Lehites in Jerusalem and Arabia

Lehi’s Prophetic Call

1 Nephi 1:4
During the reign of Zedekiah, a number of prophets emerge, and warn the people of Jerusalem’s imminent destruction.
1 Nephi 1:5
Lehi, a man living in Jerusalem at that time, prays to God in behalf of Jerusalem’s citizens.
1 Nephi 1:6
A pillar of fire ushers in a spectacular heavenly manifestation which leaves Lehi overwhelmed and shaken.
1 Nephi 1:7
Lehi runs home to recover from his experience.
1 Nephi 1:8
While lying on his bed, Lehi is enwrapped in a vision.
1 Nephi 1:8–10
Lehi sees God, angels, a brilliant individual, and twelve followers.
1 Nephi 1:11–13
Jesus gives Lehi a book, which confirms Jerusalem’s future destruction and Babylonian occupation.
1 Nephi 1:14–15
Lehi praises the Lord.
1 Nephi 1:18
Having now become a prophet, Lehi goes out and tells the citizens of the content of his vision.
1 Nephi 1:19–20
The people do not accept Lehi, especially not his call to repentance; they set out to kill him.

Escape Out of Jerusalem

1 Nephi 2:1–2
God warns Lehi in a dream to leave Jerusalem, to escape the death threats against him.
1 Nephi 2:3–5
Lehi obeys, leaves Jerusalem with his family, and travels along the Red Sea.
1 Nephi 2:6–7, 15, 10:16, 16:6, 9:1
Lehi and his family settle in a place they call the valley of Lemuel; they make camp, build an altar, and worship God.
1 Nephi 2:11–13
Lehi’s two oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, complain, and don’t believe their father’s words.
1 Nephi 2:8–10, 14
Lehi, noticing the landscape, counsels his oldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, to stop complaining and trust in God.
1 Nephi 2:14
Laman and Lemuel are deeply moved by their father’s words, and obey him.
1 Nephi 2:16
Nephi, having heard what his father said, prays about it.
1 Nephi 2:16
The truthfulness of Lehi’s words is confirmed in Nephi’s heart.
1 Nephi 2:17–18
Nephi shares his experience with his brother Sam, who believes, and to Laman and Lemuel, who do not believe.
1 Nephi 2:19–24
Nephi receives a revelation assuring him of the blessings that come from obeying God’s commands; he is told that he is part of a larger plan: a pilgrimage to a promised land.
1 Nephi 3:1
Nephi then goes into Lehi’s tent.
1 Nephi 3:2–6, 5:16
Lehi tells Nephi of instructions he received from the Lord that Nephi and his brothers need to return to Jerusalem to retrieve their family’s historical and genealogical records: the brass plates, currently being held by a Jerusalem man named Laban.
1 Nephi 3:7–8
Nephi accepts the Lord’s instructions as delivered by Lehi.

Trip Back to Jerusalem to Retrieve the Plates of Brass

1 Nephi 3:9
Nephi and his brothers leave the valley of Lemuel, and return to Jerusalem, where Laban’s house is located.
1 Nephi 3:10
The brothers consult before entering.
1 Nephi 3:11
They randomly select Laman to go into Laban’s house.
1 Nephi 3:11–12
Laman goes in, and asks Laban for the records.
1 Nephi 3:13
Laban gets angry, accuses Laman of being a robber, and threatens to kill him.
1 Nephi 3:14
Laman runs out, meets his disappointed brothers; they get ready to leave Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 3:15–21
Nephi persuades them not to leave, and suggests they go to their old house in Jerusalem, collect all their valuables, and present them to Laban in exchange for the brass plates.
1 Nephi 5:6,1–3
Meanwhile, back in the valley of Lemuel, Lehi’s wife Sariah complains about their sons’ likely deaths and their grim situation in the desert.
1 Nephi 5:4–6
Lehi comforts Sariah, reassuring her they are following the Lord’s instructions.

Another Attempt at Getting the Brass Plates

1 Nephi 3:22–23
According to plan, the brothers stop by their old house, collect the valuables, and go back to Laban’s place.
1 Nephi 3:24
They present the valuables and propose an exchange for the brass plates.
1 Nephi 3:25
Laban takes the valuables, kicks the brothers out, and orders their deaths.
1 Nephi 3:26–27
The brothers escape, dodge Laban’s hitmen, and hide in a cave.
1 Nephi 3:28
Furious at the failure of the plan, Laman and Lemuel begin to beat Sam and Nephi with a stick.
1 Nephi 3:29–30
During the beating, an angel appears, reproves Laman and Lemuel, and promises that divine grace will attend them in their next attempt to get the brass plates.
1 Nephi 3:31
After the angel leaves, Laman and Lemuel, apparently indifferent to the angel’s providential promise, express their skepticism and cynicism.

