JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

1 NEPHI, CHAPTER 1
CIRCUMSTANCES IN JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

I.

POLITICAL HISTORY OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM 610 - 600 B.C.

Turn to page 639 in the Bible Dictionary. We will consider briefly the times of Josiah's
end, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah.
For a number of years Egypt had been allied with Assyria. Babylon
began to make inroads against Assyria and Egypt attempted to rescue Assyria by
sending a large army against Babylon in the area of Megido. Josiah, for reasons
which are unknown arose against Egypt in the valley of Megido and was slain by
Pharoah Nechoh.

A. JOSIAH KILLED AND JEHOAHAZ IS MADE KING BY THE PEOPLE

2 Kings 23:
28 Now the rest of the acts of JOSIAH, and all that he did, [are]
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
29 In his days Pharaoh-Nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria
to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at
Megiddo, when he had seen him.
30 And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought
him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of
the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made
him king in his father's stead.
31 JEHOAHAZ [was] twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he
reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was]
Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

B.

JEHOIAKIM IS MADE KING BY PHARAOH NECHOH

2 Kings 23:
33 And Pharaoh-Nechoh put him [Jehoahaz] in bands at Riblah in the
land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land
to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
34 And Pharaoh-Nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room
of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took
Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

JEHOIAKIM BECOMES A CAPTIVE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR

But the relentless push of Babylon continued reaching Judah several

years after Jehoiakim began to reign .
2 Chronicles 36:
5
6

JEHOIAKIM was twenty and five years old when he

began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did
that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God.
Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound
him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

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8

D.

Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to

Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and
that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings
of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead.

JEHOIACHIN IS KING FOR ONLY THREE MONTHS

2 Kings 24:
8
9
10

E.

JEHOIACHIN [was] eighteen years old when he began to

reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name
[was] Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that
his father had done.
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up
against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

BABYLON ATTACKS JERUSALEM AND JEHOIACHIN IS TAKEN

CAPTIVE

2 Kings 24:
11
12
13

14

15
16
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F.

And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against

the city, and his servants did besiege it.
And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he,
and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the
king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.
And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the
treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which
Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had
said.
And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the
mighty men of valour, [even] ten thousand captives, and all the
craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the
people of the land.
And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and
the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, [those] carried
he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
And all the men of might, [even] seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths
a thousand, all [that were] strong [and] apt for war, even them the king of
Babylon brought captive to Babylon.
And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in
his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

ZEDEKIAH MADE KING BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR

2 Chronicles 36:
11
12
13

ZEDEKIAH was one and twenty years old when he

began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled
not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the
LORD.
And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear
by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto
the LORD God of Israel.

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

"There is definitely a conflict in the record as to who was the king at the time. The
scribe of Jeremiah 27:1-3 says that Zedekiah was not yet king, but scholars now
insist that he was wrong and that Zedekiah was ruling earlier than the Masoretic
text says he was, so 1 Nephi 1:4 may not be an anachronism." Hugh Nibley, Two
Shots in the Dark, Book of Mormon Authorship, Brigham Young University p. 108
Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol 6, page 1069-70 Zedekiah is portrayed in the book
of Jeremiah as too weak to do what he knows is right: three times during the
Babylonian siege Zedekiah approaches Jeremiah (Jer 37:1-10, 16-21; 38:14-28), but
faced with the opposition of officials, courtiers, and people, the king feels unable to
follow the prophets advice and to surrender to Nebuchadrezzar. Jeremiah nowhere
condemns Zedekiah, but he does denounce his advisers. The king, in fact, saves the
prophets life, though he cannot spare him imprisonment..Zedekiah was in a difficult
position. Nebuchadrezzar appointed him king, but many believed that Jehoiachin
would soon return and resume his rightful position as king of Judah (cf. Jer 28:4).
Jehoiachin himself no doubt bore such a hope (Jer 22:27). Jeremiah, however,
emphasized that God had rejected Jehoiachin who would never return (22:27).The
Bible portrays Zedekiah as a weak ruler who did not humble himself before Jeremiah
the prophet ( 2 Chr. 36:12), that is, did not repent and so led God to forgive and
restore.

G.

WICKEDNESS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE DAYS OF ZEDEKIAH

2 Chronicles 36:
14

15
16

Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the

people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the
heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in
Jerusalem.
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising
up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on
his dwelling place:
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and
misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his
people, till there was no remedy.

JEREMIAH 24: PARABLE OF THE GOOD AND BAD FIGS

1
The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before
the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had
carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the
princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had
brought them to Babylon.
2
One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe:
and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be
eaten, they were so bad.
3
Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs;
the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten,
they are so evil.
4
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I
acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I
have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

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For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to
this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant
them, and not pluck them up.
And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they
shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me
with their whole heart.
And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil;
surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of
Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in
this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth
for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all
places whither I shall drive them.
And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them,
till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their
fathers.

