KnoWhy #549 - Why Did Jacob Condemn “Deliberately” Killing? (2 Nephi 9:35)

Speaking at the newly built Nephite temple, near the time Nephi was crowned king, during one of the Israelite autumn festivals, Jacob provided a list of ten “woes” similar to the Ten Commandments. Jacob does not simply repeat the exact same ten commandments, however. He makes changes and adaptations based on the circumstances of his people. For example, he modified the law again homicide in a way to ensure Nephi’s slaying of Laban could not be misunderstood as a violation of the law. Jacob’s adaptation of the original Ten Commandments illustrates the ancient scriptural precedent for continued clarifications of the Lord’s standards, such as with the recent adjustments to the temple recommend interview questions.