Book of Mormon Commentary - 1 Nephi 2

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
            CHAPTER 2

Lehi takes his family into the wilderness by the Red Sea—They leave their property—Lehi offers a sacrifice to the Lord and teaches his sons to keep the commandments—
Laman and Lemuel murmur against their father—Nephi is obedient and prays in faith; the Lord speaks to him, and he is chosen to rule over his brethern. [Between 600 and 592 B.C.]

Warned and directed by God, Lehi takes his family out of the land of Jerusalem and into the wilderness by the Red Sea—They leave their house, their land of inheritance, and their great wealth of gold, silver and other precious things—Lehi offers sacrifices to the Lord and teaches his sons to keep the commandments of God—Laman and Lemuel murmur against their father—Nephi is obedient and prays in faith and believes his father—The Lord speaks to Nephi of a promised land and that he is chosen to rule over his brethren. [Between 600 and 598 B.C.]
Lehi's Family
Lehi's two elder daughters had married the two sons of Ishmael and were considered a part of Ishmael's family and remain in Jerusalem with their husbands. The four sons of Lehi, Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi, were in their adolescence from Nephi about age 11 to Laman about age 17. Jewish tradition does not mention young daughters, so there may have been such in their childhood as Nephi does later mention his sisters. Lehi was a righteous man, and if he had servants he would have released them and such would not be a part of Lehi's party.
1 FOR behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to atake away thy blifea.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord acommanded my father, even in a bdream, that he should ctake his family and depart into the wilderness.
3 And it came to pass that he was aobedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
 1a they seek to take away thy life It seems but an easy matter to discern who 'they' were, for it must be presumed it was 'they' who had enough authority to seek to take away a man's life by the law. Thus it was the same who sought after the life of Jesus. It was not the common man of the streets, but the ruling body of the Jews, the princes, the elders of the Chruch. They were the same who also sought the life of Jeremiah. Moses had set the pattern for a council of 70 elders headed by 'the chief priest' to hear the matters of law and to judge the people according to the Law of Moses. They were taken from the 'princes' or Sarim of the high houses. As enforcers of the Law of Moses they would be considered the 'elders of the church' as stipulated in the Book of Mormon, as Laban had been out meeting with the elders of the church by night. This governing body know as the Sanhedrin in the time of Christ, had its own enforcement officers. That Laban did meet with the elders in full armor and had the command of 50 can only be presumed to be because Laban was the officer in charge of the 'police' of the Sarim. As such, Laban would likely have known of the Sarim's intend of killing and ridding themselves of Lehi, likely on the charge of insurrection against the Jewish people, for Lehi taught of their destruction and overthrow.  1a TG Persecution; 2 Chr. 36:15-16
   b 1 Ne. 7:14
 2a 1 Ne. 3:16; 1 Ne. 4:34; 1 Ne. 5:8;
      1 Ne. 17:44; Mosiah 7:20;
      Alma 9:9; TG Called of God
   b TG Dream
   c Gen. 12:1; Gen. 19:12;
      1 Ne. 1:20 (18-20); 2 Ne. 10:20;
      Ether 1:42; Abr. 2:3; TG Protection, Divine
 3a TG Commitment

From Jerusalem for some 200 miles distance to Elath, the international seaport once called Ezion-geber of King David and King Solomon's day, there were established roadways of commerce, the known King's Highway being one of them. That seaport at the tip of the Gulf of Aqabah was still existent and inhabited by the Syrian/Israel alliance (2 Kings 16:6*) though they too would be subject to Babylon. It is of interest to consider that Lehi's encampment was only 3 days travel from this ancient international trade and industrial seaport.

Lehi's 3 Day Journey in the Wilderness
(From Elath to the Valley of Lemuel)
4 And it came to pass that ahe *departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.
5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the aRed Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wildernessa, he pitched his tent in a avalley by the side of a briver of water.

