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Come Follow Me 2020: 1 Nephi 1-7
Scripture Block
1 Nephi 1-7
January 6–12. “I Will Go and Do”
KnoWhys
Recommended Resources
Learn about the Book of Mormon with verse by verse commentaries from renowned Book of Mormon scholars like John W. Welch and Brant A. Gardner in the ScripturePlus app. Read this week's KnoWhy connected with the Come Follow Me curriculum, and other posts elucidating insights in this week's scripture reading.
Reading Plan
Structure your personal scripture study by following a multimedia, day by day plan. Each day's assignment includes the required scripture passages from the Come Follow Me curriculum, as well as suggestions for additional resources to bring context and understanding to your study. Download the ScripturePlus app to integrate this Reading Plan into your personal scripture study and track your progress. If you want to dive deeper, skip down to the "Additional Resources" section for a selected bibliography for 1 Nephi 1–7.
Monday
- 1 Nephi 1:1–2
- KnoWhy 476 Why Does Nephi Begin by Saying “I, Nephi . . .”?
- Video: Egyptian Language and the Book of Mormon (3:42)
- 1 Nephi 1:3–20
- KnoWhy 469 Why Are Lehi’s Visions Like Those of Other Prophets in His Day?
Explore Further
- KnoWhy 447 How Can We Be Delivered through the Lord’s Tender Mercies?
- KnoWhy 459 Why Are Lehi’s First Visions So Similar to Much Later Apocalyptic Writings?
- KnoWhy 445 What Is So Good about Nephi’s Name?
Tuesday
- 1 Nephi 2:1–6
- Video: Have the Valley of Lemuel and the River Laman Been Found? (1:41)
- 1 Nephi 2:7–13
- KnoWhy 363 How Can the Old Testament Covenants Help Us Understand the Book of Mormon?
- 1 Nephi 2:14–24
- KnoWhy 442 Why Did Nephi Want to Know the Mysteries of God?
Wednesday
- 1 Nephi 3:1–7
- Chart: Why Did Nephi Believe the Lord Would Prepare a Way? (1 Nephi 3:7)
- KnoWhy 6 Why Does Nephi Always Go Down to the Wilderness and Up to Jerusalem?
- 1 Nephi 3:8–31
- Quote: "Miraculous events have not always been a source of conversion. For example, when Laman and Lemuel physically mistreated their younger brothers, an angel appeared and warned them to stop. The angel also reassured all of the brothers that Laban would be delivered into their hands. Nephi, on the one hand, believed and claimed the brass plates from Laban. Laman and Lemuel, on the other hand, did not believe, nor did they change their behavior as a result of the angelic visit. As Nephi reminded them, 'How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel of the Lord?'" Faust, James E. “A Royal Priesthood.” General Conference April 2006.
Thursday
- 1 Nephi 4:1–9
- KnoWhy 401 What Was the Sword of Laban Like?
- 1 Nephi 4:10–38
- KnoWhy 256 Was Nephi’s Slaying of Laban Legal?
Explore Further
- KnoWhy 464 Who Were the “Elders of the Jews” Mentioned by Zoram?
- KnoWhy 7 Did Jerusalem Have Walls Around It?
Friday
- 1 Nephi 5:1
- Video: Were Any Ancient Israelite Women Named Sariah?
- 1 Nephi 5:2–4
- KnoWhy 457 What Did It Mean for Lehi to be a Visionary Man?
- 1 Nephi 5:5–22
- Chart: Contents of the Plates of Brass
Explore Further
- Video: New Archaeological Evidence for Sariah as a Hebrew Woman’s Name
- KnoWhy 410 What Parts of the Old Testament Were on the Plates of Brass?
Saturday
- 1 Nephi 6
- KnoWhy 262 Why Did Nephi Work So Hard to Preserve the Wisdom He Had Received?
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Quote: "The small plates record only contains the spiritual ministry of the Nephites.
