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Book of Mormon Feast

An Artistic Tour of 1 Nephi 5-7

5

1 Nephi 5:2

BOOK OF MORMON ART

She Had Supposed That We Had Perished  

Walter Rane

Oil on board

Sariah, the wife of Book of Mormon prophet Lehi, followed him with her family out of Jerusalem and into the wilderness.  But when her sons delayed their return while on their Brass Plates acquisition mission, she began to doubt her husband’s call and the Lord’s protection.  

The Book of Mormon records, “For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness; and she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.”

1 Nephi 5:7

BOOK OF MORMON ART

Their Joy Was Full  

Walter Rane  

Oil on board.

The Book of Mormon tells of the joyful reunion when the boys returned, after successfully completing their mission:

“And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold their joy was full, and my mother was comforted.”

1 Nephi 5:8

BOOK OF MORMON ART

The Promised Land {Sariah}

Elspeth Young

Artist’s Comments:

The story behind The Promised Land

The Book of Mormon begins with an account of the family of Lehi, a prophet living in Jerusalem during Zedekiah’s reign in 600 BC (1 Nephi 1:4). Lehi is commanded by the Lord "that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness…wherefore, he did as the Lord commanded him...And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness" (1 Nephi 2:2-4).

During the family’s wilderness journey, Lehi dreams a dream in which he sees the tree of life "whose fruit was desirable to make one happy" (1 Nephi 8:10).  This tree and its fruit represent the "love of God" (1 Nephi 11:22).  In this dream, Lehi partakes of the fruit and then invites his family (including his wife Sariah) to partake of the fruit also, which they do (see 1 Nephi 8:13-16).  Though but a simple portrait, this image of Sariah is meant to portray the faith and hope of one who has partaken of that fruit "which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet..." (Alma 32:42).  Nephi tells us that Sariah’s "joy was full, and [she] was comforted" (1 Nephi 8:7) during the wilderness journey.  That peace and comfort is seen in her face.

As mother to both the Nephite and Lamanite races, Sariah is a mother of nations.  The differences between the two races are symbolized by the stark contrast visible in her face.

1 Nephi 5:10

BOOK OF MORMON ART

Lehi Studying Plates

Joseph Franklin Brickey

The Book of Mormon says that after the sons returned with the plates of brass, Lehi gave thanks unto the Lord.  “And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.”

1 Nephi 5:12

BOOK OF MORMON ART

Lehi revisa las planchas

Jorge Cocco Santangelo

1 Nephi 7:1-5

BOOK OF MORMON ART

Love Story

Minerva Teichert

“Teichert imaginatively portrays a group of young women mentioned in the Book of Mormon-the daughters of the prophet Ishmael. As recorded, they left their life in Jerusalem to join Lehi’s family in the wilderness and marry his sons.”