Chapter 5 establishes roughly what books were in the Nephite canon of scripture. I only have a few thoughts about Chapters 5 and 6, but as a rule, I am going to keep posting all of the text so that I can edit these posts and add more commentary in the future.
CHAPTER 5
AND it came to pass that after we had come down into the wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had mourned because of us.
2 For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness; and she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.
I like to consider whether this attitude of Sariah reflects the feelings of Lucy Mack Smith with respect to her husband's views and the spiritual status of her children, including Joseph Jr.
3 And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.
4 And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying: I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my brethren.
5 But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the LORD will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.
6 And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of the Jews.
7 And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold their joy was full, and my mother was comforted.
8 And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the LORD hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I also know of a surety that the LORD hath protected my sons, and delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the LORD hath commanded them. And after this manner of language did she speak.
9 And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the LORD; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel.
10 And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.
11 And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents;
12 And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;
13 And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah.
This summary tells us that the Nephites had access to Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is a late addition to the Torah, but scholarship does suggest that at least part of the book (Chapters 12–26) would have been written prior to 600 BCE. See the Composition section of the Wikipedia article on Deuteronomy. Whether the Torah (five books of Moses) would have been compiled into a whole work at that period is not so certain.
The "record of the Jews" referenced here I think can be assumed to be Joshua, Judges, and most of Kings and Chronicles.
The writings of the prophets down to the reign of Zedekiah would have been thought to include Isaiah, but only Isaiah chapters 1 through 39 were written prior to the Babylonian exile. Chapters 40–55 were written by another author during the Exile, and Chapters 56–66 were written after the exile, and some of the minor prophets. If we use the timeline established within the books themselves (not taking into account scholarly views), this potentially includes: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habukkuk, Zephaniah. The other three minor prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, would be excluded since they are post-exilic.
14 And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the LORD, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.
15 And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.
16 And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records.
17 And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed—
18 That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.
19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.
This prophecy that the brass plates should never perish, nor dimmed any more by time is most curious. Joseph undertook an "Inspired Translation" of the Bible, in which he revised and amended the text of the King James Version of the Bible, but he didn't use the brass plates for this, and his work extended throughout the entire Bible, including the New Testament, and was not constraint to what was on the plates.
20 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the LORD had commanded us.
21 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.
22 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.
CHAPTER 6
AND now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in this part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after upon these plates which I am writing; for it is given in the record which has been kept by my father; wherefore, I do not write it in this work.
It is important to avoid mentioning specific names because the lost 116 pages undoubtedly included many names of Lehi's family tree which would be nearly impossible for Joseph to re-create without that manuscript.
2 For it sufficeth me to say that we are descendants of Joseph.
3 And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.
4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.
5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.
6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.
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