Intro, This is the second of Nephi’s three interludes (see ch 6 & ch 19). It also ends his summary of his father’s record (see 1:17 & 10:1), though he continues to quote his father in the next chapter. Each of Nephi’s interludes reminds the reader that Nephi is not messing around with these small plates, but including the things of most worth, and that he his doing it for a wise purpose, so take them seriously!
1 dwelt in a tent, Nephi makes a point to mention the tent often (14x in 1 Nephi). What’s the point? Hugh Nibley says that to an Arab this sentence says everything since the tent is the center of an Arab’s life (Lehi in the Desert, p57-59). We may imagine some temporary shelter, ready to be packed up for travel, but this so-called tent was their home for nearly eight years (17:4).
2 plates of Nephi, Nephi made the large set as soon as they arrived in the promised land (19:1) and crafted the small set some 20 years later at the Lord’s command (2 Ne 5:28-32). The benefit of hindsight would have been especially important for the intended spiritual focus of the small plates
3, 5 special purpose…wise purpose, several Book of Mormon prophets refer to the “wise purposes” of the Lord in preserving a record, all of whom acknowledge only a partial understanding of what those purposes might be (1 Ne 19:3; WofM 1:6-7; Alma 37:2, 12, 14, 18, 19-47). These “wise purposes” are also referred to in D&C 3:19, 5:9, and 10:34-41; and though the principal matter there is of the lost 116 pages, there may be more involved. We do not know why the Lord wanted the record to contain particular things. The resurrected Lord specifically wanted the prophecy of Samuel the Lamanite to be recorded in every detail (3 Ne 23:6-13), as well as Malachi 3 and 4 (see 3 Ne 24-25). Were the small plates of Nephi also important for purposes beyond simply restoring what was lost with the 116 pages of manuscript? Only time will tell.
6 the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning, so he can be counted on. The prophet Joseph taught, “The great Jehovah contemplated the whole of the events connected with the earth, pertaining to the plan of salvation, before it rolled into existence, or ever ‘the morning stars sang together; for joy; the past, the present, and the future were and are, with Him, one eternal ‘now’; He knew of the fall of Adam, the iniquities of the antediluvians, of the depth of iniquity that would be connected with the human family, their weakness and strength, their power and glory, apostasies, their crimes, their righteousness and iniquity; He comprehended the fall of man, and his redemption; He knew the plan of salvation and pointed it out; He was acquainted with the situation of all nations and with their destiny; He ordered all things according to the council of His own will; He knows the situation of both the living and the dead, and has made ample provision for their redemption, according to their several circumstances, and the laws of the kingdom of God, whether in this world, or in the world to come.” (History of the Church, 4:597).
And thus it is. Amen. Notably, Egyptian literary writings regularly close with this formula. Nephi ends every main section of his book with this phrase (1 Ne 9:6; 14:30; 22:31). (Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the Desert/The World of the Jaredites, p. 15.). And thus concludes chapter 2 in the original printing (Ch 1 = 1 Ne 1-5, Ch 2 = 1 Ne 6-9).
Holy Envy 