At the end of Lehi’s life, he taught and encouraged each of his sons. In this chapter, he urges Laman and Lemuel, as well as Sam and the sons of Ishmael, to be more valiant and faithful. He tells them to “awake from a deep sleep,” to “arise from the dust,” and to “shake of the chains with which [they] are bound.” He also urges them to follow the leadership of Nephi, and he congratulates Zoram for being a great friend to Nephi.
Chapter Outline
- God has blessed us by leading us from Jerusalem to our promised land (v. 1-5).
- This is a land of liberty for those who follow God, captivity for those who don’t (v. 6-12).
- Awake from a deep sleep, and arise from the dust (v. 13-23).
- Hearken to Nephi (v. 24-29).
- Zoram: You are a good friend to Nephi forever (v. 30-32)
My Takeaways
- Remind your children of the blessings you’ve received from the Lord.
- Overcome complacency and get to work.
- When we receive correction, we need to humble ourselves and not blame the messenger.
- It’s good to be a loyal friend, as Zoram was to Nephi.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Lehi’s Promised Land – 2 Nephi 1:1-12
Land of Promise, Land of Liberty
Lehi told his sons that their new land of promise was a land of liberty, and that they would be free as long as they remained righteous. Freedom doesn’t mean absolution from accountability. It means autonomy within the constraints of the law.
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the United States of America?
About 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, a prophet named Nephi experienced a sweeping vision, in which he saw a number of events in the distant future. One of those events was the establishment of the United States of America. Here is how he describes it: I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who…
Out of Captivity
Nephi prophesied that people in the Americas would be freed from captivity because they would humble themselves before God. Lehi and Moroni added that God intends for this land to be free and that we will retain our liberty if we follow Him.
A Land of Promise – 2 Nephi 1:5
5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my…
❖ Call to Repent – 2 nephi 1:13-23
Awake and Arise!
Lehi repeatedly admonished his sons to do three things: 1. Awake 2. Arise from the dust. 3. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound. We can follow his admonitions by being more aware and more engaged, and by letting go of unproductive activities.
Shake Off the Awful Chains with Which Ye Are Bound – 2 Nephi 1:13
13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe. (2…
Arise from the Dust…and Be Men – 2 Nephi 1:21-23
21 And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in…
Old Testament Foundations
“Him That Rebuketh in the Gate”
Nobody likes to be corrected. Our brains are really good at constructing arguments to prove that we are right. We bristle when we are chastised, and even if we are able to override the initial defensive instinct and be civil, we can’t seem to escape the initial sting and the instinctive desire to ignore or…
Accepting Feedback from Family
When Mordecai asked Esther to plead with the king on behalf of their people, her first response was simple: I can’t do that. It’s not possible. No one can approach the king without being invited, not even me, and I haven’t been invited in over a month. (See Esther 4:11.) Mordecai’s response was stern: Think…
Up!
When Deborah, the leader of Israel, instructed a man named Barak to recruit an army and fight against their Canaanite oppressors, Barak responded with trepidation but with confidence in her leadership. “If thou wilt go with me,” he said, “then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not…
Not Separated
An Israelite woman named Naomi lived in Moab for many years. Both of her sons married Moabite women. After her husband and both sons died, Naomi decided to return home, and she encouraged both of her daughters-in-law to return to their families. One of them, Orpah, agreed and affectionately bid farewell to Naomi. But Ruth…
New Testament Parallels
“The Armor of Righteousness” – 2 Nephi 1:23
Lehi urged his sons to “awake” and “put on the armor of righteousness” (2 Nephi 1:23). This mirrors a passage in Paul’s epistle to the Romans: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Romans 13:12…
Come Forth!
The Savior’s instruction to Lazarus as he lay in the tomb—”Come forth!” applies to us as well. We can come forth by spending time with other people, stepping out of our comfort zones, and doing challenging things even if they are highly visible.
Church History Connections
“A Lively Member”
When Frederick G. Williams became a member of the First Presidency of the church, he also became part of an organization called the United Firm, which had been established to help fund the work of the church. After instructing existing members of the Firm to “receive him into the order,” the Lord directed Brother Williams…
“Out of Obscurity and Out of Darkness”
Isaiah prophesied that God would do a marvelous work among His children in response to widespread hypocrisy and cynicism. An important element of that work would be a book which would enable people to overcome confusion and see clearly: In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind…
Of God / Of the Devil
How do we respond to other people’s spiritual experiences? A trusted leader told Joseph Smith that his first vision was “of the devil.” In contrast, his father told him his vision of the angel Moroni was “of God.” The Spirit can help us avoid defensiveness and recognize truth.
All Posts Referencing 2 Nephi 1
- Jacob’s Blessings (3/22/2026)
- Joseph and Nephi (3/11/2026)
- Open Thy Mouth, and It Shall Be Filled (1/30/2026)
- Happiness in Family Life (12/17/2025)
- “Take Especial Care of Your Family” (11/6/2025)
- Patriarchal Blessings (10/30/2025)
- Of God / Of the Devil (1/26/2025)
- Out of Captivity (7/4/2024)
- “The Workings of the Spirit of the Lord” (4/21/2024)
- Land of Promise, Land of Liberty (2/9/2024)
- Awake and Arise! (2/7/2024)
- Zoram (1/12/2024)
- The Title Page and Nephi (1/4/2024)
- No Greater Joy (12/3/2023)
- Come Forth! (5/7/2023)
- “Him That Rebuketh in the Gate” (11/19/2022)
- Accepting Feedback from Family (7/31/2022)
- Up! (6/4/2022)
- Patriarchs and Matriarchs (3/20/2022)
- Glory (12/28/2021)
- Not Separated (11/27/2021)
- “A Lively Member” (8/22/2021)
- “The Armor of Righteousness” – 2 Nephi 1:23 (3/21/2021)
- Truth (1/8/2021)
- “Out of Obscurity and Out of Darkness” (1/3/2021)
- Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6 (12/5/2020)
- “That They Should Perish Not” – Ether 13:7 (11/25/2020)
- What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?” (1/26/2020)
- What Do We Know About God’s Love for Us? (12/2/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the United States of America? (10/28/2019)
- How Can I Recognize the Hand of the Lord in My Life? (10/27/2019)
- How Can I Be a Both a Defender of Truth and a Peacemaker? (10/19/2019)
- What Is Authority? (10/15/2019)
- What Is the Relationship Between the Family and the Church? (9/18/2019)
- How Can I Teach the Gospel More Effectively in My Home? (9/16/2019)
- Why Were Laman and Lemuel Unable to Overcome Their Negativity? (7/22/2019)
- What Is the Significance of God’s Promise to Nephi? (7/19/2019)
- How Should I Deal with Anxiety? (7/10/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Complacency? (5/11/2019)
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Anger? (5/9/2019)
- What Does It Mean to Consecrate Something? (5/4/2019)
- A Land of Promise – 2 Nephi 1:5 (8/14/2018)
- Shake Off the Awful Chains with Which Ye Are Bound – 2 Nephi 1:13 (10/1/2017)
- Arise from the Dust…and Be Men – 2 Nephi 1:21-23 (8/13/2016)
- 2 Nephi 1:5 A Land of Promise (2/2/2015)
- 2 Nephi 1:21 Arise From the Dust, My Sons, and Be Men (2/2/2015)