2 Nephi Chapter 4

Scripture Mastery

1 And now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried into Egypt.

verse 1 "I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies . . . concerning Joseph" Nephi is about to write concerning some prophecies "concerning Joseph." The next verse indicates that the prophecies not only concerned ancient Joseph, but were in fact written by him. But which prophecies are being referred to here? At least in part they are the ones discussed by father Lehi in the previous chapter as he blessed his son Joseph (2 Nephi 3:5-21).

2 For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the plates of brass.

verse 2 Again we are reminded that ancient Joseph was truly one of the great prophets, yet the world does not regard him so. The reason is obvious. They do not have access to the "stick of Joseph"-the plates of brass and the Book of Mormon (see Ezekiel 37:15-19; D&C 27:5).

3 Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them: Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my first-born, I would that ye should give ear unto my words.

verse 3 As is well known, when the words of the Book of Mormon were translated "by the gift and power of God," there was no punctuation at all in the early manuscripts, and that is the way the translated text was delivered to E.B. Grandin's print shop. Typesetter John Gilbert reported that when he sat down to prepare the text for publication, "every chapter . . . was one solid paragraph, without a punctuation mark, from beginning to end" (Royal Skousen, "John Gilbert's 1892 Account of the 1830 Printing of the Book of Mormon" in The Disciple as Witness: Essays on Latter-day Saint History and Doctrine in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson, ed. Stephen D. Ricks, Donald W. Parry, and Andrew H. Hedges, 402). So he added punctuation and paragraphing as he went along. He did a good job, especially for someone reading the book for the first time, but there are a few sentences that could have been punctuated in more than one way, with slightly different results. The punctuation of the Book of Mormon does not enjoy the same revealed status as the words themselves. Hence from time to time there are some verses in which it may be worth considering alternate punctuation.

This particular verse is a good example. Grant Hardy has speculated as to punctuation changes that might well be made here (FARMS Insights, volume 24, number 2, 2-3). Here the word called means summoned, but with the deletion of a couple of commas, the meaning shifts dramatically: "Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of Laman his sons and his daughters, and said unto them . . ." In this latter reading, when Lehi "called the children of Laman his sons and his daughters," he was actually adopting his grandchildren as his own children. This may seem counterintuitive, but it makes sense of the words that follow in that this same verse ("Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my first-born") as well as in verse 5, where he definitely refers to his grandchildren as his own sons and daughters. Even more compelling, in support of this suggested emendation, is the fact that Lehi's actions echo those of the patriarch Jacob, who in a similar situation-giving last blessings and dividing territory-adopted the sons of his son Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) and made them independent tribes (see Genesis 48:1-6). Note also that Lehi similarly adopts the children of Lemuel in 2 Nephi 4:8-9.

As with other passages in the Bible, Genesis 48 has been thoroughly analyzed by generations of scholars. Adoption was rare in ancient Israel and is not mentioned in the Mosaic Law, but this instance seems fairly straightforward. Jacob says to his son Joseph: "And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance" (Genesis 48:5-6). In fact, the placing of the children on Jacob's lap, mentioned in verse 12 ("and Joseph brought them out from between his [Jacob's] knees"), is often regarded as a part of an ancient adoption ceremony (see also Genesis 30:3). And Jacob specifically mentions that his actions are the result of a revelation about his descendants in the land of promise.

As he came to the end of his life, Lehi, like Jacob, is trying to prepare his family for a future in a new land. In particular, he is concerned about the children of his two oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, who have already shown signs of rebellion. He adopts these grandchildren in an effort to tie them more closely to himself and to the covenant given by the Lord (in the following verse he reminds them of the terms of that covenant: "Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land").

This adoption is a bold move, but it is not entirely new. It is part of the family history of a man who, after God called him to relive sacred history by traveling to a promised land, named his next two sons Jacob and Joseph. This was something of a departure in his family. None of the four older boys were named after patriarchs.

With the deletion of a few commas, the Hebrew roots of Lehi's last words come more clearly into focus. How was John Gilbert to know? For other examples of conjectural punctuation emendations, see the commentaries for Alma 54:23-24 and Alma 56:48.

4 For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.

verse 4 Here, again, is an important "vintage" Book of Mormon theme-the so-called promise-curse of the Book of Mormon. For a more complete elaboration of this theme see 2 Nephi 1:7; 2 Nephi 1:9-10.

