At this point in our reading, we can clearly see that the inspiration for the story itself is largely pulled from events in the Bible. Lehi seems to embody the experiences in Jerusalem that reflect that of Jeremiah. And the exodus of his family from Jerusalem seems to reflect that of the Israelites fleeing Egypt. As we continue reading through page 8, we can see the influence continue as Lehi again takes actions that reflect the bible.
The Book of Mormon, pg 8
~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
"And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and he made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God." (pg 8)
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It should come as no surprise, that this is exactly what Moses did after escaping their enemies and providing the Isrealites with food and water.
~~~~~The Old Testament ~~~~~~
15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: (Exodus 17:15)
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But what about narrative influences outside of the Bible? After all, my claim is that this work is a fictional product of Joseph Smith's imagination, and we can't expect the Book to continue to simply rephrase Biblical events in its entirety. So lets take a step back a bit, and consider his education. It is well established fact that Joseph, like most people in the early 1800's, had no formal education. He had attended local schools off and on in his childhood, but largely gained his education informally through his parents.
So what was he taught? What was were the ideas he was surrounded by? We can gain some insight into this by considering his mother's own words. We refer now to her book, Biographical Sketches Of Joseph Smith The Prophet And His Progenitors For Many Generations, by Orson Pratt and Lucy Mack Smith, published in 1853. We are going to come back to this book several times (as opportunity arises during our study) to gain an understanding of the religious environment which was fostered by his parents. For now, lets focus on the words of Lucy and how they relate to Joseph's own views, his writing style, and his religious experience.
~~~~~Lucy Smith~~~~~
"While we were living in the town of Tunbridge [Vermont], my mind became deeply impressed with the subject of religion; which, probably, was occasioned by my singular experience during my sickness at Kandolph. I began to attend Methodist meetings, and, to oblige me, my husband accompanied me; (pg 54)
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Now lets read Joseph's words as he recalls his teenage years after the family later moved to Palmyra. It's clear that his family continued to jump from church to church and that it was a central topic of discussion.
~~~~~~ Joseph Smith ~~~~~~
"7 I was at this time in my fifteenth year. [after moving to Palmyra, New York] My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.
8 During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect... (Joseph Smith - History 1:7-8)
~~~~~Lucy Smith~~~~~
"but when this came to the ears of his [Joseph Smith Sr.] father and oldest brother, they were so displeased, and said so much in regard to the matter, that my husband thought it best to desist. He said that he considered it as hardly worth our while to attend the meetings any longer, as it would prove of but little advantage to us ; besides this, it gave our friends such disagreeable feelings, I was considerably hurt by this, yet I made no reply. (pg 54)
~~~~~~ Joseph Smith ~~~~~~
9 My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others. (Joseph Smith - History 1:9)
~~~~~Lucy Smith~~~~~
" I retired to a grove not far distant, where I prayed to the Lord in behalf of my husband — that the true Gospel might be presented to him, and that his heart might be softened so as to receive it, or, that he might become more religiously inclined. (pg 54)
~~~~~~ Joseph Smith ~~~~~~
11 While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (Joseph Smith - History 1:11)
14 So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt...(Joseph Smith - History 1:14)
15 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God...(Joseph Smith - History 1:15)
~~~~~Lucy Smith~~~~~
"After praying some time in this manner, I returned to the house, much depressed in spirit, which state of feeling continued until I retired to my bed. I soon fell asleep, and had the following dream:" (pg 54)
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Pay attention to the way Lucy's dream is described and the imagery used. We have to assume that Joseph Smith was exposed to these types of narratives from a young age. Especially since his mother was the one who took the initiative in his religious and secular education. I broke up the text into smaller paragraphs to make it easier to read, but nothing was excluded.
~~~~~Lucy Smith~~~~~
"I thought that I stood in a large and beautiful meadow, which lay a short distance from the house in which we lived, and that everything around me wore an aspect of peculiar pleasantness The first thing that attracted my special attention in this magnificent meadow, was a very pure and clear stream of water, which ran through the midst of it ; and as I traced this stream, I discovered two trees standing upon its margin, both of which were on the same side of the stream.