3 Days From an Acceptible Altar 
It is or should be obvious that Nephi did not speak concerning three days journey from Jerusalem and the temple there. Throughout Israel alternative altar sites had been established for the offering of the Mosaic Law ordinal scarifices. Timna if not Ezion-Geber/Elath has evidence of being the site of one such alternatively acceptable altar of sacrifice locations. Thus Nephi's specific noting of being three days from such a site is or ought to be expected, for if they had been less than three days journey from such a sight, Lehi would have been under obligation to Hebrew tradition to so travel to such site to offer his sacrifices unto the Lord rather than to be able to build an altar of his own upon which to offer unto the Lord sacrifice. When read with this perspective in mind it become perfectly clear why Nephi so stipulates that they had journeyed in the wilderness for three days beyond the reach of any such alternative acceptable location of an altar of sacrifice. 		 6a he had traveled three days in the wilderness From Jerusalem to the eastern arm of the Red Sea is some 200 miles distance. That could not have been traveled in three days. The three days journey being referenced in Nephi's abridged record is the last three days of their journey from when they departed the traveld road near the Red Sea and traveled three days in the wilderness along the eastern shoreline of the Sea until they arived at a valley which in 600 B.C. had a river running in it as the climate was somewhat more tempered than it is in that region today.

Location, Location

The semi-permanent encampment location where Lehi would live and dwell for a number of years in a tent would then be a three day journey back to any place of commerce, the internation trade and port city of the Gulf of Aqaba. This is were they well might need to go to trade for such necessities they would need while living in the Valley of Lemuel. This of course would likely be the source of Lehi's gathering seeds of every kind including perhaps the source of the corn seed from an international market. Certainly there would not likely be such seeds of planting crops about their wilderness camp of the Valley of Lemuel readily available there. It may also have provided young Nephi just such a source to obtain his 'composite simple compound steel bow', as a refinery producing various metals was in operation just north of the port city in what is today known as Timna.

The Semite Hyksos had introduced the composite compound bow to Egypt back in the times of Joseph and Moses of Egypt. That composite bow was center cored with animal horn to yield a stronger 'spring pull' to the bow than just a simple wood bow. This make the bow's volosity and shooting distance much greater. The inovation to place steel instead of animal horn at the core was a natural evolution at a metal refinery where animal horn was more scarce. The only draw back would be that it would take two men to string such a bow because of the added flex strength of steel and a very strong man to draw such a bow back to be fired. Thus it was never a real practical bow for any real general use purposes and is not found in history. Perhaps only a large and strong man like Nephi could be able to so cope with such added strength needed to utilize the more specialized steel bow. Most men's capacity of operation ended with the more common animal horn composite bow. Not many men had the strength to use a steel bow. And thus the steel composite bow is not the common bow so noted in most all histories which assign first the wood bow and then the composite compound bow to the general common uses of the day.

 4a 1 Ne. 10:4; 1 Ne. 19:8
   * [600 B.C.]
 5a 1 Ne. 16:14; D&C 17:1
 6a 1 Ne. 9:1
   b Joel 1:20

Journey's Two Phases

When the text is properly read and divided between the two logical phases of the journey, added understanding does come forth. The First Phase of the journey from Jerusalem is covered by the statements at the end of verse 4 and the beginning of verse 5. 'They departed out of Jerusalem into the wilderness and came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea. That Journey was either south out of Jerusalem and down toward Hebron and Baersheba, and thence over to the region near the east arm of the Red Sea. That route has various roads and pathways which are possible to have been taken. The more likely route would have been the more common route, east out of Jerusalem traveling down to Jericho, across Jordan and then connecting to the King's Highway. This is the way of commerse. Lehi being a weathly man of land inheritance as was Boaz, likely had dealings and familiarity with the tradesmen. It would have been the safest course to have become a part of one of the trade caravans out of Jerusalem and travel over to the King's Highway trade route and down to the Aqaba International Seaport which was still in operations in the hands of the Assyrians at that date, though likely in subjection to Babylon.

It would have been as they approaced the International Seaport of the Gulf of Aqaba that Lehi would have parted ways with the security of the caravan prior to their entry into that port city in the neighborhood of what once was Ezion-Geber. Thus the Second phase of Lehi's journey was as the text of verse 5 states 'in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea. And it was in reference to that journey of the second phase that Nephi's account then limits their traveling party down to just Lehi, Sariah, Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi. Prior to the separate second phase Nephi would not have been able to so qualify their travel group down to just their immediate family as most likely during the first phase of their journey others would have also been in company with them.

And it is then, and only then, after the presentation of the two phased journey, and at that point more particularly concerned with the wilderness journey in the borders of the Red Sea which included only Lehi's family that Nephi so stipulates in verse six that the second phase of their journey along the borders of the Red Sea they traveled three days. And at the end of that second phase three day journey the arrived at a suitible encampment location in the fertile Valley of Lemuel. There they had adequate water for growing crops, at least seasonally with aid of the rainy season.

