One might wonder at Nephi’s repeatedly telling us, “my father dwelt in a tent” (see also 1 Nephi 9:1; 10:16; 16:6). According to Hugh Nibley, Nephi’s father’s tent was the center of his universe. But to an Arab, the phrase “My father dwelt in a tent” tells us a great deal: Lehi and his family had taken on the Bedouin way of life for this journey. Because Nephi repeatedly mentions his father’s living quarters, we learn that it is the center of authority and administration. It is apparent from many other statements in 1 Nephi that, as Nibley states, “Lehi’s tent is the headquarters for all activities, all discussion and decisions.” (See Echoes, 459–460.)