A Final Attempt at Getting the Brass Plates

1 Nephi 4:1–3
Nephi, putting his trust in the Lord, convinces his brothers to believe the angel and go back.
1 Nephi 4:4
Laman and Lemuel are not happy to hear this, but agree to go back with Nephi despite their doubts.
1 Nephi 4:5–6
Night had fallen; Nephi tells his brothers to go hide while he goes exploring.
1 Nephi 4:7–8
As he approaches Laban’s house, Nephi stumbles upon a drunk man lying in the streets. It is Laban.
1 Nephi 4:9
Nephi notices Laban’s sword.
1 Nephi 4:10
The Spirit tells Nephi to kill Laban.
1 Nephi 4:10
Nephi, shocked by the command, does not want to kill anyone.
1 Nephi 4:11–13
The Spirit assures Nephi that Laban’s death is necessary.
1 Nephi 4:14–17
Nephi thinks things through, and remembers how consequential these records are.
1 Nephi 4:18
Following the Spirit’s orders, Nephi decapitates Laban.

Nephi’s Covert Operation

1 Nephi 4:19
Nephi proceeds to put on Laban’s clothes, and impersonate him.
1 Nephi 4:20,35
Nephi, posing as Laban, meets Laban’s treasurer, Zoram, and requests to be let into the treasury.
1 Nephi 4:21–23
Zoram doesn’t suspect a thing.
1 Nephi 4:24–27
Nephi enters the treasury, gets the brass plates, and tells Zoram to follow him out. They go towards Nephi’s waiting brothers.
1 Nephi 4:28–29
Nephi’s brothers, seeing Nephi dressed as Laban, get scared and begin to run off, but Nephi calls to them.
1 Nephi 4:30
Zoram now suspects that Nephi is not Laban; he, in turn, gets scared.
1 Nephi 4:31–34
Nephi grabs Zoram, tells him what’s going on, tells him not to leave, and promises him a place in Lehi’s family.
1 Nephi 4:35–37
Zoram trusts Nephi, and promises to stay with them.
1 Nephi 4:38
They all leave Jerusalem and head back to their father in the valley of Lemuel.

Lehi’s Family Reunion

1 Nephi 5:1,7
Lehi’s sons return with Zoram, much to their parents’ joy.
1 Nephi 5:8–9
Sariah expresses her renewed faith, and they all celebrate together.
1 Nephi 5:10
Afterwards, Lehi begins a thorough study of the brass plates.
1 Nephi 5:21, 11–13
Lehi finds that the brass plates contain Moses’ Pentateuch, and the writings of many prophets since Moses.
1 Nephi 5:14–16
Lehi finds a genealogical record included in the plates; he is able to determine that he is a descendant of Joseph, Jacob’s son.
1 Nephi 5:17–19
Lehi, filled with the Spirit, prophesies that, among other things, the contents of the brass plates will be preserved for his posterity.
1 Nephi 5:20, 22
Nephi acknowledges his and his father’s obedience, and they decide to carry the brass plates with them wherever they might go.
1 Nephi 7:1–2
Lehi receives another revelation telling him that his sons need to be married before they make their pilgrimage. Lehi instructs his sons to go back to Jerusalem to find the family of a man named Ishmael, and bring them out to the valley of Lemuel with Lehi.

Trip Back to Jerusalem to Retrieve Ishmael’s Family

1 Nephi 7:3
Nephi and his brothers head out.
1 Nephi 7:4
They find Ishmael’s family, and let them know their situation.
1 Nephi 7:5
Ishmael understands, and agrees to join them. They all head back towards the valley of Lemuel.
1 Nephi 7:6–7
On the way back, Laman, Lemuel, and their supporters rebel and suggest going back to Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 7:8–15
Nephi reproves them, and reminds them of the Lord’s past providence, their responsibilities, and Jerusalem’s impending doom.
1 Nephi 7:16
Laman and Lemuel are furious; they tie Nephi up and plan on leaving him for the wildlife to devour.
1 Nephi 7:17
Nephi prays for help.
1 Nephi 7:18–19
Nephi’s bands miraculously loosen, and he confronts Laman and Lemuel, who are ready to beat him; some of Ishmael’s family members reason with Laman and Lemuel, and they calm down.
1 Nephi 7:20
Laman and Lemuel realize their errors, and beg Nephi for forgiveness.
1 Nephi 7:21–22
Nephi forgives them; they continue on their journey, and finally arrive back at the valley of Lemuel, reuniting with Lehi.

