In the context of Ether 6:4–9 the word commend means to entrust their care to. In other words, the Jaredites entrusted their care to God. By commending themselves to the Lord, they demonstrated their faith that He could and would deliver them. “The wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters” (Ether 6:8). Contrast this attitude with the attitude of Nephi’s brothers as they crossed the sea with their family. When Laman and Lemuel bound Nephi, the family’s compass, the Liahona, ceased to work and their boat was “driven back upon the waters for the space of four days” (1 Nephi 18:15). Both the Jaredites and Lehi’s family sought to commend themselves to the Lord’s care; however, some members of Lehi’s family were disobedient. The contrast between these two accounts shows that we must exercise faith and keep the commandments to receive all the blessings the Lord would give us through His care.