Nephi’s descendants are remarkably obedient to his instructions. A comparison of the small-plate material (1 Nephi–Omni) with that which remains of the large plates (Mosiah–4 Nephi) shows that the large plates contain a tremendous amount of material on wars and contentions, virtually none of which appears in the small plates. The truly historical information contained in the small plates is limited to 1 Nephi, where it provides the framework for the more important spiritual story, and Omni, where the historical data explains why Nephi’s descendants relinquished the records." Gardner, Brant. Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon. Salt Lake City, UT: Greg Kofford Books, 2007. 1:139.
Sunday
- 1 Nephi 7:1–4
- Quote: "The Lord was involved in getting the two families together. He softened the heart of Ishmael so he would go into the wilderness. Both branches of Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim, were brought to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills, the Americas, and became very fruitful in posterity. Of course there are many more of the posterity of Joseph that went with the ten tribes into Assyria and the North. The Lord said: 'I will sift [scatter] the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve', and today they are and have been gathered out of many of those nations." Nyman, Monte S. I, Nephi Wrote This Record. Orem, UT: Granite Pub. and Distribution, 2003. 91-92.
- Quote: "Lehi, faced with the prospect of a long journey in the wilderness, sent back for Ishmael…The interesting thing is that Nephi takes Ishmael (unlike Zoram) completely for granted, never explaining who he is or how he fits into the picture—the act of sending for him seems to be the most natural thing in the world, as does the marriage of his daughters with Lehi’s sons. Since it has ever been the custom among the desert people for a man to marry the daughter of his paternal uncle…, it is hard to avoid the impression that Lehi and Ishmael were related." Nibley, Hugh. Lehi in the Desert/The World of the Jaredites/There Were Jaredites. Vol. 5. The Collected Words of Hugh Nibley. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1988. 40.
- 1 Nephi 7:5–22
- KnoWhy 9 How Could Lehi Offer Sacrifices Outside of Jerusalem?
Additional Resources contains a selected bibliography of articles, charts, chapters, and books on 1 Nephi 1–7.
Additional Resources
1 Nephi Overview
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. 1 Nephi and the Exodus. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999.
S. Kent Brown, "The Exodus Pattern in the Book of Mormon," BYU Studies Quarterly 30, no. 3 (1990): 111–126.
Frederick W. Axelgard, "1 and 2 Nephi: An Inspiring Whole," BYU Studies Quarterly 26, no. 4 (1986): 53–65.
Welch, John W., David Rolph. Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely. Glimpses of Lehis Jerusalem. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, Brigham Young University, 2004.
1 Nephi 1
Brant Gardner, "Musings on the Making of the Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 1," Interpreter Foundation Blog (July 18, 2013).
Matthew L. Bowen, “Nephi’s Good Inclusio,” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 17 (2016): 181–195.
Rappleye, Neal. "Learning Nephi’s Language: Creating a Context for 1 Nephi 1:2." Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 16 (2015): 151-159.
Donald W. Parry, “I Have A Question: Why is the phrase ‘and it came to pass’ so prevalent in the Book of Mormon?” Ensign (December 1992).
Ostler, Blake T.. "The Throne-Theophany and Prophetic Commission in 1 Nephi: A Form Critical Analysis." BYU Studies Quarterly 26, no. 4 (1986): 67-95.
John W. Welch, “The Calling of Lehi as a Prophet in the World of Jerusalem,” in Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem. Edited by John W. Welch, David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely. Provo, UT: FARMS, 2004, 421–448.
Welch, John W.. "Lehi's Council Vision and the Mysteries of God." In Reexploring the Book of Mormon, edited by John W. Welch, 24-25. Provo, UT/Salt Lake City: FARMS/Deseret Book, 1992.
Seely, David Rolph, and Jo Ann H. Seely. "Lehi and Jeremiah: Prophets, Priests, and Patriarchs." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8, no. 2 (1999): 24-35, 85-86.
1 Nephi 2
Gardner, Brant A. “Musings on the Making of the Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 2,” The Interpreter Foundation Blog (July 27, 2013).
LeFevre, David A.. "“We Did Again Take Our Journey”." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15, no. 2 (2006): 58-67, 120-122.
Haubrock, Ken. "Sam: A Just and Holy Man." In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 66-71. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Seely, David Rolph. "Lehi’s Altar and Sacrifice in the Wilderness." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10, no. 1 (2001): 62-69, 80.
