We know that Nephi had the Law of Moses because the plates of brass contained the “five books of Moses” (1Ne. 5:11), among other important information (1Ne. 5:11 – 15).
We know that the Ten Commandments are contained in Exodus, one of the “five books of Moses” (Ex. 20:1 – 17).
Exodus 20:13 instructs us “Thou shalt not kill.” Period.
Nephi killed Laban after a struggle with the Spirit (1Ne. 4:18). We know we are to follow the Spirit’s promptings, and that “whatever God commands is right” (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 256–7). However, this principle is not peculiar to Latter-day Saints (See Wikipedia: continuous revelation).
But, not many know that killing Laban is also in accordance with the Law of Moses!
1Ne. 4:11 informs us that the Spirit informed Nephi that, “the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands.”
According to the Law of Moses, “He that smitteth a man, so he die, shall be surely put to death” (Ex 21:12), unless, “And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee” (Ex 21:13). The “place whither he shall flee” were “cities of refuge” where a man could dwell for a time without facing the punishment of death while the family of the dead cooled down (see Bible Dictionary ‘Cities of Refuge’).
Nephi did not lie in wait as he “was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things [he] should do (1Ne. 4:6),” and “the Lord hath delivered [Laban] into thy hands” (1Ne. 4:11).
Thus, according to the Law of Moses, Nephi was justified in killing Laban.
This is just one more little known connection between the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Could Joseph Smith have known this? Possibly. If so he would have had to have been either a genius or a madman to have remembered so little of a technicality to insert into the Book of Mormon. Or, he was a prophet of the Living God through whom the Lord brought forth the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
He is the latter.
