According to Noel Reynolds, in Lehi's final words to his youngest son Joseph, he depends heavily on the writings of two ancient prophets in Egypt--Joseph and Moses (see 2 Nephi 3:4-25). The text invites us to see Nephi also as a parallel figure to these two great leaders and deliverers of Israel. They both shared Nephi's problem-having to justify their unexpected callings to authority over their brethren. Concerning the parallels, we find that Nephi, like Joseph, is resented by his older brothers, for he also was his father's favorite. As Joseph has his visions of sheaves and stars, God tells Nephi that he will teach and rule over his brothers. While bringing Ishmael's family out of Jerusalem, Nephi's brothers become possessed of the same murderous rage that caused Joseph's brothers to throw him into a pit in the wilderness to die or be eaten by wild beasts (Genesis 37:18-214) Like Joseph, Nephi ascribes his escape to the power of God (Genesis 45:5, 7-8 and 1 Nephi 7:17-18). Nephi mentions that Joseph is their ancestor, in spite of his resolve not to take precious space on the small plates with genealogical information. In parallel to Joseph (see Genesis 49:23-4) Nephi, by the strength of his bow provides food and saves his father's family from starvation (1 Nephi 16: 18-32). Jacob of old accuses his older sons of bringing "down [his] gray hairs with sorrow to the grave" (Genesis 42:38). . . . Nephi chooses this exact phrase to describe the effects of family rebellion on his own father (1 Nephi 18:18). And when Lehi, like Jacob, gathers his people together to receive his final blessings, he rebukes the older sons for their faithlessness, and he promises their birthright to the younger son, who has already become the family's de facto leader as they reside in a strange land (compare Genesis 49, especially v. 26, and 2 Nephi 1, especially vv. 28-29). [Noel B. Reynolds, "The Political Dimension in Nephi's Small Plates," FARMS, 1987, pp. 32-33]