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Joseph Smith/Alleged false prophecies/The prophetic test in Deuteronomy 18

2016-09-30T13:10:52Z

JamesStutz: /* Question: Are there biblical examples of prophets which evangelical interpretations of Deuteronomy 18 would cause one to have to reject as true prophets? */

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{{Resource Title|Using Deuteronomy 18 as a "prophetic test"}}
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== ==
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==Question: Does Joseph Smith fail the "prophetic test" found in Deuteronomy 18?==
===Deuteronomy 18 states that if a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord that something will happen, and then it does not happen, that the prophet has spoken "presumptuously"===

Evangelicals point to {{s||Deuteronomy|18|20-22}} as a 'test' for a true prophet:

<blockquote>
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?

22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
</blockquote>

It is claimed that Joseph Smith made [[Joseph Smith/Alleged false prophecies|failed prophecies]], and as such must be a "false prophet." When critics charge Joseph Smith with uttering a "false prophecy" they are generally making one or more errors:

# they rely on an inaccurate account of what Joseph actually wrote or said, or they misrepresent Joseph's words;
# they ignore or remain unaware of circumstances which fulfilled the prophecy;
# they ignore or deny the clear scriptural principle [{{s||Jeremiah|18|7-10}}] that prophecy is contingent upon the choices of mortals;

===Many LDS critics attempt to condemn Joseph Smith using a standard that would, if applied to Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Nathan, an angel of God, and Jonah, also condemn the Old Testament as a fraud===

Many LDS critics attempt to condemn Joseph Smith using a standard that would, if applied to Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Nathan, an angel of God, and Jonah, also condemn the Old Testament as a fraud. No reasonable or biblical application of Deuteronomy 18 condemns Joseph Smith. Like the prophets of the Bible, Joseph's prophetic claims cannot be tested by looking for a failure in "fore-telling"—we must, as with the biblical prophets, decide if Joseph "knew God in the immediacy of experience," by weighing "the moral and religious content" of his message as he "challeng[es] his hearers to respond to the divine standards of spirituality through acts of cleansing and renewal of life,"<ref>Harrison, 755.</ref> which may only be ultimately judged by the source of prophecy—God himself. Every prophet is an invitation to enter into a "prophetic" relationship with God for ourselves, to communicate with him, and obtain the testimony of Jesus for ourselves.

Confusion on this point arises from one or more errors:

# prophecy may be fulfilled in ways or at times that the hearers do not expect;
# most prophecies are contingent, even if this is not made explicit when the prophecy is given—that is, the free agent choices of mortals can impact whether a given prophecy comes to pass
# sectarian critics may apply a standard to modern LDS prophets whom they reject that they do not apply to biblical prophets. This double standard condemns Joseph unfairly.

===Prophecy may be fulfilled in ways or at times that the hearers do not expect===

Deuteronomy doesn't exactly say that one mistake makes a false prophet.<ref>This wiki article was originally based on Jeff Lindsay, "If any prophecy of a so-called prophet proves to be wrong, shouldn't we reject him? Isn't that the standard of Deut. 18:22?," {{link|url=http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/response/qa/false_prophesies.htm}} Due to the nature of a wiki project, the text may have been modified, edited, and had additions made.</ref> James L. Mays, editor of ''Harper's Bible Commentary'' writes:

:Prophecy in the names of other gods is easily rejected, but false prophecy in God's name is a more serious matter. This dilemma requires the application of a pragmatic criterion that, although clearly useless for judgments on individual oracles, is certainly a way to evaluate a prophet's overall performance.<ref>James L. Mays (editor), ''Harper's Bible Commentary'' (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1988), 226.</ref>

The problem with applying Deut. 18:22 to a single, individual prophecy is that some prophecies can be fulfilled in complex ways or at times much later than anticipated by the hearers. As one conservative Bible commentator noted:

:As far as external considerations were involved, therefore, there would appear to have been [in Old Testament times] virtually no means of differentiating the true from the false prophet....While the popular view current in the seventh century B.C. distinguished a true prophet from a false one on the basis of whether their predictions were fulfilled or not, this attitude merely constituted an inversion of the situation as it ultimately emerged, and not an absolute criterion of truth or falsity as such. As Albright has pointed out, the fulfilment of prophecies was only one important element in the validation of a genuine prophet, and in some instances was not even considered to be an essential ingredient, as illustrated by the apparent failure of the utterances of Haggai [{{b||Haggai|2|21}}] against the Persian empire.{{Book:Harrsion:Introduction to the OT|pages=755–756}}

===Most prophecies are contingent, even if this is not made explicit when the prophecy is given===

The Bible contains many examples of God choosing to reverse or revoke certain prophecies, as He says He is free to do in Jeremiah:

:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
:9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
:10 If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.{{s||Jeremiah|18|7-10}}

This principle is also illustrated in {{s||1Sam|2|30}} where, because of the wickedness of the priests, the Lord revokes his promise that the house of Aaron will forever serve him:

:30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

===Sectarian critics may apply a standard to modern LDS prophets whom they reject that they do not apply to biblical prophets===

Many Bible prophets would not survive the critics' hostile application of Deuteronomy 18 as Jewish and Christian commentators have long realized. The reading which the critics wish to apply to modern day prophets does not match how scholars of Judaism have understood Deuteronomy in its Old Testament context.

Wrote one author:

:"The true prophet, as intercessor, was ready to risk a confrontation with God, in contrast to his counterpart, the false prophet. The problem of distinguishing between them was indeed perplexing, as shown by two separate passages in Deuteronomy...The answer given is that if the 'oracle does not come true, that oracle was not spoken by the Lord; the prophet uttered it presumptuously.' ''This, however, cannot serve as an infallible criterion, because there are several occasions when an oracle delivered by a true prophet did not materialize even in his own lifetime.'' Such unfulfilled prophecies include Jeremiah's prediction of the ignominious fate of Jehoiakim ({{b||Jeremiah|22|19}}), which was belied by {{b|2|Kings|24|6}}, and Ezekiel's foretelling the destruction of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar ({{b||Ezekiel|26|7-21}}), which was later admitted to have failed but was to be compensated by the Babylonian king's attack on Egypt ({{b||Ezekiel|29|17-20}})"<ref>Shalom M. Paul, "Prophecy and Prophets" a supplemental essay in ''Etz Hayim, a Torah/Commentary published by the Jewish Publication Society'', 1411, {{ea}}.</ref>

We will see examples in the next section of biblical prophets who would be labeled as "false prophets" if the critics were consistent in their application of Deuteronomy.

The ''Jewish Study Bible'' observed:

:Having established an Israelite model of prophecy, the law provides two criteria to distinguish true from false prophets. The first is that the prophet should speak exclusively on behalf of God, and report only God's words. Breach of that rule is a capital offense ({{b||Jeremiah|28|12-17}}.) The second criterion makes the fulfillment of a prophet's oracle the measure of its truth. That approach attempts to solve a critical problem: If two prophets each claim to speak on behalf of God yet make mutually exclusive claims- ({{b|1|Kings|22|6}} versus {{b|1|King|22|17}}; {{b||Jeremiah|27|8}} versus {{b||Jeremiah|28|2}})- how may one decide which prophet speaks the truth?

:The solution offered is not free of difficulty. If a false prophet is distinguished by the failure of his oracle to come true, then making a decision in the present about which prophet to obey is impossible. Nor can this criterion easily be reconciled with {{s||Deuteronomy|13|3}}, which concedes that the oracles of false prophets might come true. Finally, the prophets frequently threatened judgment, hoping to bring about repentance ({{b||Jeremiah|7||}}, {{b||Jeremiah|26|1-6}}). If the prophet succeeds and the people repent and thereby avert doom ({{b||Jonah|3-4||}}), one would assume the prophet to be authentic, since he has accomplished God's goal of repentance. Yet according to thee criteria here (but contrast {{b||Jeremiah|28|9}}), the prophet who accomplished repentance is nonetheless a false prophet, since the judgment oracle that was proclaimed remains unfulfilled. These texts, with their questions and differences of opinion on such issues, reflect the vigorous debate that took place in Israel about prophecy."<ref>''Jewish Study Bible'' (published by the Jewish Publication Society), commentary on Deu. 18:20-23.</ref>

==Question: Are there biblical examples of prophets which evangelical interpretations of Deuteronomy 18 would cause one to have to reject as true prophets?==
===There are several examples in the Bible where a true prophet prophesied something which did not happen as he stated===

Be careful in how you apply Deut. 18:22, for you threaten to reject some true prophets in the Bible! There are several examples in the Bible where a true prophet prophesied something which did not happen as he stated.
===Jonah===
Perhaps the clearest example is found in the story of Jonah, who was told by God to prophecy to the people of Nineveh. Jonah eventually did what he was told and prophesied the simple clear prophecy that the people would be destroyed in 40 days ({{s||Jonah|3|4}}). The time frame was clear and no loopholes were offered, just imminent doom. The scriptures state explicitly, however, that the people repented of their sins and that God changed his mind, sparing the city.

Jonah was "displeased ... exceedingly" and "very angry" ({{s||Jonah|4|1}}) about God's decision, perhaps because it made Jonah look bad. In spite of what might look like an "incorrect" prophecy, and in spite of Jonah's obvious shortcomings, he was clearly a prophet of God, delivering the precise message that God had given him, but it was ultimately the conditional nature of prophecy that determined the outcome.

===Ezekiel===
The prophet Ezekiel provides another example of how true prophets may prophesy things that do not happen exactly as one might expect. In Ezekiel chapters 26, 27, and 28, we read that Tyre (a fortified island city) would be conquered, destroyed, and plundered by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The riches of Tyre, it was stated, would go to Babylon ({{s||Ezekiel|26|12}}). Nebuchadnezzar's army did lay siege to Tyre, and its inhabitants were afflicted, apparently so much that they shaved their heads bald, exactly as prophesied in {{s||Ezekiel|27|31}}. However, the 13-year Babylonian siege apparently was not quite as successful as Ezekiel had predicted, perhaps because the land-based tactics of Babylonian sieges were less effective against a fortified island city with significant maritime power. The result of the siege may have been a compromise or treaty rather than total destruction and plunder, for ({{s||Ezekiel|29|17-20}}) reports that the predicted plundering did not take place. Almost as if in compensation, the Lord now announces that He will give Egypt to the Babylonians, which is the theme of chapter 29 ({{s||Ezekiel|29|17-20}}):

:17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
:18 Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: '''yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it''':
:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
:20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD. (emphasis added)

Tyre is no more, but its complete destruction did not occur during the Babylonian siege, and the Babylonian army did not get the riches of Tyre as has been prophesied. It is Ezekiel himself who reports this "prophetic failure."<ref>This example comes from {{FR-7-2-5}}</ref>

The purpose in raising this example is not to question the wisdom of the Lord, nor the truthfulness of the Bible, but to point out that an overly critical attitude and a black-and-white application of Deut. 18:22 may reject even true, Biblical prophets. If we try hard enough to find reasons to reject a prophet, we will surely succeed, but we must beware lest we judge unwisely and reject those whom God has sent and anointed.

===Jeremiah===
Another example to consider is the prophet Jeremiah—a great and inspired prophet—who prophesied that king Zedekiah would "die in peace" ({{s||Jeremiah|34|4-5}}). Critics could argue that this prophecy did not prove to be true, for Zedekiah saw his sons killed by the conquering Babylonians and was himself blinded and put in prison, where he died in captivity—not in peace ({{s||Jeremiah|52|10-11}}). Of course, the point is that he would not be killed by the sword, but die of natural causes—albeit in prison—yet to the critics, it may look like a case of a false prophecy. This case is certainly less clear-cut than the prophecy of Ezekiel discussed above, yet also serves to warn us against harsh judgments.

===Eli the Priest===
In {{s|1|Samuel|2|27-30}} there is an extraordinary reversal of prophecy by the Lord himself. God had previously prophecied that Eli's family "should walk before me for ever" as his designated priests in Israel. There apparently were no explicitly stated conditions or stipulations for this prophecy. However, due to the wickedness of Eli and his sons that prophecy became void:

:30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, "I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever": but now the Lord saith, "Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed."

===Nathan===

Other examples include Nathan:

:In {{s|2|Samuel|7|5-17}}, we read that the prophet Nathan unequivocally prophesied to David that through his son Solomon the Davidic empire would be established "forever," that the children of Israel would dwell in the promised land "and move no more," and that the "children of wickedness" would no longer afflict them. These things are quite clearly stated. No conditions are attached to these promises, none whatsoever.<ref>Michael T. Griffith, "Vindicating Prophecy: Why the Anti-Mormon View of Prophecy Is Invalid," in ''One Lord, One Faith'' (Horizon Publishers, 1996).</ref>

Yet this prophecy, interpreted literally, clearly did not prove successful. Again human sin or choice will affect whether God will choose to bless or punish a people. This is implicit in all such prophecies.

===Samson===

Finally, there are the words of the angel who spoke to Samson's mother:

:In {{s||Judges|13|5}}, it is recounted that an angel promised Samson's mother that Samson would "begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." No matter how liberal or expansive one wants to be with the facts of Israelite history (as recorded in the Bible or elsewhere), and while it is true that Samson at the end of his life did do some damage to the rulers of the Philistines, there is no way it can reasonably be concluded that Samson fulfilled this prophecy.
:Not only did Samson fail to even "begin" to free Israel from the Philistines, but (1) there were times when he consorted with Philistine women, (2) he married a Philistine, (3) he himself never even led any Israelite troops against the Philistines, and (4) the Philistines eventually humiliated him.
:Moreover, and most importantly, Israel actually lost ground to the Philistines during Samson's tenure. Judges 13-16 illustrates Philistine encroachment into Hebrew territory. The Samson narrative documents the eastward expansion of the Philistines by mentioning the Philistine presence in Timnah and Lehi, both in the strategic valley of Sorek (Achtemeier 1985:787-791). This Philistine expansion worsened the land shortage that eventually forced the Danites to migrate northward.
:Of course, the nonfulfillment of Judges 13:5 can be attributed to Samson's failure to live according to his Nazarite calling. In addition to his sexual liaisons, he married a Philistine, ate unclean food, drank wine, and allowed his hair to be cut. Therefore, it could be said that the angel's prophecy was nullified by Samson's behavior. However, the angel placed absolutely no conditions on his promise that Samson would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines. He simply declared that Samson would do so.<ref>Michael T. Griffith, "Vindicating Prophecy: Why the Anti-Mormon View of Prophecy Is Invalid," in ''One Lord, One Faith'' (Horizon Publishers, 1996).</ref>

==Question: Do prophets primarily predict future events?==
==="Foretelling" the future is a relatively minor aspect of prophecy===

Foretelling the future is often what people mean when they speak of "prophecy." But, this is a relatively minor aspect of prophecy for biblical and modern prophets. More importantly, "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" ({{s||Revelation|19|10}}). Like biblical prophets, a modern prophet expends more time and energy bearing witness of Christ than foretelling the future. "Of vastly greater importance" than future-telling, noted conservative Old Testament scholar R.K. Harrison, "was the moral and religious content of the prophetic utterance, and its ability to recall to the minds of the hearers the obligations of the Covenant relationship. The truth belonged...to the content, where alone it could be tested and shown to be the veritable word of God."<ref>Harrison, 756.</ref>

In the minority of cases in which a prophet is engaged in "foretelling," rather than some other aspect of the prophetic mission, it may take one of at least three forms:

#As a sign to the unbelieving and comfort to the believers. One example from modern LDS history is the prophecy mentioned in the 1857 ''Deseret News'' editorial addressed to [[One_Nation_Under_Gods/Use_of_sources/Stephen_A._Douglas_prophecy|Stephen A. Douglas]]—("That you may thoroughly understand that you have voluntarily, knowingly, and of choice sealed your damnation, and by your own chosen course have closed your chance for the presidential chair, through disobeying the counsel of Joseph which you formerly sought and prospered by following..."). These are probably the rarest type.
#As a timeline to the church or to individuals, to tell us where we are falling behind in preparation for things to come (signs of the times) or to help us not worry about something that is still a long ways off (e.g., "Be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled,...as that the day of Christ is at hand" [{{b|2|Thessalonians|2|2}}]). Such examples are likewise relatively rare in scripture.
#By far the most common example are prophecies given as part of a call to repentance, or included with instructions regarding behavior. Such prophecies are always conditional, whether explicitly or implicitly, since God offers them to encourage and spur us to obedience—there is little reason to send a prophet or cry repentance if the punishment for disobedience cannot be averted by improved behavior ({{s||Jeremiah|18||}}, discussed above).

