1 Nephi 1 to 5
Nephi kept a record of his family’s many struggles to testify of God and his power. He hoped we would learn to trust God as he did.
“Into Arabia: Lehi and Sariah’s Escape from Jerusalem, Perspectives Suggested by New Fieldwork,” Warren P. Aston, BYU Studies, vol. 58, no. 4
Based on his explorations of the terrain from Jerusalem to the Red Sea, the author proposes a likely route Lehi and his family took as they fled Jerusalem. He also proposes a location for the Book of Mormon’s valley of Lemuel.
“Dating the Departure of Lehi from Jerusalem,” Jeffrey R. Chadwick, BYU Studies, vol. 57, no. 2
Jeffrey R. Chadwick introduces a variety of evidence to show that Lehi’s departure can be dated to sometime in late 605 BC. Much of this evidence results from an understanding of the state of affairs in ancient Judah during the reigns of Judean kings Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah.
“The Throne-Theophany and Prophetic Commission in 1 Nephi: A Form-Critical Analysis,” Blake T. Ostler, BYU Studies, vol. 26, no. 4
Lehi’s vision in 1 Nephi 1 follows the Hebrew pattern of God’s call to a prophet. The commissions of Isaiah and Ezekiel included a vison of the council of God and God on his throne (a throne-theophany). Other common parallels are the divine confrontation, Lehi’s reaction, a commission, and a protest and reassurance.
“The Calling of a Prophet,” John W. Welch, The Book of Mormon: First Nephi, the Doctrinal Foundation
Chapter 1 of 1 Nephi reports in very brief but significant terms the essential facts about the call and public ministry of the prophet Lehi. Lehi’s comtemporaries should have recognized the timing of Lehi’s message at the coronation of a king, that Lehi was not alone in his message, and that Lehi spoke with authority.
“Lehi and Jeremiah: Prophets, Priests, and Patriarchs,” David Rolph Seely and Jo Ann H. Seely, in Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem
Lehi, in his brief ministry in Jerusalem, delivered the same message that Jeremiah had delivered for almost thirty years before Lehi’s call, and he would suffer the same rejection and persecution. Their respective lives and records, preserved in the Book of Mormon and the Bible, richly complement each other.
“How Could Jerusalem, ‘That Great City,’ Be Destroyed?” David Rolph Seely and Fred E. Woods, Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem
Nephi’s brothers rebelled against Lehi’s teaching that Jerusalem would be destroyed. Many inhabitants of Jerusalem believed that God would preserve their city, and the city was fortified and prepared for siege. The assurances of false prophets added to the incorrect belief that their city was invincible.
Chart 7-94: “1 Nephi and the Exodus,” Charting the Book of Mormon
Lehi’s group saw themselves as reenacting the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. This chart shows twenty-seven parallels between the narratives in 1 Nephi and Exodus.
“Lehi’s Altar and Sacrifice in the Wilderness,” David Rolph Seely, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies, vol. 10, no. 1
Lehi built an altar in the wilderness, yet Deuteronomy 12 appears to strictly forbid the building of altars and the making of sacrifice outside the place the Lord had chosen for that purpose. Here are three possible explanations why Lehi was not breaking the law of Moses.
Chart 9-115: “When Is It Better for One Man to Perish Than an Entire Nation?” in Charting the Book of Mormon
Ancient Israelite law authorized the slaying of a particular man at least two other times when a whole people faced destruction. This chart compares Nephi’s situation with two similar incidents found in the Bible: the beheading of the rebel Sheba and the execution of King Jehoiakim.
“Nephi’s Jerusalem and Laban’s Sword,” William J. Adams Jr., Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 2, no. 2
Archaeology has revealed few ancient Middle Eastern swords, but one found in Vered Jericho shows one example. It is three feet long, made of bronze and iron, giving us insight into Laban’s sword.
“Sword of Laban as a Symbol of Divine Authority and Kingship,” Brett L. Holbrook, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 2, no. 1
The sword of Laban can be compared to the sword of Goliath, which David used to slay him. Laban’s sword was preserved and revered throughout Nephite history.
“1 and 2 Nephi: An Inspiring Whole,” by Frederick W. Axelgard, BYU Studies, vol. 26, no. 4.
