2  And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon ^bthese plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi.

  1  Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a ^alittle of my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain;