Difference between revisions of "First Nephi 2"

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Home > The Book of Mormon > First Nephi > Chapters 1-2 > Chapter 2

Subpages: Verses 2:1-5 • Verses 2:6-15 • Verses 2:16-24

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Summary

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The relationship of Chapter 2 to the rest of Chapters 1-2 is discussed at First Nephi 1-2. This chapter can be outlined as follows:

Lehi and Nephi testify in the wilderness (First Nephi 2)

• Lehi's family departs into the wilderness (2:1-5)

• Lehi exhorts Laman and Lemuel, who do not believe him (2:6-15)

• Sam believes Nephi's witness, but Laman and Lemuel do not (2:16-24)

These sections of Chapter 2 are each discussed on the following subpages: Verses 2:1-5, Verses 2:6-15, Verses 2:16-24

Discussion

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Chapters 1-2

• Chapters 1-2: Communion with God. In Genesis, Abraham often receives blessings after great sacrifice. Here blessings appear to be premised more on obedience and charity (the two great commandments). Lehi receives his first vision after praying in great energy of soul for his brethren at Jerusalem (1 Ne. 1:6). Nephi receives his blessing after praying for his brothers Laman and Lemuel. (1 Ne. 2:19).

Chapter 2: Organization of the text

• Identifying constituent sections Chapter 2 of First Nephi divides into three sections. The first section (Verses 2:1-5) tells the story of Lehi leaving Jerusalem for the wilderness. The transition at the beginning of the end of the second section (in verse 2:6) is indicated by changes in unity of time ("and it came to pass that when my father had traveled three days ..."), unity of activity (from traveling to pitching tents and staying in a single location), and unity of character (by focusing not only Lehi but also on Laman and Lemuel). The second section (Verses 6-15) tells the story of Lehi preaching to his sons Laman and Lemuel, focusing at the middle portion on the reasons why Laman and Lemuel rejected that preaching. This second section of Chapter 2 can be understood as a chiasm, again indicating the beginning and ending points of this second section. The transition to the third section (2:16-24) is indicated by another change in unity of character as the focus of action shifts from Lehi to Nephi.

• Relationship of constituent sections In 1 Ne 2:1-5 Lehi is commended for hi past faithfulness and is blessed with deliverance in the form of an instruction to leave Jerusalem before he is killed.

In 1 Ne 2:6-15 Lehi preaches to Laman and Lemuel. The stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel causes them to reject Lehi's preaching, but through the power of God he confounds them.

In 1 Ne 2:16-18 Nephi explains the difference that causes him to accept the same preaching that Laman and Lemuel had rejected. Nephi, like his father, also preaches to Laman and Lemuel, but they reject Nephi's preaching a they had previously rejected the preaching of Lehi. In 1 Ne 2:19-24 Nephi receives the promise of a blessing conditioned on the future faithfulness of Nephi and his descendants.

Verses 2:1-5

• Verse 2:1: Dreams. Here the Lord speaks to Lehi in a dream, just as he will later do with the tree of life vision (1 Ne. 8:2). We do not know how Lehi received the instruction to return to Jersalem for either the brass plates (1 Ne. 3:__) or for wives (1 Ne. 7:_). Nephi was wide awake for his vision of the tree of life (1 Ne. 11:__).

• Verse 2:4: Land of inheritance. Lands and gold represent wealth. But a land of inheritance could also represent social status. Hugh Nibley explained that possession of a family's ancestral home also represented one's position as presiding over the family. This may help to explain Zeniff's over-zealousness to retake the Land of Nephi, the ancestral land of the Nephites' first inheritance, about two generations after Mosiah I led the faithful Nephites north to Zarahenmla. This also suggests that Lehi, by not only leaving his lands, but the land of his inheritance, was also giving up whatever social station those lands may have conferred. Exactly how much status is impossible to know from just this phrase.

Verses 2:6-15

• Verses 2:6-15: Outine. The text of this section can be understood as a chiasm:

Lehi dwells in a tent (2:6-7)

Lehi exhorts Laman and Lemuel (2:8-10)

Laman and Lemuel reject Lehi's preaching (2:11-13)

Lehi confounds Laman and Lemuel (2:14)

Lehi dwells in a tent (2:15)

Unity or cohesion of this section is by:

Verses 2:6-10 talk about religious observance. 2:14-15 about religious power.

2:6, 14-15 tent and Valley of Lemuel.

2:6,8-10 river and valley

2:11 Now this (pronoun) is because ... closely related to 2:9-10

Verses 2:16-24

• Verses 2:19-24: The Covenant with Nephi. This Covenant with Nephi is fundamental to understanding the Book of Mormon. This covenant presupposes the Abrahamic Covenant and the birthright blessings conferred upon Jacob and Joseph. The Covenant with Nephi builds upon those covenants and blessings to add the following terms:

1. a land of promise in America. See Gen 48:__.
2. prosperity. See Mosiah __; Alma __.
3. that Nephi will be a ruler and a teacher. Nephi appears to have placed great importance on this. He captions the book of First Nephi as an account of his "reign and ministry", which is easily compared to the roles of ruler and teacher. He makes a point of stating that this was fulfilled (2 Ne 5:__).
4. covenant curse on Nephi that if unfaithful, the Lamanites will serve as a scourge to stir up his people to a remembrance of God. This curse has a precedent in Judges 1:1-3:6. It is different than the curse in Deut. 4, 28 that Israel would be scattered. But then, Nephi is a scattering.
5. if Laman and Lemuel rebel, then they will be cut off from the Lord. Nephi again made a point of identifying the fulfillment (2 Ne. 5:__). This is not exactly the same, but is similar to, the very important statement in Deut. 18:15-19 that those who will not heed the Lord will be cut off from among the Lord's people.

Points to ponder

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I have a question

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Resources

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Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves, such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word. In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources are preferable to footnotes.

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