Seeking an overarching framework in 1 and 2 Nephi reveals one heavily historical section (1 Nephi 1 to 2 Nephi 5) and one exclusively spiritual section. A final section (2 Nephi 6-33) functions as a genuine conclusion.
Our friends at Book of Mormon Central have compiled many resources and videos that will be helpful in the 2020 Come, Follow Me scripture study program. See their resources here.
- Christmas – “He Shall Come into the World to Redeem His People”
- Moroni 10 – “Come unto Christ, and Be Perfected in Him”
- Moroni 7 to 9 – “May Christ Lift Thee Up”
- Moroni 1 to 6 – “To Keep Them in the Right Way”
- Ether 12 to 15 – “By Faith All Things Are Fulfilled”
- Ether 6 to 11 – “That Evil May Be Done Away”
- Ether 1 to 5 – “Rend That Veil of Unbelief”
- Mormon 7 to 9 – “I Speak unto You As If Ye Were Present”
- Mormon 1 to 6 – “I Would That I Could Persuade All … to Repent”
- 3 Nephi 27 to 4 Nephi – “There Could Not Be a Happier People”
- 3 Nephi 20 to 26 – “Ye Are the Children of the Covenant”
- 3 Nephi 17 to 19 – “Behold, My Joy Is Full”
- 3 Nephi 12 to 16 – “I Am the Law, and the Light”
- 3 Nephi 8 to 11 – “Arise and Come Forth unto Me”
- 3 Nephi 1 to 7 – “Lift Up Your Head and Be of Good Cheer”
- Helaman 13 to 16 – “Glad Tidings of Great Joy”
- Helaman 7 to 12 – “Remember the Lord”
- Helaman 1 to 6 – “The Rock of Our Redeemer”
- Alma 53 to 63 – “Preserved by His Marvelous Power”
- Alma 43 to 52 – “Stand Fast in the Faith of Christ”
- Alma 39 to 42 – “The Great Plan of Happiness”
- Alma 36 to 38 – “Look to God and Live”
- Alma 32 to 35 – “Plant This Word in Your Hearts”
- Alma 30 to 31 – “The Virtue of the Word of God”
- Alma 23 to 29 – They “Never Did Fall Away”
- Alma 17 to 22 – “I Will Make an Instrument of Thee”
- Alma 13 to 16 – Enter into the Rest of the Lord
- Alma 8 to 12 – Jesus Christ Will Come to Redeem His People
- Alma 5 to 7 – “Have Ye Experienced This Mighty Change in Your Hearts?”
- Mosiah 29 to Alma 4 – “They Were Steadfast and Immovable”
- Mosiah 25 to 28 – “They Were Called the People of God”
- Mosiah 18 to 24 – “We Have Entered into a Covenant with Him”
- Mosiah 11 to 17 – “A Light … That Can Never Be Darkened”
- Mosiah 7 to 10 – “In the Strength of the Lord”
- Mosiah 4 to 6 – “A Mighty Change”
- Mosiah 1 to 3 – “Filled with Love towards God and All Men”
- Easter – “He Shall Rise … with Healing in His Wings” continued
- Easter – “He Shall Rise…with Healing in His Wings”
- Enos to Words of Mormon – “He Works in Me to Do His Will”
- Jacob 5 to 7 – “The Lord Labors with Us”
- Jacob 1 to 4 – “Be Reconciled unto God through the Atonement of Christ”
- 2 Nephi 31 to 33 – “This Is the Way”
- 2 Nephi 26 to 30 – “A Marvelous Work and a Wonder”
- 2 Nephi 11 to 19 – “His Name Shall Be Called . . . the Prince of Peace”
- 2 Nephi 6 to 10 – “O How Great the Plan of Our God”
- 2 Nephi 3 to 5 – “We Lived After the Manner of Happiness”
- 1 Nephi 16 to 22 – “I Will Prepare the Way Before You”
- 1 Nephi 11 to 15 – “Armed with Righteousness and with the Power of God”
- 1 Nephi 6 to 10 – “Come and Partake of the Fruit”
- 1 Nephi 1 to 5
- Introductory Pages of the Book of Mormon – “Another Testament of Jesus Christ”
- 2 Nephi 1 to 2 – “Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life, through the Great Mediator”
- 2 Nephi 20 to 25 – “We Rejoice in Christ”
