The Book of Mormon

Week 4: Lehi₁’s dream; Nephi₁’s apocalypse

1 Nephi 8, 10–15

28 September 2023

• “Components of Lehi’s Vision of the Tree of Life,” a chart of the setting, people, and action/outcome in 1 Nephi 8. Extracted from Charles Swift, “Lehi’s Vision of the Tree of Life: Understanding the Dream as Visionary Literature,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14, no. 2 (2005): 60.

• Daniel C. Peterson, “Nephi and His Asherah,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9, no. 2 (2000): 16–25, 80–81. Nephi₁’s vision of “a virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins” who was “the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh” (1 Nephi 11:15, 18; 1830 edition) is connected to Lehi₁’s vision of a “a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy” (1 Nephi 8:10). Dr. Peterson’s article shows how they’re both connected to ancient Israelite belief in the female divinity Asherah, whose representation was a tree.

• The “man among the Gentiles” upon whom the Spirit of God “came down and wrought upon” (1 Nephi 13:12) is commonly understood to be Christopher Columbus, although there is no revelation or official statement from Church leaders that has formally endorsed this. For an exploration of alternative figures who may be a better fit for Nephi₁’s description, see Jared Cook, “‘A man among the gentiles’: Questioning our assumptions,” By Common Consent (blog), 11 October 2016.

• Stephen E. Robinson, “Nephi’s ‘Great and Abominable Church’,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 7, no. 1 (1998): 32–39, 70. In this article, Professor Robinson draws a clear distinction between a specific “great and abominable church” described in 1 Nephi 13, and a general “great and abominable church,” representing any and all wicked organizations, in 1 Nephi 14. (A shortened version of Robinson’s article was published in the January 1988 Ensign, 34–39.)

• Taylor Halverson, “1 Nephi 12–14: Nephi’s Grand Vision,” The Interpreter Foundation, 30 January 2016.