Why did Jacob refer to the small plates made by his brother Nephi as the plates of Jacob?

Thomas R. Valletta

“The writings of Jacob and his descendants form part of the small plates, a section of the Book of Mormon that Mormon included intact. … After passing into Jacob’s hands, the small plates became increasingly focused on the history of Jacob’s family rather than on the history of the whole Nephite group. … From Jacob on, the plates were no longer kept by the rulers. … After Nephi, never again do the authors of the small plates occupy a central position in the government. Of course, the small plates were always set aside for spiritual things rather than secular matters” (Tanner, “Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,” 52–55).

The Book of Mormon Study Guide: Start to Finish

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