Lehi stands as a pivotal figure in the narrative of the Book of Mormon, a prophet who left a profound legacy for his descendants and for readers of the record. Born in Jerusalem during the reign of King Zedekiah, Lehi was contemporaneous with the Prophet Jeremiah and other prophets who warned of the city’s impending destruction on account of its wickedness (1 Nephi 1:4). He was a man deeply rooted in prayer and attuned to the divine, a trait that led to his own prophetic call when he saw a vision of God amidst a concourse of angels and received a book that detailed the lamentable state of his people and the coming of the Messiah (1 Nephi 1:8-14).
Lehi’s ministry in Jerusalem was met with derision and life-threatening hostility, prompting the Lord to command him to flee the city with his family. Obedient to this direction, Lehi left behind all his worldly possessions, taking only his family and necessary provisions into the wilderness (1 Nephi 2:2-4). His journey was marked by a series of revelatory experiences, including the pivotal vision of the tree of life, which provided a rich allegorical foundation for his teachings about life’s journey and the central role of the Savior’s love (1 Nephi 8).
As the family patriarch, Lehi’s concerns extended beyond spiritual admonitions, leading him to send his sons back to Jerusalem to secure scriptural records contained on plates of brass and to encourage the formation of family units by persuading Ishmael’s family to join their desert sojourn (1 Nephi 3; 7). Finding the Liahona, a curious, divinely provided instrument, marked another turn in their wilderness travels, teaching the principle of faith and obedience (1 Nephi 16:10).
Throughout his life, Lehi emulated virtues that underpinned the narrative of his people: unwavering faith, devotion to family, prophetic insight, and a yearning to follow God’s commandments. His teachings, especially as recorded in his blessings to his children, encapsulate the principles of the Atonement, agency, opposition, and the plan of salvation (2 Nephi 1-4). Known for both his prophecies concerning the Messiah and his vivid dreams, Lehi navigated his family’s migration toward the promised land, imprinting upon them—and future generations—the importance of adhering to God’s word as the means of spiritual survival and ultimate joy (1 Nephi 8:10-12; 2 Nephi 2:25-28).
Despite the repeated rebellions of his elder sons Laman and Lemuel, Lehi’s love for them never waned, mirrored by his ceaseless efforts to exhort them towards repentance and fidelity to God’s commandments (1 Nephi 2:11; 8:37). His final days were spent in blessing his offspring with profound patriarchal blessings (2 Nephi 4), ensuring that his death marked not an end but a foundational legacy that would reverberate throughout the history of his people, as chronicled in the Book of Mormon. Lehi’s death is noted with a simple, yet poignant acknowledgment of his enduring righteousness, his steadfast prophetic ministry, and his ultimate return to his Creator (2 Nephi 4:12).