Portal:Book of Mormon/Selected article

The First Book of Nephi (pronounced /ˈniːfaɪ/) is the first book of the Book of Mormon. Its full title is The First Book of Nephi: His Reign and Ministry. The book is usually referred to as First Nephi and abbreviated as "1 Ne.". It is a first-person narrative, beginning around 600 BC, of a prophet named Nephi. The Second Book of Nephi is a continuation of this narrative. The book begins in Jerusalem at the time of King Zedekiah, where Nephi's father, Lehi, has a vision, wherein he sees God the Father, Christ, and the twelve apostles. Lehi is also made aware of the imminent Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Hence as a result of this experience, Lehi begins to preach repentance to his people. As with the other prophets living at that time, such as Jeremiah, they reject his teachings and attempt to kill him. In a dream, God commands Lehi to leave Jerusalem with his family (which include his wife, Sariah, and his four sons Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi). Yet almost immediately upon their exile, Lehi is commanded by God to send his sons back to Jerusalem to retrieve the brass plates. The brass plates are a record similar to what the Old Testament is, owned by Laban, a powerful leader in Jerusalem. Nephi returns with his brothers and after several failed attempts, where Laban even tries to steal Lehi's property and murder his sons, become frustrated. Laman and Lemuel take out their frustration by beating Nephi. An angel appears and commands Laman and Lemuel to stop beating Nephi and return to retrieve the plates. One of the great visions of this book is Lehi's vision of the tree of life.