Come, Follow Me
Book of Mormon Lesson 2:
January 6–12
1 Nephi 1-7

Nephi recorded the “things of God” (1 Nephi 6:3). As you study Nephi’s record, pay attention to the things of God you find, especially impressions from the Spirit.
1 Nephi 1: Nephi begins the record of his people—Lehi sees in vision a pillar of fire and reads from a book of prophecy—He praises God, foretells the coming of the Messiah, and prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem—He is persecuted by the Jews. About 600 B.C.
1 Nephi 2: Lehi takes his family into the wilderness by the Red Sea—They leave their property—Lehi offers a sacrifice to the Lord and teaches his sons to keep the commandments—Laman and Lemuel murmur against their father—Nephi is obedient and prays in faith; the Lord speaks to him, and he is chosen to rule over his brethren. About 600 B.C.
1 Nephi 3: Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass—Laban refuses to give the plates up—Nephi exhorts and encourages his brethren—Laban steals their property and attempts to slay them—Laman and Lemuel smite Nephi and Sam and are reproved by an angel. About 600–592 B.C.
1 Nephi 4: Nephi slays Laban at the Lord’s command and then secures the plates of brass by stratagem—Zoram chooses to join Lehi’s family in the wilderness. About 600–592 B.C.
1 Nephi 5: Sariah complains against Lehi—Both rejoice over the return of their sons—They offer sacrifices—The plates of brass contain writings of Moses and the prophets—The plates identify Lehi as a descendant of Joseph—Lehi prophesies concerning his seed and the preservation of the plates. About 600–592 B.C.
1 Nephi 6: Nephi writes of the things of God—Nephi’s purpose is to persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham and be saved. About 600–592 B.C.
1 Nephi 7: Lehi’s sons return to Jerusalem and invite Ishmael and his household to join them in their journey—Laman and others rebel—Nephi exhorts his brethren to have faith in the Lord—They bind him with cords and plan his destruction—He is freed by the power of faith—His brethren ask forgiveness—Lehi and his company offer sacrifice and burnt offerings. About 600–592 B.C.
Resources on ChurchofJesusChrist.org
Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Come, Follow Me—For Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and Young Women Classes: Doctrinal Topics 2020 (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Come, Follow Me—For Primary (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Keep the Commandments, Children’s Songbook, 146–47
Family Study Fun (Ensign Activities at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
What Was Jerusalem Like in Lehi’s Time? (Ensign Weekly Book of Mormon Insights)
The Power of Deliverance: Why Nephi Killed Laban, Clyde J. Williams (Ensign)
Sariah, Heather B. Moore (Ensign)
1 Nephi 1–7 (Ensign Support Articles and Activities)
The Lord Commands Lehi’s Family to Leave Jerusalem
Nephi Is Led by the Spirit to Obtain the Plates of Brass
Ishmael’s Household Joins Lehi’s Family
Resources on Interpreter Foundation
Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 2: 1 Nephi 1-7, Jonn Claybaugh
Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon Lesson 2 (1 Nephi 1-7)
Labor Diligently to Write: The Ancient Making of a Modern Scripture, Chapter 11, Brant A. Gardner
Additional Posts & Roundtables on the Interpreter Foundation Website
Scripture Roundtable: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 4, “The Things Which I Saw While I Was Carried Away in the Spirit”, November 19, 2015
Scripture Roundtable: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 2, “All Things According to His Will”, November 8, 2015
- The Hilt Thereof Was of Pure Gold, John A. Tvedtnes, October 4, 2015
- Another Suggestion for Reading 1 Nephi 1: 1-3, Brant A. Gardner, January 18, 2014
- Nephi the Good: A Commentary on 1 Nephi 1:1–3, Neal Rappleye, January 3, 2014
- Musings on the Making of Mormon's Book: 1 Nephi 7, Brant A. Gardner, September 14, 2013
- Musings on the Making of Mormon's Book: 1 Nephi 6, Brant A. Gardner, September 1, 2013
- Musings on the Making of Mormon's Book: 1 Nephi 5, Brant A. Gardner, August 25, 2013
- Musings on the Making of Mormon's Book: 1 Nephi 4, Brant A. Gardner, August 17, 2013
