Nephi read "in the book of Moses," and "that which was written by the prophet Isaiah."
The Book of Moses. Special attention is called to this phrase. Why does not Nephi say, "The books of Moses"? Or, even, "The five books of Moses"? For the simple reason that, to the Jews of his day, what we know as the five books of Moses were one volume which they called, "the Law," (Torah). The division into five parts took place centuries after the time of Nephi, probably in Alexandria, in Egypt. The title "Pentateuch" 3 means in Alexandrian Greek, "The five volumes." Origen is said to use it in that sense. It was introduced to the western world by Jerome (d. A. D. 418) and his contemporary, Rufinus. To the Jews it was, "Five Fifths of the Law." It was, "The Book of Moses." The term, "The book of Moses" in this place, is therefore remarkable evidence of the genuineness of the record, which a well-informed student of the Book of Mormon will appreciate.
I did read unto them. Reading of the Scriptures is an indispensable part of spiritual training. Nephi was in daily communication with God and received wonderful revelations in dreams and visions and by means of the Liahona, but although he was thus favored, he found it necessary to read and study the Scriptures, and to understand them so he could explain and expound them to his brothers and fellow-travelers. He realized that it was necessary for him to know something "concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old." (v. 22)
I did liken all scriptures unto us. This I take to mean that Nephi, in his sermons explained the Scriptures and applied their teachings to their own needs and circumstances. That is the correct way of reading the Scriptures.
In reading, for instance, the story of Abraham and Isaac on the mountain of Moriah, he would probably point out how the Lord rewards his faithful servants, who trust in him to the utmost and obey his commandments. He would, no doubt, draw a lesson from this solemn declaration of the Lord:
"And the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven a second time and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice." (Gen. 22:15-18)
The reward of faith is a lesson offered in this Scripture, which is applicable to all times and all generations.
Or, in reading the story of the passage of Israel through the Red Sea, he might draw the lesson from it that God, who was mighty to take the Children of Israel across that sea, would also be able to take his father's company safely across the ocean to the land of promise.
That kind of reading is the most profitable literary exercise imaginable.
In reading any of the standard works of the Church it is well to ascertain the literal meaning of the passage read first, and the lesson it was intended to convey to those to whom it was first communicated. And then it might be well to ask, What lesson does it convey to my time and age? To my nation? My community? My family? Or to myself?