The city of Nephi, also called Lehi-Nephi, was the chief city in the land of Nephi and the early center of Nephite settlement. Nephi, son of Lehi, founded it in the sixth century B.C. after the Lord warned him to depart from his brothers Laman and Lemuel; he led his family, Zoram, Sam, Jacob, Joseph, his sisters, and all who would follow him into the wilderness, and his people named the place Nephi (2 Nephi 5:5-8). The city remained the seat of Nephite settlement for roughly four centuries, the home of figures such as Nephi1, Jacob2, and Mosiah1.
The land passed into Lamanite control, and a Nephite group later returned to colonize it. Zeniff, over-zealous to inherit the land of his fathers, obtained the city of Lehi-Nephi and the city of Shilom from king Laman by treaty (Mosiah 7:21), and the Lamanite king covenanted that Zeniff might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi and the land of Shilom (Mosiah 9:6). Zeniff was succeeded in the city by his son Noah and then by Noah’s son Limhi.
During Ammon’s mission to the Lamanites, the people of the Lamanites in the city of Nephi were among those converted to the Lord (Alma 23:8-11). The city later fell to Amalickiah: having gained his desires, he marched his armies to the land of Nephi and to the city of Nephi, which was the chief city (Alma 47:20), and the next day entered the city and took possession of it (Alma 47:31).