Editing First Nephi (section)

==Narrative==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Summary
!Chapters
|-
|Lehi's vision of Jerusalem's destruction; fleeing Jerusalem
|1–2
|-
|Return for the plates
|3–5
|-
|Second return for Ishmael's family
|6–7
|-
|Lehi's Vision
|8–9
|-
|Nephi's Vision of Israel's history
|10–14
|-
|Nephi's explanation of Lehi's vision to his brothers
|15
|-
|Traveling the desert and building the ship
|16–18
|-
|Nephi's explanation of the plates
|20–22
|}

===Fleeing Jerusalem===
Beginning in [[Jerusalem]] at the time of King [[Zedekiah]]'s reign, Nephi's father, Lehi, has a [[vision (religion)|vision]] and is warned of the [[Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC)|imminent Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem]]. Lehi attempts to share this warning with the people of Jerusalem, but they dismiss his warning and try to kill him. Lehi and his family (wife Sariah, four sons Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi, and unnamed daughters<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eom.byu.edu/index.php?title=Women_in_the_Book_of_Mormon|title=Women in the Book of Mormon – The Encyclopedia of Mormonism|last1=Bowen|first1=Donna|last2=Williams|first2=Camille|date=1992|website=eom.byu.edu|publisher=Macmillan|location=New York|access-date=2016-11-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1977/09/my-book-of-mormon-sisters|title=My Book of Mormon Sisters|last=Spencer|first=Marjorie|date=1977|website=ChurchofJesusChrist.org|access-date=2016-11-06}}</ref>) leave Jerusalem and establish a camp in the wilderness.<ref>{{harvnb|Thomas|2016|p=33}}; {{harvnb|Spencer|2020|p=13}}; {{harvnb|Hardy|2023|p=14}}</ref>

===Killing Laban and returning for Ishmael's family===
{{see also|Killing of Laban}}
Lehi sends his sons back to Jerusalem to retrieve some [[brass plates]], a record{{Clarify|reason=record of WHAT?|date=March 2024}} in the possession of [[Laban (Book of Mormon)|Laban]], a leader in Jerusalem and relative of Lehi. Nephi and his brothers make two failed attempts after which Nephi tries a third time by himself only to find Laban drunk and unconscious. Prompted by the Holy Spirit,{{Clarify|reason=This is an interesting anachronism. Is there any commentary on it? Anyway, I think it is probably "spirit of God"? Can someone clarify?|date=March 2024}} Nephi kills Laban with his own sword and dresses in Laban's clothes. Impersonating Laban, Nephi commands Laban's servant, Zoram, to bring the brass plates outside the city to his brothers. Zoram discovers Nephi's subterfuge and tries to flee, but Nephi persuades him to travel with his family, and they all return with the plates. The brass plates indicate that Lehi is a descendant of [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]], the son of [[Jacob]]. The plates also contain the five books of [[Moses]], the writings of [[Isaiah]] and other prophets. Lehi's sons return to Jerusalem once more to retrieve the family of Ishmael,{{Clarify|reason=who is Ishmael?|date=March 2024}} some of whom later become spouses for Lehi's children.<ref>{{harvnb|Thomas|2016|p=33}}; {{harvnb|Spencer|2020|p=13}}</ref>

[[File:Vision of Nephi.PNG|300px|thumb|left|The vision of Nephi]]

===Visions of Lehi and Nephi===
{{See also|Tree of life vision}}
Lehi has a [[Tree of life vision|vision of the tree of life]], which includes a revelation that [[Christ (title)|a Messiah]] would visit the earth within 600 years.{{Clarify|reason=Is this number given in the Book of Mormon?|date=March 2024}} In the vision, Lehi sees a tree next to a river and eats its fruit, which makes him joyful. Wishing to share the fruit with his family, he sees his wife, [[Sariah]], and two sons, Nephi and [[Sam (Book of Mormon)|Sam]], who come and eat with him. His two oldest sons, [[Laman and Lemuel]], stay near the river and do not eat the fruit. Then Lehi sees an iron rod and a "strait and narrow path" which leads to the tree.<ref>{{lds|1 Nephi|8|19–20}}</ref> People try to get to the tree, but are lost in the "mist of darkness".<ref>{{lds|1 Nephi|8|23}}</ref> Some get to the tree by holding on to the rod, but they are ashamed when they eat the fruit.{{Clarify|date=March 2024}} Across the river, a "great and spacious building" is full of people who are making fun of those who ate the fruit, and subsequently, the fruit-eaters become lost.<ref>{{lds|1 Nephi|8|26}}</ref>{{sfn|Swift|2005|p=60}}

