With this phrase we must turn again to the similarities between the faithlessness of Nephi's elder brothers and the murmuring attitude of the children of Israel wandering in the Sinai Peninsula: all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt? (Num 14:2-3)
Human nature is myopic. In both of these situations, the children of Israel and Lehi's family, the Lord is trying to bring the people into a promised land. He is trying to bless them with things they couldn't even dream of, even a land flowing with milk and honey. Nephi tried to get his brothers to see the similarities between their situation and the children of Israel, ye know that is must needs be a good thing for them, that they should be brought out of bondage (v. 25). Yet the shortsighted would rather return to the slavery that feels comfortable than patiently wait on the Lord and receive the greater blessing. We are often the same with our spiritual trials. We would like everything to just return to the way it was, rather than patiently understand that the will of the Lord is to bring us through our tribulation into a spiritual land of promise.