It is hard to tell whether the Spirit’s urging to kill Laban came before or after Nephi drew Laban’s sword. The narrative places it later, but why, then, would Nephi draw the sword? It does not seem like a good moment for idle curiosity or aesthetic admiration. Given Nephi’s consciousness of being led by the Spirit, it seems highly unlikely that he planned to steal the sword. I hypothesize that the Spirit prompted him first to draw the sword, and then gave him a clearer command. Of course, because Nephi is writing from memory, the sequence may have made less of an impression on his mind than the act he was commanded to perform. And despite Nephi’s awareness of the Spirit’s presence, he resists, struggles with the commandment, and attempts to deflect it. He understands that killing Laban may fall under the injunction not to murder.
History: The typical Middle Eastern sword is depicted as short, almost a dagger. Such a small weapon may seem like an improbable instrument of decapitation. However, Laban’s sword may very well have been different. During Avrahim Eitan’s excavations at Vered Jericho, a site three miles south of Jericho, a metal sword was recovered:
The sword found at Vered Jericho is three feet long, about three inches wide, is made of iron, and has a bronze haft with a wooden grip. Even the tip of the sword remains intact. The strata from which the sword was excavated dates to the late seventh century or about 620 B.C. Most swords from the Middle East, as portrayed in pictures and reliefs, were short and seem to have been used like daggers. Thus, this three-foot sword from Vered Jericho seems to be unique in its large size.
Because men in that time period averaged about five feet, this sword would have been quite long. It may represent a more accurate view of Laban’s sword.