View source for Laman and Lemuel

{{Short description|Book of Mormon characters}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{about|the sons of Lehi in the Book of Mormon||Laman (disambiguation)|and|Lemuel (disambiguation)}}{{Infobox religious biography
| religion           = 
| image              = Laman and Lemuel, in Nephi Telling His Brothers About His Vision, by HW.png
| alt                = Two men with thick, curled hair approximately down to their shoulders, along with goattee-like beards. They also wear hats similar to the other two, and they wear tunics, though theirs go all the way to their shins. They wear sandals as well, but over their tunics they have long dark shawls.
| caption            = Laman and Lemuel as depicted in ''Nephi Telling His Brothers About His Vision'' from ''[[The Friend (LDS magazine)|The Children's Friend]]'' (April 1925)
| founder            = Lamanites
| parents            = {{plainlist|
* [[Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet)|Lehi]] (father)
* [[Sariah]] (mother)
}}
| era                = {{circa|[[Babylonian captivity]]}}
}}
In the [[Book of Mormon]], '''Laman''' and '''Lemuel''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|eɪ|m|ə|n|...|ˈ|l|ɛ|m|j|uː|l}})<ref>[http://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/scriptures/bofm/pronunciation?lang=eng churchofjesuschrist.org: "Book of Mormon Pronunciation Guide"] (retrieved 25 February 2012), turned into [[Wikipedia:IPA for English|IPA]] from «lā´mun» and «lĕm´yūl»</ref> are the two eldest sons<ref>{{Mormonverse|1 Nephi|1}}, Introduction to the first book of Nephi</ref> of [[Lehi (Book of Mormon)|Lehi]] and the older brothers of [[Sam (Book of Mormon)|Sam]], [[Nephi, son of Lehi|Nephi]], [[Jacob (Book of Mormon prophet)|Jacob]], and [[Joseph (Book of Mormon)|Joseph]]. According to the text, they lived around 600 BC. They were notable for their rebellion against Lehi and Nephi, becoming the primary antagonists of the [[First Nephi|First]] and [[Second Nephi|Second Books of Nephi]]. Their descendants became known as the [[Lamanites]] and Lemuelites, while the descendants of Nephi and their other brothers became the [[Nephite]]s. Disputes over the proper [[order of succession]] fueled disputes between the two peoples over the course of the [[Book of Mormon]]'s narrative. 
==Narrative==
{{Figures in the Book of Mormon}}
'''Laman''' and '''Lemuel''' are introduced as the two eldest sons of the [[prophet]] [[Lehi (prophet)|Lehi]] and his wife [[Sariah]], and older brothers of [[Sam (Book of Mormon)|Sam]] and [[Nephi (son of Lehi)|Nephi]]. When Lehi announces that the family will flee [[Jerusalem]], Lemuel and Laman "[[complaining|murmur]]" as they follow their father into the [[wilderness]]. Notably, their father names a river and a valley after Laman and Lemuel, respectively. Lehi then sends the pair with their younger brothers to retrieve the brass plates from [[Laban (Book of Mormon)|Laban]]. Laman attempts to retrieve them first, failing to reason with Laban and escaping to brief his brothers on the issue.<ref name=Thomas>{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=John Christopher |title=A Pentecostal Reads The Book of Mormon: A Literary and Theological Introduction |date=2016 |publisher=CPT Press |location=Cleveland, Tennessee}}</ref> The sons of Lehi make a second attempt, using [[luxury goods]] to try to bribe Laban into giving them the plates. This attempt also fails, with Laban confiscating their property and the four brothers hiding in a cave. Laman and Lemuel then [[physical abuse|attack]] Nephi and Sam with a "[[caning|rod]]." An angel appears, interrupting the assault. The angel indicates Nephi's eventual stewardship of the family and affirms that there will be divine aid to retrieve the plates. Laman and Lemuel are dubious about the practicality of this as Nephi goes into Jerusalem for a third try, this time alone.<ref name=Gardner1>{{cite book |last1=Gardner |first1=Brant |title=Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon: Volume 1: First Nephi |date=2007 |publisher=Greg Kofford Books, Inc. |location=Draper, Utah}}</ref> Nephi [[Killing of Laban|returns]], bearing the plates, Laban's gear, and with Zoram in tow. Laman, Lemuel, and Sam initially do not recognize Nephi (as he is wearing Laban's armor) and attempt to escape. In Nephi's attempt to calm them, Zoram realizes that Nephi is not his master and has in fact killed him. Nephi extracts an oath from Zoram that he will leave Jerusalem with them. Zoram and the brothers then return to the tent of their parents.<ref name=Gardner1/>
[[File:Laman and Lemuel, The story of Nephi, pt 1.png|thumb|Laman and Lemuel conspire against Nephi (1948). Comic by John Philip Dalby.]]
Lehi then sends Zoram and his sons to the "land of Jerusalem" to retrieve Ishmael and his family. While Zoram and the sons of Lehi are escorting Ishmael's family to Lehi's encampment, there is a dispute that splits the party, with Laman and Lemuel taking one side and Sam and Nephi taking the other. Nephi then rebukes his brethren. Laman and Lemuel then tie up Nephi in an attempt to kill him. After praying for strength, Nephi escapes his restraints and Ishmael's family intercedes to halt the hostilities. Eventually they return to the camp of Sariah and Lehi.<ref name=Gardner1/>

