Nephi's 3-way Justification for Slaying Laban
I'm reading Denver Snuffer's " The Second Comforter " and happened upon this footnote that enlightened my understand of the Nephi slaying Laban episode: Some Saints are troubled by this commandment to kill Laban. It is consistent with Christ's later teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, and consistent with God's dealings with mankind elsewhere. Laban's accusation against Nephi's brother that he was a "robber" ( 1 Nephi 3:13 ) was a ruse to justify Laban in killing Laman. A person was justified in killing a robber. ( Exodus 22:2 ) Laban was using this as an excuse to justify his intention to kill Laman. Later, Laban commits the very act which he had earlier accused Laman of committing. In this case, as in the case of David ( 2 Samuel 12:1-7 ), Laban has made his own judgment upon his own head. Just as David condemned the thief in Nathan's allegory, Laban condemned the robbery which he was about to commit. As certain as Nathan's procla