The form "altar of stones" (1 Nephi 2:7) instead of the customary English form "stone altar" conforms to standard Hebrew construction, called the "construct state." Examples from the Bible are "gods of gold" (Exodus 20:23), "altar of stone" (Exodus 20:25), "bedstead of iron" (Deuteronomy 3:11), "helmet of brass" (1 Samuel 17:5), "house of cedar" (2 Samuel 7:2), "throne of ivory" (1 Kings 10:18), "girdle of leather (2 Kings 1:8), and "pulpit of wood" (Nehemiah 8:4). [D. Kelly Ogden, "Answering the Lord's Call," in Studies in Scripture: Book of Mormon, Part 1, pp. 32-33]
“He Built an Altar of Stones”
After Lehi reached the Valley of Lemuel "he built an altar of stones" (1 Nephi 2:7). Brant Gardner notes that an altar of stones was a typical Arab/Hebrew wilderness altar. However he asks, Why was the sacrificial site not a pit ringed by stones? Or why was it not simply a brush pyre?
The elevation of stones probably served two purposes: the first was to create a miniature "high place" which through its symbolic elevation provided a sacred location. The second was that the use of stones connected the altar to the natural order, and built a symbolic miniature sacred mountain upon which the offer of sacrifice would be effective. [Brant Gardner, "Brant Gardner's Page, "[http://www]. highfiber.com/~nahualli/ LDStopics/1 Nephi/1 Nephi2.htm, p. 8]
“Altar of Stones”
Hugh Nibley attests that to this day the Bedouin makes sacrifice on every important occasion, not for magical and superstitious reasons, but because he "lives under the constant impression of a higher force that surrounds him." St. Nilus, in the oldest known eyewitness account of life among the Arabs of the Tih, says, "they sacrifice on altars of crude stones piled together." That Lehi's was such an altar would follow not only from the ancient law demanding uncut stones (Exodus 20;25), but also from the Book of Mormon expression "an altar of stones" (1 Nephi 2:7), which is not the same thing as "a stone altar." Such little heaps of stones, surviving from all ages, are still to be seen throughout the south desert. [Hugh Nibley, Lehi in the Desert, F.A.R.M.S., pp. 62-63]
According to Hunter and Ferguson, the law of Moses required that if an altar were built of stones that they be unhewn stones (Exodus 20: 24-25). An example of such an altar in the New World is the one at the early site of Cuicuilco just south of Mexico City. It is a well-fashioned altar of river stones. [Milton Hunter and Stuart Ferguson, Ancient America and the Book of Mormon, p. 77]
“Altar of Stones”
In Nephi 2:7 we find that Lehi and Nephi offered sacrifices upon an "altar of stones" after keeping their covenants with the Lord and successfully completing an assignment to obtain the plates of brass (the word of the Lord). The fact that they offered sacrifice on an altar of stones is full of covenant symbolism.
In Exodus 20:24-26 God instructed Moses to tell the people to make an altar of earth (mizbah) or (unhewn) stones (mizbah), upon which to sacrifice their offerings. . . . The form of this passage, in which God tells Moses to pass on this instruction to the people, suggests that it, like the Ten Commandments at the beginning of the chapter, was addressed to each Israelite individually . . . [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol 1, p. 36]
According to Lenet Read, from earliest times, stones have been employed in symbolic use in various ways to testify of Christ and his earthly work. Anciently, offerings to God were made on altars built of stones "not hewn" (that is uncut) by tools of human hands (see Exodus 20:25). Jacob, after an encounter with the Lord at Bethel where eternal promises [covenants] were made, set up a stone for a pillar, signifying the presence of the Lord in that place (see Genesis 28:10-22). Daniel saw the kingdom of God as a stone "cut out without hands" that "became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Daniel 2:34-35). Under Mosaic [covenant] law stones symbolized judgment and justice, stoning being the means by which those who committed the most serious crimes were put to death. [Lenet Hadley Read, "All Things Testify of Him--Understanding Symbolism in the Scriptures," in The Ensign, January 1981, p. 7]
The common word "stone" is used in the Bible with a variety of references . . . figurative as well as literal. Notably the "stone" image is used in the New Testament to describe the person of Jesus. In the Synoptic Gospels, for example, the parable of the vineyard (Mark 12:1-11 and parallels) is followed by the Lord's citation of Psalms 118:22, which is obviously applied to himself ("The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner"). [Tyndale House, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Vol 3, pp. 1488-1489]
In Romans 9:29-33 we find:
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
What shall we say then? that the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone (see Isaiah 8:14-15);
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Isaiah 8:14-15 reads as follows:
And he ["The Stone"--the Rock upon which all covenants are built] shall be for a sanctuary [or covenant Church]; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel . . . and many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
In Psalms 50:5 and 51:17 we read:
Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice [upon altars of stone]. . . . The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart . . .
At the time John the Baptism was baptizing in the river Jordan, he said unto the Pharisees and Sadducees, who touted themselves as covenant children through birth, "think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones [or covenants with the Lord] to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matthew 3:9)
In 3 Nephi 9:19-20 we read:
And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites . . .
. . . he [Alma the elder] began to establish a [covenant] church in the land . . . which was called Mormon; . . . (Alma 5:3) . . . And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the [covenant] church among the people, yea, the first [covenant] church which was established among them after their transgression. . . . Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the knowledge of the Lord their God. . . . And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them. And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; . . . (3 Nephi 5:12, 23, 25-26)
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:3-5).
Jesus said unto Peter, "upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]
1 Nephi 2:7 He built an altar of stones and made an offering ([Illustration]): Lehi built an altar from stones and made an offering to God. Illustrators: Jerry Thompson and Robert T. Barrett. [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Book of Mormon Stories, p. 6]
1 Nephi 2:7 [Lehi] built an altar of stones and made an offering unto the Lord ([Illustration]): Lehi Building an Altar of Stones in the Valley of Lemuel. Lehi built an altar and "gave thanks unto the Lord." Artist: Clark Kelley Price. [Thomas R. Valletta ed., The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families, 1999, p. 5]