Beit lehi and the book of mormon prophets

Now let us turn to the book of mormon account to see how it fits into this known history. The book of mormon begins with the record of a prophet named lehi who lived in the holy lands just prior to the fall of jerusalem in 600 b. According to the book of mormon narrative, the families of lehi, his friend ishmael and another man named zoram left jerusalem some time before its destruction by the babylonians in approximately 587 bc. As has already been noted, the archeologist jeffery chadwick studied this topic and concluded that beit lehi was not the home of the book of mormon lehi. Lehi, as well as jeremiah, both prophesied that jerusalem would be destroyed if the people didnt repent. Throughout the book of mormon we find examples of many prophets who testified of jesus christ. May, 2011 beit lehi is a buried city just a few miles southwest of jerusalem, and is currently under excavation.

Hebrew prophet who led his followers to promised land lehi was a descendant of joseph through the lineage of manasseh. Prophets, priests, and patriarchs david rolph seely and jo ann h. Who were the many prophets in jerusalem during lehis time. According to the book of mormon, lehi was a prophet who lived in jerusalem during the reign of king zedekiah approximately 600 bc. Timeline of book of mormon and old testament prophets 800 bc. Seely editors, glimpses of lehis jerusalem collection maxwell institute david r.

House of lehi found near jerusalem book of mormon evidence. Since the early 1970s many thousands of members have been told about a lehi cave and a place called beit lehi in classes and firesides, in commentaries and video presentations, and on the internet. Laman and lemuel abandon plans to thwart nephis shipbuilding because. There was an ordinance performed at the council in heaven and reaffirmed during a prophets sode experience whereby the servants of god were given the authority to speak the words of god. Feb 06, 2014 lehis descendants remained subject to this law as well, and we find it frequently brought up in the book of mormon. But the compass was discovered in the late middle ages in china and was unknown in the ancient near east from which lehi sailed. According tot he book of mormon, the historical and cultural factors involved in the departure of the lehi group from the land of jerusalem center in the fact that the sociopolitical establishment there had rejected lehis warning message and standing as a legitimate prophet. It is situated within a geographical region known as the judean shephelah, or lowland, sandwiched between the judean hills in the east and the coastal plain in the west. Around 600 bc, in the commencement of the first year of the reign of zedekiah, king of judah 1 nephi 1. But the compass was discovered in the late middle ages in china and was unknown in the ancient near east from which lehi sailed in modern english, the word compass usually denotes a device with a magnetized needle. Iron age i or during the time of the book of mormon prophet lehi ca.

The beit lehi project, introduction and progress of ancient archaeology in israel relating to the book of mormon. Here is the video titled beit lehi, israel translation. Among these prophets are men named lehi, nephi, benjamin, mosiah, alma, abinadi, helaman, mormon, and moroni. Israelite inscriptions from the time of jeremiah and lehi. Lehi, and gives it the mysterious meaning of cheek, which has never been explained. Criticism of mormonismbooksthe book of lehi fairmormon. Today many lds tour groups make beit lei an important part of their itinerary. Welch, the book of mormon and the heavenly book motif, in reexploring the book of mormon, pp. His life was in danger, as were the lives of other prophets. Private tour to beit lehi khirbet beit loya danny the digger. In lehi s vision, the first heavenly being who descended out of heaven gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read 1 nephi 1. One of his main conclusions was that the name of the site was beit lei, not lehi, which was arabic for twisted or bent and not hebrew for jaw or cheekbone. Beit lehi or house of lehi near jerusalem book of mormon.

Nephi describes his father lehi as a wealthy man who, in the first year of zedekiah, heard many prophets predict that jerusalem would be destroyed if the people did not repent 1 nephi 1. See more ideas about book of mormon, america and ancient civilizations. For an alternative perspective on the chronology of this time period in connection with lehi and zedekiah, see jeffrey r. The original book of lehi, which was translated by joseph smith in 1828, was stolen and became lost from the book of mormon. In that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city. In the book of lehi, lehi is identified as a high priest after the order of aaron.

Abridgment of lehi 5 about the book part i of this book gives an abridgment of the record of the prophet lehi, which was the first book engraved upon the gold plates of the book of mormon. Do you find anywhere in the bible where the writers say what they are writing on. Lehi was a descendant of manasseh, the son of joseph. Beit lehi, or beit loya, is an active archaeological site southwest of jerusalem, about an hour and a quarters drive by car.

An archaeological discovery in israels judean lowlands is an authoritative introduction to an active archeological site located southwest of jerusalem. Why is there no mention of the brass plates of laban in. Secrets of a lost village of ancient israel come to light israel21c. Of course, there were the jaredites, but ethers record seemed to indicate to them that those people were all destroyed not long after lehi landed. Leehy was a prophet who lived in jerusalem during the reign of king zedekiah approximately 600 bc. Some mormon scholars and researchers speculate that the following archaeological sites and peoples may have ties to lehi, or constitute evidence of the historicity of lehi though these connections are not accepted by nonmormon archaeologists. Lehi offers a thank offering at the safe return of his sons, and generations later a mosaic offering is made at the temple to set the tone for king benjamins sermon. Some have wondered how lehi, a faithful israelite, could not have previously known this. See david rolph seely, chronology, book of mormon, in book of mormon reference companion,ed. In the first book of the book of mormon, first nephi, lehi and nephi lead their family out of jerusalem, and across.

The brass plates contained many more scriptures than have come down to us in the bible. We know from the book of mormon that not only lehi, but also jeremiah, recorded their records on the brass plates. I wanted to create a way to more easily place the first three prophets of the book of mormon lehi, nephi, and jacob into context related to the prophetic books, and some historical writings like. By mormon tradition the site was home of prophet lehi.

