1 Nephi

These are different depictions of the tree of life.  


Who wrote it? Nephi

Summary: Lehi is warned that the people of Jerusalem are going to kill him because he has been prophesying to them, and he is commanded to take his family into the wilderness.  They leave all of their things and travel for three days into the wilderness.  Then Nephi and his sons are asked to return back to Jerusalem to get the brass plates which have their geneology from Laban.  They are faced with many challenges, and Nephi remainds faithful through the challenges, depsite his brothers' behaviors.  Eventually they get the plates, after Nephi kills Laban, and return to their parents in the wilderness.  After a while, they have to go to Jerusalem another time to get Ishamael's family and bring them into the wilderness also so that they can marry his daughers.  The chapter goes over all of their traveling, and the hardships they have to endure as they travel together.  When they get to the coast, Nephi is commanded to build a ship which he has no idea how to do, and his brothers turn against him.  They are unable to harm him, and they build a ship in that place (Bountiful).  Then they cross the waters, where even more hardships are endured, but they eventually reach the promised land.  The chapter also covers a few chapters of Isaiah, as Nephi sees visions of the scattering and gathering of Israel.

Time Period: 600 B.C-570 B.C.

What Was Going On in the World: This is the same time that Jeremiah is a prophet in the bible. Well, Nephi's family started out in Jerusalem (South Judah).  Babylon and Egypt were fighting for control over that portion of the continent.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel had been conquered and taken captive by the Assyrians 100 years prior to when Nephi wrote this book.  Since then, the area had become extremely wicked as the power had been passed from country to country's power.  Lehi had been telling the people that if they did not repent, Judah would also be destroyed like the Northern Israel had been.  Ezekiel and Daniel (prophets) also lived at this same time.  Babylon took over Assyria first, but it took over all of that area.  In about 586 B.C. it took over the kingdom of Judah and it's capital (Jerusalem) so many of the Jews were destroyed and taken captive into Babylon just like Lehi and other prophets prophesied of.

Main Characters:

Lehi: Prayed to the Lord and received a heavenly vision. The Lord commanded him to depart with his family into the wilderness. He had many difficult experiences during the journey to the Americas and died not long after arriving

Sariah: Dutifully followed her husband into the wilderness. She gave birth to children during their journey and became seriously ill on the ship. She died in the promised land surrounded by her children and numerous grandchildren

Laman: Oldest son, who did not want to leave Jerusalem. He frequently opposed his father’s leadership of the family. He married one of the daughters of Ishmael in the wilderness. He was greatly offended by Nephi’s efforts to guide the family. He became the leader of all who would not follow Nephi. He conspired to kill Nephi after Lehi died. His descendants were taught to have an everlasting hatred for their cousins 

Lemuel: Second son, who sided with Laman in family disputes. He and Laman were reproved by an angel for hitting their younger brothers. They were also shocked by the power of God when they tried to kill Nephi. The Lord placed a mark upon Laman and Lemuel and their children to discourage the Nephites from marrying the Lamanites

Sam: Third son and elder brother of Nephi. Sam was not bothered by his younger brother’s abilities and goodness. He married one of the daughters of Ishmael. His family sided with Nephi when Lehi’s family split into two groups

Nephi: Fourth son. He prayed to know the mysteries of God for himself and was visited by Him. Because he was strong, physically and spiritually, he was able to get the plates of brass from Laban, to persuade Ishmael’s family to depart into the wilderness, to build a ship, and to establish a group of righteous people in a new land. He loved the words of Isaiah. He was so beloved by his people when he died that they named each succeeding king after him

Jacob: Born in the wilderness, he made the difficult journey to the Americas as a young child. He was often treated rudely by Laman and Lemuel. In his 20s he was appointed a priest and teacher to his people. When the people became wicked, he challenged them to repent. He kept the sacred records after Nephi

Joseph: Born in the wilderness, he was the youngest son in the family. He received the same name as two great prophets, one past and one future: Joseph of Egypt and the Prophet Joseph Smith. Just before his father’s death, he was commanded to “hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi.” Like his brother Jacob, he became a priest and teacher to the people in his 20s and served the Lord

Lehi's Daughters: Lehi and Sariah had six sons and at least two daughters! Nephi does not mention them in his record until after the family arrived in the Americas. These sisters righteously followed Nephi when the family separated into two groups

Laban: rich man in Jerusalem who had the plates. 

Ishmael (Old Friend of Lehi): He had seven children.  

Ishmaels wife: Stayed Faithful and traveled with them.  

Ishmaels Daughter #1: The oldest of five daughters.  She married Zoram, and they had a family. She and her husband followed Nephi when the family separated

Ishmaels Daughter #2 One of the Daughters married Sam, and stayed with him when the families split. 

Ishmaels Daughter #3 One of the Daughters married Laman. She Sided with Laman in his rebellion against Nephi in the wilderness. She later married Laman. She murmured against Lehi when her father died, and she raised several children. She and her children became part of “an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety”

Ishmaels Daughter #4 One of the daughters married Nephi. She married Nephi and had children. Joined by them, she tearfully begged and prayed for Laman and Lemuel to untie Nephi during the sea voyage. She faithfully remained with her husband when they separated from Laman and Lemuel

Ishmaels Daughter #5: Married Lemuel.  

Ishmael Son #1: Joined in the wilderness rebellion and remained unrepentant. He supported the conspiracy to murder Lehi and Nephi. Lehi treated him like a son, but he appears to have always sided with the complainers

Ishmael Son #2: Rebelled against Nephi at first but changed his mind and pled for Nephi’s life. He later became very angry with Lehi and Nephi. After Ishmael died, Lehi became his “father.” During the voyage to the Americas, he got caught up in rude dancing and singing. He followed Laman and Lemuel when the family separated

Zoram:  A servant of Laban in Jerusalem, he held the keys of the treasury. Zoram agreed to travel into the wilderness with Nephi and his family and later married the eldest daughter of Ishmael. He was faithful to the Lord and a trusted friend to Nephi.

Purpose:
He is teaching us to come unto Jesus Christ and be saved. He uses the experiences of his family to demonstrate the Lord’s power to save the faithful both in this life and in the life to come.

Other Interesting Facts: Tree of Life Vision is seen here.

• "Oliver Cowdery went with the Prophet Joseph when he deposited these plates. Joseph did not translate all of the plates; there was a portion of them sealed, which you can learn from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. When Joseph got the plates, the angel instructed him to carry them back to the Hill Cumorah, which he did Oliver says that when Joseph and Oliver went there, the hill opened, and they walked into a cave, in which there was a large and spacious room. He says he did not think, at the time, whether they had the light of the sun or artificial light, but that it was just as light as day. They laid the plates on a table; it was a large table that stood in the room. Under this table there was a pile of plates as much as two feet high, and there were altogether in this room more plates than probably many wagon loads; they were piled up in corners and along the walls.  The first time they went there the SWORD OF LABAN hung upon the wall; but when they went again it had been taken down and laid upon the table across the gold plates; it was unsheathed, and on it was written these words: 'This sword will never be sheathed again until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and his Christ." I tell you this is coming not only from Oliver Cowdery, but others who were familiar with it, and who understood it... I take the liberty of referring to those things so they will not be forgotten and lost." (19 Journal of Discourses 38)