{{SeeAlso|Prophets_don't_prophesy|l1=Claim that prophets don't prophecy}}
{{SeeAlso|Joseph_Smith/Alleged_false_prophecies#Fulfilled_prophecies|l1=Joseph Smith—fulfilled prophecies|Fallibility_of_prophets|l2=Prophetic infallibility?|Revelation_after_Joseph_Smith|l3=Prophecy after Joseph Smith}}
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[[de:Joseph Smith/Angeblich falsche Prophezeiungen/Der Prophetentest in Deuteronomium 18]]
[[en:Joseph Smith/Alleged false prophecies/The prophetic test in Deuteronomy 18]]

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson fifteen

2012-04-26T02:23:18Z

JamesStutz: /* 1. King Benjamin teaches his sons and has Mosiah call the people together.(Mosiah 1) */

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{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson fourteen|Lesson fourteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson sixteen|Lesson sixteen]]
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}}
=Lesson 15: Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father=
'''Lesson #15- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-15-eternally-indebted-to-your-heavenly-father?lang=eng “Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father”]

==1. King Benjamin teaches his sons and has Mosiah call the people together.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/1?lang=eng (Mosiah 1)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Missing Chapters from the Book of Mosiah''': LDS scholars have observed that it is likely that part of the Book of Mosiah was lost with the 116 pages that Joseph Smith gave to Martin Harris. Based on textual and manuscript evidence scholars have suggested that the first chapter of the Book of Mosiah as we have it today was probably meant to be the third chapter of the Book of Mosiah; the first two chapters were lost with the 116 pages. This implies that Joseph had translated the Book of Lehi, and then a couple chapters of the Book of Mosiah, before giving the manuscript to Martin Harris. The reasons for this observation include (1) the fact that the Book of Mosiah doesn't begin with Mosiah, but with his son Benjamin, (2) there is no introductory summary as with all the other books that Mormon edited, and (3) the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon identified the first page of Mosiah as 'Chapter III' before it was changed to Chapter I.
**http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705384845/Scholars-Corner-The-stolen-chapters-of-Mosiah.html

*'''The Education of King Benjamin's Sons''': The Book of Mosiah begins by telling us that King Benjamin caused his sons to be "taught in all the language of his fathers" so that they could read and understand the scriptures. This implies that the language on the plates was not the language which was commonly spoken among the Nephites. In ancient cultures the wealthy were more likely to receive an education in reading and writing, and even fewer had the opportunity to learn to read a second language.

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Mormon's careful planing of the text''': In Mosiah 1:11-12 King Benjamin says that in his coming speech to his people he will "give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out." It isn't until five chapters later, in Mosiah 5:7-12 that he actually does this. This indicates careful planning on the part of the writer. This sort of careful planning is incompatible with the image of Joseph as a con man who was just winging it, making it up as he went along.

==2. King Benjamin teaches the people of their eternal indebtedness to God. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/2?lang=eng (Mosiah 2)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

===''Faithful Affirmations''===

== 3. King Benjamin repeats an angel’s prophecies about Jesus Christ and His Atonement.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/3?lang=eng (Mosiah 3)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson fifteen

2012-04-26T02:18:42Z

JamesStutz: /* Helpful Insights */

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__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson fourteen|Lesson fourteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson sixteen|Lesson sixteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 15: Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father=
'''Lesson #15- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-15-eternally-indebted-to-your-heavenly-father?lang=eng “Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father”]

==1. King Benjamin teaches his sons and has Mosiah call the people together.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/1?lang=eng (Mosiah 1)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Missing Chapters from the Book of Mosiah''': LDS scholars have observed that it is likely that part of the Book of Mosiah was lost with the 116 pages that Joseph Smith gave to Martin Harris. Based on textual and manuscript evidence scholars have suggested that the first chapter of the Book of Mosiah as we have it today was probably meant to be the third chapter of the Book of Mosiah; the first two chapters were lost with the 116 pages. This implies that Joseph had translated the Book of Lehi, and then a couple chapters of the Book of Mosiah, before giving the manuscript to Martin Harris.
The reasons for this observation include (1) the fact that the Book of Mosiah doesn't begin with Mosiah, but with his son Benjamin, (2) there is no introductory summary as with all the other books that Mormon edited, and (3) the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon identified the first page of Mosiah as 'Chapter III' before it was changed to Chapter I.
**http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705384845/Scholars-Corner-The-stolen-chapters-of-Mosiah.html

*The Education of King Benjamin's Sons: The Book of Mosiah begins by telling us that King Benjamin caused his sons to be "taught in all the language of his fathers" so that they could read and understand the scriptures. This implies that the language on the plates was not the language which was commonly spoken among the Nephites. In ancient cultures the wealthy were more likely to receive an education in reading and writing, and even fewer had the opportunity to learn to read a second language.

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. King Benjamin teaches the people of their eternal indebtedness to God. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/2?lang=eng (Mosiah 2)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

===''Faithful Affirmations''===

== 3. King Benjamin repeats an angel’s prophecies about Jesus Christ and His Atonement.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/3?lang=eng (Mosiah 3)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson fifteen

2012-04-21T16:21:09Z

JamesStutz: Created page with "{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Head..."

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__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson fourteen|Lesson fourteen]]
|next=[[../Lesson sixteen|Lesson sixteen]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 15: Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father=
'''Lesson #15- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-15-eternally-indebted-to-your-heavenly-father?lang=eng “Eternally Indebted to Your Heavenly Father”]

==1. King Benjamin teaches his sons and has Mosiah call the people together.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/1?lang=eng (Mosiah 1)]==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. King Benjamin teaches the people of their eternal indebtedness to God. [http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/2?lang=eng (Mosiah 2)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

===''Faithful Affirmations''===

== 3. King Benjamin repeats an angel’s prophecies about Jesus Christ and His Atonement.[http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/3?lang=eng (Mosiah 3)]==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===
===''Faithful Affirmations''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon

2012-04-21T16:13:54Z

JamesStutz:

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon

2012-04-21T16:12:42Z

JamesStutz:

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Twelve

2012-03-15T00:37:27Z

JamesStutz:

=Lesson 12: Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God=
'''Lesson #12- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-12-seek-ye-for-the-kingdom-of-god?lang=eng “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God”]

==1. Jacob magnifies his calling from the Lord. ({{s|Jacob|1||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Jacob as an Emotional, Sensitive Leader''': Jacob speaks of having "great anxiety" for his people (see Jacob 1:5). Thoughout the rest of the book Jacob makes frequent reference to having "axiety," or "grieving" for his people, and a number of other terms that indicate concern and compassion. All of this suggests that Jacob was an emotional and sensitive priesthood leader.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 59
*'''The Meaning of "Nephite" and "Lamanite"''': Readers of the Book of Mormon tend to read "Nephite" and "Lamanite" as genetic or tribal terms, but Jacob 1:13-14 suggests these were broader labels that carried political meaning. Those who were "not Lamanite" were Nephites, and those who sought to destroy the Nephites were Lamanites - a simple us/them dichotomy, typical of ancient societies.
**John Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 1 (1992): 1-34
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=15&num=2&id=505 "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations,"] ''FARMS Review'' 15/2 (2003): 91-128
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 477-480
*'''The Seven Lineages/Tribes''': Jacob 1:13 lists seven different tribal designations for the Lehites. This arrangement was still intact, in some sense, in Mormon's day (Mormon 1:8). This structure may have been arranged by Lehi himself, and maybe (in some sense) analogous to the twelve tribes of Israel. There may also be some connection to Mesoamerican traditions which trace their origins back to seven lineages or tribes.
**John L. Sorenson, John A. Tvedtnes, John W. Weclch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=790 "Seven Tribes: An Aspect of Lehi's Legacy,"] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon''
**Allen J. Christenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=7&id=145 "The Popol Vuh and Mormon Studies,"] ''Insights'' 20/7 (2000)
**John L. Sorenson, ''An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon'', pg. 310-313
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 479-480
*'''Where are the "Samites"?''': When Jacob lists off the names of the different tribes, no mention is made of "Samites" or descendants of Sam. This could be because Sam was promised that "thy seed shall be numbered with his [Nephi's] seed" (2 Nephi 4:11), thus Jacob and later Nephite writers may have counted Sam's seed under the tribal term of "Nephites."

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The "Heads" of Prophecies, Sermons, Etc.''': Jacob tells the reader that Nephi instructed him to engrave the "heads" of the prophecies, revelations, and other sacred topics on the plates. These don't seem to be "headings" in the modern sense (since there are not any of these in the the book of Jacob), but the Hebrew word for head can be used for "chief" or "precious," giving it the meaning of "most important." This seems to be the sense in which Jacob uses the term "heads", which maybe evidence of the Hebrew background of the text.
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Hebrew Background of the Book of Mormon," in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 90.

==2. Jacob warns against the love of riches, pride, and unchastity. ({{s|Jacob|2-3||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Temple setting''': The temple setting of Jacob's sermon suggests several things about the nature of the event. Besides the obvious implications of religious context, and spiritual/moral condemnation (rather than legal), it also suggests that it was a scheduled event, probably the day of a religious festival.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 485-486.
*'''Pending Destruction''': Jacob says that if the wicked do not repent then the righteous will be lead away, and the remaining wicked will be destroyed and see the Lamanites take possession of their lands (see Jacob 3:3-4). While modern readers might tend to see the final destruction as the fulfillment of these, this probably has reference the flight of Mosiah (the first) and his group from Nephi to the land of Zarahemla.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 502
==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Racism in the Book of Mormon''': Jacob 3:5-9 employs the rhetorical use of "skins" and being "dark skinned" and having ones skin made "whiter." This once again may elicit questions or charges of racism. As such, we provide resources on this topic yet again to assist instructors in their preparation.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness "What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?"]
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse Book of Mormon/Lamanite/Curse]
**[http://mormonvoices.org/1013/book-of-mormon-on-race"Understanding the Book of Mormon’s teachings on race,"] MormonVoices
==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The Historical/Cultural Context''': The juxtaposition of topics (wealth/pride and plural wives) and some of the specific details in Jacob's sermon can seem out of place or confusing for many readers. Some details don't seem to add up. But when Jacob's sermon is understood in the cultural context of Mesoamerica at that time, it all makes perfect sense. Flourishing trade at the time would have led to greater stratification and all the specific conditions mentioned by Jacob. At the same time, increasing ones wives and children lead to economic advantages and wives/daughters would often be exchanged with trade partners to establish binding trade relationships. Thus trade in Mesoamerica at the time of Jacob's sermon would have prodused the specific condidtions required to make sense of Jacob's choice of topics and some of the specific details mentioned in the text.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/fair-conferences/2001-fair-conference/2001-a-social-history-of-the-early-nephites "A Social History of the Early Nephites,"] 2001 FAIR Conference Presentation.
*'''Wars and Contentions''': Jacob states at the end of his sermon that there were "wars" and "contentions" (Jacob 3:13). Long believed to have been a peaceful time among the Maya, this time period is now known to have experienced continuous warfare.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 507-508

== 3. Jacob testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ({{s|Jacob|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
'''“Looking Beyond the Mark”''': Jacob 4:14 accuses the unbelieving Jews of “looking beyond the mark”. In 19th century English, the English that Joseph Smith knew and into which the Book of Mormon was translated, the word “mark” meant something equivalent to today’s word “target”. Thus, the Jews were looking beyond the “target”. Some ancient Jewish and Christian religious documents use this same phrase (“beyond the mark”) in describing their religious rivals who they believe have gone astray, thus providing a parallel for Jacob’s use of this phrase in ancient times.
*Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=29&num=2&id=590 “Missing the Mark”], Insights 20/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
*Hugh Nibley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=103&chapid=1152#_ednref65 “Rediscovery of the Apocrypha and the Book of Mormon”], in Temple and the Cosmos, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
'''Jacob as a Pre-Reform Prophet:''' Some scholars believe that Jacob’s sermon in Jacob 4 reveals that Jacob was sympathetic to some pre-Deuteronomic Reform Israelite beliefs. When Jacob speaks of “Jews” in Jerusalem, he likely has in mind a certain group of Deuteronomic Jewish reformers, not all Jews. Some of the themes that Jacob discusses in his sermon, but which were despised by these Jewish reformers in Jerusalem, include God’s association with “wisdom”, the vision of God, the relationship of Yahweh to El as a son/father relationship, and of prophetic knowledge of past and future things. Jacob was not raised in Jerusalem, but he likely learned some of these themes and of the controversies in Jerusalem from Lehi and Nephi.
*Kevin Christensen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=4&id=355 “Jacob’s Connections to First Temple Traditions”], Insights 23/4, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute
* Kevin Christensen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=2&id=344 “Nephi, Wisdom, and the Deuteronomist Reform”], Insights 23/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Twelve

2012-03-15T00:35:29Z

JamesStutz: /* 3. Jacob testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ({{s|Jacob|4||}}) */

=Lesson 12: Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God=
'''Lesson #12- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-12-seek-ye-for-the-kingdom-of-god?lang=eng “Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God”]

==1. Jacob magnifies his calling from the Lord. ({{s|Jacob|1||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
*'''Jacob as an Emotional, Sensitive Leader''': Jacob speaks of having "great anxiety" for his people (see Jacob 1:5). Thoughout the rest of the book Jacob makes frequent reference to having "axiety," or "grieving" for his people, and a number of other terms that indicate concern and compassion. All of this suggests that Jacob was an emotional and sensitive priesthood leader.
**John S. Tanner, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=860 "Jacob and His Descendants as Authors,"] in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 59
*'''The Meaning of "Nephite" and "Lamanite"''': Readers of the Book of Mormon tend to read "Nephite" and "Lamanite" as genetic or tribal terms, but Jacob 1:13-14 suggests these were broader labels that carried political meaning. Those who were "not Lamanite" were Nephites, and those who sought to destroy the Nephites were Lamanites - a simple us/them dichotomy, typical of ancient societies.
**John Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 1 (1992): 1-34
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=15&num=2&id=505 "Nephi's Neighbors: Book of Mormon Peoples and Pre-Columbian Populations,"] ''FARMS Review'' 15/2 (2003): 91-128
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 477-480
*'''The Seven Lineages/Tribes''': Jacob 1:13 lists seven different tribal designations for the Lehites. This arrangement was still intact, in some sense, in Mormon's day (Mormon 1:8). This structure may have been arranged by Lehi himself, and maybe (in some sense) analogous to the twelve tribes of Israel. There may also be some connection to Mesoamerican traditions which trace their origins back to seven lineages or tribes.
**John L. Sorenson, John A. Tvedtnes, John W. Weclch, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=790 "Seven Tribes: An Aspect of Lehi's Legacy,"] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon''
**Allen J. Christenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=7&id=145 "The Popol Vuh and Mormon Studies,"] ''Insights'' 20/7 (2000)
**John L. Sorenson, ''An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon'', pg. 310-313
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary'', vol. 2, pg. 479-480
*'''Where are the "Samites"?''': When Jacob lists off the names of the different tribes, no mention is made of "Samites" or descendants of Sam. This could be because Sam was promised that "thy seed shall be numbered with his [Nephi's] seed" (2 Nephi 4:11), thus Jacob and later Nephite writers may have counted Sam's seed under the tribal term of "Nephites."

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The "Heads" of Prophecies, Sermons, Etc.''': Jacob tells the reader that Nephi instructed him to engrave the "heads" of the prophecies, revelations, and other sacred topics on the plates. These don't seem to be "headings" in the modern sense (since there are not any of these in the the book of Jacob), but the Hebrew word for head can be used for "chief" or "precious," giving it the meaning of "most important." This seems to be the sense in which Jacob uses the term "heads", which maybe evidence of the Hebrew background of the text.
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Hebrew Background of the Book of Mormon," in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', pg. 90.

