"Thou Knowest That I Believe": Invoking The Spirit of the Lord as Council Witness in 1 Nephi 11

Title

"Thou Knowest That I Believe": Invoking The Spirit of the Lord as Council Witness in 1 Nephi 11

Publication Type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

2012

Authors

Journal

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Pagination

1-23

Volume

1

Terms of use

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Bibliographic Citation

Abstract

The Book of Mormon features an esoteric exchange between the prophet Nephi and the Spirit of the Lord on an exceedingly high mountain. The following essay explores some of the ways in which an Israelite familiar with ancient religious experiences and scribal techniques might have interpreted this event. The analysis shows that Nephi’s conversation, as well as other similar accounts in the Book of Mormon, echoes an ancient temple motif. As part of this paradigm, the essay explores the manner in which the text depicts the Spirit of the Lord in a role associated with members of the divine council in both biblical and general Near Eastern conceptions.

Divine Council
Holy Spirit
Spirit of the Lord

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