7 And it came to pass that he built an aaltar of bstones, and made an coffering unto the Lord, and gave dthanks unto the Lord our God.

8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the afountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, afirm and bsteadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!

   7a Gen. 12:7-8; Gen. 26:25;
       Ex. 24:4; Abr. 2:17
     b Ex. 20:25; Deut. 27:5-7;
       Josh. 8:31 (30-31)
     c TG Sacrifice
     d TG Thanskgiving
   9a IE fount, or source, like the Gulf of Akaba
       which empties into the Red Sea
 10a IE like Ezion-geber, the Hebrew
       roots of which denote firmness
       and strength, or might of men
     b TG Dependability

Valley Like Ezion-geber 
 Whether Lehi himself actually used Ezion-geber in his discription of the valley of Lemuel and likening that his desire was that Lemuel be of such 'firmness', 'steadfastness' and strength is questionable. Certainly Lehi's party would be only about 3 days journey from that location of Elath - Ezion-geber and the active international trade port city at the north end of the Aqaba gulf. And during their duration of stay at the valley of Lemuel, Lehi's group would have likely had commerce and trade relations with such for their various needs. So the real possibility of the reference to Ezion-geber is there.
11 Now this he spake because of the astiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did bmurmur in many things against their cfather, because he was a dvisionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their afather. And they did bmurmur because they cknew not the dealings of that God who had dcreated thema.
13 Neither did they abelieve that Jerusalem, that great city, could be bdestroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.
 12a they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them When it speaks here of this 'creation', it is Jesus Christ as Jehovah who did create and form the temporal tabernacle for Adam and Eve and which as children descended from Adam and Eve, we have so genetically inherited that temporal creation. Thus what is being said here is that they knew not God, that Jehovah who would condesend to redeem all that he had temporally created. And certainly they did not understand the coming atonement of Jesus Christ and the necessity of it as providing the one and only way that men might be saved and redeemed. Thus they knew not just how dependant upon God, our creator and redeemer, that we are for all that we have.  11a TG Stiffneckedness
     b 1 Ne. 17:17; TG Murmuring
     c Prov. 20:20
     d 1 Ne. 5:4 (2-4); 1 Ne. 17:20
 12a Lam. 4:16-17
     b 1 Sam. 3:13; Mosiah 27:8 (7-37); Moses 5:16
     c Moses 4:6
     d Deut. 32:6; D&C 43:23;
       TG Man, Physical Creation of
 13a Ezek. 5:6; 1 Ne. 1:19 (18-20)
     b Jer. 13:17; 1 Ne. 1:13 (4-13)
14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the avalley of Lemuel, with bpower, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did cshake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.
15 And my father dwelt in a atenta.
 15a my father dwelt in a tent This fact that Lehi, a wealthy noble man of Jerusalem now was living in a tent is pointed out by Nephi in this simple straight forward statement. When Nephi says that Lehi 'dwelt' in a tent, he is not speaking of some short camping trip. He is stating that Lehi, who had his own house in Jerusalem, was now living day in and day out, mouth in and mouth out, year in and year out, for an extended period of years, living, dwelling in a tent, the life style of a wanderer rather than an established man of a city.  14a 1 Ne. 9:1; 1 Ne. 16:6, 12
     b TG Priesthood, Power of
     c 1 Ne. 17:45
 15a Gen. 12:8; Gen. 26:17, 25;
       Gen. 31:25, 33; 1 Ne. 4:38; 1 Ne. 10:16
16 And it came to passa that I, Nephi, being exceedingly youngb, nevertheless being large in staturec, and also having great desires to know of the amysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did bvisit me, and did csoften my heart that I did dbelieve all the words which had been spoken by my efather; wherefore, I did not frebel against him like unto my brothers.
17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.
18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being agrieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.

