Lehi (Book of Mormon)
|
|
In the Book of Mormon, Lehi (Hebrew לחי Léḥî / Lāḥî "Jawbone"; BoM Arabic لاحي Lāḥī) was an ancient prophet who lived around 600 B.C. He was an Israelite of the Tribe of Manasseh. Lehi and his family lived in Jerusalem in the Kingdom of Judah under the reign of King Zedekiah. Lehi also held other property, perhaps outside the city of Jerusalem. Some have suggested that he was a merchant. Lehi had at least six sons: Laman, Lemuel, Sam, Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph. Lehi's sons are said to be characteristically Ephrathite, though it is uncertain what this means or why this would be.
Shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem, Lehi escaped with his family, along with his friend Ishmael and his family, and another man named Zoram. Together, Lehi led them south down the Arabian Peninsula until they reached a fertile coastal region they named Bountiful. There, they built a ship, and sailed across the ocean to the Americas. Lehi's sons Nephi and Laman are said to have established themselves and to have founded Israelite nations: the Nephites and the Lamanites.