Scripture Snippet - 1 Nephi 4:6-18

The Death of Laban

Scripture Snippet - 1 Nephi 4:6-18

This Scripture snippet is the story of when Nephi is ordered by the Lord to kill Laban. To read the Chapter click here. To learn more about the Book of Mormon go to Mormon.org.

My thoughts and feelings:

• This story raises a great deal of questions.  Why would the Lord order one man to kill another?  Does this passage mean that executions are acceptable?  What are the terms of an acceptable execution?  What does this passage mean for capital punishment?
• I have always had difficulty with this passage.  However, as I searched the Scriptures I found several other examples of when the Lord has condoned the killing of others for the good of the His people: 
• The most obvious example is David and Goliath.  David was commanded and given strength to kill the giant Philistine - Goliath in the First Book of Samuel, Chapter 17.
• The woman, Jael, kills the Captain, Sisera.  The deliverance of Sisera was foretold by the Prophetess, Debra, in the Book of Judges, Chapter 4.
• The Israelites were commanded several times to kill other peoples in the quest for the promised land.  One of the most famous examples is the story of Jericho where the people march around the city for seven days, blow the trumpets and the walls fall down so that they can overtake the city.  This story is found in Joshua, Chapter 6.
• The story of Nephi killing Laban with his own sword while Laban is in a drunken stupor is so raw and brutal.  Death is so final.  However, the Lord explains to Nephi that "it is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief."  1 Nephi 4:13.
• Laban had a choice to give up the plates.  He was even given an opportunity to trade the plates for all of the gold in Lehi's house.  He made the wrong choice and suffered the consequences of his greed and stubbornness.  Much like the Pharoah of Egypt who chose not to let the Israelites go and caused the suffering of all of Egypt through the consequences of his decision.  Many people died because of his pride and hardness of heart.

What we can learn from this passage:

• One of the ten commandments states 'thou shalt not kill'. God has ordered this commandment to be broken in several circumstances, just as he orders Nephi to break the commandment here.
• The difference between this story and general killings (capital punishment) is that the Lord selected Laban for death and ordered his death by the hand of Nephi. Men select those who die by capital punishment.


In the rule in the Old Testament of an 'eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth' the killing of a man would only be acceptable if he himself had taken a life.  However, when Jesus came His message was of love and forgiveness and His law surpassed the old law. 
Heavenly Father allows us to suffer the consequences of our own choices because He loves us enough not to interfere in our agency.