Lehi’s Dream

1 Nephi 8:2–4
After some time, Lehi announces that he has had a revelatory dream.
1 Nephi 8:4–35
He gives a detailed account of his dream, describing a tree, fruit, his family, an iron rod, a fountain, and a big building.
1 Nephi 8:36–38
Lehi is troubled by the ominous contents of the dream with regards to Laman and Lemuel. He talks to them, and encourages them to be righteous.
1 Nephi 10:2–15
Lehi goes on to prophesy about the fate of the Jews and the coming of Jesus Christ.

Nephi’s Response to Lehi’s Dream

1 Nephi 10:17–22
Nephi desires to understand more fully what his father had said and seen about Jesus Christ and his gospel.
1 Nephi 11:1
Nephi desires to know to the things of God, and he believes the Lord can reveal them, and ponders in his heart.
1 Nephi 15:1–4
After the vision, Nephi goes into Lehi’s tent, where he finds Laman and Lemuel arguing about what their father’s words meant.
1 Nephi 15:5–6
Nephi, still deeply shaken by the contents of his vision, takes a moment to gather his thoughts and regroup.
1 Nephi 15:7–8
Laman and Lemuel tell Nephi they don’t understand what Lehi was talking about when he referred to olive branches. Nephi asks them if they’ve prayed about it.
1 Nephi 15:9
They reply that they have not.
1 Nephi 15:10–11
Nephi reproves them, and tells them that answers are waiting for them, but they must pray to receive them.
1 Nephi 15:12–20
Nephi proceeds to give a detailed explanation of the olive branch metaphor; It explains the process of the scattering and gathering of God’s covenant people.
1 Nephi 15:20
Laman and Lemuel, apparently impressed, are satisfied with Nephi’s explanation.
1 Nephi 15:21–36
Laman and Lemuel then go on to ask Nephi what the elements of Lehi’s dream represent; Nephi explains, and they discuss.
1 Nephi 16:1–3
Upon hearing Nephi’s blunt interpretations, Laman and Lemuel say that it is more than they can handle—Nephi realizes that it is hard for guilty people to accept the truth.
1 Nephi 16:4–5
Nephi counsels his brothers to be diligent; they agree, and Nephi has much hope for them.

Departure from the Valley of Lemuel

1 Nephi 16:7–8
In preparation for their journey, Nephi, his brothers, and Zoram each take one of the daughters of Ishmael.
1 Nephi 16:9
The Lord instructs Lehi to begin his journey the next day.
1 Nephi 16:10, Alma 37:38–39, Mosiah 1:16–17
In the morning, Lehi awakes to find a special compass–like ball called the Liahona; it is designed to lead them through the desert.
1 Nephi 8:1, 16:11–12
Lehi’s followers gather their supplies, break camp, and leave.

Pass Through Shazer

1 Nephi 16:13
After four days of traveling southward, the group arrives at a place called Shazer.
1 Nephi 16:14–16
The group uses the Liahona to guide them in their hunting trips.
1 Nephi 16:17
After several more days of travel, the group stops to replenish their food stock.
1 Nephi 16:18–19
On one hunting trip, Nephi accidentally breaks his bow, and returns home empty-handed, much to the dismay of the rest of the group.
1 Nephi 16:20
Laman, Lemuel, Ishmael’s sons, and even Lehi complain because of their misfortunes, and begin to curse God.
1 Nephi 16:21–22,24
Nephi tries to appease those complaining.
1 Nephi 16:23
Nephi takes matters into his own hands, and makes a new bow himself. He then asks a repentant Lehi where he should go to hunt.
1 Nephi 16:24
Lehi, humbled, asks the Lord.
1 Nephi 16:25–26
God refers Lehi to the Liahona.
1 Nephi 16:27, 29
New writing had appeared on it, apparently showing where to go to hunt.
1 Nephi 16:28–29, Alma 37:40–42
The Liahona functions according to the faith of those who possess it.
1 Nephi 16:30–31
Nephi follows the directions of the Liahona, and ends up at the top of a mountain, where he finds game to hunt.
1 Nephi 16:32
Nephi returns to camp with food, much to the joy of the group.