After the two families begin traveling together, Lehi has a [[Tree of life vision|vision of his family]] and what he identifies as the [[Tree of Life]]. In the dream, Laman and Lemuel refuse to join their parents, Nephi, and Sam at the tree and do not eat the fruit.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Swift |first1=Charles |title=Lehi's Vision of the Tree of Life |journal=Journal of Book of Mormon Studies |date=2005 |volume=4 |issue=2 |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1384&context=jbms}}</ref> Later, Laman and Lemuel ask Nephi for his interpretation of the vision. Laman, Lemuel, Zoram, Sam, and Nephi then marry the daughters of Ishmael. <ref name=Gardner1/>

Many year pass in the wilderness. The party is guided by [[Liahona (Book of Mormon)|the Liahona]] which gives directions in the wilderness, particularly to such things as sources of food. When Nephi's bow breaks, Laman and Lemuel complain with the rest of the family. After Nephi makes a new bow and returns with sufficient food, they rejoice with the company. During the wilderness travails, Ishmael dies. This leads to an attempted [[mutiny]], headed by Laman, that subsides quickly.<ref name=Thomas/> 

On the coast, Nephi is commanded to build a boat. Laman and Lemuel refuse to aid him until they are rebuked and smitten. While the brothers are building the vessel, Lehi and Sariah have had two more children, [[Jacob (Book of Mormon prophet)|Jacob]] and [[Joseph (Book of Mormon)|Joseph]].<ref name=Thomas/> During the voyage, Laman and Lemuel assault Nephi after he rebukes them again. They refuse to untie him until a storm threatens to sink the party. After Nephi is released, the party lands in the [[New World]].<ref name=Gardner1/>

Upon arrival, Lehi gathers his family for a [[farewell speech]], in  which he [[prophesies]] about and conditionally blesses his children and their descendants.<ref name=Givens>{{cite book |last1=Givens |first1=Terryl |title=2nd Nephi: A Brief Theological Introduction |date=2020 |publisher=Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship |location=Provo, Utah |isbn=9780842500081}}</ref> Laman and Lemuel's children are blessed that their descendants will remain upon the land and eventually accept the gospel. Their children are also blessed that their sins will be held to the account of their parents.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gardner |first1=Brant |title=Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon: Volume 2: Second Nephi |date=2007 |publisher=Greg Kofford Books, Inc. |location=Draper, Utah}}</ref> Once Lehi dies, discord arises again in the new colony, leading to the departure of [[Nephites|Nephi's party]]. Laman and Lemuel and [[Lamanites|their descendants]] remain in the original site.<ref name=Givens/>

==Interpretation==
===Popular culture===
====''The Book of Laman''====
In 2017, [[By Common Consent|BCC Press]] published a novel entitled ''The Book of Laman'' by [[Mette Ivie Harrison]]. The novel reframes the events of [[First Nephi]] and [[Second Nephi]] from the imagined point of view of Laman. [[Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought|Dialogue]] reviewed the book as "a courageous addition to the many retellings of Book of Mormon stories that dot the landscape of [[Mormon literature]]."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hilton Craner |first1=Laura |title=The Making of a Hard, Then Softened Heart in ''The Book of Laman'' |journal=[[Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought|Dialogue]] |date=2017 |volume=50 |issue=4 |url=https://www.dialoguejournal.com/articles/review-the-making-of-a-hard-then-softened-heart-in-the-book-of-laman-mette-harrison-the-book-of-laman/#pdf-wrap}}</ref> Rebecca Bateman, in a review on the  [[Association of Mormon Letters]] blog, critiqued it for issues with [[characterization]] and for [[anachronisms]] in the text.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bateman |first1=Rebecca |title=Harrison, "The Book of Laman" (Reviewed by Rebecca Bateman) |url=https://www.associationmormonletters.org/reviews/older-reviews/harrison-the-book-of-laman-reviewed-by-rebecca-bateman/ |website=Dawning of a Brighter Day |publisher=[[Association of Mormon Letters]]}}</ref>
====''The Nephiad''====
[[Michael R. Collings]] wrote an [[epic poetry]] adaptation of the mission to retrieve the [[brass plates]]. In an interview with William Morris, Collings acknowledged the cowardly characterization of Laman and Lemuel in the epic, attributing it both to the source text and the [[Miltonian]] style of the piece.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Collings |first=Michael R. |interviewer=William Morris |title=An in-depth discussion of the text and creation of The Nephiad |date=2010 |publisher=A Motley Vision: Mormon literature and culture |location=A Motley Vision: Mormon literature and culture |url=https://motleyvision.org/2010/09/28/an-in-depth-discussion-of-the-text-and-creation-of-the-nephiad/ |access-date=4 December 2023}}</ref>