==2. Jacob warns against the love of riches, pride, and unchastity. ({{s|Jacob|2-3||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Temple setting''': The temple setting of Jacob's sermon suggests several things about the nature of the event. Besides the obvious implications of religious context, and spiritual/moral condemnation (rather than legal), it also suggests that it was a scheduled event, probably the day of a religious festival.
**Brant A. Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 485-486.
*'''Pending Destruction''': Jacob says that if the wicked do not repent then the righteous will be lead away, and the remaining wicked will be destroyed and see the Lamanites take possession of their lands (see Jacob 3:3-4). While modern readers might tend to see the final destruction as the fulfillment of these, this probably has reference the flight of Mosiah (the first) and his group from Nephi to the land of Zarahemla.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 502
==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
*'''Racism in the Book of Mormon''': Jacob 3:5-9 employs the rhetorical use of "skins" and being "dark skinned" and having ones skin made "whiter." This once again may elicit questions or charges of racism. As such, we provide resources on this topic yet again to assist instructors in their preparation.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness "What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?"]
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse Book of Mormon/Lamanite/Curse]
**[http://mormonvoices.org/1013/book-of-mormon-on-race"Understanding the Book of Mormon’s teachings on race,"] MormonVoices
==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''The Historical/Cultural Context''': The juxtaposition of topics (wealth/pride and plural wives) and some of the specific details in Jacob's sermon can seem out of place or confusing for many readers. Some details don't seem to add up. But when Jacob's sermon is understood in the cultural context of Mesoamerica at that time, it all makes perfect sense. Flourishing trade at the time would have led to greater stratification and all the specific conditions mentioned by Jacob. At the same time, increasing ones wives and children lead to economic advantages and wives/daughters would often be exchanged with trade partners to establish binding trade relationships. Thus trade in Mesoamerica at the time of Jacob's sermon would have prodused the specific condidtions required to make sense of Jacob's choice of topics and some of the specific details mentioned in the text.
**Brant A. Gardner, [http://www.fairlds.org/fair-conferences/2001-fair-conference/2001-a-social-history-of-the-early-nephites "A Social History of the Early Nephites,"] 2001 FAIR Conference Presentation.
*'''Wars and Contentions''': Jacob states at the end of his sermon that there were "wars" and "contentions" (Jacob 3:13). Long believed to have been a peaceful time among the Maya, this time period is now known to have experienced continuous warfare.
**Brant Gardner, ''Second Witness'', vol. 2, pg. 507-508

== 3. Jacob testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. ({{s|Jacob|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
'''“Looking Beyond the Mark”''': Jacob 4:14 accuses the unbelieving Jews of “looking beyond the mark”. In 19th century English, the English that Joseph Smith knew and into which the Book of Mormon was translated, the word “mark” meant something equivalent to today’s word “target”. Thus, the Jews were looking beyond the “target”. Some ancient Jewish and Christian religious documents use this same phrase (“beyond the mark”) in describing their religious rivals who they believe have gone astray, thus providing a parallel for Jacob’s use of this phrase in ancient times.
*Paul Y. Hoskisson, “Missing the Mark”, Insights 20/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell: Institute http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=29&num=2&id=590
*Hugh Nibley, “Rediscovery of the Apocrypha and the Book of Mormon”, in Temple and the Cosmos, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=103&chapid=1152#_ednref65

===''Faithful Affirmations''===
'''Jacob as a Pre-Reform Prophet:''' Some scholars believe that Jacob’s sermon in Jacob 4 reveals that Jacob was sympathetic to some pre-Deuteronomic Reform Israelite beliefs. When Jacob speaks of “Jews” in Jerusalem, he likely has in mind a certain group of Deuteronomic Jewish reformers, not all Jews. Some of the themes that Jacob discusses in his sermon, but which were despised by these Jewish reformers in Jerusalem, include God’s association with “wisdom”, the vision of God, the relationship of Yahweh to El as a son/father relationship, and of prophetic knowledge of past and future things. Jacob was not raised in Jerusalem, but he likely learned some of these themes and of the controversies in Jerusalem from Lehi and Nephi.
*Kevin Christensen, “Jacob’s Connections to First Temple Traditions”, Insights 23/4, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=4&id=355
* Kevin Christensen, “Nephi, Wisdom, and the Deuteronomist Reform”, Insights 23/2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=23&num=2&id=344

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Ten

2012-03-01T22:34:04Z

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eleven|Lesson Eleven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 10: He Inviteth All to Come unto Him=
'''Lesson #10- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-10-he-inviteth-all-to-come-unto-him?lang=eng “He Inviteth All to Come unto Him”]

==1. 1. Nephi prophesies of the Savior’s ministry among the Nephites. ({{s|2|Nephi|26||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Nephi testifies of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|27||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. Nephi prophesies that Satan will spread false doctrines in the last days. ({{s|2|Nephi|28||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

== 4. Nephi teaches about the importance of the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|29-30|}})==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Nine

2012-02-25T17:17:53Z

JamesStutz: /* General Isaiah Issues */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|next=[[../Lesson Ten|Lesson Ten]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 9: “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah”=
'''Lesson #9- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-9-my-soul-delighteth-in-the-words-of-isaiah?lang=eng My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah]
==General Isaiah Issues==
*'''"Likening" the scriptures unto ourselves''':

*'''Authorship and Dating of Isaiah: Challenges for the Book of Mormon''': Most modern scholars, including many LDS scholars, recognize that the Book of Isaiah was actually composed by more than one author, with much of the text of Isaiah being authored after the exile of Israel. Some, but not all, of the text of Isaiah found in the Book of Mormon is from those parts of Isaiah which are considered to have been authored after the exile, which took place after Lehi left Jerusalem with the brass plates. This presents an interesting challenge to the Book of Mormon if some of the quotations of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon were not actually written by "Isaiah" until after Lehi left Jerusalem. In other words, Nephi is quoting from Isaiah passages which may have not yet been written. Some LDS scholars deny that Isaiah was written by multiple authors, some after Lehi left Jerusalem. They look for evidence of the unity of Isaiah. Other LDS scholars agree that Isaiah was written by multiple scholars and have suggested reasonable solutions to the issue.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Biblical/Deutero-Isaiah

==1. Nephi testifies of Isaiah’s writings and gives keys for understanding them. ({{s|2|Nephi|11||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|25|1-7|}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Isaiah sees the latter-day temple and the gathering of Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|12||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|15||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|21|12|}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

== 4. Isaiah and Nephi testify of Jesus Christ’s redeeming power.({{s|2|Nephi|16|}}, {{s|2|Nephi|22||}}, and {{s|2|Nephi|25|19-30|}})==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Nine

2012-02-25T06:02:45Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|next=[[../Lesson Ten|Lesson Ten]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 9: “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah”=
'''Lesson #9- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-9-my-soul-delighteth-in-the-words-of-isaiah?lang=eng My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah]
==General Isaiah Issues==
*'''The Dating of Isaiah and the Book of Mormon''': Most modern scholars, including many LDS scholars, recognize that the Book of Isaiah was actually composed by more than one author, with much of the text of Isaiah being authored after the exile of Israel. Some, but not all, of the text of Isaiah found in the Book of Mormon is from those parts of Isaiah which are considered to have been authored after the exile, which took place after Lehi left Jerusalem with the brass plates. This presents an interesting challenge to the Book of Mormon if some of the quotations of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon were not actually written by "Isaiah" until after Lehi left Jerusalem. In other words, Nephi is quoting from Isaiah passages which may have not yet been written. Some LDS scholars deny that Isaiah was written by multiple authors, some after Lehi left Jerusalem. They look for evidence of the unity of Isaiah. Other LDS scholars agree that Isaiah was written by multiple scholars and have suggested reasonable solutions to the issue.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Biblical/Deutero-Isaiah

==1. Nephi testifies of Isaiah’s writings and gives keys for understanding them. ({{s|2|Nephi|11||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|25|1-7|}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Isaiah sees the latter-day temple and the gathering of Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|12||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|15||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|21|12|}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

== 4. Isaiah and Nephi testify of Jesus Christ’s redeeming power.({{s|2|Nephi|16|}}, {{s|2|Nephi|22||}}, and {{s|2|Nephi|25|19-30|}})==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Nine

2012-02-25T06:02:14Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 9: “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah”=
'''Lesson #9- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-9-my-soul-delighteth-in-the-words-of-isaiah?lang=eng My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah]
==General Isaiah Issues==
*'''The Dating of Isaiah and the Book of Mormon''': Most modern scholars, including many LDS scholars, recognize that the Book of Isaiah was actually composed by more than one author, with much of the text of Isaiah being authored after the exile of Israel. Some, but not all, of the text of Isaiah found in the Book of Mormon is from those parts of Isaiah which are considered to have been authored after the exile, which took place after Lehi left Jerusalem with the brass plates. This presents an interesting challenge to the Book of Mormon if some of the quotations of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon were not actually written by "Isaiah" until after Lehi left Jerusalem. In other words, Nephi is quoting from Isaiah passages which may have not yet been written. Some LDS scholars deny that Isaiah was written by multiple authors, some after Lehi left Jerusalem. They look for evidence of the unity of Isaiah. Other LDS scholars agree that Isaiah was written by multiple scholars and have suggested reasonable solutions to the issue.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Biblical/Deutero-Isaiah

==1. Nephi testifies of Isaiah’s writings and gives keys for understanding them. ({{s|2|Nephi|11||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|25|1-7|}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Isaiah sees the latter-day temple and the gathering of Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|12||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|15||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|21|12|}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

== 4. Isaiah and Nephi testify of Jesus Christ’s redeeming power.({{s|2|Nephi|16|}}, {{s|2|Nephi|22||}}, and {{s|2|Nephi|25|19-30|}})==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Nine

2012-02-25T05:54:33Z

JamesStutz: /* 1. 1. Nephi testifies of Isaiah’s writings and gives keys for understanding them. ({{s|2|Nephi|11||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|25|1-7|}}) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 9: “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah”=
'''Lesson #9- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-9-my-soul-delighteth-in-the-words-of-isaiah?lang=eng My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah]
==1. Nephi testifies of Isaiah’s writings and gives keys for understanding them. ({{s|2|Nephi|11||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|25|1-7|}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Isaiah sees the latter-day temple and the gathering of Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|12||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|15||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|21|12|}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

== 4. Isaiah and Nephi testify of Jesus Christ’s redeeming power.({{s|2|Nephi|16|}}, {{s|2|Nephi|22||}}, and {{s|2|Nephi|25|19-30|}})==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Nine

2012-02-25T05:52:35Z

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 9: “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah”=
'''Lesson #9- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-9-my-soul-delighteth-in-the-words-of-isaiah?lang=eng My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah]
==1. 1. Nephi testifies of Isaiah’s writings and gives keys for understanding them. ({{s|2|Nephi|11||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|25|1-7|}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Isaiah sees the latter-day temple and the gathering of Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|12||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. Isaiah prophesies that the Lord will raise an ensign and gather Israel. ({{s|2|Nephi|15||}} and {{s|2|Nephi|21|12|}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

== 4. Isaiah and Nephi testify of Jesus Christ’s redeeming power.({{s|2|Nephi|16|}}, {{s|2|Nephi|22||}}, and {{s|2|Nephi|25|19-30|}})==

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Eight

2012-02-17T12:19:09Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 8: O How Great the Goodness of Our God=
'''Lesson #8- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-8-o-how-great-the-goodness-of-our-god?lang=eng O How Great the Goodness of Our God]
==1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
'''Structure of 2 Nephi 9:'''
*Jacob explains the Resurrection and the Jugement (1-16)
*A Hymn to the Holy One of Israel (17-24)
*The Law and the First Wo (25-27)
*Nine More Woes (28-38)
*Jacob Exhorts His People to Remember (39-54
**(Structure according to Grant Hardy, The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition)

'''Jacob's Sermon:''' 2 Nephi 6-10 is a sermon by Nephi's younger brother Jacob given at the instruction of Nephi (2 Nephi 6:4). This sermon is inserted into the text by Nephi with no warning, and immediately follows Nephi's conclusion of his family's journey and the eventual tragic division of the family into "Nephites" and "Lamanites". It may be that Nephi felt that Jacob's sermon appropriately addressed some of the challenges that Nephi's community was facing. Jacob begins his sermon by quoting Isaiah and commenting on the meaning of it. In chapter 6 Jacob reveals that God has told him that Jerusalem has been destroyed, but that Israel will be gathered again, both in that century and again at the Messiah's ''second'' coming. Chapters 7-8 are direct quotations of Isaiah 50-52:2.
*Did Joseph Smith plagiarize from the KJV Bible?, FAIR Wiki, http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Plagiarism_accusations/King_James_Bible

'''Jacob "Read" His Sermon''': In 2 Nephi 9:1 Jacob notes that he "read" Isaiah to his audience. The custom among ancient Jews was to stand and read from the scriptures in the synagogue. Jacob's sermon was originally delivered orally, and perhaps only later written down either by Jacob or by Nephi.
*"Reading the Torah", http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/torah_reading.html.

'''The Occasion of Jacob's Sermon:''' An Israelite Festival: LDS scholar John S. Thompson has examined the thematic elements and textual structure of Jacob's sermon and concluded that it fits the ancient Near Eastern covenant/treaty pattern. This pattern consists of a six-part form: Preamble, Historical Overview and Covenant Speech Proper, Stipulations of the Covenant or Treaty, Cursings and Blessings, Witness Formula, and Recording of the Contract. Thompson found all of these elements in Jacob's sermon. He notes, "Basing their arguments on covenant/treaty forms found in the biblical text, Gerhard von Rad and others have concluded that the Israelites periodically held a covenant-renewal ceremony during the Feast of the Tabernacles (Sukkot). Hence, the presence of this structure in Jacob's sermon may also suggest the possibility that he gave his covenant speech during this festival as well."
*John S. Thompson, "Isaiah 50-51, the Israelite Autumn Festivals, and the Covenant Speech of Jacob in 2 Nephi 6-10," in ''Isaiah in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Donald Parry and John Welch (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1998), 124-125.

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
'''Is Hell Eternal?''': Jacob describes the fate of the wicked as being "everlasting fire...a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end." Some may wonder whether this means hell is eternal. However, the Lord clarified in D&C that hell is not eternal except in the sense that "Eternal" is a name for God, and so "Eternal punishment" is "God's punishment" on the wicked.
*"What is Endless Punishment?", http://en.fairmormon.org/Plan_of_salvation/What_is_%22endless_punishment%22

'''Omniscience of God''': What does Jacob mean when he says that God "knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it?". There are varying perspectives among Latter-day Saints regarding the nature of God's knowledge.
* God's Foreknowledge, http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Foreknowledge

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
'''"The Divine Warrior":''' Jacob draws upon ancient conceptions of Jehovah as a "divine warrior", a perspective unfamiliar to many modern people, but which was familiar in ancient Israel. Jacob explores how God will fight for Israel and at last Israel will find peace through its covenant relationship with Jehovah. This sermon comes at a time of confusion for the Nephites, who had split from their family (the Lamanites, who were now their enemies) and were finding that the Promised Land was not quite as heavenly as they had hoped.
*Daniel Belnap, "The Divine Warrior in Jacob's Speech of 2 Nephi 6-10", Journal of the Book of Mormon and Restoration Scripture: Volume - 17, Issue - 1, Pages: 20-39, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2008, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=17&num=1&id=463

'''Death and Hell as Monsters''': In describing the power of God Jacob explains that God rescues men "from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell". This conception of death and hell as "monsters" echoes some ancient ideas that existed among the Canaanites and Israelites about death. God was conceptualized as fighting against, and conquering, cosmic forces which often took the form of monsters. Similar ideas are also found in Paul's "participationist" model of salvation in which sin is a cosmic power which Jesus defeats.
*"The Personification of Death and Hell", in Testaments: Links Between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible" by David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2004
*Brant Gardner, "Second Witness", vol 2, pg. 163-174
*Bart Ehrman, "A Brief Introduction to the New Testament", pg. 266-268, http://www.us.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161238/studentresources/chapter16/?view=usa

==2. Certain attitudes and actions prevent us from receiving all the blessings of the Atonement. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. The Lord remembers His covenants with His people. ({{s|2|Nephi|10||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Eight

2012-02-17T12:18:51Z

JamesStutz: /* 1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}}) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 8: O How Great the Goodness of Our God=
'''Lesson #8- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-8-o-how-great-the-goodness-of-our-god?lang=eng O How Great the Goodness of Our God]
==1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
'''Structure of 2 Nephi 9:'''
*Jacob explains the Resurrection and the Jugement (1-16)
*A Hymn to the Holy One of Israel (17-24)
*The Law and the First Wo (25-27)
*Nine More Woes (28-38)
*Jacob Exhorts His People to Remember (39-54
**(Structure according to Grant Hardy, The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition)

'''Jacob's Sermon:''' 2 Nephi 6-10 is a sermon by Nephi's younger brother Jacob given at the instruction of Nephi (2 Nephi 6:4). This sermon is inserted into the text by Nephi with no warning, and immediately follows Nephi's conclusion of his family's journey and the eventual tragic division of the family into "Nephites" and "Lamanites". It may be that Nephi felt that Jacob's sermon appropriately addressed some of the challenges that Nephi's community was facing. Jacob begins his sermon by quoting Isaiah and commenting on the meaning of it. In chapter 6 Jacob reveals that God has told him that Jerusalem has been destroyed, but that Israel will be gathered again, both in that century and again at the Messiah's ''second'' coming. Chapters 7-8 are direct quotations of Isaiah 50-52:2.
*Did Joseph Smith plagiarize from the KJV Bible?, FAIR Wiki, http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Plagiarism_accusations/King_James_Bible

'''Jacob "Read" His Sermon''': In 2 Nephi 9:1 Jacob notes that he "read" Isaiah to his audience. The custom among ancient Jews was to stand and read from the scriptures in the synagogue. Jacob's sermon was originally delivered orally, and perhaps only later written down either by Jacob or by Nephi.
*"Reading the Torah", http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/torah_reading.html.

'''The Occasion of Jacob's Sermon:''' An Israelite Festival: LDS scholar John S. Thompson has examined the thematic elements and textual structure of Jacob's sermon and concluded that it fits the ancient Near Eastern covenant/treaty pattern. This pattern consists of a six-part form: Preamble, Historical Overview and Covenant Speech Proper, Stipulations of the Covenant or Treaty, Cursings and Blessings, Witness Formula, and Recording of the Contract. Thompson found all of these elements in Jacob's sermon. He notes, "Basing their arguments on covenant/treaty forms found in the biblical text, Gerhard von Rad and others have concluded that the Israelites periodically held a covenant-renewal ceremony during the Feast of the Tabernacles (Sukkot). Hence, the presence of this structure in Jacob's sermon may also suggest the possibility that he gave his covenant speech during this festival as well."
*John S. Thompson, "Isaiah 50-51, the Israelite Autumn Festivals, and the Covenant Speech of Jacob in 2 Nephi 6-10," in ''Isaiah in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Donald Parry and John Welch (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1998), 124-125.