Troubles in Nahom

1 Nephi 16:33–34
The group continues their travels. They arrive at a place called Nahom, where Ishmael dies and is buried.
1 Nephi 16:35–36
Ishmael’s daughters mourn bitterly, lament their condition, and want to go back home.
1 Nephi 16:37
Laman and Lemuel plot to kill Lehi.
1 Nephi 16:38
Laman and Lemuel attribute Nephi and Lehi’s purported revelations to trickery and fraud.
1 Nephi 16:39
As they were plotting, they hear the booming voice of God chasten them; they repent immediately.
1 Nephi 17:1
The group keeps moving, this time eastward; several of the women bear children on the way.
1 Nephi 18:7
Sariah, Lehi’s wife, bears two sons: Jacob and Joseph.
1 Nephi 17:2–4,12–14
The group is blessed for keeping God’s commandments; they are able to live healthily and happily off of raw meat in compliance with God’s commandment not to build fires.

Arrival in Bountiful

1 Nephi 17:5–6
The group arrives at a lush and fruitful coastal region that they call Bountiful.
1 Nephi 17:7
The Lord tells Nephi to go up to the mountains.
1 Nephi 17:8
The Lord tells Nephi to build a ship.
1 Nephi 17:9–10
Nephi asks where to find ore to make tools to build the ship; the Lord tells him.
1 Nephi 17:11
Nephi builds fires and bellows.
1 Nephi 17:15–16
Nephi makes tools out of ore.
1 Nephi 17:17–18
When Laman and Lemuel see Nephi working, they mock him.
1 Nephi 17:19
Nephi is deeply hurt by their unbelief.
1 Nephi 17:19–22
Laman and Lemuel continue to mock and scorn Nephi for his work; they blame him for all their problems.
1 Nephi 17:23–47
In response, Nephi lectures his brothers, recounts the history of Israel, condemns their unbelief, and calls them to repentance.
1 Nephi 17:48
Upon hearing this, Laman and Lemuel are furious, and want to throw Nephi into the ocean.
1 Nephi 17:48–49
Nephi speaks on behalf of God in restraining Laman and Lemuel.
1 Nephi 17:50–52
Nephi again asserts God’s power in him; Laman and Lemuel, convinced, don’t dare lay a finger on him.
1 Nephi 17:53–54
The Lord tells Nephi to stretch out his arm—Laman and Lemuel receive a powerful shock.
1 Nephi 17:54–55, 18:1
Laman and Lemuel acknowledge Nephi’s divine authority; they begin to worship Nephi, but Nephi tells them to worship God instead.
1 Nephi 18:1–2
Nephi and his brothers continue construction on the boat.
1 Nephi 18:3
Nephi often goes back to the mountain to receive divine guidance.
1 Nephi 18:4
The ship is complete.
1 Nephi 18:5
The Lord commands Lehi to take everyone into the ship.
1 Nephi 18:6
They gather all their provisions, and board the ship.

Departure Towards the Promised Land

1 Nephi 18:8
The ship launches into the sea.
1 Nephi 18:9–10
After several days, some of the passengers become irreverent and engage in inappropriate behavior; they begin to rebel against Nephi, who was admonishing them to behave well.
1 Nephi 18:11–12
Laman and Lemuel attack Nephi, and tie him up. The Liahona stops working.
1 Nephi 18:13
A huge storm starts up, and no one knows which direction to go.
1 Nephi 18:17–18
Lehi and Sariah are heartbroken and exasperated by their sons’ behaviors.
1 Nephi 18:19
Jacob and Joseph feel sorrow because of their mother’s afflictions; Nephi’s wife cries.
1 Nephi 18:14–15,20
The storm lasts four days; Laman and Lemuel finally realize that God’s judgment is coming upon them, so they release Nephi.
1 Nephi 18:16
Nephi praises God, despite his hardships.
1 Nephi 18:21–22
The Liahona begins to work again, and Nephi guides the ship towards the promised land.
1 Nephi 18:23
A significant amount of time later, they land on the coast of the promised land.