===River of Laman and Valley of Lemuel===
In 1 Nephi 2:2–11, Lehi's party makes its way from Jerusalem towards the promised land. The passage also recounts the naming of a river and a valley after Laman and Lemuel.<ref name=Gardner1/> [[Hugh Nibley]], an LDS scholar and apologist, thought this area referred to as "the borders" was by [[Jabal al-Lawz]]  ({{langx|ar|جَبَل ٱللَّوْز}}), also known as Gebel (el-Lawz),<ref name=Nibley1>[[Hugh Nibley|Nibley, Hugh]] & Hummel, Sharman Bookwalter (ed.) ''Nibley's Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1'' (2013), ASIN: B00GFY0GUO</ref> a mountain sometimes identified with [[Mount Sinai]] although most people reject this classification.<ref>Hoffmeier, James Karl ''Ancient Israel in Sinai'' Oxford University Press USA 2005 {{ISBN|978-0-19-515546-4}} p133 [https://books.google.com/books?id=SMZnDgFxiTUC&dq=Lawz+almonds&pg=PA132]</ref><ref>Jameson, John H. John E. Ehrenhard, Christine Finn ''Ancient muses: archaeology and the arts'' University of Alabama Press (30 Jun 2003) {{ISBN|978-0-8173-1274-9}}  p.179 [https://books.google.com/books?id=3ewmpEW_Kq4C&q=wyatt&pg=PA180]</ref>

===Proposed etymology===
"Lemuel" (Hebrew:לְמוּאֵל) is the name of a [[Lemuel (Biblical king)|Biblical king]] mentioned in [[Proverbs 31]], but otherwise unknown.<ref>{{CathEncy|title=Lemuel|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08771a.htm}}</ref>  [[Hugh Nibley]] remarked that Lemuel has a "good pure Arabic name, incidentally."<ref name=Nibley1>[[Hugh Nibley|Nibley, Hugh]] & Hummel, Sharman Bookwalter (ed.) ''Nibley's Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1'' (2013), ASIN: B00GFY0GUO</ref>

==Family==
{{tree chart/start}}
{{tree chart| | LEH |y| SAR | | | | | | | |LEH=[[Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet)|Lehi]]|SAR=[[Sariah]]}}
{{tree chart| |,|-|-|^|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|.|}}
{{tree chart| LAM | | LEM | | SAM | | NEP | | JAC | | JOS |LAM=Laman|LEM=Lemuel|SAM=[[Sam (Book of Mormon)|Sam]]|NEP=[[Nephi, son of Lehi|Nephi]]|JAC=[[Jacob (Book of Mormon prophet)|Jacob]]|JOS=[[Joseph (Book of Mormon)|Joseph]]}}
{{tree chart/end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |chapter-url= http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/living-book-mormon/laman-and-lemuel-case-study-not-becoming |chapter= Laman and Lemuel: A Case Study in "Not Becoming" |last= Goodman |first= Michael A. |pages= 100–112 |title= Living the Book of Mormon: Abiding by Its Precepts  |editor1-last= Strathearn  |editor1-first= Gaye  |editor2-first= Charles |editor2-last= Swift |place= Provo, Utah |publisher= [[Religious Studies Center]], [[Brigham Young University]] |year= 2007 |isbn= 978-1-59038-799-3 }}

==See also==
* [[Lamanites]]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Laman And Lemuel}}
[[Category:Book of Mormon people]]
[[Category:Book of Mormon words and phrases]]
[[Category:Brother duos]]
[[Category:Angelic visionaries]]
[[Category:Legendary progenitors]]