5 But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it.

verse 5 "if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it" In this statement there is an implied commandment. It is that parents should train up and teach their children in the ways of truth and righteousness. In this manner the children will be given the best chance of holding fast to the gospel throughout their lives. The entire statement, however, creates the impression of a doctrinal proclamation. The implication is that if the parents provide the child with sufficient teaching and training, the child will never depart from the ways of truth. And if the child does rebel against the truth, perhaps the parental nurturing was somehow deficient. While it is true that a child brought up with gospel principles will often adhere to those principles throughout his life, it is by no means certain that he will do so. Adam and Eve were certainly conscientious and diligent parents who taught their children the truths of the gospel, yet at least one of their children rebelled. In Book of Mormon times, when the people of King Benjamin were all converted by his preaching, they surely must have taught their children the gospel; yet, many of them later fell away (see Mosiah 26:1-4). We may thus conclude that while this statement in verse 5 is a statement of doctrine, it is a doctrine that herein is incompletely elaborated. For a discussion of other such "incomplete" doctrinal pronouncements, see the commentary for 1 Nephi 3:7.

verses 6-7 Here Lehi pronounces a blessing upon the innocent children of Laman.

6 Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents.

verse 6 "if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you" Father Lehi already has the premonition that the Lamanites will bring upon themselves the "curse" of being cut off from the Spirit of the Lord by their own rebelliousness. He indicates, however, that this cursing is not intended to be eternal-"that the cursing may be taken [eventually] from you." For further discussion of the curse and the mark of the curse, see the commentary for 2 Nephi 5:20-23.

"and be answered upon the heads of your parents" We would not, of course, expect that any child would be held accountable for the sins of a parent. Here Lehi reassures the righteous posterity of Laman that they will not be held accountable for the "cursing" placed upon their parents. It is implied further that the parents will be held accountable and punished for failure to teach their children. Ancient Israelite law placed upon the parents the obligation to teach the law to their children (Genesis 18:19; Deuteronomy 4:9; Deuteronomy 6:7; Deuteronomy 11:8-9; Deuteronomy 11:32:46; Exodus 12:26-27; Exodus 13:8-15).

7 Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and unto your seed forever.

verse 7 "because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish" Notwithstanding the unrighteous proclivities of Laman and Lemuel, their posterity are promised a choice blessing (see also verse 9). Their family line will never be destroyed to the point of extinction, and ultimately the Lord, in his mercy, will provide for them some type of blessing ("in the end thy seed shall be blessed"-verse 9), perhaps an opportunity to hear the gospel. This verse implies that these blessings will occur "because of [Lehi's] blessing." One is reminded of the verse in James: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).

8 And it came to pass that after my father had made an end of speaking to the sons and daughters of Laman, he caused the sons and daughters of Lemuel to be brought before him.

9 And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my second son; behold I leave unto you the same blessing which I left unto the sons and daughters of Laman; wherefore, thou shalt not utterly be destroyed; but in the end thy seed shall be blessed.

10 And it came to pass that when my father had made an end of speaking unto them, behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household.

verse 10 "it came to pass" In his editing for the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith removed at least forty-seven instances of this well-worked phrase from the text. In most cases, there were two or more examples of "it came to pass" in close proximity. In many cases, nothing new had, in fact, "come to pass." One example is this particular verse. In the original manuscript this verse read, "and it came to pass that when my father had made an end of speaking unto them behold it came to pass that he spake unto the sons of Ishmael yea and even all his household." This phrase corresponds to the Hebrew word "way hí." It seems that this phrase in Hebrew is simply a discourse marker which facilitates textual cohesion. Perhaps it should be considered equivalent to "and then" or "and so" ("The Original Language of the Book of Mormon: Upstate New York Dialect, King James English, or Hebrew?" a FARMS reprint, Royal Skousen).