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
'''Is Hell Eternal?''': Jacob describes the fate of the wicked as being "everlasting fire...a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end." Some may wonder whether this means hell is eternal. However, the Lord clarified in D&C that hell is not eternal except in the sense that "Eternal" is a name for God, and so "Eternal punishment" is "God's punishment" on the wicked.
*"What is Endless Punishment?", http://en.fairmormon.org/Plan_of_salvation/What_is_%22endless_punishment%22

'''Omniscience of God''': What does Jacob mean when he says that God "knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it?". There are varying perspectives among Latter-day Saints regarding the nature of God's knowledge.
* God's Foreknowledge, http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Foreknowledge

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
'''"The Divine Warrior":''' Jacob draws upon ancient conceptions of Jehovah as a "divine warrior", a perspective unfamiliar to many modern people, but which was familiar in ancient Israel. Jacob explores how God will fight for Israel and at last Israel will find peace through its covenant relationship with Jehovah. This sermon comes at a time of confusion for the Nephites, who had split from their family (the Lamanites, who were now their enemies) and were finding that the Promised Land was not quite as heavenly as they had hoped.
*Daniel Belnap, "The Divine Warrior in Jacob's Speech of 2 Nephi 6-10", Journal of the Book of Mormon and Restoration Scripture: Volume - 17, Issue - 1, Pages: 20-39, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2008, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=17&num=1&id=463

'''Death and Hell as Monsters''': In describing the power of God Jacob explains that God rescues men "from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell". This conception of death and hell as "monsters" echoes some ancient ideas that existed among the Canaanites and Israelites about death. God was conceptualized as fighting against, and conquering, cosmic forces which often took the form of monsters. Similar ideas are also found in Paul's "participationist" model of salvation in which sin is a cosmic power which Jesus defeats.
*"The Personification of Death and Hell", in Testaments: Links Between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible" by David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2004
*Brant Gardner, "Second Witness", vol 2, pg. 163-174
*Bart Ehrman, "A Brief Introduction to the New Testament", pg. 266-268, http://www.us.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161238/studentresources/chapter16/?view=usa

==2. Certain attitudes and actions prevent us from receiving all the blessings of the Atonement. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. The Lord remembers His covenants with His people. ({{s|2|Nephi|10||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Eight

2012-02-17T12:06:54Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 8: O How Great the Goodness of Our God=
'''Lesson #8- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-8-o-how-great-the-goodness-of-our-god?lang=eng O How Great the Goodness of Our God]
==1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
'''Structure of 2 Nephi 9:'''
*Jacob explains the Resurrection and the Jugement (1-16)
*A Hymn to the Holy One of Israel (17-24)
*The Law and the First Wo (25-27)
*Nine More Woes (28-38)
*Jacob Exhorts His People to Remember (39-54
**(Structure according to Grant Hardy, The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition)

'''Jacob's Sermon:''' 2 Nephi 6-10 is a sermon by Nephi's younger brother Jacob given at the instruction of Nephi (2 Nephi 6:4). This sermon is inserted into the text by Nephi with no warning, and immediately follows Nephi's conclusion of his family's journey and the eventual tragic division of the family into "Nephites" and "Lamanites". It may be that Nephi felt that Jacob's sermon appropriately addressed some of the challenges that Nephi's community was facing. Jacob begins his sermon by quoting Isaiah and commenting on the meaning of it. In chapter 6 Jacob reveals that God has told him that Jerusalem has been destroyed, but that Israel will be gathered again, both in that century and again at the Messiah's ''second'' coming. Chapters 7-8 are direct quotations of Isaiah 50-52:2.
*Did Joseph Smith plagiarize from the KJV Bible?, FAIR Wiki, http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Plagiarism_accusations/King_James_Bible

'''Jacob "Read" His Sermon''': In 2 Nephi 9:1 Jacob notes that he "read" Isaiah to his audience. The custom among ancient Jews was to stand and read from the scriptures in the synagogue. Jacob's sermon was originally delivered orally, and perhaps only later written down either by Jacob or by Nephi.
*"Reading the Torah", http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/torah_reading.html.

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
'''Is Hell Eternal?''': Jacob describes the fate of the wicked as being "everlasting fire...a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end." Some may wonder whether this means hell is eternal. However, the Lord clarified in D&C that hell is not eternal except in the sense that "Eternal" is a name for God, and so "Eternal punishment" is "God's punishment" on the wicked.
*"What is Endless Punishment?", http://en.fairmormon.org/Plan_of_salvation/What_is_%22endless_punishment%22

'''Omniscience of God''': What does Jacob mean when he says that God "knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it?". There are varying perspectives among Latter-day Saints regarding the nature of God's knowledge.
* God's Foreknowledge, http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Foreknowledge

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
'''"The Divine Warrior":''' Jacob draws upon ancient conceptions of Jehovah as a "divine warrior", a perspective unfamiliar to many modern people, but which was familiar in ancient Israel. Jacob explores how God will fight for Israel and at last Israel will find peace through its covenant relationship with Jehovah. This sermon comes at a time of confusion for the Nephites, who had split from their family (the Lamanites, who were now their enemies) and were finding that the Promised Land was not quite as heavenly as they had hoped.
*Daniel Belnap, "The Divine Warrior in Jacob's Speech of 2 Nephi 6-10", Journal of the Book of Mormon and Restoration Scripture: Volume - 17, Issue - 1, Pages: 20-39, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2008, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=17&num=1&id=463

'''Death and Hell as Monsters''': In describing the power of God Jacob explains that God rescues men "from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell". This conception of death and hell as "monsters" echoes some ancient ideas that existed among the Canaanites and Israelites about death. God was conceptualized as fighting against, and conquering, cosmic forces which often took the form of monsters. Similar ideas are also found in Paul's "participationist" model of salvation in which sin is a cosmic power which Jesus defeats.
*"The Personification of Death and Hell", in Testaments: Links Between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible" by David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2004
*Brant Gardner, "Second Witness", vol 2, pg. 163-174
*Bart Ehrman, "A Brief Introduction to the New Testament", pg. 266-268, http://www.us.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161238/studentresources/chapter16/?view=usa

==2. Certain attitudes and actions prevent us from receiving all the blessings of the Atonement. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. The Lord remembers His covenants with His people. ({{s|2|Nephi|10||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Eight

2012-02-17T04:16:50Z

JamesStutz: /* 1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}}) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 8: O How Great the Goodness of Our God=
'''Lesson #8- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-8-o-how-great-the-goodness-of-our-god?lang=eng O How Great the Goodness of Our God]
==1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
'''Structure of 2 Nephi 9:'''
*Jacob explains the Resurrection and the Jugement (1-16)
*A Hymn to the Holy One of Israel (17-24)**The Law and the First Wo (25-27)
*Nine More Woes (28-38)
*Jacob Exhorts His People to Remember (39-54
**(Structure according to Grant Hardy, The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition)

'''Jacob's Sermon:''' 2 Nephi 6-10 is a sermon by Nephi's younger brother Jacob, given at the instruction of Nephi (2 Nephi 6:4). This sermon is inserted into the text by Nephi with no warning, and immediately follows Nephi's conclusion of his family's journey and the eventual tragic division of the family into "Nephites" and "Lamanites". It may be that Nephi felt that Jacob's sermon appropriately addressed some of the challenges that Nephi's community was facing. Jacob begins his sermon by quoting Isaiah and commenting on the meaning of it. In chapter 6 Jacob reveals that God has told him that Jerusalem has been destroyed, but that Israel will be gathered again, both in that century and again at the Messiah's ''second'' coming. Chapters 7-8 are direct quotations of Isaiah 50-52:2.
*Did Joseph Smith plagiarize from the KJV Bible?, FAIR Wiki, http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Plagiarism_accusations/King_James_Bible

'''Jacob "Read" His Sermon''': In 2 Nephi 9:1 Jacob notes that he "read" Isaiah to his audience. The custom among ancient Jews was to stand and read from the scriptures in the synagogue. Jacob's sermon was originally delivered orally, and perhaps only later written down either by Jacob or by Nephi.
*"Reading the Torah", http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/torah_reading.html.

==='''''Potential Criticisms'''''===
'''Is Hell Eternal?''': Jacob describes the fate of the wicked as being "everlasting fire...a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever and has no end." Some may wonder whether this means hell is eternal. However, the Lord clarified in D&C that hell is not eternal except in the sense that "Eternal" is a name for God, and so "Eternal punishment" is "God's punishment" on the wicked.
*"What is Endless Punishment?", http://en.fairmormon.org/Plan_of_salvation/What_is_%22endless_punishment%22

'''Omniscience of God''': What does Jacob mean when he says that God "knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it?". There are varying perspectives among Latter-day Saints regarding the nature of God's knowledge.
* God's Foreknowledge, http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Foreknowledge

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
"The Divine Warrior": Jacob draws upon ancient conceptions of Jehovah as a "divine warrior", a concept unfamiliar to many modern people, but which would have been common in Nephi's day. Jacob explores how God will fight for Israel and at last Israel will find peace. This sermon comes at a time of confusion for the Nephites, who had split from their family (the Lamanites, who were now their enemies) and were finding that the Promised Land was not quite as heavenly as they had hoped.
*Daniel Belnap, "The Divine Warrior in Jacob's Speech of 2 Nephi 6-10", Journal of the Book of Mormon and Restoration Scripture: Volume - 17, Issue - 1, Pages: 20-39, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2008, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=17&num=1&id=463

'''Death and Hell as Monsters''': In describing the power of God Jacob explains that God rescues men "from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell". This conception of death and hell as "monsters" echoes some ancient ideas that existed among the Canaanites and Israelites about death. God was conceptualized as fighting against, and conquering, cosmic forces which often took the form of monsters. Similar ideas are also found in Paul's "participationist" model of salvation in which sin is a cosmic power which Jesus defeats.
*"The Personification of Death and Hell", in Testaments: Links Between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible" by David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2004
*Brant Gardner, "Second Witness", vol 2, pg. 163-174
*Bart Ehrman, "A Brief Introduction to the New Testament", pg. 266-268, http://www.us.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161238/studentresources/chapter16/?view=usa

==2. Certain attitudes and actions prevent us from receiving all the blessings of the Atonement. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. The Lord remembers His covenants with His people. ({{s|2|Nephi|10||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Eight

2012-02-17T03:52:04Z

JamesStutz: /* 1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}}) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 8: O How Great the Goodness of Our God=
'''Lesson #8- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-8-o-how-great-the-goodness-of-our-god?lang=eng O How Great the Goodness of Our God]
==1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
==='''''Helpful Insights'''''===
'''Structure of 2 Nephi 9:'''
*Jacob explains the Resurrection and the Jugement (1-16)
*A Hymn to the Holy One of Israel (17-24)**The Law and the First Wo (25-27)
*Nine More Woes (28-38)
*Jacob Exhorts His People to Remember (39-54
**(Structure according to Grant Hardy, The Book of Mormon: A Reader's Edition)

'''Jacob's Sermon:''' 2 Nephi 6-10 is a sermon by Nephi's younger brother Jacob, given at the instruction of Nephi (2 Nephi 6:4). This sermon is inserted into the text by Nephi with no warning, and immediately follows Nephi's conclusion of his family's journey and the eventual tragic division of the family into "Nephites" and "Lamanites". It may be that Nephi felt that Jacob's sermon appropriately addressed some of the challenges that Nephi's community was facing. Jacob begins his sermon by quoting Isaiah and commenting on the meaning of it. In chapter 6 Jacob reveals that God has told him that Jerusalem has been destroyed, but that Israel will be gathered again, both in that century and again at the Messiah's ''second'' coming. Chapters 7-8 are direct quotations of Isaiah 50-52:2.
*Did Joseph Smith plagiarize from the KJV Bible?, FAIR Wiki, http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Plagiarism_accusations/King_James_Bible

'''Jacob "Read" His Sermon''': In 2 Nephi 9:1 Jacob notes that he "read" Isaiah to his audience. The custom among ancient Jews was to stand and read from the scriptures in the synagogue. Jacob's sermon was originally delivered orally, and perhaps only later written down either by Jacob or by Nephi.
*"Reading the Torah", http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/torah_reading.html

'''Death and Hell as Monsters''': In describing the power of God Jacob explains that God rescues men "from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell". This conception of death and hell as "monsters" echoes some ancient ideas that existed among the Canaanites and Israelites about death. God was conceptualized as fighting against, and conquering, cosmic forces which often took the form of monsters. Similar ideas are also found in Paul's "participationist" model of salvation in which sin is a cosmic power which Jesus defeats.
*Brant Gardner, "Second Witness", vol 2, pg. 163-174
*Bart Ehrman, "A Brief Introduction to the New Testament", pg. 266-268, http://www.us.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161238/studentresources/chapter16/?view=usa

==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Certain attitudes and actions prevent us from receiving all the blessings of the Atonement. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. The Lord remembers His covenants with His people. ({{s|2|Nephi|10||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Eight

2012-02-17T02:52:11Z

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|next=[[../Lesson Nine|Lesson Nine]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 8: O How Great the Goodness of Our God=
'''Lesson #8- Sunday School Manual''': [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-8-o-how-great-the-goodness-of-our-god?lang=eng O How Great the Goodness of Our God]
==1. Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ offers redemption from temporal death and spiritual death. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===

==2. Certain attitudes and actions prevent us from receiving all the blessings of the Atonement. ({{s|2|Nephi|9||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

== 3. The Lord remembers His covenants with His people. ({{s|2|Nephi|10||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===

===''Potential Criticisms''===

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Seven

2012-02-11T03:18:03Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted=
'''Lesson #7- Sunday School Manual''': http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-7-i-know-in-whom-i-have-trusted?lang=eng
==1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}})==
==='''''Faith Affirmations'''''===
*'''Joseph of Egypt's Prophecy''': Lehi quotes an otherwise unknown prophecy from the ancient patriarch Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. At least part of this prophecy can be corroborated by ancient sources.
**Joseph's Prophecy of Moses and Aaron, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=1&id=178

==2. Nephi laments his sinfulness but glories in the goodness of God. ({{s|2|Nephi|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Nephi's Psalm''': This chapter contains Nephi's poetic reflections and prayers to God; in short, it is "Nephi's Psalm". LDS scholars have discussed the poetic beauty and ancient character of this psalm.
**Nephi's Psalm: 2 Nephi 4:16-35 in the Light of Form-Critical Analysis, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=145
**Reflections of Nephi's Vision in His Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=2&id=108
**Two Hymns Based on Nephi's Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=253
**From Distance to Proximity: A Poetic Function of Enallage in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=213

== 3. The anger of Laman and Lemuel increases against Nephi, and the Lord commands the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. ({{s|2|Nephi|5||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Politics of Nephi's Book''': In 2 Nephi 5:3 Laman and Lemuel repeat a concern that they express elsewhere in the text: that they do not want Nephi to “rule over us.” It is important to remember that Nephi is writing this account decades after the fact, and during a time when he has already split from his brothers and is now the ruler over the people of Nephi (v 9). As Nephi writes about events from his past he has at least two messages for his audience: 1) the gospel message and 2) that he is the rightful heir to Lehi's spiritual and patriarchal authority, not Laman and Lemuel. Nephi is not writing a neutral and objective history, but rather he is selectively crafting a narrative that will support and legitimize his (Nephi’s) claim to leadership among his people. It is, as one prominent LDS scholar has suggested, a “lineage history”.
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: The Political Dimension, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1053
**Nephi's Political Testament, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=874
**The Political Dimension in Nephi's Small Plates, https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=5852

*'''Non-Lehite Natives''': 2 Nephi 5:6 explains that Nephi, Zoram, Sam (including each of their respective spouses and children), Jacob, Joseph, and Nephi’s sisters, all fled with Nephi from Laman and Lemuel (and their followers). Curiously, Nephi adds to this list of people by including “and all those who would go with me.” Is this a passive reference to the pre-Lehite natives of the Americas who had possibly intermingled with the Lehites? There is no doubt that there were other people on the continent when Lehi and family arrived (and not just the Jaredites). Later in the chapter (2 Nephi 5:34) it is noted that after only a few decades the Nephites and Lamanites had already had “wars and contentions”. This makes the most sense if the groups are much larger than the original group (plus subsequent children) who came on the boat (about 40-50 people). The greater numbers required for “wars and contentions” could be easily be explained by the native inhabitants of the land who joined themselves to the Nephites and Lamanites.
**John Sorenson, When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3
**John L. Sorenson, Nephite Culture and Society, ed. Matthew R. Sorenson (Salt Lake City: New Sage Books, 1997), 66.
**Brant Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of MormonI, vol. 2, pp 6-9.

