The Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 4:18

Back to chapter
~600 BC

1830 Edition

Therefore I did obey the voice of the spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

Influences

Judith 13:7 (KJV)
And approached to his bed, and took hold of the hair of his head, and said, Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, this day.
Judith 13:8 (KJV)
And she smote twice upon his neck with all her might, and she took away his head from him.

Changes

Therefore I did obey the voice of the sSpirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

Simple English

So I obeyed the Spirit’s voice. I grabbed Laban by the hair and cut off his head with his own sword.

Paraphrase

So I obeyed the Spirit’s voice. I grabbed Laban by the hair and cut off his head with his own sword.

Notes

4:18

Parallel: In both cases the servant of the Lord took hold of the wicked man's hair. In both cases the wicked man's head was cut off (see Judith 13:8).

For other parallels, please see: 1 Nephi 1:1, 1 Nephi 1:2, 1 Nephi 1:17, 1 Nephi 4:20-24, 1 Nephi 2:4-6, 1 Nephi 3:3, 1 Nephi 3:16, 1 Nephi 3:25, 1 Nephi 3:31, 1 Nephi 4:1-2, 1 Nephi 4:4-5, 1 Nephi 4:7-9, 1 Nephi 4:18, 1 Nephi 4:19-24 & 38, 1 Nephi 4:20, 1 Nephi 4:27, 1 Nephi 5:9, 1 Nephi 13:40, 2 Nephi 5:8, Mosiah 10:13, 4 Nephi 1:31.

For a full note on the use of the Apocrypha, please see the annotation at 1 Nephi 1:1.