4:1 I said to my brothers: Let us return to Jerusalem with faith in the Lord who is greater than all of the world and infinitely mightier than Laban and his followers.
4:2 Let’s go back and be strong like Moses, who spoke unto the waters of the Red Sea and they parted, and our fathers and mothers came through out of captivity on dry ground while the armies of Pharaoh who followed were drowned.
4:3 How can you doubt after an Angel has told you this is true? Let’s go back and the Lord will deliver us as he did the Egyptians.
4:4 Despite my words, Laman and Lemuel persisted in complaining, though they reluctantly followed me back to Jerusalem’s walls.
4:5 We arrived at night and they hid outside of the walls. I crept into the city and towards the house of Laban.
4:6 I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.
4:7 As I approached the house of Laban I saw a drunken man who had fallen to the earth before me.
4:8 I saw that this was Laban, he stirred and drew his sword, lurching towards me with murderous intent.
4:9 I wrestled Laban’s sword from his hands. The hilt was pure gold, expertly crafted, and the blade finely wrought from precious steel. As we struggled, I knocked the him to the earth, immobilizing him.
4:10 I was bound by the Spirit to kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I couldn’t do it.
4:11 Yet once more the Spirit spoke to me, saying “The Lord has delivered Laban into your hands.” And I remembered that Laban had tried to take my life.
4:12 The Spirit commanded me again: Slay him, for the Lord has delivered him into your hands.
4:13 It is better for one single wicked individual to perish than for an entire nation to suffer.
4:14 Hearing this, I remembered the Lord’s promise in the wilderness – if we keep the commandments, we will prosper in the promised land.
4:15 I was aware that without the law, there would be no commandments.
4:16 And the law was written on the plates of brass.
4:17 I realized that this is how the Lord had made it possible for us to acquire the plates from Laban.
4:18 Again the Spirit spoke to me, commanding urgently. Under the cloak of the night and with trembling hand I plunged the blade into Laban. I stood in silence, tormented by what I had done.
4:19 I then took Laban’s apparel and dressed myself fully in his garments and armor and with heavy step started towards his treasury.
4:20 Continuing onward, I encountered Laban’s servant, keeper of the treasury keys. In Laban’s voice, I commanded him to come with me.
4:21 He thought I was Laban because of the clothes I was wearing.
4:22 He talked to me about the Jewish elders, knowing that his master Laban had been out that night with them.
4:23 Speaking in Laban’s voice, I conversed with his servant.
4:24 I instructed him that I sought to retrieve the brass plates, to take outside Jerusalem’s walls to my “brethren”.
4:25 I told him to come with me.
4:26 Believing my words and thinking I meant church brethren, he followed me.
4:27 As we walked, he talked to me about the Jewish elders and their traditions.
4:28 Seeing me approach in Laban’s apparel, my brothers Laman, Lemuel, and Sam were afraid. They fled, thinking Laban had killed me and now came for them.
4:29 But, I called after them and they heard me and stopped running.
4:30 Laban’s servant saw my brothers and trembled, ready to flee back to Jerusalem.
4:31 Being large in stature and strengthened by the Lord, I seized Laban’s servant to stop him fleeing.
4:32 And I spoke with him and asked that he trust me and that as the Lord lives, and as I live, that if he would listen to me, we would spare his life.
4:33 Sensing his fear, I made him a promise he would be a free man like us if he left Jerusalem to join us in the wilderness.
4:34 I also explained to him that God had told us to leave Jerusalem and we were obeying the Lord. I assured him that if he came with us our father would provide him with a place to stay.
4:35 learned this servant’s name was Zoram. He trusted my words and took heart in my promise, vowing to join and remain with us.
4:36 We sought his company so the Jews would not discover our escape, lest they pursue and destroy us.
4:37 After Zoram made an oath unto us, our fears concerning him left.
4:38 So, Zoram and my brothers took the plates of brass and journeyed back to our family.