This chapter describes Nephi’s willingness to lead his brothers in following the Lord’s commandment to retrieve that brass plates from Laban.  Their initial attempts to obtain the brass plates are rebuffed by Laban, and the brothers are forced to flee Jerusalem and hide.  Two of Nephi’s older brothers, Laman and Lemuel, are not pleased with the manner in which events have transpired, and they were angry and began hitting Nephi and their brother Sam “with a rod.” (vrs 28)  While they were thus engaged, “an angel of the Lord came and stood before them.”  In that moment, the angel said, “Why do ye smith your younger brothers with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord shall deliver Laban into your hands.” (vrs 29) Having stopped Laman and Lemuel from further battery of their brothers, and having delivered this message, the angel departed.  (vrs 30)

However, Laman and Lemuel don’t seem to believe that angel.  The very next verse describes that they doubted that the Lord would deliver Laban into their hands as promised by the angel.  Early in the next chapter, Nephi describes that Laman and Lemuel were still angry about the whole scenario, but they at least came along for a further attempt to obtain the brass plates.

Nephi refers back to this event at different times.  In 1 Nephi 7:10 he asks Laman and Lemuel how they could doubt that the Lord is guiding Lehi and Nephi after they had seen an angel.