*'''The Small Plates of Nephi''': The books of 1st and 2nd Nephi, sometimes referred to as the "small" plates of Nephi, were written by Nephi many years after the events they describe happened, when Nephi was an old man. They are actually the second record that Nephi made, the first being a "large" set of plates. The small plates of Nephi record the more spiritual aspects of Nephi's ministry. When Mormon was editing and compiling the Book of Mormon he did not intend for the small plates of Nephi (1st and 2nd Nephi) to be a part of his book. They ended up in the Book of Mormon because the Book of Lehi, which was Mormon's summary of the same events, went missing with Martin Harris. The Lord inspired Nephi to make that second, smaller, record, and we are very grateful he did or we would not know the story of Nephi.
**Illustration: "Book of Mormon Plates and Records", http://byustudies.byu.edu/book_of_mormon_charts/charts/13.aspx
**Plates and Records in the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=51&chapid=426
**When Did Nephi Write the Small Plates?, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1051
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: Serving Practical Needs, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1052
**The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1047
**Brant Gardner, Mormon's Editorial Method and Meta-Message, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=1&id=759

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy and Swords''': Metalworking in the Book of Mormon has not yet been completely supported by archaeology, but the case has become substantially stronger in the past few decades as new data has emerged. New information may continue to emerge in the future. Swords are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but the text should be examined carefully to see what it does and does not say about the nature of these swords. The ancient Mesoamericans had a unique type of sword which was very deadly.
**Metals: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals
**Swords: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Warfare/Swords

*'''Nephite Temple''': Nephi explains that he caused his people to construct a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon”. Some critics argue that a devout Israelite (Nephi was not a Jew, being from the tribe of Manasseh) would never build a temple outside of Jerusalem. However, this is simply not true as several examples of Israelite/Jewish temples have been excavated in areas very far from Jerusalem. Furthermore, it is now known that some Mesoamerican “temples” had a similar floorplan to Solomon’s ancient temple.
**Temple in the New World: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon_anachronisms/Temple_in_New_World

*'''Black Skin and the Lamanite Curse''': Nephi explains that because the Lamanites hardened their hearts “the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). This has traditionally been interpreted very literally by LDS readers as a miracle in which the Lord actually changes the color of the skin of the Lamanites. In recent years LDS scholars and researchers have challenged that notion by pointing to examples in the text where a black/white division between Nephites and Lamanites does not make sense. Instead, the description of the Lamanites as being “dark” or having a “skin of blackness” can be read as a metaphorical description of their state of wickedness. This kind of metaphorical use of skin color has precedent in the Old Testament, and makes the more sense of some Book of Mormon stories. Furthermore, it is useful to distinguish between the “curse” and the “mark” that was placed on the Lamanites. Finally, these passages have nothing whatsoever to do with the pre-1978 priesthood ban and can not be appropriately used, as some have tried to do, to demonstrate that Mormons are racist.
**Brant Gardner, What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?, http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness
**Lamanites' Curse: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse
**Racism, MormonVoices.org, http://mormonvoices.org/19/racism

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Seven

2012-02-11T03:15:11Z

JamesStutz: /* Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted=
'''Lesson #7- Sunday School Manual''': http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-7-i-know-in-whom-i-have-trusted?lang=eng
==1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}})==
*'''Joseph of Egypt's Prophecy''': Lehi quotes an otherwise unknown prophecy from the ancient patriarch Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. At least part of this prophecy can be corroborated by ancient sources.
**Joseph's Prophecy of Moses and Aaron, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=1&id=178

==2. Nephi laments his sinfulness but glories in the goodness of God. ({{s|2|Nephi|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Nephi's Psalm''': This chapter contains Nephi's poetic reflections and prayers to God; in short, it is "Nephi's Psalm". LDS scholars have discussed the poetic beauty and ancient character of this psalm.
**Nephi's Psalm: 2 Nephi 4:16-35 in the Light of Form-Critical Analysis, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=145
**Reflections of Nephi's Vision in His Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=2&id=108
**Two Hymns Based on Nephi's Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=253
**From Distance to Proximity: A Poetic Function of Enallage in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=213

== 3. The anger of Laman and Lemuel increases against Nephi, and the Lord commands the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. ({{s|2|Nephi|5||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Politics of Nephi's Book''': In 2 Nephi 5:3 Laman and Lemuel repeat a concern that they express elsewhere in the text: that they do not want Nephi to “rule over us.” It is important to remember that Nephi is writing this account decades after the fact, and during a time when he has already split from his brothers and is now the ruler over the people of Nephi (v 9). As Nephi writes about events from his past he has at least two messages for his audience: 1) the gospel message and 2) that he is the rightful heir to Lehi's spiritual and patriarchal authority, not Laman and Lemuel. Nephi is not writing a neutral and objective history, but rather he is selectively crafting a narrative that will support and legitimize his (Nephi’s) claim to leadership among his people. It is, as one prominent LDS scholar has suggested, a “lineage history”.
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: The Political Dimension, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1053
**Nephi's Political Testament, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=874
**The Political Dimension in Nephi's Small Plates, https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=5852

*'''Non-Lehite Natives''': 2 Nephi 5:6 explains that Nephi, Zoram, Sam (including each of their respective spouses and children), Jacob, Joseph, and Nephi’s sisters, all fled with Nephi from Laman and Lemuel (and their followers). Curiously, Nephi adds to this list of people by including “and all those who would go with me.” Is this a passive reference to the pre-Lehite natives of the Americas who had possibly intermingled with the Lehites? There is no doubt that there were other people on the continent when Lehi and family arrived (and not just the Jaredites). Later in the chapter (2 Nephi 5:34) it is noted that after only a few decades the Nephites and Lamanites had already had “wars and contentions”. This makes the most sense if the groups are much larger than the original group (plus subsequent children) who came on the boat (about 40-50 people). The greater numbers required for “wars and contentions” could be easily be explained by the native inhabitants of the land who joined themselves to the Nephites and Lamanites.
**John Sorenson, When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3
**John L. Sorenson, Nephite Culture and Society, ed. Matthew R. Sorenson (Salt Lake City: New Sage Books, 1997), 66.
**Brant Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of MormonI, vol. 2, pp 6-9.

*'''The Small Plates of Nephi''': The books of 1st and 2nd Nephi, sometimes referred to as the "small" plates of Nephi, were written by Nephi many years after the events they describe happened, when Nephi was an old man. They are actually the second record that Nephi made, the first being a "large" set of plates. The small plates of Nephi record the more spiritual aspects of Nephi's ministry. When Mormon was editing and compiling the Book of Mormon he did not intend for the small plates of Nephi (1st and 2nd Nephi) to be a part of his book. They ended up in the Book of Mormon because the Book of Lehi, which was Mormon's summary of the same events, went missing with Martin Harris. The Lord inspired Nephi to make that second, smaller, record, and we are very grateful he did or we would not know the story of Nephi.
**Illustration: "Book of Mormon Plates and Records", http://byustudies.byu.edu/book_of_mormon_charts/charts/13.aspx
**Plates and Records in the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=51&chapid=426
**When Did Nephi Write the Small Plates?, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1051
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: Serving Practical Needs, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1052
**The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1047
**Brant Gardner, Mormon's Editorial Method and Meta-Message, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=1&id=759

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy and Swords''': Metalworking in the Book of Mormon has not yet been completely supported by archaeology, but the case has become substantially stronger in the past few decades as new data has emerged. New information may continue to emerge in the future. Swords are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but the text should be examined carefully to see what it does and does not say about the nature of these swords. The ancient Mesoamericans had a unique type of sword which was very deadly.
**Metals: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals
**Swords: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Warfare/Swords

*'''Nephite Temple''': Nephi explains that he caused his people to construct a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon”. Some critics argue that a devout Israelite (Nephi was not a Jew, being from the tribe of Manasseh) would never build a temple outside of Jerusalem. However, this is simply not true as several examples of Israelite/Jewish temples have been excavated in areas very far from Jerusalem. Furthermore, it is now known that some Mesoamerican “temples” had a similar floorplan to Solomon’s ancient temple.
**Temple in the New World: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon_anachronisms/Temple_in_New_World

*'''Black Skin and the Lamanite Curse''': Nephi explains that because the Lamanites hardened their hearts “the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). This has traditionally been interpreted very literally by LDS readers as a miracle in which the Lord actually changes the color of the skin of the Lamanites. In recent years LDS scholars and researchers have challenged that notion by pointing to examples in the text where a black/white division between Nephites and Lamanites does not make sense. Instead, the description of the Lamanites as being “dark” or having a “skin of blackness” can be read as a metaphorical description of their state of wickedness. This kind of metaphorical use of skin color has precedent in the Old Testament, and makes the more sense of some Book of Mormon stories. Furthermore, it is useful to distinguish between the “curse” and the “mark” that was placed on the Lamanites. Finally, these passages have nothing whatsoever to do with the pre-1978 priesthood ban and can not be appropriately used, as some have tried to do, to demonstrate that Mormons are racist.
**Brant Gardner, What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?, http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness
**Lamanites' Curse: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse
**Racism, MormonVoices.org, http://mormonvoices.org/19/racism

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Seven

2012-02-11T03:13:50Z

JamesStutz: /* Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted=
Lesson #7- Sunday School Manual: http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-7-i-know-in-whom-i-have-trusted?lang=eng
==1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}})==
*Joseph of Egypt's Prophecy: Lehi quotes an otherwise unknown prophecy from the ancient patriarch Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. At least part of this prophecy can be corroborated by ancient sources.
**Joseph's Prophecy of Moses and Aaron, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=1&id=178

==2. Nephi laments his sinfulness but glories in the goodness of God. ({{s|2|Nephi|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Nephi's Psalm''': This chapter contains Nephi's poetic reflections and prayers to God; in short, it is "Nephi's Psalm". LDS scholars have discussed the poetic beauty and ancient character of this psalm.
**Nephi's Psalm: 2 Nephi 4:16-35 in the Light of Form-Critical Analysis, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=145
**Reflections of Nephi's Vision in His Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=2&id=108
**Two Hymns Based on Nephi's Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=253
**From Distance to Proximity: A Poetic Function of Enallage in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=213

== 3. The anger of Laman and Lemuel increases against Nephi, and the Lord commands the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. ({{s|2|Nephi|5||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Politics of Nephi's Book''': In 2 Nephi 5:3 Laman and Lemuel repeat a concern that they express elsewhere in the text: that they do not want Nephi to “rule over us.” It is important to remember that Nephi is writing this account decades after the fact, and during a time when he has already split from his brothers and is now the ruler over the people of Nephi (v 9). As Nephi writes about events from his past he has at least two messages for his audience: 1) the gospel message and 2) that he is the rightful heir to Lehi's spiritual and patriarchal authority, not Laman and Lemuel. Nephi is not writing a neutral and objective history, but rather he is selectively crafting a narrative that will support and legitimize his (Nephi’s) claim to leadership among his people. It is, as one prominent LDS scholar has suggested, a “lineage history”.
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: The Political Dimension, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1053
**Nephi's Political Testament, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=874
**The Political Dimension in Nephi's Small Plates, https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=5852

*'''Non-Lehite Natives''': 2 Nephi 5:6 explains that Nephi, Zoram, Sam (including each of their respective spouses and children), Jacob, Joseph, and Nephi’s sisters, all fled with Nephi from Laman and Lemuel (and their followers). Curiously, Nephi adds to this list of people by including “and all those who would go with me.” Is this a passive reference to the pre-Lehite natives of the Americas who had possibly intermingled with the Lehites? There is no doubt that there were other people on the continent when Lehi and family arrived (and not just the Jaredites). Later in the chapter (2 Nephi 5:34) it is noted that after only a few decades the Nephites and Lamanites had already had “wars and contentions”. This makes the most sense if the groups are much larger than the original group (plus subsequent children) who came on the boat (about 40-50 people). The greater numbers required for “wars and contentions” could be easily be explained by the native inhabitants of the land who joined themselves to the Nephites and Lamanites.
**John Sorenson, When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3
**John L. Sorenson, Nephite Culture and Society, ed. Matthew R. Sorenson (Salt Lake City: New Sage Books, 1997), 66.
**Brant Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of MormonI, vol. 2, pp 6-9.

*'''The Small Plates of Nephi''': The books of 1st and 2nd Nephi, sometimes referred to as the "small" plates of Nephi, were written by Nephi many years after the events they describe happened, when Nephi was an old man. They are actually the second record that Nephi made, the first being a "large" set of plates. The small plates of Nephi record the more spiritual aspects of Nephi's ministry. When Mormon was editing and compiling the Book of Mormon he did not intend for the small plates of Nephi (1st and 2nd Nephi) to be a part of his book. They ended up in the Book of Mormon because the Book of Lehi, which was Mormon's summary of the same events, went missing with Martin Harris. The Lord inspired Nephi to make that second, smaller, record, and we are very grateful he did or we would not know the story of Nephi.
**Illustration: "Book of Mormon Plates and Records", http://byustudies.byu.edu/book_of_mormon_charts/charts/13.aspx
**Plates and Records in the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=51&chapid=426
**When Did Nephi Write the Small Plates?, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1051
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: Serving Practical Needs, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1052
**The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1047
**Brant Gardner, Mormon's Editorial Method and Meta-Message, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=1&id=759

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy and Swords''': Metalworking in the Book of Mormon has not yet been completely supported by archaeology, but the case has become substantially stronger in the past few decades as new data has emerged. New information may continue to emerge in the future. Swords are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but the text should be examined carefully to see what it does and does not say about the nature of these swords. The ancient Mesoamericans had a unique type of sword which was very deadly.
**Metals: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals
**Swords: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Warfare/Swords

*'''Nephite Temple''': Nephi explains that he caused his people to construct a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon”. Some critics argue that a devout Israelite (Nephi was not a Jew, being from the tribe of Manasseh) would never build a temple outside of Jerusalem. However, this is simply not true as several examples of Israelite/Jewish temples have been excavated in areas very far from Jerusalem. Furthermore, it is now known that some Mesoamerican “temples” had a similar floorplan to Solomon’s ancient temple.
**Temple in the New World: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon_anachronisms/Temple_in_New_World

*'''Black Skin and the Lamanite Curse''': Nephi explains that because the Lamanites hardened their hearts “the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). This has traditionally been interpreted very literally by LDS readers as a miracle in which the Lord actually changes the color of the skin of the Lamanites. In recent years LDS scholars and researchers have challenged that notion by pointing to examples in the text where a black/white division between Nephites and Lamanites does not make sense. Instead, the description of the Lamanites as being “dark” or having a “skin of blackness” can be read as a metaphorical description of their state of wickedness. This kind of metaphorical use of skin color has precedent in the Old Testament, and makes the more sense of some Book of Mormon stories. Furthermore, it is useful to distinguish between the “curse” and the “mark” that was placed on the Lamanites. Finally, these passages have nothing whatsoever to do with the pre-1978 priesthood ban and can not be appropriately used, as some have tried to do, to demonstrate that Mormons are racist.
**Brant Gardner, What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?, http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness
**Lamanites' Curse: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse
**Racism, MormonVoices.org, http://mormonvoices.org/19/racism

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Seven

2012-02-11T03:13:01Z

JamesStutz: /* 1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}}) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted=
==1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}})==
*Joseph of Egypt's Prophecy: Lehi quotes an otherwise unknown prophecy from the ancient patriarch Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. At least part of this prophecy can be corroborated by ancient sources.
**Joseph's Prophecy of Moses and Aaron, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=21&num=1&id=178

==2. Nephi laments his sinfulness but glories in the goodness of God. ({{s|2|Nephi|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Nephi's Psalm''': This chapter contains Nephi's poetic reflections and prayers to God; in short, it is "Nephi's Psalm". LDS scholars have discussed the poetic beauty and ancient character of this psalm.
**Nephi's Psalm: 2 Nephi 4:16-35 in the Light of Form-Critical Analysis, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=145
**Reflections of Nephi's Vision in His Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=2&id=108
**Two Hymns Based on Nephi's Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=253
**From Distance to Proximity: A Poetic Function of Enallage in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=213

== 3. The anger of Laman and Lemuel increases against Nephi, and the Lord commands the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. ({{s|2|Nephi|5||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Politics of Nephi's Book''': In 2 Nephi 5:3 Laman and Lemuel repeat a concern that they express elsewhere in the text: that they do not want Nephi to “rule over us.” It is important to remember that Nephi is writing this account decades after the fact, and during a time when he has already split from his brothers and is now the ruler over the people of Nephi (v 9). As Nephi writes about events from his past he has at least two messages for his audience: 1) the gospel message and 2) that he is the rightful heir to Lehi's spiritual and patriarchal authority, not Laman and Lemuel. Nephi is not writing a neutral and objective history, but rather he is selectively crafting a narrative that will support and legitimize his (Nephi’s) claim to leadership among his people. It is, as one prominent LDS scholar has suggested, a “lineage history”.
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: The Political Dimension, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1053
**Nephi's Political Testament, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=874
**The Political Dimension in Nephi's Small Plates, https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=5852

*'''Non-Lehite Natives''': 2 Nephi 5:6 explains that Nephi, Zoram, Sam (including each of their respective spouses and children), Jacob, Joseph, and Nephi’s sisters, all fled with Nephi from Laman and Lemuel (and their followers). Curiously, Nephi adds to this list of people by including “and all those who would go with me.” Is this a passive reference to the pre-Lehite natives of the Americas who had possibly intermingled with the Lehites? There is no doubt that there were other people on the continent when Lehi and family arrived (and not just the Jaredites). Later in the chapter (2 Nephi 5:34) it is noted that after only a few decades the Nephites and Lamanites had already had “wars and contentions”. This makes the most sense if the groups are much larger than the original group (plus subsequent children) who came on the boat (about 40-50 people). The greater numbers required for “wars and contentions” could be easily be explained by the native inhabitants of the land who joined themselves to the Nephites and Lamanites.
**John Sorenson, When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3
**John L. Sorenson, Nephite Culture and Society, ed. Matthew R. Sorenson (Salt Lake City: New Sage Books, 1997), 66.
**Brant Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of MormonI, vol. 2, pp 6-9.