11 And after he had made an end of speaking unto them, he spake unto Sam, saying: Blessed art thou, and thy seed; for thou shalt inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi. And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou shalt be blessed in all thy days.

verse 11 "thou shalt inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi . . . and thy seed shall be numbered with his seed" Here Lehi seems to be indicating that Sam's posterity would not have a separate tribe or land of inheritance but would be merged with Nephi's (see the commentary for 2 Nephi 1:30-32). The consequence is that in the Book of Mormon there are Nephites, Jacobites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, Ishmaelites, and Josephites but never any "Samites." In the Book of Mormon text, we have only the barest sketch of Sam. He will later be referred to in the book of Alma as a "just and holy" man (Alma 3:6). We know nothing of Sam's childhood, nor do we know how old he was when the events in 1 Nephi began. His name has Egyptian roots, and he was probably born in the days of Lehi's prosperity (see Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, 76). It is conjectured that Nephi was in his mid-teens when his family left Jerusalem. If so, then Sam must have been in his late teens or early twenties. He was a witness to the persecutions of his father in Jerusalem before the family departed into the wilderness, and he was present during the arduous journey to the New World. Early in their journey in the wilderness, while camped at the valley of Lemuel, Nephi wrote, "I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me." Significantly, Nephi first shared this experience with his brother Sam. From this, one can deduce a special relationship of trust between these two brothers.

There are a couple of enigmatic incidents that involved Sam. While camped in the valley of Lemuel, Nephi and his brothers were sent back to Jerusalem to get Ishmael and his family. On their way back to valley of Lemuel, Nephi's brothers Laman and Lemuel and others rebelled against Nephi, Ishmael, and others. Nephi's brothers "did bind [Nephi] with cords, [and] they sought to take away [his] life" (1 Nephi 7:16). One cannot help but wonder where Sam was during this event. Was it simply a matter of being outnumbered? Was he restrained in some way? The record does not mention what Sam did. The problem was ultimately diffused by pleadings from Ishmael's family. Also on the boat when the group "began to make themselves merry," where was he when Nephi was tied up? It is obvious that Sam was generally a good and faithful man. I have little on which to base my speculation, but I have wondered about the possibility of Sam's having been somewhat incapacitated, either mentally or physically.

12 And it came to pass after my father, Lehi, had spoken unto all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old. And it came to pass that he died, and was buried.

verse 12 Where was Lehi buried? In the land referred to in the Book of Mormon as the "place of the fathers' first inheritance" (Alma 22:28). This is the coastal area where Lehi and his family initially settled.

13 And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me because of the admonitions of the Lord.

verse 13 "not many days" Perhaps Lehi, while alive, had a restraining influence upon Laman and Lemuel. Immediately after Lehi's death, their suppressed rage erupted into a firm determination to kill Nephi.

"because of the admonitions of the Lord" As the next verse points out, Nephi had felt constrained to deliver these admonitions which might be expected to be poorly received.

14 For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto them, according to his word; for I had spoken many things unto them, and also my father, before his death; many of which sayings are written upon mine other plates; for a more history part are written upon mine other plates.

verse 14 "mine other plates" This phrase refers to the portion of the large plates of Nephi that reported Lehi's dealings with his older two sons. Was this part of the book Lehi? We don't actually know what title was given to the first part of the large plates of Nephi, it any title was given at all. The book of Lehi is actually the first part of Mormon's abridgement of the large plates of Nephi. Mormon wrote his abridgement onto the plates of Mormon. We already know that the large plates of Nephi contained "a more history part"-more of a historical emphasis than a spiritual one. Apparently the book of Lehi on the plates of Mormon extended from the family's time in Jerusalem to the reign of King Benjamin. It was this portion of Joseph's translation of the plates of Mormon that was lost by Martin Harris or his wife.

15 And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

verse 15 "upon these I write the things of my soul" "These," on the other hand, are the unabridged small plates of Nephi, from which we are now reading.

"my soul delighteth" This is an interesting phrase that is used in the Book of Mormon text only by the prophet Nephi. It is used ten additional times in Nephi's writings. He may have obtained the expression from Isaiah's writings as it is found also in Isaiah 42:1. If any one author had written the Book of Mormon, wouldn't we expect to find this phrase scattered randomly throughout the Book of Mormon rather than finding it uniquely used by Nephi? Credit for this observation goes to Richard Rust, professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (FARMS Insights, No. 3, May 1992).