Hoskisson, Paul Y. “By what authority did Lehi, a non-Levite priest, offer sacrifices?” Ensign (March 1994).
S. Kent Brown. "The Hunt for the Valley of Lemuel." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 17, no. 1 (2007): 64-73, 86-88.
Seely, David Rolph and Fred E. Woods. “How Could Jerusalem, ‘That Great City,’ Be Destroyed.” In Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem, ed. John W. Welch, David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely (Provo, UT: FARMS, 2004), 595–610.
1 Nephi 3
Tvedtnes, John A.. ""He Shall Prepare a Way"." In The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar, 104-109. Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999.
Sperry, Sidney B.. "Some Problems of Interest Relating to the Brass Plates." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 1 (1995): 185-191.
Chadwick, Jeffrey R. “Lehi’s House at Jerusalem and the Land of His Inheritance,” in Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem, ed. John W. Welch, David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely (Provo, UT: FARMS, 2004), 81–130.
Smith, Robert F. “The Land of Jerusalem: The Place of Jesus’ Birth,” in Reexploring the Book of Mormon: A Decade of New Research, ed. John W. Welch (Salt Lake City and Provo, UT: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1992), 170–172.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. People to Whom Jesus Christ or the Angel of the Lord Appeared. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. Murmurings of Laman and Lemuel. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999.
1 Nephi 4
Adams, Jr., William J.. “Nephi’s Jerusalem and Laban’s Sword.” In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 11-13. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Holbrook, Brett L.. "The Sword of Laban as a Symbol of Divine Authority and Kingship." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 2, no. 1 (1993): 39-72.
Welch, John W.. "Legal Perspectives on the Slaying of Laban." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 1, no. 1 (1992): 119-141.
Larsen, Val. "Killing Laban: The Birth of Sovereignty in the Nephite Constitutional Order." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 17, no. 1 (2007): 26-41, 84-85.
Olsen, Steven L.. "The Death of Laban: A Literary Interpretation." FARMS Review 21, no. 1 (2009): 179-195.
Tvedtnes, John A.. "The Slaying of Laban." In The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar, 110-112. Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. When Is It Better for One Man to Perish Than an Entire Nation?. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999.
Hamblin, William J.. "Metal Plates and the Book of Mormon." In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 20-22. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Russell, Collin Charles. "Meeting Zoram." Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 24 (2017): 11-26.
Bowen, Matthew L.. "“See That Ye Are Not Lifted Up”: The Name Zoram and Its Paronomastic Pejoration." Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 19 (2016): 109-143.
1 Nephi 5
Bybee, Ariel E. “A Woman's World in Lehi's Jerusalem.” In Glimpses of Lehi’s Jerusalem, ed. John W. Welch, David Rolph Seely, and Jo Ann H. Seely (Provo, UT: FARMS, 2004), 595–610.
Camille Fronk, "Desert Epiphany: Sariah and the Women in 1 Nephi," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9, no. 2 (2000): 5–15, 80.
Chadwick, Jeffrey R.. "Notes and Communications: Sariah in the Elephantine Papyri." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 2, no. 2 (1993): 196-200.
Tvedtnes, John A.. "A Visionary Man." In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 29-31. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Reynolds, Noel B. “The Brass Plates Version of Genesis.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Faith and Scholarship 34 (2019): 63–96.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. Contents of the Plates of Brass. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999.
Seely, David Rolph, and Jo Ann H. Seely. "Lehi and Jeremiah: Prophets, Priests, and Patriarchs." Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8, no. 2 (1999): 24-35, 85-86.
1 Nephi 6
Taylor Halverson, “Reading 1 Nephi with Wisdom,” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 22 (2016): 279–293.
1 Nephi 7
Sperry, Sidney B.. "Did Father Lehi Have Daughters Who Married the Sons of Ishmael?" Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 1 (1995): 235-238.
Baker, Christine Purves. Ishmael In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Edited by Daniel H. Ludlow. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
S. Kent Brown, and David Rolph Seely. "Jeremiah's Imprisonment and the Date of Lehi's Departure." 2 1 (2001): 15-32.