*'''The Small Plates of Nephi''': The books of 1st and 2nd Nephi, sometimes referred to as the "small" plates of Nephi, were written by Nephi many years after the events they describe happened, when Nephi was an old man. They are actually the second record that Nephi made, the first being a "large" set of plates. The small plates of Nephi record the more spiritual aspects of Nephi's ministry. When Mormon was editing and compiling the Book of Mormon he did not intend for the small plates of Nephi (1st and 2nd Nephi) to be a part of his book. They ended up in the Book of Mormon because the Book of Lehi, which was Mormon's summary of the same events, went missing with Martin Harris. The Lord inspired Nephi to make that second, smaller, record, and we are very grateful he did or we would not know the story of Nephi.
**Illustration: "Book of Mormon Plates and Records", http://byustudies.byu.edu/book_of_mormon_charts/charts/13.aspx
**Plates and Records in the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=51&chapid=426
**When Did Nephi Write the Small Plates?, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1051
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: Serving Practical Needs, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1052
**The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1047
**Brant Gardner, Mormon's Editorial Method and Meta-Message, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=1&id=759

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy and Swords''': Metalworking in the Book of Mormon has not yet been completely supported by archaeology, but the case has become substantially stronger in the past few decades as new data has emerged. New information may continue to emerge in the future. Swords are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but the text should be examined carefully to see what it does and does not say about the nature of these swords. The ancient Mesoamericans had a unique type of sword which was very deadly.
**Metals: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals
**Swords: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Warfare/Swords

*'''Nephite Temple''': Nephi explains that he caused his people to construct a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon”. Some critics argue that a devout Israelite (Nephi was not a Jew, being from the tribe of Manasseh) would never build a temple outside of Jerusalem. However, this is simply not true as several examples of Israelite/Jewish temples have been excavated in areas very far from Jerusalem. Furthermore, it is now known that some Mesoamerican “temples” had a similar floorplan to Solomon’s ancient temple.
**Temple in the New World: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon_anachronisms/Temple_in_New_World

*'''Black Skin and the Lamanite Curse''': Nephi explains that because the Lamanites hardened their hearts “the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). This has traditionally been interpreted very literally by LDS readers as a miracle in which the Lord actually changes the color of the skin of the Lamanites. In recent years LDS scholars and researchers have challenged that notion by pointing to examples in the text where a black/white division between Nephites and Lamanites does not make sense. Instead, the description of the Lamanites as being “dark” or having a “skin of blackness” can be read as a metaphorical description of their state of wickedness. This kind of metaphorical use of skin color has precedent in the Old Testament, and makes the more sense of some Book of Mormon stories. Furthermore, it is useful to distinguish between the “curse” and the “mark” that was placed on the Lamanites. Finally, these passages have nothing whatsoever to do with the pre-1978 priesthood ban and can not be appropriately used, as some have tried to do, to demonstrate that Mormons are racist.
**Brant Gardner, What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?, http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness
**Lamanites' Curse: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse
**Racism, MormonVoices.org, http://mormonvoices.org/19/racism

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Seven

2012-02-11T03:05:48Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted=
==1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}})==

==2. Nephi laments his sinfulness but glories in the goodness of God. ({{s|2|Nephi|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Nephi's Psalm''': This chapter contains Nephi's poetic reflections and prayers to God; in short, it is "Nephi's Psalm". LDS scholars have discussed the poetic beauty and ancient character of this psalm.
**Nephi's Psalm: 2 Nephi 4:16-35 in the Light of Form-Critical Analysis, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=6&num=2&id=145
**Reflections of Nephi's Vision in His Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/insights/?vol=20&num=2&id=108
**Two Hymns Based on Nephi's Psalm, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=253
**From Distance to Proximity: A Poetic Function of Enallage in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=9&num=1&id=213

== 3. The anger of Laman and Lemuel increases against Nephi, and the Lord commands the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. ({{s|2|Nephi|5||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Politics of Nephi's Book''': In 2 Nephi 5:3 Laman and Lemuel repeat a concern that they express elsewhere in the text: that they do not want Nephi to “rule over us.” It is important to remember that Nephi is writing this account decades after the fact, and during a time when he has already split from his brothers and is now the ruler over the people of Nephi (v 9). As Nephi writes about events from his past he has at least two messages for his audience: 1) the gospel message and 2) that he is the rightful heir to Lehi's spiritual and patriarchal authority, not Laman and Lemuel. Nephi is not writing a neutral and objective history, but rather he is selectively crafting a narrative that will support and legitimize his (Nephi’s) claim to leadership among his people. It is, as one prominent LDS scholar has suggested, a “lineage history”.
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: The Political Dimension, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1053
**Nephi's Political Testament, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=874
**The Political Dimension in Nephi's Small Plates, https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=5852

*'''Non-Lehite Natives''': 2 Nephi 5:6 explains that Nephi, Zoram, Sam (including each of their respective spouses and children), Jacob, Joseph, and Nephi’s sisters, all fled with Nephi from Laman and Lemuel (and their followers). Curiously, Nephi adds to this list of people by including “and all those who would go with me.” Is this a passive reference to the pre-Lehite natives of the Americas who had possibly intermingled with the Lehites? There is no doubt that there were other people on the continent when Lehi and family arrived (and not just the Jaredites). Later in the chapter (2 Nephi 5:34) it is noted that after only a few decades the Nephites and Lamanites had already had “wars and contentions”. This makes the most sense if the groups are much larger than the original group (plus subsequent children) who came on the boat (about 40-50 people). The greater numbers required for “wars and contentions” could be easily be explained by the native inhabitants of the land who joined themselves to the Nephites and Lamanites.
**John Sorenson, When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3
**John L. Sorenson, Nephite Culture and Society, ed. Matthew R. Sorenson (Salt Lake City: New Sage Books, 1997), 66.
**Brant Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of MormonI, vol. 2, pp 6-9.

*'''The Small Plates of Nephi''': The books of 1st and 2nd Nephi, sometimes referred to as the "small" plates of Nephi, were written by Nephi many years after the events they describe happened, when Nephi was an old man. They are actually the second record that Nephi made, the first being a "large" set of plates. The small plates of Nephi record the more spiritual aspects of Nephi's ministry. When Mormon was editing and compiling the Book of Mormon he did not intend for the small plates of Nephi (1st and 2nd Nephi) to be a part of his book. They ended up in the Book of Mormon because the Book of Lehi, which was Mormon's summary of the same events, went missing with Martin Harris. The Lord inspired Nephi to make that second, smaller, record, and we are very grateful he did or we would not know the story of Nephi.
**Illustration: "Book of Mormon Plates and Records", http://byustudies.byu.edu/book_of_mormon_charts/charts/13.aspx
**Plates and Records in the Book of Mormon, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=51&chapid=426
**When Did Nephi Write the Small Plates?, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1051
**Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates: Serving Practical Needs, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1052
**The Book of Lehi and the Plates of Lehi, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1047
**Brant Gardner, Mormon's Editorial Method and Meta-Message, http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=1&id=759

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy and Swords''': Metalworking in the Book of Mormon has not yet been completely supported by archaeology, but the case has become substantially stronger in the past few decades as new data has emerged. New information may continue to emerge in the future. Swords are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but the text should be examined carefully to see what it does and does not say about the nature of these swords. The ancient Mesoamericans had a unique type of sword which was very deadly.
**Metals: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals
**Swords: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Warfare/Swords

*'''Nephite Temple''': Nephi explains that he caused his people to construct a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon”. Some critics argue that a devout Israelite (Nephi was not a Jew, being from the tribe of Manasseh) would never build a temple outside of Jerusalem. However, this is simply not true as several examples of Israelite/Jewish temples have been excavated in areas very far from Jerusalem. Furthermore, it is now known that some Mesoamerican “temples” had a similar floorplan to Solomon’s ancient temple.
**Temple in the New World: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon_anachronisms/Temple_in_New_World

*'''Black Skin and the Lamanite Curse''': Nephi explains that because the Lamanites hardened their hearts “the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). This has traditionally been interpreted very literally by LDS readers as a miracle in which the Lord actually changes the color of the skin of the Lamanites. In recent years LDS scholars and researchers have challenged that notion by pointing to examples in the text where a black/white division between Nephites and Lamanites does not make sense. Instead, the description of the Lamanites as being “dark” or having a “skin of blackness” can be read as a metaphorical description of their state of wickedness. This kind of metaphorical use of skin color has precedent in the Old Testament, and makes the more sense of some Book of Mormon stories. Furthermore, it is useful to distinguish between the “curse” and the “mark” that was placed on the Lamanites. Finally, these passages have nothing whatsoever to do with the pre-1978 priesthood ban and can not be appropriately used, as some have tried to do, to demonstrate that Mormons are racist.
**Brant Gardner, What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?, http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness
**Lamanites' Curse: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse
**Racism, MormonVoices.org, http://mormonvoices.org/19/racism

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Seven

2012-02-11T02:29:20Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted=
==1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
===''Potential Criticisms''===

==2. Nephi laments his sinfulness but glories in the goodness of God. ({{s|2|Nephi|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
===''Potential Criticisms''===

== 3. The anger of Laman and Lemuel increases against Nephi, and the Lord commands the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. ({{s|2|Nephi|5||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Politics of Nephi's Book''': In 2 Nephi 5:3 Laman and Lemuel repeat a concern that they express elsewhere in the text: that they do not want Nephi to “rule over us.” It is important to remember that Nephi is writing this account decades after the fact, and during a time when he has already split from his brothers and is now the ruler over the people of Nephi (v 9). As Nephi writes about events from his past he has at least two messages for his audience: 1) the gospel message and 2) that he is the rightful heir to Lehi's spiritual and patriarchal authority, not Laman and Lemuel. Nephi is not writing a neutral and objective history, but rather he is selectively crafting a narrative that will support and legitimize his (Nephi’s) claim to leadership among his people. It is, as one prominent LDS scholar has suggested, a “lineage history”.
**http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1053
**http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=874
**https://byustudies.byu.edu/showTitle.aspx?title=5852

*'''Non-Lehite Natives''': 2 Nephi 5:6 explains that Nephi, Zoram, Sam (including each of their respective spouses and children), Jacob, Joseph, and Nephi’s sisters, all fled with Nephi from Laman and Lemuel (and their followers). Curiously, Nephi adds to this list of people by including “and all those who would go with me.” Is this a passive reference to the pre-Lehite natives of the Americas who had possibly intermingled with the Lehites? There is no doubt that there were other people on the continent when Lehi and family arrived (and not just the Jaredites). Later in the chapter (2 Nephi 5:34) it is noted that after only a few decades the Nephites and Lamanites had already had “wars and contentions”. This makes the most sense if the groups are much larger than the original group (plus subsequent children) who came on the boat (about 40-50 people). The greater numbers required for “wars and contentions” could be easily be explained by the native inhabitants of the land who joined themselves to the Nephites and Lamanites.
**John Sorenson, When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There? http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3
**John L. Sorenson, Nephite Culture and Society, ed. Matthew R. Sorenson (Salt Lake City: New Sage Books, 1997), 66.
**Brant Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of MormonI, vol. 2, pp 6-9.

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Metallurgy and Swords''': Metalworking in the Book of Mormon has not yet been completely supported by archaeology, but the case has become substantially stronger in the past few decades as new data has emerged. New information may continue to emerge in the future. Swords are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but the text should be examined carefully to see what it does and does not say about the nature of these swords. The ancient Mesoamericans had a unique type of sword which was very deadly.
**Book of Mormon/Anachronisms/Metals
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Warfare/Swords

*'''Nephite Temple''': Nephi explains that he caused his people to construct a temple “after the manner of the temple of Solomon”. Some critics argue that a devout Israelite (Nephi was not a Jew, being from the tribe of Manasseh) would never build a temple outside of Jerusalem. However, this is simply not true as several examples of Israelite/Jewish temples have been excavated in areas very far from Jerusalem. Furthermore, it is now known that some Mesoamerican “temples” had a similar floorplan to Solomon’s ancient temple.
**http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon_anachronisms/Temple_in_New_World

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in {{s|2|Nephi|3-5||}}==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: {{s|2|Nephi|1|13-23}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|28-29}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|7}}
*Other Parallelisms: {{s|2|Nephi|1|9}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|10}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|13}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|16-17}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|21}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|26}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|5}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|9-10}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|11}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|14}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|17-18}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|25}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|27}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|29}}

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Seven

2012-02-11T02:17:35Z

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}
__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|next=[[../Lesson Eight|Lesson Eight]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}
=Lesson 7: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted=
==1. Lehi teaches that his descendants will be blessed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. ({{s|2|Nephi|3||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Politics of Nephi's Book''': In 2 Nephi 5:3 Laman and Lemuel repeat a concern that they express elsewhere in the text: that they do not want Nephi to “rule over us.” It is important to remember that Nephi is writing this account decades after the fact, and during a time when he has already split from his brothers and is now the ruler over the people of Nephi (v 9). As Nephi writes about events from his past he has at least two messages for his audience: 1) the gospel message and 2) that he is the rightful heir to Lehi's spiritual and patriarchal authority, not Laman and Lemuel. Nephi is not writing a neutral and objective history, but rather he is selectively crafting a narrative that will support and legitimize his (Nephi’s) claim to leadership among his people. It is, as one prominent LDS scholar has suggested, a “lineage history”.
**{{Book:Sorenson Thorne:Rediscovering the Book of Mormon|author=Louis Midgley|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1053 The Ways of Remembrance]}}
**{{FR-22-1-9}} 
**{{FR-22-2-6}} 
*
**{{Book:Sorenson Thorne:Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon The FARMS Updates of the 1990s|author=John W. Welch|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 Why Nephi Wrote the Small Plates The Political Dimension]}}

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*
**{{FR-4-1-14}} <--Matt Roper-->(see pages 189-191)

==2. Nephi laments his sinfulness but glories in the goodness of God. ({{s|2|Nephi|4||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*
**{{Book:Welch Thorne:Pressing Forward|author=John A. Tvedtnes|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 First Born in the Wilderness]}}
*
** {{JBMS-1-1-2}} 
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**{{FR-22-1-10}} 
**{{FR-21-2-1}} (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")
** {{FR-18-2-4}} 

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*
**{{Wiki|Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging|Nature of God: Unchanging}}

== 3. The anger of Laman and Lemuel increases against Nephi, and the Lord commands the followers of Nephi to separate from the followers of Laman. ({{s|2|Nephi|5||}})==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*
**{{JBMS-3-2-3}} 
*
**{{Wiki|Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall|Procreation before the Fall}}
**{{Wiki|Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall|Death before the Fall}}
*'''Free Agency and Opposition in LDS Belief''': Latter-day Saints have a strong belief in the agency of man. The following articles explore this issue.
**Mark Hausam, [http://lehislibrary.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/its-all-in-arminius-mormonism-as-a-form-of-hyper-arminianism/ "It's All in Arminius: Mormonism as a form of Hyper-Arminianism"] at Lehi's Library blog.
**{{FR-11-2-3}} (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*
**{{JBMS-3-2-4}} 

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in {{s|2|Nephi|3-5||}}==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: {{s|2|Nephi|1|13-23}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|28-29}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|7}}
*Other Parallelisms: {{s|2|Nephi|1|9}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|10}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|13}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|16-17}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|21}}; {{s|2|Nephi|1|26}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|5}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|9-10}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|11}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|14}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|17-18}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|25}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|27}}; {{s|2|Nephi|2|29}}

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T21:19:11Z

JamesStutz: /* Helpful Insights */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6: Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154
*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.
*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=798 "The Grace of Christ"], FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 1, Pages: 247-259, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2010
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=2&id=770 "The Wedding of Athens and Jerusalem: An Evangelical Perplexity and a Latter-day Saint Answer"], FARMS Review: Volume - 21, Issue - 2, Page: xi-xliv, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2009
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")
** David L. Paulsen and Cory G. Walker, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=2&id=624 "Work, Worship, and Grace,"] FARMS Review: Volume - 18, Issue - 2, Pages: 83-177, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2006

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Mormonism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on all sides of these issues. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]
*'''Free Agency and Opposition in LDS Belief''': Latter-day Saints have a strong belief in the agency of man. The following articles explore this issue.
**Mark Hausam, [http://lehislibrary.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/its-all-in-arminius-mormonism-as-a-form-of-hyper-arminianism/ "It's All in Arminius: Mormonism as a form of Hyper-Arminianism"] at Lehi's Library blog.
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Lehi's theology of the Fall''': Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T21:18:11Z

JamesStutz: /* Potential Criticisms */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6: Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154
*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.
*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=798 "The Grace of Christ"], FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 1, Pages: 247-259, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2010
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=2&id=770 "The Wedding of Athens and Jerusalem: An Evangelical Perplexity and a Latter-day Saint Answer"], FARMS Review: Volume - 21, Issue - 2, Page: xi-xliv, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2009
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")
** David L. Paulsen and Cory G. Walker, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=18&num=2&id=624 "Work, Worship, and Grace,"] FARMS Review: Volume - 18, Issue - 2, Pages: 83-177, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2006

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Mormonism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on both sides of these issue. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]
*'''Free Agency and Opposition in LDS Belief''': Latter-day Saints have a strong belief in the agency of man. The following articles explore this issue.
**Mark Hausam, [http://lehislibrary.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/its-all-in-arminius-mormonism-as-a-form-of-hyper-arminianism/ "It's All in Arminius: Mormonism as a form of Hyper-Arminianism"] at Lehi's Library blog.
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Lehi's theology of the Fall''': Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T16:44:14Z

JamesStutz: /* 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6: Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154
*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.
*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=798 "The Grace of Christ"], FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 1, Pages: 247-259, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2010
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=2&id=770 "The Wedding of Athens and Jerusalem: An Evangelical Perplexity and a Latter-day Saint Answer"], FARMS Review: Volume - 21, Issue - 2, Page: xi-xliv, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2009
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Moronism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on both sides of these issue. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]
*'''Free Agency and Opposition in LDS Belief''': Latter-day Saints have a strong belief in the agency of man. The following articles explore this issue.
**Mark Hausam, [http://lehislibrary.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/its-all-in-arminius-mormonism-as-a-form-of-hyper-arminianism/ "It's All in Arminius: Mormonism as a form of Hyper-Arminianism"] at Lehi's Library blog.
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*Lehi's theology of the Fall: Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T16:43:44Z

JamesStutz: /* Lesson 6: Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6: Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154
*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.
*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=798 "The Grace of Christ"], FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 1, Pages: 247-259, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2010
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=2&id=770 "The Wedding of Athens and Jerusalem: An Evangelical Perplexity and a Latter-day Saint Answer"], FARMS Review: Volume - 21, Issue - 2, Page: xi-xliv, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2009
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Moronism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on both sides of these issue. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]
*'''Free Agency and Opposition in LDS Belief''': Latter-day Saints have a strong belief in the agency of man. The following articles explore this issue.
**Mark Hausam, [http://lehislibrary.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/its-all-in-arminius-mormonism-as-a-form-of-hyper-arminianism/ "It's All in Arminius: Mormonism as a form of Hyper-Arminianism"] at Lehi's Library blog.
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*Lehi's theology of the Fall: Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T16:41:45Z

JamesStutz: /* 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6: Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154
*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.
*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=798 "The Grace of Christ"], FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 1, Pages: 247-259, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2010
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=2&id=770 "The Wedding of Athens and Jerusalem: An Evangelical Perplexity and a Latter-day Saint Answer"], FARMS Review: Volume - 21, Issue - 2, Page: xi-xliv, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2009
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Moronism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on both sides of these issue. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]
*'''Free Agency and Opposition in LDS Belief''': Latter-day Saints have a strong belief in the agency of man. The following articles explore this issue.
**Mark Hausam, [http://lehislibrary.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/its-all-in-arminius-mormonism-as-a-form-of-hyper-arminianism/ "It's All in Arminius: Mormonism as a form of Hyper-Arminianism"] at Lehi's Library blog.