The Lord Did Visit Me 
Nephi points out that even though he was of an age not recognized as being a man in Israel (younger than 12 years old), that he did pray to the Lord and the Lord did visit him at this young and tender age of being exceedingly young. This is not unpresedented in the Old Testament as Samuel was first visited by the Lord when he was also very young. 		 16a And it came to pass This vage declaration of the passage of time could mean anything from a short duration to a long duration. But it does indicate that some duration of time has elapsed in the 'abridged record' and that such intercedeing details within that passage of time are being left out.
 16b I, Nephi, being exceedingly young How young is exceedingly young in the mind of a Hebrew of Jerusalem? At the age of 12, a boy was brought forth to become a man in Israel to be questioned by the scholars as was Jesus. It would seem that Nephi was likely reflecting upon this fact, that he was not yet even considered to be a man in Israel, not having passed his age of barmetzpha. Yet by chapter 4, Nephi states himself to be a 'man'. That would mean that before Nephi returns with his brothers to obtain the plates of brass, Nephi would have become 'of age' in Israel to be recognized as a 'man'. This fairly well sets out Nephi's age, being younger than 12 when leaving Jerusalem the with his father Lehi and arriving in the valley of Lemuel and over 12 years of age when he and his brothers return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass. This seems to indicate a passage of time in the wilderness, dwelling in tents before Lehi sends his sons back for the brass plates.
 16c being large in stature Being 6 foot tall or larger at age 12 is exceptional but not uncommon. This trait of Nephi seems to have continued on in many of his descendants for such was one of the factors among the Nephites for selecting their leaders, particularly their military ones. It certainly must be consided that while Nephi was likely not as filled out as Laban would have been, he certainly was the height of a man and with Laban's armor on, Nephi would be every appearance of Laban in the evening light. 		 16a TG Mysteries of Godliness
     b Ps. 8:4; 1 Ne. 3:1; 1 Ne. 19:11;
       Alma 17:10; D&C 5:16;
       TG Guidance, Divine
     c 1 Kings 18:37; Alma 5:7
     d 1 Ne. 11:5
     e TG Honoring Father and Mother
     f TG Family, Love within
 18a Alma 31:24; 3 Ne. 7:16
19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy afaith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.
20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall aprosper, and shall be led to a bland of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is cchoice above all other landsa.
 20a a land which is choice above all other lands This land, this America, is a land choice above all other lands. It is that land where upon Adam did dwell. It is the land given to the people of the brother of Jared. It is the land given unto Lehi and Nephi and their people. And it is the land of the last days promise unto Abraham to be fulfilled by and through Ephraim to the blessing of the nations of the earth with those blessings of the promised covenant, those promises of the fathers from Adam down and until the last who ever shall live upon this earth with the redemption of the Savior of the Earth. Believe in Him.  19a 1 Ne. 7:12 (9-13); 1 Ne. 15:11
 20a Josh. 1:7; 1 Ne. 4:14; Mosaih 1:7
     b Deut. 33:13-16; 1 Chr. 28:8 (7-8);
       1 Ne. 5:5, 22; 1 Ne. 7:13;
       Moses 7:17-18; TG Promised Lands
     c 2 Ne. 1:5; Ether 2:10 (7-12)
21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be acut off from the presence of the Lord.
22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a aruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
 21a Josh. 23:13; 2 Ne. 5:20-24;
       Alma 9:14 (13-15); Alma 38:1
 22a Gen. 37:8-11; 1 Ne. 3:29; TG Authority
23 For behold, in that day that they shall arebel against me, I will bcurse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall crebel against me also.
24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a ascourge unto thy seed, to bstir them up in the ways of remembrance.
 23a Job 24:13
     b Deut. 11:28; 1 Ne. 12:22-23;
       D&C 41:1; TG Curse
     c Josh. 22:16; Mosiah 15:26
 24a Josh. 23:13; Judg. 2:22
     b 2 Ne. 5:25

* Most scholars consider and agree that the ancient texts of the Old Testament Bible where preserved, edited, compiled and arranged in similar order as we have them today during the time of the captivity in and the duration of the Babylonian Empire. Thus when such verses as this (2 Kings 16:6) add such editorial comment as 'unto this day', 'this day' may well be considered to be those days of the Babylonian Empire from about 606 BC to its end. Thus in terms of a 'contemporary comment' on the state of the seaport of Elath, alias Eloth and Ezion-geber, there would be no more timely statement than this that the Syrian alliance with North Israel which captured Elath from the Kingdom of Judah did in fact still dwell therein, inhabit it and run whatever extent of commerce, trade and industry such as the copper mines and smelters which were of that day. This would have included the building of ships for the sea as in the days gone by. LEADING QUESTION: 'Now was Nephi of Jerusalem as ignorant of ship building as one might origianlly think with the seaport of Elath/Ezion-geber just 3 days distance from the Valley of Lemuel?'
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