The Sword of Laban and the Liahona: Symbols of Justice and Mercy

What Nephi’s artifacts can teach us about the nature of Christ and the importance of obedience

Replicas by David A. Baird. Photograph by Daniel Smith.

Have you ever wondered why Moroni deposited the sword of Laban and the Liahona with the gold plates? These objects may have been intended to symbolize the major themes of the Book of Mormon. Read on to find out what they can teach us about obedience to God’s commandments and the role of Jesus Christ.

At the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi and his family acquired three significant objects: the sword of laban, the brass plates, and the Liahona (a word meaning “compass”). These objects were considered so important that they were handed down through Nephi’s descendants for over a thousand years. At the end of the Book of Mormon, they passed into Moroni’s possession. When he hid the gold plates that would become the Book of Mormon, he deposited the sword of Laban and the Liahona with them.

Why do the sword of Laban, the brass plates, and the Liahona play such a large role in the Book of Mormon? These three items are more than just elements of a narrative; they are meant for our instruction. Each one serves a symbolic purpose, and understanding this symbolism opens our eyes to a new layer of meaning.

What are these three objects meant to symbolize, then? The sword of Laban is a symbol for God’s punishment, the brass plates are a symbol for the commandments, and the Liahona is a symbol for God’s blessing. The three of these symbols combine to represent a central theme in the Book of Mormon: we are blessed when we obey the commandments but cursed for disobedience.

While the main theme of the Book of Mormon is obedience to the commandments, the main purpose of the Book of Mormon is to testify of Christ. In accordance with this purpose, the symbols from 1 Nephi also represent Jesus Christ and illustrate His attributes. In order to understand this symbolism, we will explore each of the three objects individually. Once the symbolism of each object is established, we will explore the meaning of the three objects as a group.

One interesting fact about the sword of Laban, the brass plates, and the Liahona is that they can all serve as symbols of the same thing: the Word of God. Below is a brief explanation of how each object is related to this concept:

• The sword of Laban—a sword is often used as a metaphor for God’s word: “Behold, I am God; give heed unto my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword….” (D&C 6:2)

• The brass plates—the plates literally contain the word of God.

• The symbolism of the Liahona is described in the Book of Mormon as follows: 

“For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.” (Alma 37:44-45)

Knowing that all three artifacts symbolize the word of God raises this question: Why would three different symbols be used to represent the same thing? The answer is that the word of God is a multifaceted concept, and each symbol brings out a different facet. It should also be mentioned that because a name for Jesus Christ is “the Word,” this symbolism relates to Him as well. (see John 1:1-5, 14)

Let’s start with the sword of Laban: what can it teach us about the word of God? It is helpful to consider how Nephi first encountered this sword. You know the story: Nephi, as directed by the Spirit, takes the sword from Laban and uses it to slay him. Through this experience, Nephi learns the following lesson:

“Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.” (1 Nephi 4:13)

In this context, the sword represents God’s punishment for those who disobey His word. Perhaps in reference to this incident, the sword is used as a symbol for divine retribution throughout the Book of Mormon (See Alma 26:19, Helaman 13:5, Alma 54:6, Alma 60:29, 3 Nephi 20:20, 3 Nephi 29:4, & Ether 8:23).

How can the sword of Laban represent Jesus Christ? Because it is a symbol of divine justice, it can remind us that we will all stand before Christ to be judged. As Jesus Himself stated: “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son.” (John 5:22)

On a more positive note, the sword can represent Christ as a means of protection. In the Book of Mormon account, Nephi, and later King Benjamin, wilded the sword of Laban in defense of the righteous. (See Jacob 1:10 and Words of Mormon 1:13) Like Nephi and King Benjamin, Jesus Christ is our defender from evil. This is what He meant when He described Himself as the “door of the sheep.” (see John 10:7-15) In modern terms, He guards the gate of the sheep enclosure in order to keep His flock safe. As He explained, a hired guard flees when confronted with danger, but the Good Shepherd will sacrifice even His own life to protect the sheep. Speaking of His sheep, Christ says “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:28, see also John 6:39 & John 17:12)

Now we will move on to the next symbol: the brass plates. This artifact can symbolize the hidden word of God. How? Nephi’s difficulty in obtaining the brass plates represents the effort required to understand the scriptures. Nephi had to “return” to Jerusalem for the plates just as we must “return” over and over again to the scriptures before we find hidden truths. It took Nephi three attempts to obtain the plates, and on the last attempt, he left his companions and set out on his own. In a similar way, many seek the truth, but only the diligent find it. Joseph Smith’s account of obtaining the gold plates follows a similar pattern: after Joseph was shown the location of the gold plates, he had to return to that place every year for four years before he was allowed to take them.

We can learn more about the brass plates by an event that followed their acquisition. After Nephi and his brothers obtain the brass plates, they are commanded to return to Jerusalem again to recriut Ishmael’s family (containing several eligible daughters). Thus, there were two back-to-back trips to Jerusalem: one for the scriptures and one for wives. What could the connection be? The similarity between the scriptures and the daughters of Ishmael is this: both must be courted. It requires as much effort to understand the scriptures as it does to win the heart of a perspective spouse. The comparison between courtship and and the pursuit of wisdom can be seen in the following Book of Mormon passage:

“…how blind and impenetrable are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over them!” (Mosiah 8:20, see also Proverbs 4:5-9, Proverbs 8:1-3)

The brass plates, as a record of God’s word, are symbolic of Jesus Christ who is “The Word.” There are many instances in the New Testament where people had to return to a place they had been before to find Jesus. Like Nephi, those seeking Jesus often end up leaving behind others who are less diligent than themselves. When they find Jesus, they gain a new understanding of who He is.