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*Lehi's theology of the Fall: Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T16:31:58Z

JamesStutz: /* Lesson 6: */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6: Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154
*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.
*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=798 "The Grace of Christ"], FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 1, Pages: 247-259, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2010
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=2&id=770 "The Wedding of Athens and Jerusalem: An Evangelical Perplexity and a Latter-day Saint Answer"], FARMS Review: Volume - 21, Issue - 2, Page: xi-xliv, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2009
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Moronism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on both sides of these issue. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*Lehi's theology of the Fall: Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T16:24:32Z

JamesStutz: /* Lesson 6: */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6:=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154
*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.
*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]
*'''Grace and Works in LDS Thought''': The Book of Mormon offers a treasure of insight into grace, works, relationship, and salvation. The following articles explore some of these issues.
**John Gee, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=798 "The Grace of Christ"], FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 1, Pages: 247-259, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2010
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=21&num=2&id=770 "The Wedding of Athens and Jerusalem: An Evangelical Perplexity and a Latter-day Saint Answer"], FARMS Review: Volume - 21, Issue - 2, Page: xi-xliv, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2009
**Blake Ostler, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=11&num=2&id=319 "Bridging the Gulf"] FARMS Review: Volume - 11, Issue - 2, Pages: 103-77, A review of "How Wide the Divide? A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation." by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1999 (scroll down to the section entitled "Mormons and Grace")

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Moronism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on both sides of these issue. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*Lehi's theology of the Fall: Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Six

2012-02-04T16:04:24Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Five|Lesson Five]]
|next=[[../Lesson Seven|Lesson Seven]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 6:=
== 1. Lehi exhorts his sons to repent, obey the Lord’s commandments, and put on the armor of righteousness. (2 Nephi 1)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The Promised Land:''' Lehi prophecies about the promised land, focusing on the blessings and consequences that come with keeping the commandments of the Lord. Making this covenant with God and prospering in the land of promise is a common theme throughout the Book of Mormon.
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=1&id=797 "Prospering in the Land of Promise,"] in the ''FARMS Review'' 22/1 (2010):229-245
**Steven L. Olsen, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=808 "The Covenant of the Promised Land: Territorial Symbolism in the Book of Mormon"], ''FARMS Review'' 22/2 (2010):137-154

*'''Remembering:''' Lehi exhorts his sons to "remember...[and] hearken unto my words" (2 Nephi 1:12). "Remembrance" is a common theme in the Book of Mormon, and it means more than simply inner reflections, knowing the past, or recalling detailed information. Rather, to "remember" is a call to action - action that stems from realizing the meaning of past events.
**Louis Midgley, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=869 "The Ways of Remembrance"] in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, ed. John L. Sorenson, and Melvin J. Thorne, 1991

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Did Joseph plagiarize from Shakespeare?:''' Some critics think that Joseph Smith plagiarized Shakespeare when Lehi uses the phrase "''from whence no traveler can return''" (2 Nephi 1:14) to describe death. However, the concept of death as a journey from which no one can return has a long tradition across time and throughout many cultures, including the cultural milieu of the ancient Near East, from which Lehi came from. Joseph Smith would not have needed Shakespeare to come up with that phrase, and neither would Lehi.
**Matt Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=4&num=1&id=102 "Review of ''Mormonism: Shadow or Reality''], ''Review of Books on the Book of Mormon'', 4/1 (1992): 189-191

== 2. Lehi testifies of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. (2 Nephi 2:1-10)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''The First Born:''' Lehi calls Jacob his "first born in the wilderness." This phrasing may suggest that Lehi viewed him as a replacement of his wicked son Laman, a practice that has precedent in the Old Testament.
**John A. Tvedtnes, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=98&chapid=1048 "First Born in the Wilderness"], in ''Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: FARMS Updates of the 1990s'', ed. Melvin J. Thorne and John W. Welch, 1999.

*'''Other People:''' While counseling his son Jacob, Lehi stresses the importance of sharing the message of the Messiah to the "inhabitants of the earth" (2 Nephi 2:8). Since all of Lehi's family would have been aware of these important teachings from both Lehi and Nephi's preaching, and the group had not yet divided, this may allude to other people that Lehi's family had encountered in the New World. The exhortation to preach to the "inhabitants of the earth" would have been hollow if there were not people young Jacob could have specifically identified that he knew did not know of the Messiah.
** John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 1/1, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Neal Rappleye, [http://ldsreasonandrevelation.blogspot.com/2010/08/book-of-mormon-peoples-encounter-with.html "The Book of Mormon People's Encounter with 'Other' Inhabitants"]

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*'''Nature of God''': Lehi explains to Jacob that "the Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (vs 4), a doctrine Lehi points out to explain why God has manifested himself to Jacob just as he does to people of other ages. This is not in contradiction with other LDS ideas that suggest that God, including Jesus Christ, has learned and progressed through the eternities.
**FAIR WIki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_the_nature_of_God/Unchanging Moronism and the Nature of God/Unchanging]

== 3. Lehi teaches the importance of opposition and the freedom to choose good from evil. (2 Nephi 2:11-30)==
===''Helpful Insights''===
*'''Lehi's influence on Jacob''': Lehi, though unable to convince his older sons to follow the Lord, was very successful with both Nephi and Jacob. The speeches and writings of Jacob clearly show that he remembered the admonitions given to him by his dying father and that he shared Lehi's teachings—including some of his verbiage—with other members of the family.
**John A. Tvedtnes. [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=61 "The Influence of Lehi's Admonitions on the Teachings of His Son Jacob"] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: 3/2, 34-48, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

*'''Procreation, Death, and Adam and Eve''': Thoughtful Latter-day Saints have long discussed the meaning of the Fall in regard to procreation, death, and evolution. Was there procreation and death before the Fall? Is evolution compatible with belief in Adam and Eve? Latter-day Saints fall on both sides of these issue. It is important to remember that the Church has no official position on these questions and that Latter-day Saints are free to study the issue and form their own conclusions. We do not need to ignore or malign scientific perspectives on evolution and death.
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Procreation_before_the_Fall Procreation before the Fall]
**FAIR Wiki, [http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_science/Death_before_the_Fall Death before the Fall]

===''Potential Criticisms''===
*Lehi's theology of the Fall: Some critics suggest that Lehi's theology of the Fall of Adam and Eve is not representative of ancient Israelite thinking. However, an examination of the development of the Fall narrative in ancient Israel reveals that it went through a number of generational revisions and reinterpretations, and that Lehi's take on the Fall fits well with other prophets from his time and place.
**Bruce M. Pritchett Jr., [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=62 Lehi's Theology of the Fall in Its Preexilic/Exilic Context] in ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'': 3/2, 9-83, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994

==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 2 Nephi 1-2==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, ''Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted''], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 2 Nephi 1:13-23; 2 Nephi 1:28-29; 2 Nephi 2:7
*Other Parallelisms: 2 Nephi 1:9; 2 Nephi 1:10; 2 Nephi 1:13; 2 Nephi 1:16-17; 2 Nephi 1:21; 2 Nephi 1:26; 2 Nephi 2:5; 2 Nephi 2:9-10; 2 Nephi 2:11; 2 Nephi 2:14; 2 Nephi 2:17-18; 2 Nephi 2:25; 2 Nephi 2:27; 2 Nephi 2:29

FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-02-04T15:16:54Z

JamesStutz: /* LDS Lesson Manual */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**{{Book:Gardner:Second Witness|pages=272|vol=1}}
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**{{Book:Tvedtnes:Most Correct Book|pages=76-98}}
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**{{Book:Welch:Reexploring the Book of Mormon|author=Robert F. Smith|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 Lodestone and the Liahona]}}
**{{JBMS-3-2-1}} 
** {{JBMS-16-2-8}} 
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**{{Book:Welch:Reexploring the Book of Mormon|author=Aston and Aston|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited]}}
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**{{Book:Reynolds:Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited|author=Eugene England|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?]}}
**{{Book:Hilton Hilton:Discovering Lehi|}}
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**{{Book:Ricks:Book of Mormon Commentary 1|pages=44}}
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**{{Book:Nibley:Approach to the Book of Mormon|pages=101}}
**{{JBMS-15-2-5}} 
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands. It may also be possible that Nephi's bow was not actually made of any kind of metal, but that Joseph chose the word "steel" during the translation after the manner of KJV translators (see Kevin Barney's article, linked below).
**{{Book:Welch:Reexploring the Book of Mormon|author=William J. Hamblin|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”]}}
**{{Book:Hamblin:Warfare in the Book of Mormon|author=William J. Hamblin|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon]}}
**Kevin Barney, [http://bycommonconsent.com/2006/02/20/on-nephis-steel-bow/ "On Nephi's Steel Bow"], at By Common Consent blog, Feb 20, 2006. Accessed Jan 28, 2012.
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**{{Book:Welch:Reexploring the Book of Mormon|author=Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”]}}
**{{JBMS-8-1-12}}
**{{JBMS-10-2-7}} 
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**{{Book:Gardner:Second Witness|pages=293|vol=1}}
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**{{Book:Hilton Hilton:Discovering Lehi}}
**{{Book:Aston Aston:In the Footsteps of Lehi}}
**{{Book:Reynolds:Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited|author=Noel B. Reynolds|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated]}}
**{{FR-17-2-6}}
_
*'''Irreantum''': Nephi tells us that upon reaching Bountiful they named the sea "Irreantum", and Nephi also tells us that this word means "many waters" (1 Nephi 17:5). This word is not a Nephite word, or Nephi would not have provided a definition of it for his readers. This word may be traced to a South Semitic etymology meaning "watering of completeness" or "watering of (super) abundance."
**{{JBMS-11-1-17}}
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**{{Book:Welch:Reexploring the Book of Mormon|author=Terrence L. Szink|article=[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus]}}

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**{{Book:Bokovoy Tvedtnes:Testaments|pages=51}}
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**{{Book:Gardner:Second Witness|pages=322|vol=1}}
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**{{BYUS1|author=David L. Clark|article=[https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration]|vol=30|num=3|date=1990}}
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**{{Book:Sorenson:Ancient American Setting|pages=138}}
**{{JBMS-1-1-2}} 
**{{FR-22-2-3}} 
**[[Book_of_Mormon/Geography|Book of Mormon geography resources]] — FAIR Wiki.
_

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so (see [[Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms|here]] for a graphic of this fact).
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[[Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms|Claimed Book of Mormon Anachronisms]] — FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**{{Book:Gardner:Second Witness|pages=325-326|vol=1}}
**{{Book:Gardner:Gift and Power of God}}
==Chiasms and Other Poetic Parallelisms in 1 Nephi 16-18==
The Book of Mormon contains a number of literary structures called poetic parallelisms, [[Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus|chiasmus]] being the best known. While these are frequently used as evidence for the Book of Mormon’s authenticity, their real value is in helping shed light on the meaning and message in the text. The following passages contain examples of these structures from chapters being covered in this lesson. If you are planning on using any of these passages in your lesson, it may be worthwhile to check these structures to see if they help emphasize or focus attention on the message you hope to convey, or if they provide an alternative perspective you had not considered before which may enhance your lesson. For the sake of space, the references can only be listed here. To look at these structures, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=132&chapid=1564 Donald W. Perry, Poetic Parallelisms: The Complete Text Reformatted], which is graciously provided online for no charge (you have to go to the PDF file) by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
*Chiasmus: 1 Nephi 16:1-3; 1 Nephi 16:13-14; 1 Nephi 16:28-29; 1 Nephi 17:7; 1 Nephi 17:13; 1 Nephi 17:18-19; 1 Nephi 17:31; 1 Nephi 17:38; 1 Nephi 17:46; 1 Nephi 17:48-52; 1 Nephi 18:24
*Other Parallelisms: 1 Nephi 16:7; 1 Nephi 16:8-11; 1 Nephi 16:20; 1 Nephi 16:35-37; 1 Nephi 17:19; 1 Nephi 17:31; 1 Nephi 17:35; 1 Nephi 17:36; 1 Nephi 17:37; 1 Nephi 17:39; 1 Nephi 17:45; 1 Nephi 17:47; 1 Nephi 18:2; 1 Nephi 18:7; 1 Nephi 18:5-8; 1 Nephi 18:11; 1 Nephi 18:18; 1 Nephi 18:22-23; 1 Nephi 18:25

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T21:11:04Z

JamesStutz: /* 2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands. It may also be possible that Nephi's bow was not actually made of any kind of metal, but that Joseph chose the word "steel" during the translation after the manner of KJV translators (see Kevin Barney's article, linked below).
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
**Kevin Barney, [http://bycommonconsent.com/2006/02/20/on-nephis-steel-bow/ "On Nephi's Steel Bow"], at By Common Consent blog, Feb 20, 2006. Accessed Jan 28, 2012.
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''Irreantum''': Nephi tells us that upon reaching Bountiful they named the sea "Irreantum", and Nephi also tells us that this word means "many waters" (1 Nephi 17:5). This word is not a Nephite word, or Nephi would not have provided a definition of it for his readers. This word may be traced to a South Semitic etymology meaning "watering of completeness" or "watering of (super) abundance."
**Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=11&num=1&id=288 "What's In A Name?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 11, Issue - 1, Pages: 90-93 Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2002
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=1227 "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T21:10:37Z

JamesStutz: /* 2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17) */

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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands. It may also be possible that Nephi's bow was not actually made of any kind of metal, but that Joseph chose the word "steel" during the translation after the manner of KJV translators (see Kevin Barney's article, linked below).
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
**Kevin Barney, [http://bycommonconsent.com/2006/02/20/on-nephis-steel-bow/ "On Nephi's Steel Bow"], at By Common Consent blog, Feb 20, 2006. Accessed Jan 28, 2012.
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*Irreantum: Nephi tells us that upon reaching Bountiful they named the sea "Irreantum", and Nephi also tells us that this word means "many waters" (1 Nephi 17:5). This word is not a Nephite word, or Nephi would not have provided a definition of it for his readers. This word may be traced to a South Semitic etymology meaning "watering of completeness" or "watering of (super) abundance."
**Paul Y. Hoskisson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=11&num=1&id=288 "What's In A Name?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 11, Issue - 1, Pages: 90-93
Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2002
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=1227 "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T21:02:32Z

JamesStutz: /* Faith Affirmations */

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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands. It may also be possible that Nephi's bow was not actually made of any kind of metal, but that Joseph chose the word "steel" during the translation after the manner of KJV translators (see Kevin Barney's article, linked below).
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
**Kevin Barney, [http://bycommonconsent.com/2006/02/20/on-nephis-steel-bow/ "On Nephi's Steel Bow"], at By Common Consent blog, Feb 20, 2006. Accessed Jan 28, 2012.
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=1227 "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T20:33:24Z

JamesStutz: /* Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=1227 "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T20:32:37Z

JamesStutz: /* Helpful Insights */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T20:31:52Z

JamesStutz: /* 2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17) */

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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://bookstore.fairlds.org/product.php?id_product=498 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was an ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Rori is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T18:39:59Z