- Musings on the Making of Mormon's Book: 1 Nephi 3, Brant A. Gardner, August 11, 2013
- Musings on the Making of Mormon's Book: 1 Nephi 2, Brant A. Gardner, July 27, 2013
- Musings on the Making of Mormon's Book: 1 Nephi 1, Brant A. Gardner, July 18, 2013
- Musings on the Making of Mormon’s Book: Preliminary: Nephi as Author, Brant A. Gardner, July 4, 2013
Articles in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship
- Prospering in the Land: A Comparison of Covenant Promises in Leviticus and First Nephi 2, Kerry Muhlestein, June 14, 2019
- The Record of My Father, Clifford P. Jones, April 12, 2019
- Revisiting “Sariah” at Elephantine, Neal Rappleye, April 5, 2019
- Light and Perspective: Essays from the Mormon Theology Seminar on 1 Nephi 1 and Jacob 7, Kevin Christensen, January 11, 2019
- What’s in a Name? Playing in the Onomastic Sandbox, Kevin L. Barney, August 3, 2018
- Too Little or Too Much Like the Bible? A Novel Critique of the Book of Mormon Involving David and the Psalms, Jeff Lindsay, May 25, 2018
- Jacob’s Protector, Matthew L. Bowen, December 15, 2017
- The Divine Council in the Hebrew Bible and the Book of Mormon, Stephen O. Smoot, November 3, 2017
- “If Ye Will Hearken”: Lehi’s Rhetorical Wordplay on Ishmael in 2 Nephi 1:28–29 and Its Implications, Matthew L. Bowen, May 19, 2017
- Seers and Stones: The Translation of the Book of Mormon as Divine Visions of an Old-Time Seer, Stan Spencer, March 10, 2017
- Meeting Zoram, Collin Charles Russell, March 3, 2017
- The Great and Spacious Book of Mormon Arcade Game: More Curious Works from Book of Mormon Critics, Jeff Lindsay, January 13, 2017
- “Their Anger Did Increase Against Me”: Nephi’s Autobiographical Permutation of a Biblical Wordplay on the Name Joseph, Matthew L. Bowen, December 30, 2016
- Reading 1 Nephi With Wisdom, Taylor Halverson, November 11, 2016
- Nephi’s Use of Inverted Parallels, Dennis Newton, October 7, 2016
- “With the Tongue of Angels”: Angelic Speech as a Form of Deification, Neal Rappleye, September 2, 2016
- “O Ye Fair Ones” — Revisited, Matthew L. Bowen, June 23, 2016
- Nephi’s Change of Heart, Dennis Newton, June 17, 2016
- “See That Ye Are Not Lifted Up”: The Name Zoram and Its Paronomastic Pejoration, Matthew L. Bowen, March 18, 2016
- To “See and Hear”, Kevin L. Tolley, January 22, 2016
- Nephi’s Good Inclusio, Matthew L. Bowen, November 20, 2015
- Learning Nephi’s Language: Creating a Context for 1 Nephi 1:2, Neal Rappleye, August 14, 2015
- The Deuteronomist Reforms and Lehi’s Family Dynamics: A Social Context for the Rebellions of Laman and Lemuel, Neal Rappleye, July 24, 2015
- Lehi the Smelter: New Light on Lehi’s Profession, Neal Rappleye, March 13, 2015
- Nephi: A Postmodernist Reading, Benjamin L. McGuire, September 5, 2014
- Nephi: A Postmodernist Reading, Benjamin L. McGuire, September 5, 2014
- The Sôd of YHWH and the Endowment, William J. Hamblin, April 12, 2013
Resources on Other Sites
Come Follow Me 2020: 1 Nephi 1-7, Book of Mormon Central
1 Nephi 1-7, John W. Welch Notes
What Sacrifices did Lehi Offer to God in the Wilderness?, Book of Mormon Central
The First Verse in the Book of Mormon (Come Follow Me Lesson Jan 6 – 12), Taylor Halverson and Tyler Griffin
Come Follow Me 1 Nephi 1-7 (Jan. 6-12), Don’t Miss This
Come Follow Me: Book of Mormon #2, “I Will Go and Do” , 1 Nephi 1-7, Meridian Magazine
1 Nephi 1 to 7 – “I Will Go and Do”, BYU Studies
- Into Arabia: Lehi and Sariah’s Escape from Jerusalem, Perspectives Suggested by New Fieldwork, BYU Studies Journal
Lehi and Nephi: Faith unto Salvation, BYU Religious Studies Center
Light or Dark, Freedom or Bondage: Enhancing Book of Mormon Themes through Contrasts, BYU Religious Studies Center
The Book of Mormon: A Primer for Priesthood Leadership, BYU Religious Studies Center
Types and Shadows of Deliverance in the Book of Mormon, BYU Religious Studies Center
Khirbet Beit Lei and the Book of Mormon, BYU Religious Studies Center
Why Did Nephi Have to Kill Laban in the Book of Mormon?, LDS Living
5 Unique Insights That Will Add New Meaning to the First Chapters of Your Book of Mormon Study, LDS Living
KnoWhys from Book of Mormon Central
- Why Does Nephi Begin by Saying "I, Nephi . . ."?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #476
