continued the record. Remember that Nephi had first made large plates.

I don't believe Nephi made those initial plates but rather they were brought with them by Lehi. If this is the case, where did Lehi receive these plates and have enough metallurgy knowledge to teach Nephi?

I do believe, in noting what it would take make plates like this writable, it must contain a special blend of metal in creating a thin surface to write with an object. It does to prove either he knew it by firsthand or rather it was Lehi's parent's business that was passed on from Lehi's father to son, then to Nephi.

Edited November 13, 2008 by Hemidakota

[skalenfehl]

I, too, believe that Lehi had a working knowledge of metals and metallurgy and other trades and that much of his knowledge was passed to Nephi, who, in my opinion accompanied Lehi often as an apprentice to the family business, traveling to other parts of the land, including, and likely especially Egypt for trading, etc. Nephi could appreciate "fine steel," which was a rarity in that time. He could also appreciate fine craftsmanship and "fine brass," etc.

1 Nephi 1:1

1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days

I think Lehi kept records of his business transactions, family history, etc on his own and could have already had gold plate of his own, already made and ready to write on. Lehi simply took the plates (although he took none of his earthly possessions--gold, silver, etc--with them into the wilderness) and wrote on them throughout their journey. I don't see how Lehi could have made the plates in transit. By the time Nephi writes his own record in the new world, he clearly states that he makes his own record after the language of his father (learning of Jews/language of Egyptians).

1 Nephi 1:2,17

2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.

So either Lehi had plates of gold, which Nephi abridged upon his own plates, which were made by Nephi later, or Lehi wrote on traditional medium of sorts (clay, papyrus, etc) and Nephi transcribed an abridgment upon his own plates later. Either way they were the 116 pages lost by Martin Harris. Or there could be another logical explanation.

http://www.utlm.org/images/bomplates_eofmp196.gif

Edited November 13, 2008 by skalenfehl

[Justice]

Just go to the chapter and verses I mentioned where Lehi died. Assuming he passed Nephi the plates sometime before his death (hours, weeks, months) it sure appears that Nephi started his writings in remembrance of all the Lord did for him, since the first thing he would have done after getting the plates was read them. His "song" to the Lord sure looks like a good starting point.

[NateHowe]

Perhaps, despite all of the overanalysis to the contrary, he was simply trying to explain how he did what he did in those situations. Some brief passages in Nephi's writing are just clear, descriptive phrases which serve as connective tissue in a painfully short synopsis of an eventful span of time.

[Guest tomk]

From the discussion so far, it seems there can be more than one answer.

It does seem like Nephi is attempting to describe the fact that he was young, and perhaps a bit naive - a big oaf, but in the kindest sense of the word. His size perhaps made him a formidable opponent. Perhaps it leds others to think things of him that perhaps did not fit. For inside that body was a young kid full of wonder and questions.

In other words, just because you are physically intimidating, doesn't mean you have all the answers or possess an advantage spiritually. Inside you can still be naive, youthful, and in need of the softening influence of the Holy Ghost so that you will not rebel against your visionary father. :)

[Guest Alana]

I too think he was laying the ground work for his future writings. In explaining his statue he was able to convince those that would read his writings how he could accomplish some of the things he did.

I agree. He was looking back, and he knew what he was about to write and his stature had relevance to it. Also, maybe he was prompted to write that because Nephi and his story is an easy one to develop a mental picture of, and this helps us get a clear look of Nephi in our heads.

[japacific]

Maybe he just wanted to let whoever was reading the book get an image of who he was? Maybe the sealed portion of the gold plates contained some pictures he drew of everyone. Just a thought.

[Hemidakota]

From the discussion so far, it seems there can be more than one answer.

It does seem like Nephi is attempting to describe the fact that he was young, and perhaps a bit naive - a big oaf, but in the kindest sense of the word. His size perhaps made him a formidable opponent. Perhaps it leds others to think things of him that perhaps did not fit. For inside that body was a young kid full of wonder and questions.

In other words, just because you are physically intimidating, doesn't mean you have all the answers or possess an advantage spiritually. Inside you can still be naive, youthful, and in need of the softening influence of the Holy Ghost so that you will not rebel against your visionary father. :)

Yes but he had a sensative heart that most do not. He was humbled enough to ask that question in prayer to GOD on interruptation of his fathers visions and dreams.

I only said large due to a vision someone had of this man in person. Put it this way, when I asked, as he walked through the doorway what happened [gain a sense of measurement]. He had to turn and bend down inorder to walk through. Ok! This answer the question of being large in statue.