These trees were very beautiful, they were well proportioned, and towered with majestic beauty to a great height. Their branches, which added to their symmetry and glory, commenced near the top, and spread themselves in luxurious grandeur around, I gazed upon them with wonder and admiration; and after beholding them a short time, I saw one of them was surrounded with a bright belt, that shone like burnished gold, but far more brilliantly.
Presently, a gentle breeze passed by, and the tree encircled with this golden zone, bent gracefully before the wind, and waved its beautiful branches in the light air. As the wind increased, this tree assumed the moat lively and animated appearance, and seemed to express in its motions the utmost joy and happiness. If it had been an intelligent creature, it could not have conveyed, by the power of language, the idea of joy and gratitude so perfectly as it did ; and even the stream that rolled beneath it, shared, apparently, every sensation felt by the tree, for, as the branches danced over the stream, it would swell gently, then recede again with a motion as soft as the breathing of an infant, but as lively as the dancing of a sunbeam.
The belt also partook of the same influence, and as it moved in unison with the motion of the stream and of the tree, it increased continually in refulgence and magnitude, until it became exceedingly glorious.
I turned my eyes upon its fellow, which stood opposite ; but it was not surrounded with the belt of light as the former, and it stood erect and fixed as a pillar of marble. No matter how strong the wind blew over it, not a leaf was stirred, not a bough was bent; but obstinately stiff it stood, scorning alike the zephyr's breath, or the power of the mighty storm.
I wondered at what I saw, and said in my heart, What can be the meaning of all this ? And the interpretation given me was, that these personated my husband and his oldest brother, Jesse Smith; that the stubborn and unyielding tree was like Jesse that the other, more pliant and flexible, was like Joseph, my husband ; that the breath of heaven, which passed over them, was the pure and undefiled Gospel of the Son of God, which Gospel Jesse would always resist, but which Joseph, when he was more advanced in life, would hear and receive with his whole heart, and rejoice therein; and unto him would be added intelligence, happiness, glory, and everlasting life. (pgs 54-56)
~~~~~~~~~~
Keep all of that in mind as we continue with where we were at in the page 8 of the Book of Mormon.
~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
"And it came to pass that he called the name of the river Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof. And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness. And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm, and steadfast, and immoveable in keeping the commandments of the Lord.
Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold; they did murmur in many things against their father, because that he was a visionary man, and that he had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, and to perish in the wilderness. (Pg 8)
~~~~~ The Old Testament ~~~~~
2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
"And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart. And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. -- And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.(pg 8)
~~~~~ The Old Testament ~~~~~
8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord. (Exodus 16:8)
~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews, which were at Jerusalem, which sought to take away the life of my father." (Pg 8)
~~~~~ The Old Testament ~~~~~
3.And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. (Exodus 17:3-4)
~~~~~ The Book of Mormon~~~~~
"And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore they did do as he commanded them. And my father dwelt in a tent." (pg 8)
~~~~~~~~~~
From here, as we move on to page 9, we will begin to move away from Nephi telling us about his father, and we will begin to see the story from his own personal experience. This is where we will begin to see a lot of contemporary ideas begin to manifest in the text.
Check Your Understanding
See how much you remember from this post.
1. Which biblical figure does Lehi most closely resemble when he builds an altar after escaping danger?
2. According to the post, Joseph Smith’s early education most likely came from:
3. Why does the post quote from Lucy Mack Smith’s autobiography?
4. Lucy’s dream, quoted in the post, is used to illustrate:
5. When Lehi compares Laman to a river and Lemuel to a valley, the post argues this functions as:
6. The repeated murmuring of Laman and Lemuel most directly reflects:
- Next Post -
10 - Be Strong and of a Good Courage
We are brought back to Nephi and his parallels to Joshua
New here? Consider starting at the first post.
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