“And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children.
Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise.”
It appears that Lehi has just learned of his genealogy. In the preceding versus it says that he discovered his genealogy, that he was a decedent of Joseph of Egypt. This is valuable information, given the patriarchal order and birthright of the blessings pronounced on the tribes of israel. Also the history of the creation and the commandments of the Lord. He calls these things of “great worth”. In addition to the spiritual and intellectual value, these brass plates were also the key to their temporal prosperity.
The Lord had promised Lehi that so long as they keep the commandments, they would prosper in the land. In order to keep the commandments, they need to have the commandments. So, in a way, the brass plates are key to their future wealth (as a nation).
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