As they put it before mohamed there was a great prophet named lehi and he taught from that hill. The beit lehi foundation was organized to support the excavation of the beit lehi archaeological site, located 22 miles south of jerusalem, for the benefit of the general public and to advance the understanding and awareness of the general public of ancient religious history associated with this site through scientific research and education. The book of first nephi, the first book in the volume, describes the actions of lehi and his family in leaving jerusalem before its destruction, following the counsel of the lord, and wandering through the wilderness for several years before embarking on a transoceanic voyage to somewhere in or near central america. Ive been getting ready to study the book of mormon for sunday school in 2012. Even the archaeologists in jerusalem now call the area beit lehi. His vision of the tree of life is crucial to understanding the plan of salvation. Lehis group proceeded southward down the arabian peninsula until they reached a location called nahom. Enhancing book of mormon themes through contrasts the book of mormon. Jun 14, 2017 for many years after the book of mormon first appeared in 1830, many read it with the idea that lehi and his group were the only ones on the american continents. In the first book of the book of mormon, first nephi, lehi and nephi lead their family out of jerusalem, and across the sea to the promised land. Despite their common love for the truth, these men led very different lives because the first was commanded to remain in jerusalem and the latter was commanded to leave. There are some very interesting possible correlations with this site and the home of lehi in the book of mormon. Because the cave resides near the ruins of a medieval arab village that was known as khirbet beit lei pronounced bait lay, some mormons began to call this beit lehi, speculating that this might be associated with the book of mormon prophet lehi.

For behold, laban hath the record of the jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass. Theories developed about how the book of mormon prophetlehi and his family might have been connected to the site. Lehi was a prophet living in jerusalem around 600 bc. The lord sent many prophets to tell the people to repent, or jerusalem would be destroyed. The archeological site of beitlehi house of lehi, a. The book of mormon begins in a wellknown location, jerusalem, in 600 b. Lehi in the desert book of mormon evidence youtube. Beit lehi is a buried city just a few miles southwest of jerusalem, and is currently. Jul 29, 2019 george reynolds, commentary on the book of mormon. It received its name from the bedouin arabs who reside in the area. For many years after the book of mormon first appeared in 1830, many read it with the idea that lehi and his group were the only ones on the american continents. The book of mormon relates that during his familys journey to the americas and before his death, lehi gave important teachings to his children and their posterity that were recorded by nephi on metallic plates that were later used in compiling the book of mormon. Was there any ancient israelite or jewish settlement at khirbet beit lei during the time of biblical samson ca. Lehi was an israelite of the tribe of manasseh, and father to nephi, another prominent prophet in the book of mormon.

Nephi built the ship according to the promptings of the spirit. The book of mormon describes a number of individuals unique to its narrative as prophets. Why should there be a mention of the brass plates in the bible. Dec 29, 2011 ive been getting ready to study the book of mormon for sunday school in 2012. Beit lehi is a buried city just a few miles southwest of jerusalem, and is currently under excavation. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible, and defensible to the. See more ideas about book of mormon, scripture study and lds books. Ginat pointed out that not only could the ruins of the ancient community of lehi have been the residence of the prophet lehi but the nearby cave very well could have been the hideout for nephi, laman, lemuel, sam, and zoram.

Book of mormon stories chapter 1 lehi becomes a prophet. Fair study aidsbook of mormon resources by chapter and. He is a contemporary of the biblical prophet jeremiah. A portrait and a selfportrait maxwell institute jeffrey r. Timeline of book of mormon and old testament prophets 800. His worthiness allowed him to commune with the lord, to receive through revelation a prophetic view of the divine plan of happiness for mankind, to act as a witness of the divinity of the messiah, to powerfully teach gospel principles. Unknown to all but a handful of dedicated archaeologists, university participants, generous sponsors, and adventurous travelers allowed on site, this. During the assyrian destruction of the northern kingdom of israel in 721 bc, many people from the tribe of joseph fled to jerusalem to. Old testament prophet jeremiah and book of mormon prophet lehi were contemporaries, and both preached repentance to the people of jerusalem.

A primer for priesthood leadership types and shadows of deliverance in the book of mormon khirbet beit lei and the book of mormon january 19 1 nephi 810 come and partake of the fruit behold, i have dreamed a dream. The prophet lehis ancestors had moved to judah from israel and lived at the beit lehi site, perhaps in a city of lehi where the ruins at. Mar 09, 2020 the lord sent many prophets to tell the people to repent, or jerusalem would be destroyed. I wanted to create a way to more easily place the first three prophets of the book of mormon lehi, nephi, and jacob into context related to the prophetic books, and some historical writings like ezra, of the old testament. Fair study aidsbook of mormon resources by chapter and verse. Lehis descendants remained subject to this law as well, and we find it frequently brought up in the book of mormon. Lehi, the first prophet in the book of mormon, was commanded by god to leave his home in jerusalem, along with his family, and travel to the americas. Here, the prophets included are those who, according to the narrative, inherited the plates of nephi and who otherwise are called prophets within the text.

Book of mormon prophets bore fervent testimony of christ so that later generations could also develop faith in the savior and look to him for. In lehis vision, the first heavenly being who descended out of heaven gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read 1 nephi 1. He is not the only contemporaneous high priest, either, as the author mentions how there were an unspecified number of them present in jerusalem at the time, in chapter 1, verse 15. The book of mormon, like the bible, contains a record of gods dealings with a part of the house of israel. And many of these prophets were bound by the jews and carried forth unto the high priests.