Lehi Speaks to His Sons about His Impending Death

John W. Welch

In 2 Nephi 1:14, Lehi spoke to his sons, "Awake, arise from the dust, hear the words of a trembling parent whose limbs you must soon lay down in a cold and silent grave from whence no traveler can return." Critics of the Book of Mormon have said that Joseph Smith plagiarized these lines from Shakespeare. This phrase, however, is probably a reference to Job 10:20, from which both Lehi and Shakespeare likely drew.

Further Reading

Book of Mormon Central, "Did Lehi Quote Shakespeare? (2 Nephi 1:14)," KnoWhy 26 (February 4, 2016).

John W. Welch Notes

References