During the long weeks of her sons’ absence, Sariah mourned for them, thinking that the worst had probably happened. She complained against her husband (a touch of marital conflict that occurs with even the most righteous couples), telling him that he was a visionary man; they had lost their home, then lost their sons, and were now going to lose their own lives. The normal response to accusation is defense and counteraccusation. Lehi, however, responded to Sariah’s complaint with comfort. When people complain, they often need comfort. Lehi’s faith was Sariah’s comfort. He had been promised that his sons would return, and he believed the promise. When the sons finally returned, Sariah’s faith in her prophet-husband was confirmed, and the family rejoiced and gave thanks by offering up burnt offerings; then everyone’s attention turned to examining their new treasure, the plates of brass.
Incidentally, the plates could actually be referred to as the plates of bronze. Brass is an alloy of zinc (unknown to the ancients) and copper, but bronze is an alloy of copper and tin (both known and used). The centuries before the Israelites arrived in the land of Canaan are known archaeologically as the Bronze Age.