Jeremiah 37:
1
And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of
Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of
Judah.
2
But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did
hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet
Jeremiah.
Catalogue of sins include
Violence and Murder
Immorality including adultery and incest
All manner of dishonesty, robbery, thievery etc
Bribery and unrighteous judgment
Idolatry, sacrificing to heathen gods
Rebellion against the words of the prophets

H.

SMALL KINGDOMS SEEK TO REBEL AGAINST NEBUCHADNEZZAR

"In 596/5 B.C. Nebuchadrezzar was attacked by an unnamed enemy, possibly Elam.
In 595-4 he had to deal with a revolt within his own borders. In 594/3 he led a
military campaign into Syria. They were troubled times for Nebuchadrezzar, and
small states in the west thought they saw an opportunity to revolt and throw off the
yoke of Babylon. As it happened the plan was fruitless. Zedekiah became
involved, ... But in the same year, the fourth year of his reign, the king went to
Babylon (51:59), either because he was summoned or perhaps to re-pledge his
loyalty in the light of recent events in the west." J. A. Thompson, The New
Inernational Commentary on the Old Testasment, The Book of Jeremiah, Eerdmans,
p 532

I.

EGYPTIAN INFLUENCE WAS GREAT IN JERUSALEM

[1]

1 Nephi 1: LEARNING OF THE JEWS AND THE LANGUAGE OF THE

EGYPTIANS.
1
I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat
in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course
of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my
days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of
God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

2
3

Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the

learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.
And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own
hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

"...the only known example of supposed Nephite writing, the so-called Anthon
Transcript, is compared by specialists with Merotic writing - another type of
"reformed Egyptian" developed at the same time as the Nephite script by people
also fleeing from destroyers of Jerusalem, who in a short time trans- formed demotic
or hieratic into their own new and mysterious writing. Hugh Nibley, Two Shots in
the Dark, Book of Mormon Authorship, Brigham Young University p. 107

J.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
610 B.C*.
HARAN IS TAKEN BY BABYLONIAN ARMY
609 B.C.
PHAROAH NECHO (EGYPT) GOES TO CARCHEMISH TO ASSIST ASSYRIA
AGAINST BABYLON. JOSIAH ATTEMPTS TO STOP HIM AND IS KILLED AT
THE BATTLE OF MEGIDDO. (2 Kings 23:29) JEHOAHAZ (SHALLUM)
BECOMES KING BUT IS TAKEN TO EGYPT BY PHAROAH NECHO.
JEHOIAKIM BECOMES A VASSAL KING TO EGYPT, WHICH EXERCISES
CONTROL OVER JUDEA
605 B.C.
BABYLONIAN DEFEAT OF EGYPT AT CARCHEMISH.
NEBUCHADREZZAR BECOMES KING IN BABYLON
605 B.C.
JEREMIAHS FIRST SCROLL WRITTEN AND IS DESTROYED BY THE KING.
A SECOND SCROLLS IS WRITTEN AFTER THE MANNER OF THE FIRST,
BUT WITH ADDITIONS (INCLUDED ON BRASS PLATES?)
604 B.C.
BABYLON OCCUPIES PHILISTIA AND JEHOIAKIM GIVES
ALLEGIANCE TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR. DANIEL AND OTHERS TAKEN TO
BABYLON
601 B.C.
BABYLON'S ATTEMPTED INVASION OF EGYPT FAILS
600 B.C.
JEHOIAKIM REBELS AGAINST BABYLON
597 B.C.
JEHOIAKIM DIES (POSSIBLY MURDERED) NEBUCHADNEZZAR
CAPTURES JERUSALEM. FIRST DEPORTATION. JEHOIACHIN IS TAKEN TO
BABYLON AND ZEDEKIAH IS MADE KING. EZEKIEL IS TAKEN TO
BABYLON AT THIS TIME
594 B.C.
ZEDEKIAH ENTERTAINS CONSPIRATOR AMBASSADORS
594 B.C.
JEREMIAH VS. THE FALSE PROPHET HANANIAH
589 B.C.
ZEDEKIAH CONSPIRES WITH EGYPT; NEBUCHADREZZAR
INVADES
588 B.C.
ARRIVAL OF THE EGYPTIAN ARMY TO SUPPORT JUDEA
587 B.C.
JERUSALEM IS TAKEN. ZEDEKIAH FLEES BUT IS CAPTURED
[* DATES ARE GIVEN BY SCHOLARS AND ARE APPROXIMATE]

II.

RELIGIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE DAYS OF LEHI

MANY PROPHETS IN THE LAND; GOOD AND BAD

[2]
13

1 Nephi 1: MANY PROPHETS

For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of
Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all
his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be
destroyed.
2 CHRONICLES 36: PROPHETS IN THE DAYS OF ZEDEKIAH
14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after
all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the LORD which he
had hallowed in Jerusalem.
15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up
betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on
his dwelling place:
16
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and
misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till
there was no remedy.
Jeremiah 26: URIJAH THE PROPHET, CONTEMPORARY OF LEHI & JEREMIAH
20
21
22
23
24

And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the
LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this
city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:
And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard
his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was
afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;
And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, [namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor,
and [certain] men with him into Egypt.
And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the
king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of
the common people.
Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they
should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

JEREMIAH 14: MANY FALSE PROPHETS ALSO

11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an
oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the
famine, and by the pestilence.
13
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see
the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this
place.
14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent
them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them:
they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of
nought, and the deceit of their heart.
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name,
and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By
sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
JEREMIAH: SON OF HILKIAH, DESCENDANT OF ABIATHAR (DAVIDS PRIEST),
WHO WAS A DESCENDANT OF ELI.
From anathoth in the land of Benjamin
Began his ministry in the 13 th year of Josiah (@626 B.C.)
Probably born about 645 B.C.
His ministry porobably extended over a period of 50 years
Not permitted to take a wife (16:2-4)

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

Did not participate much in the reforms of Josiah when the Book of the Law of the
Lord was discovered in the Temple. However he was in favor of them. He
recognizing that they were superficial with the people.
His towns people sought to take his life and he moved to Jerusalem
After the days of Josiah, Jeremiah was generally in disfavor with the kings in
Jerusalem
During his ministry he was put in stocks, imprisoned on various occasions,
threatened with death, thrown into a miry pit, kidnapped and otherwise abused
throughout his ministry. Few prophets were more abused.
1 Nephi 7:14
14 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive with them; for behold, they have
rejected the prophets, AND JEREMIAH HAVE THEY CAST INTO PRISON. And they have
sought to take away the life of my father, insomuch that they have driven him out of the land.
Jeremiah 29:26
26 The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be
officers in the house of the LORD, for every man [that is] mad, and maketh himself a
prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
Jeremiah 32:2
2 For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was
shut up in the court of the prison, which [was] in the king of Judah's house.
Jeremiah 33:1
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet
shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

[3]
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1 Nephi 1: CALLING OF LEHI

For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of
Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his
days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the
people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto
the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and
dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the
things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast
himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had
seen.
And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even
that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon
his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the
attitude of singing and praising their God.
And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and
he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.
And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed
that of the stars in the firmament.
And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came
and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he
should read.
And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations!
Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem--that it should be

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and
many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
NOTE THE SIMILARITIES OF LEHIS VISIONS WITH THOSE OF MOSES (BURNING BUSH) AND
JACOB (LADDER TO HEAVEN WITH ANGELS ASCENDING AND DESCENDING)

[4]
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1 NEPHI 1: LEHIS RECEPTION BY THE PEOPLE

Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many
marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of
Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to
declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he
testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations;
and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which
he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the Messiah, and
also the redemption of the world.
And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with
the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also
sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto
you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen,
because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

SOME OF THE REASONS FOR LEHIS REJECTION WILL BE DISCUSSED FURTHER IN THE NEXT
LESSON. WE WILL SIMPLY NOTE HERE THAT HIS MESSAGE WAS REJECTED.

[5]
1

2
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1 Nephi 2:
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 take away thy life.
And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream,
that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he
did as the Lord commanded him.
And it came to pass that he 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.
And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red 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.

*Other refugee groups in the wilderness: "Jeremiah was the champion of the
Rechabites (Jeremiah 35) and his assistants (cf. 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch) both headed
such communities of refugees. Lehi is definitely doing the accepted thing for men of
God in his time. That the Rekhabite ideal of the desert sectaries was in full flower in
Lehi's day, as many other sources now indicate, is clear from the accusation that
Nephi's elder brothers brought against him, that he was planning to set up such a
society with himself as ' our ruler and our teacher...'leading them by his false claims
of prophetic inspiration to believe ' that the Lord has talked with him... thinking,
perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange wilderness [some unoccupied
tract]; and after he has led us away, he has thought to make himself a king and a

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

ruler over us." Hugh Nibley, Two Shots in the Dark, Book of Mormon Authorship,
Brigham Young University p. 112
**Borders near and borders nearer: a correct topographic description of the
borders around the Red Sea, created as the level of the sea dropped over geologic
periods of time; and requiring travel in the borders to reach the sea itself.