Nephi prays to the Lord for a similar vision and for help understanding his father's vision. Nephi then has a vision that matches the one his father had. He is told an explanation of its symbolism. Additionally, Nephi is shown past and future events, including the life of the [[Son of God (Christianity)|Son of God]]{{Clarify|reason=how do we know?|date=March 2024}} and his appearances in both the New and the Old World.{{Clarify|reason=can this be explained? How is it determined that this was "old" and "new" world? Was that said?|date=March 2024}} He also sees, according to a Pentecostal interpretation,{{Why|date=March 2024}} "the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, the troubles faced by latter-day Christianity, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the final gathering of Israel".{{sfn|Spencer|2020|p=27}} After Nephi's vision, Laman and Lemuel argue over the meaning of Lehi's vision. Nephi chastises them for not asking the Lord for interpretation, and explains the point of disputation.{{Clarify|reason=What does this mean?|date=March 2024}} He pleads with them to pray and repent.{{sfn|Thomas|2016|pp=33–35}}

===Traveling the desert and building the ship===
After Lehi's sons marry [[Ishmael (Book of Mormon)|Ishmael]]'s daughters, Lehi discovers a [[Liahona (Book of Mormon)|"ball of curious workmanship" (a compass)]] at his tent door which they call a Liahona. Follow the Liahona's direction, they journey in the wilderness. As they travel, Nephi's [[Crucible steel#Early history|steel bow]] breaks while hunting. Upon hearing the news, members of the camp complain and "murmur against the Lord" for their misfortune, including Lehi.<ref>{{lds|1 Nephi|16|20}}</ref> Lehi repents and gives Nephi the Lord's direction for fertile hunting ground. Ishmael dies on their journey. His daughters, in mourning, respond by complaining. Laman and Lemuel conspire to kill Lehi and Nephi, but the [[Voice of God|voice of the Lord]] chastises them, and they repent.<ref>{{harvnb|Thomas|2016|p=36}}; {{harvnb|Hardy|2023|p=8}}; {{harvnb|Spencer|2020|p=111}}</ref>

After eight years of wandering, they arrive at a coast and the voice of the Lord commands Nephi to build a ship. As he begins, Laman and Lemuel mock him for attempting an impossible task. Nephi recounts the Israelite's exodus and colonization of Canaan to Laman and Lemuel, and touches them with a divine shock as a sign of God's power. They complete the ship, and depart on the ocean. Laman and Lemuel continue to persecute Nephi. Many days later, they arrive in the promised land, where they settle.<ref>{{harvnb|Thomas|2016|p=36}}; {{harvnb|Hardy|2023|p=8}}</ref>

[[File:First Sacrifice in the Promised Land.PNG|350px|thumb|right|Artistic depiction of the first sacrifice in the promised land]]

===Nephi's explanation of the plates===
Nephi writes about God's command that he chronicle the events of his people, their genealogy, and the gospel. In dialogue with his brothers, he quotes prophecies of Christ and quotes Isaiah 48–49. He interprets his quotations from [[Zenos]] (who is not found in the Bible) and the Biblical prophet [[Isaiah]], saying that all the ancient prophets testified of the savior, and only through him can they be [[Repentance (Christianity)|redeemed]] for their sins. He writes that God's covenants with Israel will eventually be restored, including to the descendants of his father Lehi.<ref>{{harvnb|Thomas|2016|pp=36–37}}; {{harvnb|Hardy|2023|p=8}}</ref>