JamesStutz: /* Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It" */

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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=
'''Important note''': These materials are for reference and personal study only. The information provided here is a supplement to the lesson manual to assist teachers in addressing issues that might arise in the course of teaching. It is in no way intended to replace or supplant the lesson materials provided by the Church. These resources are designed to: (1) aid teachers in responding to concerns or questions which students may raise during a lesson; and (2) point out important principles which could be highlighted during a lesson in order to protect students against future attacks against their faith and beliefs. It is intended only to be used as background information for prior preparation by teachers and should not be used in any way to replace correlated lesson materials.
==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Kharfot is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly. so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T18:37:08Z

JamesStutz:

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=

==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Kharfot is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly. so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T15:12:02Z

JamesStutz: /* 3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18) */

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|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
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|previous=[[../Lesson Four|Lesson Four]]
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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=

==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Kharfot is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.
_
===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly. so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T15:11:00Z

JamesStutz: /* Helpful Insights */

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__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Four|Lesson Four]]
|next=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=

==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Kharfot is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq Design of Nephi's Ship], Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip.
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "The Ocean Journey"] Journey of Faith DVD, FARMS, video clip
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Whether Joseph Smith actually believed this or not is not too important, because Joseph Smith never claimed revelation for his own best guesses about such matters. Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**Matthew Roper, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=22&num=2&id=805 "Joseph Smith, Revelation, and Book of Mormon Geography"] FARMS Review: Volume - 22, Issue - 2, Pages: 15-85
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly. so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T15:04:04Z

JamesStutz: /* 2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17) */

{{Articles FAIR copyright}} {{Articles Header 1}} {{Articles Header 2}} {{Articles Header 3}} {{Articles Header 4}} {{Articles Header 5}} {{Articles Header 6}} {{Articles Header 7}} {{Articles Header 8}} {{Articles Header 9}} {{Articles Header 10}}

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
|author=
|noauthor=
|section={{SUBPAGENAME}}
|previous=[[../Lesson Four|Lesson Four]]
|next=[[../Lesson Six|Lesson Six]]
|notes={{ChurchTeachingDisclaimer}}
}}

=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=

==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from their previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody pieces of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Kharfot is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey", a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to construct and launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS 1992.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq "Journey of Faith" Video clip]
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Journey of Faith" Video clip]
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly. so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T15:01:45Z

JamesStutz: /* Faith Affirmations */

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|previous=[[../Lesson Four|Lesson Four]]
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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=

==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from there previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody bits of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Kharfot is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey" a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', FARMS.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq "Journey of Faith" Video clip]
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Journey of Faith" Video clip]
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly. so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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FAIR Study Aids/Gospel Doctrine/Book of Mormon/Lesson Five

2012-01-28T15:00:10Z

JamesStutz: /* Faith Affirmations */

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|title=Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual
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|previous=[[../Lesson Four|Lesson Four]]
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=Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"=

==LDS Lesson Manual==
Lesson 5: [http://www.lds.org/manual/book-of-mormon-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-5-hearken-to-the-truth-and-give-heed-unto-it?lang=eng Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It]
_

==1. The Lord guides the families of Lehi and Ishmael according to their faith and diligence. (1 Nephi 16)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''Timeline:''' The chapter begins with the family in the “Valley of Lemuel” (v 6). The journey from there to their final Old World location (Bountiful) should have taken about three months, yet a total of eight years will pass before they arrive in Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:4-5).
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 272.
_
*'''Nephi and metalwork''': Scholars have observed that Nephi, regardless of what his professional training was, had a clear fascination with metalwork. This is manifested twice in chapter 16 where he uses precious space on his plates to include adjectives describing metal objects. The first is when he describes the Liahona as being of “curious workmanship” (v 10), and the second is when he describes his own bow as being made of “fine steel” (v 18).
**John A. Tvedtnes, "The Most Correct Book: Insights from a Book of Mormon Scholar", (Salt Lake City: Cornerstone Publishing, 1999), 76-98.
_
*'''The Liahona:''' The Liahona was a type of compass which included one pointer that indicated the direction they should go, and another pointer whose purpose is unknown. Scholars have made educated observations about the nature of the Liahona and the meaning of the word “Liahona”.
**Robert F. Smith, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=778 “Lodestone and the Liahona”] in Reexploring the Book of Mormon, ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**Robert L. Bunker [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=3&num=2&id=59 “The Design of the Liahona and the Purpose of the Second Spindle”] Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 3, Issue - 2, Pages: 1-11, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1994
** Jonathan Curci, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=16&num=2&id=446 “Liahona: ‘The Direction of the Lord’: An Etymological Explanation”], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 16, Issue - 2, Pages: 60—67, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 2007
_

===Faith Affirmations===
*'''Lehi’s Route through the Wilderness:''' The possible route that Lehi’s family took in the wilderness has received significant attention by LDS scholars. It is likely that Lehi’s family would have traveled south along the ancient Frankincense Trail, a well known (and relatively safe) route that would have brought them into contact with many inhabitants of Arabia. Nephi never mentions meeting other people along their journey, but they surely would have. Most scholars believe that Lehi’s family traveled south along this trail through Arabia, and then turned east after arriving at Nahom which is in modern day Yemen. They finally stopped and built their boat at “Bountiful” on the coast of Oman.
**Aston and Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon'', ed. John Welch, FARMS, 1992.
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1503 “On the Trail with Journey of Faith” in Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the Promised Land.]
**Eugene England, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=110&chapid=1280 “Through the Arabian Desert to a Bountiful Land: Could Joseph Smith Have Known the Way?”] in Book of Mormon Authorship: New Light on Ancient Origins.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**[http://www.byubookstore.com/ePOS?this_category=125&store=439&item_number=2105544&form=shared3%2fgm%2fdetail%2ehtml&design=439 “Journey of Faith”], DVD, The Neal A. Maxwell Institute
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FayRaONc06U&feature=autoplay&list=UUN8RcHxkoyqJwheczVDX_UQ&lf=plcp&playnext=1 "Lehi in the Desert"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attnGQRCJz8&feature=context&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Shabwah"], "Journey of Faith" DVD video clip
_
*'''The Naming of Places:''' As Lehi and family traveled through the wilderness they occasionally gave names to places, rivers, and valleys, sometimes naming them after members of their own family (ie. “the river Laman” of 1 Nephi 16:12). This practice is in keeping with ancient middle eastern custom, which Joseph Smith would likely not have known.
**Eldin Ricks, Book of Mormon Commentary: Comprising the Complete Text of the First Book of Nephi with Explanatory Notes (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1953), 44.
_
*'''Shazer:''' Hugh Nibley suggested that the name “Shajer” (v 13) means “trees” in Semitic languages, and is pronounced as “Shazher” by many Arabs. The location of Shazer has been suggested to be the wadi Agharr which lies along the Gaza arm of the Frankincense Trail.
**Nibley, Hugh, “Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon”, ed. John W. Welch, 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1988), 101.
**Potter and Wellington, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=15&num=2&id=415 “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor”] in JOBMS 15/2.
_
*'''Nephi’s Broken Bow:''' After Nephi’s bow broke he crafted another one (1 Nephi 16: 18-23). Nephi also describes how he made a new arrow along with his new bow. Ancient arrows needed to be custom made to fit a specific bow (the arrows for his steel bow would not work with his wooden bow), a fact that Joseph Smith likely would not have known. Furthermore, the bow was ancient symbol of political power. Nephi’s bow broke, and his brother’s bows lost their spring, but when Nephi fashioned a new bow for himself his brothers soon accused Nephi of having political ambitions (1 Nephi 16:37-38). It is probable that Nephi’s original bow was not made of “steel” in the modern sense of the word, but was made of some other metal which was more malleable and possible to break with bare hands.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=777 “Nephi’s Bows and Arrows”] in ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon''.
**William J. Hamblin, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=66&chapid=737 “The Bow and Arrow in the Book of Mormon,”] in ''Warfare in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1990)
_
*'''Nahom:''' In recent decades scholars have discovered archaeological remains of a place called “Nahom” in the Arabian desert that neatly corresponds to the path that Lehi and his family likely traveled. The word “Nahom” appears to have been the name of the place before Lehi and his family arrived there, and has the possible ancient meaning of “to console” or “to mourn”. This is appropriate because it is the place were Ishmael died and was buried. This is a very significant discovery that supports the historicity of the Book of Mormon.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela J. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=71&chapid=779 “Lehi’s Trail and Nahom Revisited”], from ''Reexploring the Book of Mormon''
**S. Kent Brown, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=8&num=1&id=187 “New Light: ‘The Place that was Called Nahom’: New Light from Ancient Yemen”]. From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1
**Warren P. Aston, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=10&num=2&id=255 “Newly Found Alters from Nahom”], From Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10/2.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6MVOV92cuA&feature=related "Nahom"] "Journey of Faith" video clip.

==2. Nephi demonstrates unwavering faith by fulfilling the Lord’s command to build a ship. (1 Nephi 17)==
*'''Direction of Travel''': 1 Nephi 17:1 indicates that after leaving Nahom the party traveled "nearly eastward", a change from there previous direction (southward). This new direction would take them across the barren "Empty Quarter" and the smaller Saba'tayn desert, areas very far from traditional travel routes and where they would not encounter many civilized peoples. This would have been the most difficult leg of their journey to Bountiful. The greatest need would have been to find water, and the Liahona doubtless guided them to the scarce water holes and standing pools that existed in this region. They were instructed to not light fires, possibly to avoid Bedouin attacks.
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994), 20.
_
*'''Raw Meat''': The image of Lehi’s family eating “raw meat” communicates great hardship to the modern reader who may imagine them eating freshly cut and bloody bits of meat. However, modern Arabs still eat spicy, raw, and partially dried meat “bastern”. Lehi’s family probably ate something similar to this on their journey.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 293.
_
*'''Bountiful''': Several candidates along the coast of Oman have been proposed for the location of Bountiful. Some LDS scholars believe that Wadi Sayq is the best candidate, while others believe Khor Kharfot is the likely location. Some of the requirements for choosing the location include "much fruit and also wild honey" a mount to which Nephi could retreat, a source of ore, and a place to launch a ship.
**Lynn M. Hilton and Hope Hilton, “Discovering Lehi: New Evidences of Lehi and Nephi in Arabia”, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, 1996).
**Warren P. Aston and Michaela Knoth Aston, "In the Footsteps of Lehi" (Salt Lake City, Deseret Book, 1994)
**Neol B. Reynolds, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=41&chapid=195 "Lehi's Arabian Journey Updated,"] in ''Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited: The Evidence for Ancient Origins'', ed. Noel B. Reynolds (Provo, Utah: FARMS, 1997).
**Jeffrey R. Chadwick, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/review/?vol=17&num=2&id=586 "The Wrong Place for Lehi's Trail and the Valley of Lemuel,"] FARMS Review 17, no. 2 (2005)
_
*'''The Exodus Motif in the Book of Mormon''': Scholars have observed that Nephi frequently reminds his readers of the ancient Israelite Exodus as a literary device to establish his own family's journey as part of God's great work. In chapter 17 Nephi explicitly calls upon Moses' ministry to rebuke his brothers and call them to repentance.
**Terrence L. Szink, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=72&chapid=859 Nephi and the Exodus], in ''Rediscovering the Book of Mormon'', FARMS.

==3. Laman and Lemuel bind Nephi, who shows courage and gratitude despite this trial. After they free him, he guides the ship to the promised land. (1 Nephi 18)==
===Helpful Insights===
*'''"It was good" as a description of Nephi's ship''': Nephi employs an Old Testament allusion when describing the ship when he says that his brethren "beheld that it was good" (1 Nephi 18:4). This is a key phrase that occurs seven times in the Old Testament creation account, and by recalling this phrase Nephi is suggesting that the ship is a creation of God, not of man.
**David E. Bokovoy and John A. Tvedtnes, [http://www.amazon.com/Testaments-Between-Mormon-Hebrew-Bible/dp/0974342106%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NRTS27MZA4CN3DWFP02%26tag%3Dassociatiof0b-20%26linkCode%3Dsp1%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0974342106 "Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible"] (Tooele, Utah: Heritage Press, 2003), 51.
_
*'''Design of Nephi's Ship''': Scholars of ancient seafaring have noted that in order to cross the deep and wide ocean Nephi's ship must have been constructed with a "deep, tall hull", a method that was not done regularly at the time of Nephi. This may be why Nephi says his ship was not constructed after the manner of men (1 Nephi 18:2). Nephi's ship also must have been equipped with two large rudders in order to guide the vessel through the open sea. The sails may have been similar to the sails of Nephi's day since Nephi doesn't mention them, but they would have been very large rectangular sails. The rope used on the ship may have been made from the "small dwarf palm" found in the Dhofar region of Oman which makes excellent cordage and strengthens when wet. Nephi's ship need not have been more than 35 ft long, and must have taken 2-3 years to complete.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MadvBArisU&feature=plcp&context=C30c2b44UDOEgsToPDskIKJZlss8KUuLwK4nz0rKPq "Journey of Faith" Video clip]
_
*'''The Ship's Route to the Promised Land''': Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's family steered their ship eastward from their location on the coast of the Arabian peninsula. They would have clung to the coasts as much as possible (for safety, water, supplies, etc.) and so probably would have crossed the Indian ocean by navigating along the coasts of India, and then weaving through the islands of southeast Asia (modern day Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.). Crossing the Indian Ocean from west to east means they likely would have set sail around August and sailed that leg of the journey through the winter season, when the prevailing winds and currents would be moving that direction. The trip likely took a very long time, with many stops along the way. The last leg of the trip would be to cross the great Pacific Ocean, guided by the Liahona, until they reached the western shores of the New World (perhaps Guatemala). They possibly would have been aided by the easterly winds produced by El Nino to help them across this most difficult portion of the trip. LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes:
:"While God can alter regional or even global climates if he wishes, typically, he acts more conservatively, using existing conditions in the world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, simply directing the party to leave around August would have placed them not only at a time of harvest, but also at the beginning of the monsoon season. Perhaps there was a divine reason for the eight years in the wilderness of which the family was unaware. Perhaps the Lord was waiting for the climatic conditions that would enable the journey."
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 322.
**[http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=127&chapid=1508 "Journey of Faith: From Jerusalem to the New World"], ed. by S. Kent Brown and Peter Johnson (Provo, Utah: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Studies), 2006.
**[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDYwsstRRxY&feature=plcp&context=C3e7fbc0UDOEgsToPDskJkZEmWFK1E66f6I2RgTlu2 "Journey of Faith" Video clip]
**David L. Clark, [https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewArticle/5876 "Lehi and el Nino: A Method of Migration,"] BYU Studies 30, no. 3 (1990).
_
*'''Arriving in the Promised Land:''' Most LDS scholars believe that Lehi's party would have finally ended their journey on the western coast of Guatemala in central America. The geography of Guatemala approximately matches descriptions that come later in the Book of Mormon. There is some indication that the prophet Joseph Smith believed that Lehi's party landed on the coast of Chile, although whether Joseph actually believed that has been questioned by later General Authorities (B.H. Roberts and John A. Widtsoe). Furthermore, most LDS scholars believe that upon arriving in the New World Lehi's family would have encountered native inhabitants already living there.
**John L. Sorenson, "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon" (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Provo, Utah: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1985), 138.
**John L. Sorenson, [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/jbms/?vol=1&num=1&id=3 "When Lehi's Party Arrived in the Land, Did They Find Others There?"], Journal of Book of Mormon Studies: Volume - 1, Issue - 1, Pages: 1-34, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, 1992
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography Book of Mormon Geography], FAIR Wiki.

===Potential Criticisms and Faithful Information===
*'''Anachronistic items in the New World:''' 1 Nephi 18:25 lists a number of items which are not yet known to have existed in the New World before European colonists arrived. LDS scholars have pointed to a number of important possibilities in understanding this issue. One distinct possibility is that these items did exist but have not yet been discovered yet. For example, barley was discovered to have been domesticated in pre-Columbian times in Arizona, contradicting previously held views about the history of barley in the Americas. LDS Mesoamerican scholar John Clark has noted that as the decades have passed since the publication of the Book of Mormon the list of alleged "anachronisms" in the Book of Mormon has only gotten shorter, not longer, and significantly. so.
:Another possibility is that the names of certain items in the Book of Mormon are the result of applying a familiar name to something unfamiliar. For example, when Romans discovered the hippopotamus they called it a "river horse" (the literal meaning of "hippopotamus"). LDS scholar Brant Gardner notes the following:
:"The Book of Mormon provides two possible occasions for such a mislabeling. The first is when the Lehites must describe animals they find in the New World. In this case, Joseph Smith would be accurately translating a label applied by the Nephites....The other possibility is that Joseph Smith is mislabeling unknown animals during the translation process according to his cultural expectations, regardless of the technical meaning of the terms on the plates."
**[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms "Book of Mormon/Anachronisms"], FAIR Wiki.
**John Clark, Wade Ardern, Matthew Roper, "[http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2005_Debating_the_Foundations_of_Mormonism.html Debating the Foundations of Mormonism: The Book of Mormon and Archaeology]," FAIR Conference, Sandy, Utah, 2005.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/second-witness-volume-1 “Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon”], vol. 1, pp. 325-326.
**Brant Gardner, [http://www.gregkofford.com/products/the-gift-and-power "The Gift and Power: Translating the Book of Mormon"], (Greg Kofford Books, 2011).

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