As the children of Israel traveled through the wilderness, Jehovah led them. In spite of that obvious guidance, Israel murmured. In spite of Jehovah “doing all things for them which were expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds.” Nephi adds that they reviled against Moses.
This is not a subtle lesson. Lehi’s family had received the ball, or director, which took the place of the column of smoke by day and pillar of fire by night that led the children of Israel. Laman and Lemuel are in the place of the children of Israel. In spite of the miraculous provision of food after the incident of the failed bows, Laman and Lemuel hardened their hearts.
Above all, Laman and Lemuel complained against their Moses. What is important at this point in the narrative is that while they have complained against Lehi before, we see more and more of their complaining being directed to Nephi. As Nephi is relating his family’s story, he is increasingly substituting himself in his father’s place as the family’s Moses.
We must remember that this is Nephi’s story, told for his own purposes, told thirty years after they left Jerusalem, and over twenty years after this event. The purpose of 1 Nephi is to bolster his position as the Nephite leader, and thus it is important to the story to have him become the de facto family leader.