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KnoWhy #319 - Why Did Lehi Divide His People Into Seven Tribes? (Jacob 1:13)

TitleKnoWhy #319 - Why Did Lehi Divide His People Into Seven Tribes? (Jacob 1:13)
Publication TypeKnoWhy
Year of Publication2017
Corporate AuthorsBook of Mormon Central Staff
PublisherBook of Mormon Central
Place PublishedSpringville, UT
KeywordsAncient America; Ancient Near East; Descent; Ishmaelite; Jacobite; Josephite; Lamanite; Lemuelite; Mesoamerica; Nephite; Numerology; Parallel; Posterity; Tribe; Twelve Tribes of Israel; Zoramite
Abstract

When giving his final patriarchal blessings, Lehi organized his people into the following seven tribes: Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. The number seven was held sacred by biblical writers and by various peoples in ancient America, which may help explain why Lehi's seven tribes lasted through nearly a thousand years of Nephite history. Importantly, the Lord Himself referred to these same tribes in Doctrine and Covenants 3:16–18, suggesting that, like the twelve tribes of Israel, they will provide an enduring basis for family connections among the descendants of Lehi.

URLhttps://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/why-did-lehi-divide-his-people-into-seven-tribes
Citation Key3324

Scripture Reference

Jacob 1:13