[6]
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1 Nephi 2:
And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he
pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the
Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
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.
And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain 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!
And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm
and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold
they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a
visionary 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.
And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father.
And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had
created them.
Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed
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.

j'iQEPih' visionary man

The Lachish Letters have a particular expression characterizing the man of prophetic
calling as ha-piqqeah, which means 'the open-eyed' or visionary man, the
'seer', 'the man whose eyes God had opened to see," to see things that other people
do not see." H. Nibley, Book of Mormon Authorship, Two Shots in the Dark, BYU
Studies, pp.113-114

JERUSALEM - 600 B.C.

PROPHETS IN THE LAND

Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their
brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall
speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he
shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I
have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods,
even that prophet shall die.
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not
spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not,
nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but]
the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

yaiybin]h'AyneB]

(Ba ny ha na vy im = SONS OF THE

PROPHETS)
1 Samuel 19:20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the
company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over
them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied
2 Kings 2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and
said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to
day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace....
5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said
unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day?
And he answered, Yea, I know [it]; hold ye your peace.....
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and
they two stood by Jordan.....
15 And when the sons of the prophets which [were] to view at Jericho saw him,
they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed
themselves to the ground before him
2 Kings 9:1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and
said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to
Ramothgilead:
Amos 7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither
was I a prophet's son; but I [was] an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go,
prophesy unto my people Israel.
"The parallel ben-nabi could mean 'a member of a prophetic community,' of the
kind known from the earlier days of Samuel and Elijah/Elisha but not attested
in the eighth century. More likely the term would apply to an apprentice ('disciple')
than a successor in hereditary office. As Amos disowns any such traditional or
institutional affiliation, we must assume that that kind of prophet was now in disrepute,
at least in Amos' estimation. Perhaps they had degenerated into soothsayers and
diviners, prophesying for pay (cf. Mic 3:5-7)" Anderson & Freedman, The Anchor Bible,
Amos, Doubleday, vol 24A, p. 778

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"This account is also worthy of note, as having an important bearing upon the so-called
Schools of the Prophets in the time of Samuel, to which, however, we have only casual
allusions. From the passage before us we learn that there was a company of prophets
at Ramah, under the superintendence of Samuel, whose members lived in a
common building, and that Samuel had his own house at Ramah, though he sometimes
lived in the Naioth. The origin and history of these schools are involved in obscurity. If
we bear in mind, that, according to ch. iii.1, before the call of Samuel as prophet, the
prophetic word was very rare in Israel, and prophecy was not widely spread, there can be
no doubt that these unions of prophets arose in the time of Samuel, and were
called into existence by him." Keil & Delitzsch, Commentaries on the Old Testament,
Samuel, Eerdmans, p. 199. The commentary then discusses the ben-nabi in the days of
Elijah/Elisha indicating that it is uncertain whether there was a continuance of Samuel's
school.
MANY PROPHETS IN THE LAND
1 Nephi 1: LEHI THE PROPHET
5
Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the
Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
6
And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and
dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the
things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
7
And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast
himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had
seen.
8
And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that
he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne,
surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of
singing and praising their God.
9
And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of
heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noonday.
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did
exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

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Please read the reference and page number, and allow time for the class
members to turn to the reference. 1 Nephi 1:1-4; page 1

1 Nephi 1:1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was
taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions
in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in
all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries
of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning
of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own
hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of
Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his
days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the
people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

Please read the reference and page number, and allow time for the class
members to turn to the reference.1 Nephi 1:5-13; Page 1

5. Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed

unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and
dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the
things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he
cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which
he had seen.
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even
that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his
throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of
singing and praising their God.
9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven,
and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed
that of the stars in the firmament.
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first
came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that
he should read.
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine
abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem-that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by
the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
Please read the reference and page number, and allow time for the class
members to turn to the reference . 1 NEPHI 1:18-20; page 2
18. Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown
so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction
of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy
and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and

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heard.
19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which
he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their
abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also
the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the
Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even
as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and
they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will
show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he
hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power
of deliverance.

Please read the reference and page number, and allow time for the class
members to turn to the reference. 1 Nephi 2:1-5; page 3

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 take away
thy life.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream,
that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore
he did as the Lord commanded him.
4 And it came to pass that he 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 Red 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.

Please read the reference and page number, and allow time for the class
members to turn to the reference . 1 Nephi 2:6-13; page 4
6. And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the
wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto
the Lord, and gave thanks 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 fountain
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,
firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for
behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a

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visionary 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
father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God
who had created them.
13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed
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.

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