Redaction: Here Nephi shifts from the plates to his true subject matter: the Atoning Messiah. This passage replicates the structure of the transition between 1 Nephi 9-10: first, a discussion of the physical plates and then a discussion of the Messiah. The pattern’s repetition communicates that Nephi considers the Messiah to be the subject which he esteems to be of greatest worth. (See commentary accompanying 1 Nephi 10:1.)
Finding the ore and making the plates are almost the last “historical” episodes in Nephi’s record. The very last is the historical record of the separation of the Nephites from the Lamanites (2 Ne. 5). From this point on, he abandons the historical/chronological framework within which he shaped his spiritual narrative and instead focuses almost exclusively on a topical approach. I suggest that from here on Nephi focuses on the present, even though he does not catch up with “real time” until 2 Nephi 5. As Nephi sees his narrative, he has developed from a youth into a prophet-leader, a position he consolidated soon after Lehi’s death (2 Ne. 4:13). Reaching the New World also symbolized Nephi’s reaching maturity as both prophet and king.
Scripture: Nephi’s tone seems weary in this passage. After emphasizing that he is writing spiritually valuable things, he admits that some disdain them. It is impossible to avoid the mental picture of Nephi writing his soul-stirring testimony while simultaneously acknowledging what must have been one of his greatest sorrows: his brothers’ spiritual and political apostasy. Perhaps his lingering fraternal love can be heard between the vivid image “trample under their feet” and his own rephrasing to “hearken not to the voice of his counsels.” Surely the general effect was the same, but the second seems less violent, perhaps containing a reminder of the many times he tried to explain verbally what he himself understood.
Nephi sets out the great paradox of the gospel: that for some it is clear and precious, and for others a point of derision. It has always been so. The revelation of God’s will strikes each person according to his or her spiritual capacity. To those prepared, it is precious. To those who have chosen to believe otherwise, it becomes something to “trample under their feet.”