Lehi (Book of Mormon)
Lehi (
Hebrew לחי
LeḥÃÂî, meaning "jawbone") was an ancient prophet from the
Book of Mormon, and lived around 600 B.C. He was an
Israelite merchant living in
Jerusalem, and had four sons:
Laman,
Lemuel, Sam, and
Nephi. Shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem, Lehi escaped with his family, along with his friend Ishmael and his family, and another man named Zoram. Together, Lehi led them south down the
Arabian Peninsula until they reached a fertile coastal region called Bountiful. There, they built a ship, and sailed across the oceans to
the Americas. There, Lehi's sons
Nephi and
Laman are believed to have founded Hebrew nations: the
Nephites and the
Lamanites.