According to Terrence Szink, it appears that Nephi purposefully wrote his account in a way that would reflect the Exodus. Here one can compare 1 Nephi 17:13-14 ("I will be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you") with Exodus 6:7-8 ("The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light"). [Terrence L. Szink, "Nephi and the Exodus," in Rediscovering the Book of Mormon, pp. 44-45] [See the commentary on 1 Nephi 17:12]