- What Is So Good about Nephi’s Name?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #445
- Why Is It Good to Seek Both Spiritual and Secular Learning?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #324
- Why Are Lehi’s Visions Like Those of Other Prophets in His Day?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #469
- Where Is the Narrative Transition in 1 Nephi?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #461
- Did Ancient Israelites Write in Egyptian? , Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #4
- How Can We Be Delivered through the Lord’s Tender Mercies?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #447
- Why Did Book of Mormon Authors Use Colophons?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #443
- Who Were the "Many Prophets" in Jerusalem During Lehi’s Time?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #441
- Why Are Lehi’s First Visions So Similar to Much Later Apocalyptic Writings?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #459
- How Can the Old Testament Covenants Help Us Understand the Book of Mormon?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #363
- Why Did Some in Lehi’s Time Believe that Jerusalem Could Not Be Destroyed?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #451
- Why Did Nephi Want to Know the Mysteries of God?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #442
- Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge: Act in Faith, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #260
- Why Does Zion Flourish in the Wilderness? , Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #362
- How Was Lehi’s Journey Similar to the Mormon Pioneers’ Trek West?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #357
- Why Was It Significant that Nephi Was Made "˜a Ruler and a Teacher’ Over His Brethren?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #462
- How Many Others Traveled with Lehi to the Promised Land?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #465
- Have the Valley of Lemuel and the River Laman Been Found? , Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #286
- How Can We Be Thankful During Times of Hardship?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #384
- Did Lehi Use the Poetry of the Ancient Bedouin?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #5
- How Much Could Joseph Smith Have Known about Chiasmus in 1829?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #334
- Why Don’t We Know the Names of the Angels in the Book of Mormon?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #426
- Why Does Nephi Always Go Down to the Wilderness and Up to Jerusalem?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #6
- Why Did Nephi Believe the Lord Would Prepare a Way?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #263
- Why Does the Book of Mormon Talk about a "Land of Jerusalem"? , Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #495
- Was Nephi’s Slaying of Laban Legal?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #256
- Who Were the "Elders of the Jews" Mentioned by Zoram?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #464
- How is the Use of Deuteronomy in the Book of Mormon Evidence for its Authenticity?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #428
- Did Jerusalem Have Walls Around It?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #7
- What Was the Sword of Laban Like?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #401
- Were Any Ancient Israelite Women Named Sariah?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #8
- What Parts of the Old Testament Were on the Plates of Brass?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #410
- How Did Brigham Young Help Take the Book of Mormon to the World?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #354
- What Did It Mean for Lehi to be a Visionary Man?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #457
- Why Did Nephi Work So Hard to Preserve the Wisdom He Had Received?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #262
- How Could Nephi Have Known about Jeremiah’s Imprisonment?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #463
- How Could Lehi Offer Sacrifices Outside of Jerusalem?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #9
Roundtables from BYU TV