Lehi and his colony were “Hebrews” in the sense that they were descendants of Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, through his son Isaac, his grandson Jacob (Israel), and his great-grandson Joseph. (1 Nephi 5:14; 15:18.)
Several characteristics and customs of the Hebrews are found in the Book of Mormon, including the following mentioned in the first seven chapters of 1 Nephi:
1. Lehi offered “sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord” (5:9).
2. He also built “an altar of stones” (2:7)—not a “stone altar,” which could denote cut rock and mortar, but an “altar of stones.” (This is of particular interest in light of Exodus 20:25 wherein the Lord said to Moses: “And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.”)
3. The patriarchal order (including the law of primogeniture) was apparently observed by the group (3:28-29), and family ties were very important (2:4).
4. An oath or vow was considered to be sacred and binding (3:15; 4:31-37).
5. The sons of Lehi “cast lots” to determine who should visit Laban (3:11).
6. Numerous references are made to Moses, to the miracles of Exodus, and to other historical events of the Israelites (4:2-3).