The first example of this is when Jesus’s parents lost Him on their Passover journey and returned to Jerusalem in search of Him. They left their traveling companions, sought Him for three days, and found Him conversing with the learned men in the temple. This experience caused them to see their son in a new light: “And when they saw him, they were amazed….” (See Luke 2:42-49)

The next example is that of Mary Magdalene seeing the risen Lord. When Mary found Jesus’ tomb empty, she went and told His disciples. She then returned to the tomb with Peter and John, and after these men left, Mary remained behind. She was the most faithful seeker, and she became the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection. (See John 20:1-16)

The final example is that of the ten lepers. These ten diseased men asked Jesus to heal them, and in response, Jesus told them to show themselves to the priests. On their way to the priests, the ten realized that they were healed, and one left the others and returned to give thanks. By giving praise to Jesus, this man showed that he was the one man out of the ten who really understood who Jesus was.

Now we will explore the symbolism of the last of these three artifacts: the Liahona. This object is best understood in contrast to the sword of Laban; the sword represents punishment for disobedience to the word of God, and the Liahona represents the blessings that come from obedience to God’s word. Unlike the sword of Laban and the brass plates, the Liahona did not have to be sought. As is often the case with God’s blessings, it came unexpectedly as a merciful gift. We are told that Lehi found the Liahona outside of his tent door one morning. This parallels the way that the Israelites woke to find mana on the ground when they were traveling in the wilderness. Just like the mana fed these Israelites, the Liahona provided food for Lehi’s family by leading them in “the more fertile parts of the wilderness.” (1Nephi 16:16) In addition to providing food, the ultimate purpose of the Liahona was to point the way to the promised land. The word of God blesses us in ways that are similar to the Liahona: through obedience to God’s word, we are sustained and provided for on life’s journey, and we are shown the way to the “promised land” of exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. 

Even the shape of the Liahona provides a clue to it’s symbolic meaning. Nephi described it as “a round ball of curious workmanship….” (1 Nephi 16:10). In the Book of Mormon, God’s mercy is described using circular imagery. (See 2 Nephi 1:15, Alma 34:16, and 2 Nephi 4:33)

It is easy to see how the Liahona represents our Savior. Just as the Liahona provided food for Lehi’s family, Jesus continually sustains us through His grace. As we saw earlier, the Liahona is symbolically connected to mana, and mana is a symbol for Jesus Christ. He explained this symbolism in His sermon on the Bread of Life: 

“Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead…I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:49-51)

Although Jesus gives us grace to get through each day, He is equally concerned about our eventual destination. Like the Lahona, He is our guide to the “promised land” of the Father’s presence. He provided a way to the Celestial Kingdom through His atonement, and He set the example for us to follow: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

Now that we have discussed the symbolism of the sword of Laban, the brass plates, and the Liahona separately, let’s explore what they mean in connection with each other. It is helpful to consider the order in which Nephi encountered these objects: first was the sword of Laban, second was the brass plates, and third was the Liahona. If you think of the three objects laid out in this order, the plates are in the middle with the sword and the Liahona on either side. Because the plates are a symbol of the commandments, it makes sense that they would be flanked with symbols of blessing and cursing (the Liahona and sword, respectively). This arrangement of these symbols reflects the central message of the Book of Mormon:

 “…inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from his presence.” (Alma 38:1, see also 1 Nephi 2:20-21, 2 Nephi 1:20, 2 Nephi 4:4, Alma 9:13, and Alma 36:30. Notice that the phrase “cut off” invokes the image of a sword.) 

This theme of a blessing or curse attached to the commandments can be found in every story and sermon in the Book of Mormon. Moroni may have been trying to symbolically represent this “Book of Mormon thesis” when he placed the sword of Laban and the Liahona in the stone box with the gold plates. As we contemplate these sacred relics, we can be reminded that the Book of Mormon is no ordinary book. Because it contains God’s word, we will prosper if we hearken to it, and we will be “cut off” from the truth if we reject it.

Moroni’s inclusion of the sword of Laban and Liahona with the gold plates can also be seen as a symbolic testimony of Christ. Like the sword of Laban, Christ metes out justice and is a defender of the righteous. Like the Liahona, He is our daly provider and our guide to exaltation. And, like the brass plates (or the gold plates), He must be sought diligently. May we be among the faithful seekers who will one day see His face!

Notes:

To learn more about geometric symbolism in the Book of Mormon, see my article, “Dualistic Symbols in the Book of Mormon and LDS Temple Endowment” (featured on this blog). https://turnnotaside.blogspot.com/2018/06/symbols-of-duality-representing-sacred.html

Photo source: Book of Mormon Central article, “Why Was the Sword of Laban so Important to Nephite Leaders” https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/why-was-the-sword-of-laban-so-important-to-nephite-leaders

For more on how a sword symbolizes the word of God, see the following article: Book of Mormon Central, “How are Rod and Sword Connected to the Word of God?” https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/how-are-rod-and-sword-connected-to-the-word-of-god