“Dwelt in a
tent” is a simple phrase that occurs three times in 1 Nephi, a repeated theme
suggesting more than mere information about where Lehi lived (1 Ne. 2:15;
10:16; 16:6). The events associated with the phrase all take place in the valley
of Lemuel, but the phrase marks something more important than an event of a
place. This phrase separates textual units that are important turning points in
Nephi’s narrative. It has structural function.
This first
unit is the departure from Jerusalem, including Lehi’s vision and calling. The family
flees from Jerusalem and stops in the valley of Lemuel. “And my father dwelt in
a tent” marks the end of this conceptual unit. The next repetition is at 1
Nephi 10;16: “And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my
father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.” Again, it ends a narrative
unit containing the retrieval of the brass plates and Lehi’s vision and
following exhortation. Next comes Nephi’s dream and exhortation, which
concludes with the third mention of the “tent” (1 Ne. 16:6).
Each
narrative unit consists of a prophetic experience and a result of that experience:
(1) As a result of Lehi’s visions, the family leaves Jerusalem. (2) Lehi
receives Yahweh’s command that Nephi and his brothers should return to Jerusalem
for the brass plates. Nephi has a vision and acts upon it. Upon Nephi’s return,
Lehi has a vision of the tree of life and preaches to his family about the
meaning of the dream. (3) Nephi has a vision and expounds its meaning to his
brothers.
Units 1 and 3 are fairly straightforward. The second unit is more complicated, including visions and actions by both Lehi and Nephi. In this second unit, the narrative focus shifts from Lehi to Nephi. The phrase therefore not only marks the units, but it also marks a shifting focus in the narration. We begin with Lehi, move to a unit including Lehi and Nephi, and continues to the third unit that focuses on Nephi alone. All of these things happened as Lehi “dwelt in a tent.” (Brant A. Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 6 vols. [Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford, 2007], 1:96)
