Lehi prophesied that the Jews would return to Jerusalem after they were sacked by the Babylonians. This is a well described event in the Old Testament. Jeremiah said, For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place (Jer 28:10). The entire book of Nehemiah describes the return from Babylon to Jerusalem and the unusual penitent attitude of the Jews at the time. The following quote is a more detailed discussion of the Lords dealings with the Jews at this time:
"Lehi, like other Old Testament prophets, foretold the ultimate return of the Jews to Jerusalem. Almost a century and a half earlier, Isaiah had spoken prophetically of the coming of Cyrus the Persian, the man God would raise up among a heathen nation to allow the return and rebuilding of Jerusalem. In speaking of Cyrus, the Lord said: 'He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.' Indeed, the Lord called Cyrus his 'anointed,' and stressed that his 'right hand I have holden.' (Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1.) Jeremiah, speaking in behalf of Jehovah, explained: 'And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon [the Persians would garner power], and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations' (Jeremiah 25:12). Jeremiah also prophesied: 'For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place' (Jeremiah 29:10). Indeed, within seventy years Cyrus the Persian would issue a decree allowing the return and reconstruction of the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). (McConkie, Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 1, p. 64)