1 Nephi 1

People in this chapter

The Book of Mormon begins with a man telling you who he is and why he is writing. Nephi is not a young man when he engraves these words. He made these plates about thirty years after his family left Jerusalem (2 Nephi 5:28–31). By then he has crossed a desert, built a ship, buried his father, and watched his family split in two. When he sums up his life in the first verse, he writes, having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days (v. 1).

That word nevertheless is the lens for everything that follows.

Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.

1 Nephi 1:1-3I, Nephi, Having Been Born of Goodly Parents

1I, 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.

Nephi starts with his parents. Because they were goodly, he was taught. The Book of Mormon begins in a home where parents taught their children.

Nephi had many afflictions nevertheless he was highly favored of the Lord in all my days. He doesn't say the hard days didn't happen. He says the Lord's favor was there in all of them.

2Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

Nephi writes in the language of the Egyptians using the learning of the Jews. Mormon later calls the script “reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32).

3And 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.

Verse 3 is a witness statement: the record is true, written with mine own hand, according to my knowledge. Nephi is the book's first witness, and Moroni will ask you to become the last.

1 Nephi 1:4-7Lehi Prayed with All His Heart

4For 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.

Jerusalem was not left without warning. Many prophets were calling the people to repent, including Jeremiah, who was preaching in the city at the same time. Before judgment, God sends prophets.

5Wherefore 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.

Lehi wasn't a prophet yet. He heard the warnings, believed them, and prayed with all his heart, in behalf of his people, the same people who would later try to kill him. His call came in answer to a prayer for others.

6And 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. 7And 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.

God answers with a pillar of fire, the same sign that once led Israel out of Egypt. Lehi trembles and goes home and collapses on his bed. Revelation from God can overwhelm the body.

1 Nephi 1:8-15God Sitting upon His Throne

8And 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.

Lehi sees God sitting upon his throne, surrounded by angels. Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John had visions like this. Centuries later Alma describes his own vision in nearly the same words (Alma 36:22).

9And 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. 10And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

Twelve others follow the Savior, and they shine like the stars. These are His Apostles, who go out upon the face of the earth. Nephi will see them too (1 Nephi 11:29, 34).

11And 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. 12And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord. 13And 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.

One of the twelve gives Lehi a book and tells him to read. As he reads, he is filled with the Spirit of the Lord. Ezekiel and John were also given a book when they were called.

The book says Jerusalem will be destroyed and its people carried away to Babylon. It happened just as Lehi read.

14And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish! 15And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

Lehi doesn't despair. He praises God: Great and marvelous are thy works. He has seen God's throne, so he trusts God's judgments.

1 Nephi 1:16-20The Tender Mercies of the Lord

16And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account. 17But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.

Lehi wrote much more than Nephi includes. Nephi gives a short version and moves on to his own story. These small plates later replaced the 116 manuscript pages that were lost in 1828, for a wise purpose.

18Therefore, 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. 19And 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 a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

Lehi preaches what he saw. The people mock him, get angry, and try to kill him, as with the prophets of old.

20And 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.

Who are the chosen? Nephi says they are chosen because of their faith. It isn't a closed list. The tender mercies are for everyone who chooses to exercise faith in Christ.

Research trail

Sources & further study

These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.

Where this echoes in Scripture

I, Nephi, Having Been Born of Goodly Parents

Lehi Prayed with All His Heart

God Sitting upon His Throne

The Tender Mercies of the Lord