Consider the loyalty of this Hebrew lady, the consort of Lehi. Without full assurance in her heart of the divine mission of her husband, she had, without murmuring, given up her comfortable home in the city and accompanied him out into the dreary wilderness. She was a true and faithful wife.
The Hebrew ideal of a wife is stated by the Creator himself: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” (Prov. 31:10-29.) We beg to offer the following paraphrase of this great composition:
THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL
THE PROPHECY THAT HIS MOTHER TAUGHT TO HIM
A worthy wife, if you can find,
her price is far above pearls.
In his heart her husband safely trusts in her,
and he shall have no lack of gain.
She brings him good, but never harm
as long as days and life shall last.
She sorts the wool, she sorts the flax
and works it, as she pleases, with her hands.
She’s like the merchantmen,—
brings her provisions from afar.
She rises while it is yet night and gives her household rations for the day,
her maids their daily tasks.
She sees a field and buys it—
and with the labor of her hands, a vineyard plants.
She girds her loins with strength,
and strong are e’en her arms.
She finds that prosp’rous is her work—
her lamp does not go out at night. 1
She turns the spindle well,
and works the distaff, too.
Her hand she holds out to the poor,
her arms to those in need.
She fears not chilling snow,
her household double garments wear.
She makes blankets for herself of tapestry,
clothing of fine linen and purple.
Known is her husband at the gate,
upon his seat among the elders of the land.
Fine linen garments she makes and sells,
supplies the Canaanites [merchants] with girdles.
With strength and honor clothed, she
rejoices at the day to come.
For wisdom openeth her mouth—
the Law of Kindness on her tongue.
She watches o’er her household well,
and none eat bread in idleness.
Her children stand and call her blessed,
her husband also praiseth her.
True, many daughters have done well,
but you, among them all, excel.
All favor is deceitful, beauty vain,
a wife that feareth God, great praise shall gain.
O give her of the fruit that she has raised,
and let her in the gates by all be praised.
That is to say, the perfect ideal of a wife, according to the Hebrew idea, was one who had both wisdom and strength to manage a household successfully in all its diversified requirements, in the house and without, while her husband attended to the equally arduous and exacting duties of public office. And to her many other gifts and qualifications she added the fear of the Lord, which sanctified her whole being and activity.
The ideal woman is faithful and loyal; she is a laborer, active and industrious; she is wide awake and prudent; she is strong, in body as well as in character; she is tender and benevolent; provident and refined; a credit to her husband and the glory of her children.
Perhaps there never was such a perfect woman, any more than there ever was a perfect man, except the One; but such was the pattern. Such was the ideal. And it is safe to say, that Mother Sariah, the wife of Lehi, came as near this ideal as any woman ever did. She had to, in order to be the mother of such a son as Nephi, and the ancestress of a race, such as that of which we read in the Book of Mormon. That great mission required great qualifications, in the woman, as in the man.
But Sariah was also a Mother. There is no human emotion stronger than the love of a mother. For that reason, when our Heavenly Father undertakes to impress upon his people the comforting thought that they are not forgotten by him, he appeals to their experience of a mother’s constancy in her affections. “Can a woman,” he asks through the Prophet Isaiah, “forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on her first born son?”
Can she?
Not if she is a normal mother.
But the suffering at the time of trial, when the hour of Crucifixion has come—when the sword pierces the very soul (Luke 2:35)—that anguish is in proportion to the intensity of the emotion. Such an hour had now come to Sariah. She felt certain that her four sons had perished in the wilderness. And as this conviction grew stronger, she became a doubter and an accuser. “Behold,” she said to her husband, “thou hast led us forth from our home, and my sons are no more.”
We note that great love, whether a mother‘s or a father’s, often is pessimistic. It is inclined to see the worst side of a case, rather than the favorable one. Love, says the Apostle, “beareth all things, hopeth all things.” (Jer. 31:15)
Lehi’s faith. Lehi was wise. He did not contradict his wife. He did not meet accusation with accusation. Perhaps deep down in his heart he felt very much as his wife felt. If he did, he gave no indication of it. True to his calling and duty, he stood up and spoke the language of faith instead of surmises of emotion. By faith he knew that their sons were safe and would return to them. That was his testimony. Undoubtedly, that was what Sariah wanted to hear. She needed assurance. She would have been very much disappointed if Lehi had admitted that she, perhaps, was right. She wanted to be contradicted. His faith was her comfort (v. 6).
Their joy was full. And now the boys arrive. They have fulfilled their mission successfully. There is indescribable joy in the tent. Joy over the reunion. But also because the experience of Sariah had left, as an after effect, the sweet assurance that they engaged in the work of the Lord. Her sorrow had been turned into gladness, her doubt into faith (v. 8).
Note that the gratitude of this family was expressed not only in testimony but in sacrifice and burnt offerings to the Lord (v. 9). That is the only acceptable form of gratitude. Fervent words may be pleasant and desirable, at times, but as a rule, unless they are accompanied by something tangible, they are as shots with blank cartridges. They may produce smoke but do not bring down the game. The Lord instructed Israel, “None shall appear before me empty.” (Deut. 16:16 and 17) That was, properly, the law of the Hebrews.
The burnt offering. This consisted of an animal without blemish. The officiating priest laid his hands on its head, signifying that an atonement for sin was about to be made. The animal, symbolically carrying the sins and guilt of the owner, was slain and its body consumed by the fire on the altar. (Lev. 1) The act was symbolical of the death of our Lord as the Lamb of God.
The Sacrifice mentioned was perhaps a meat offering, which consisted of fine flour, oil and frankincense. Some of this was burnt upon the altar; the rest was eaten. (Lev. 2)
We may conclude from this, that the return of the sons was the occasion of a solemn divine service and a genuine feast.