Nephi had explained earlier that one of the major themes of his record was that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he has chosen (1 Nephi 1:20). The account which follows in chapter 7 is another example of the Lord's deliverance. Here Laman and Lemuel, two of the daughters of Ishmael, and two sons of Ishmael rebelled against Nephi's leadership. Nephi gave a scathing sermon to the rebels and counseled them to remember what the Lord had done for them (note how many times Nephi asked how they could have forgotten the Lord's intervention and ministrations to them-verses 10, 11, 12). Angered by Nephi's boldness, as well as his declaration of the painful truth, the rebels bound him with cords. After he pleaded with the Lord for deliverance, the bands were miraculously loosed, the hardened hearts were temporarily softened, and a spirit of repentance overcame the company, at least for a time.