"my heart pondereth them" Do we "ponder" with the "heart" or with the mind? Apparently both are important processes, as a point of truth may be felt before it is understood. As we acquire a testimony of a spiritual concept, the initial step is often to develop a positive feeling for the idea in one's heart. We might not even understand the truth at first, but we persist in mulling it over in our "heart." Only later does the mind catch up. This process is alluded to by Matthew (Matthew 15:13). To be complete and firm, a testimony must be characterized by an understanding of both the heart and the mind (D&C 8:1-3).

verses 16-35 These verses contain a poetic segment of the Book of Mormon which has been called the Psalm of Nephi. A psalm is not a sermon or doctrinal exposition, but rather is a poem or a song of praise. It is a prayerful expression of a personal religious experience. Nephi's psalm contains themes that have been found commonly in Hebrew literature. They include sorrow for sin, communion with and joy in God, the quest for perfection, humility when being reproved, and triumph over evil.

What factors provoked Nephi's writing of this prayer? Some clues might be found in the text of the psalm itself. Before reading the psalm, consider the severe emotion Nephi was experiencing as he wrote it. He had just written of the death of his father (verse 12) and the renewed hatred of his brothers. Just how devastating was Lehi's death to Nephi? Lehi was the only force holding the family together. Lehi was the only one who shared with Nephi the responsibility for spiritual guidance of their people. Without Lehi, Nephi was bereft and alone. His position of leadership must have seemed terribly lonely. Particularly so because his enemies had just renewed their commitment to oppose him. He had no father to turn to, so he turned to his Father in heaven, crying unto him for strength. As you read this psalm or prayer of Nephi, keep in mind this poignantly human element, and enjoy!

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

verse 16 "my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard" It seems likely that a prophet may receive a revelation and then spend the rest of his life coming to understand it. Nephi's vision experience reported in 1 Nephi 11-15 probably provided him a lifetime of material for pondering.

17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

verse 17 "my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities" Apparently Nephi's sense of anguish over his own sins motivated the writing of his psalm. It seems somehow comforting to know that even the great prophet Nephi stumbled, just as each of us has, in his struggles with the "flesh." We are left to wonder what specific sins produced his grief. Look in verse 27 for possible clues.

18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

verse 18 "I am encompassed about" It is interesting to note that the expression "encompassed about" is found only three times in all four standard works, and all three are in the Book of Mormon (see also Ether 3:2; Ether 6:7). "Encompassed" means encircled or surrounded, but in these three verses of scripture the expression "encompassed about" implies something further. It suggests being surrounded by something that is threatening or dangerous and nearly overwhelming. In this case Nephi is "encompassed about" by temptation and sin.

The word beset here is similar in its meaning. Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language defines beset as, "To surround; to inclose [sic]; to hem in; to besiege. To press on all sides, so as to perplex; to entangle, so as to render escape difficult or impossible; to waylay."

19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

verse 19 Nephi's heart is laden even to the point of making it difficult for him to experience joy, but then he remembers his most trusted friend-the Lord.

verses 20-25 In these verses Nephi refers to personal spiritual experiences, apparently all specific incidents, with which he has been blessed.

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

verses 20-21 Apparently Nephi has reference here to his experiences in the wilderness of Arabia before arriving at Bountiful and his experiences aboard ship reported in 1 Nephi 17:48 when he was filled with the power of God "even unto the consuming of [his] flesh." What is meant by the phrase "consuming of my flesh"? The Prophet Abinadi had an experience which paralleled that of Nephi. When the priests of King Noah tried to seize him before he had a chance to deliver his complete message, he was transformed by the Spirit of the Lord so that his "face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses's did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord." It seems logical that the process by which Moses, Abinadi, and Nephi were transformed is referred to here as the "consuming of my flesh."

22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

verse 22 This verse likely refers to Nephi's experience with his rebellious brothers reported in 1 Nephi 17:53-55. In this context, to confound means to put to shame or to silence Nephi's enemies.

verses 23-25 These verses refer to Nephi's marvelous vision of the tree of life reported in 1 Nephi 11-15.

23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.

24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

verse 25 "upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains" This is the only verse in all scripture that contains the beautiful phrase "upon the wings of his Spirit." Was Nephi's being "carried away" to a high mountain a literal or a figurative phenomenon? See the commentary for 1 Nephi 11:1.

26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

verse 26 "the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men" To review the concept of "condescension of God," see the commentary for 1 Nephi 11:16. Nephi asks, "Since I have been a witness to the condescension of the Savior, why am I so troubled by my own trivial afflictions?"

"hath visited men in so much mercy" The 1830 printer's manuscript has this phrase as "hath visited me in so much mercy." It was the printer John H. Gilbert who changed "me" to "men." This change may have been unconsciously influenced by the earlier occurrence of "men" on the same line. The correct text is "me," with Nephi marveling at the Lord's love for him.

We may summarize the meaning of this verse: If I am so highly favored of the Lord, and since I know that the Lord suffered immeasurably and is so merciful unto me, then why am I suffering so much?

27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

verse 27 Perhaps Nephi's sense of spirituality or inner peace was disturbed by anger he felt against his older brothers, Laman and Lemuel, or perhaps he struggled, as all of us do, with other pulls of the flesh.

verses 28-33 We share a profound moment of insight with Nephi as he realizes that there is an alternate course of action. In the verses that follow he vows to eliminate from his mind the feelings that are eroding his inner peace.

28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

verse 28 "enemy of my soul" Here Nephi is speaking to his own inner soul, his "heart." The enemy of his soul is his natural-man self including his unsatisfactorily controlled anger, and his giving in to the pulls of the flesh. The next verse confirms this conclusion.

29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.

verse 29 Still speaking to his own heart, he urges himself to try to avoid anger and also to stop allowing guilt to undermine his inner peace.

30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

verse 30 "the rock of my salvation" The metaphor "rock," which is found often in the scriptures, is usually interpreted as firm supporter, refuge, fortress, or one of impregnable strength. Here and in other verses (Deuteronomy 32:15; 2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 62:7; Psalm 94:22; Isaiah 17:10; and 2 Nephi 4:35) there is an additional implication or shade of meaning-the "rock" also implies author or source.

31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

verse 31 Again, Nephi's "enemies" here and in verse 33 are likely his temptation to anger and perhaps his human inclination to respond to other pulls of the flesh.

32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!

verse 32 "low valley . . . plain road" These charming metaphors, which are not found elsewhere in the scriptures, apparently imply humility and purity.

33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way-but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

verse 33 "wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness" In his dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland temple, Joseph spoke of the first resurrection: "That when the trump shall sound for the dead, we shall be caught up in the cloud to meet thee, that we may ever be with the Lord; that our garments may be pure, that we may be clothed upon with robes of righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads, and reap eternal joy for all our sufferings" (D&C 109:75-76, emphasis added).

"Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way-but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way" A hedge is planted to protect that which the hedge surrounds by blocking the intrusion of outsiders. To "hedge up the way" of someone is to block their path. Nephi pleads with the Lord to keep his escape route clear but asks the Lord to place blocks in the ways of his enemy.

The straight path in this verse is characterized by having no "stumbling block." Thus, the meaning of straight in this verse is not not-crooked but rather clear or unencumbered. The use of the word straight (rather than strait) in this verse is appropriate as discussed in the supplemental article, Strait and Straight in the Book of Mormon.

verses 34-35 Finally Nephi comes to the great truth that no man is redeemed by the arm of flesh-that each of us must put our ultimate trust in God.

34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

verse 34 "the arm of flesh" Scriptural examples of specific things which fit under this label include: weapons (Psalm 20:7; Psalm 44:6); governments or heads of government (Psalm 146:3; Isaiah 30:2); your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5); riches (Proverbs 11:28); the work of a man's hands (2 Nephi 12:8); vanity (Isaiah 59:4); friends (Micah 7:5); teachers-unless he be a man of God (Mosiah 23:14); and persuasions of men (D&C 5:21).

"cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh" In what sense is such a man cursed? Does God do the cursing? In Hebrew culture a cursing is the consequence of breaking an oath, covenant, or contract. Here it would seem likely that the natural consequence of placing your trust in "the arm of flesh" is to suffer the "curse" which is to be cut off from the presence or Spirit of God. We learn here that a man who "maketh flesh his arm" is one who puts his trust in man and not God.

35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

verse 35 "if I ask not amiss" The Lord said, "Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you; and if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation" (D&C 88:64-65).

The word amiss, in Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, is defined as "in a faulty manner; contrary to propriety, truth, law, or morality."

"rock of my righteousness" See the commentary for verse 30.