and he blesses his children

Nephi stops expounding on Isaiah, and Lehi reiterates a lot of what Nephi has said and pleads with L&L to be obedient. I suppose a worried and dying father would be most concerned with his children that he feels aren't safe. He begins telling him that the land they now occupy is saved and kept secret from those in the old world because they would overrun it, and this land was saved for an inheritance. As mentioned before, it was also saved to fulfill the plan of scattering Israel and providing a record for the gathering of Israel. As he prophesies, he begins blessing his sons. First he blesses L&L, and then he includes Sam, and then the sons of Ishmael and Zoram. He says that he gives his first blessing to Laman if he will obey, but if not, that first blessing falls to Nephi. He then turns to bless Jacob and Joseph before he dies. . While blessing Jacob, he goes through the story of the creation and fall of man, and the necessity for a Savior. He tells him that there must be opposition in all things. I wonder if Jacob was wondering about the amount of suffering that he saw his family endure. He never knew their prosperity in Jerusalem. He had been a young witness to all their hardships. Lehi is explaining that they go through the bad to appreciate the good and that in order for joy to exist, sorrow must exist also. That in order for men to be free, they must have choices between good and evil. Lehi tells his son to follow Nephi, who must be as much of a father figure to him as a brother. Nephi has to have children roughly the same age as Jacob and Joseph.

He then calls in Joseph to him and tells him that he is named Joseph after the great prophet, the son of Jacob, and that others with that name will be his descendents, and one will be responsible for the beginning of the gathering, and for bringing the truth to all their descendants. And he explains that all of this is a fulfillment of the prophesies of Joseph of Egypt. Part of the work of the descendants of Joseph (Lehi's son) will to bring forth the record that Nephi is making, so they will survive all the calamnity that will eventually come.

Lehi then calls his grandchildren to him to bless them. To L&L's children, he says that if they are brought up in righteousness, they would be obedient, but if they are not, then their sins of ignorance will be upon their parents heads. He promises them they will not be destroyed. He then blesses Sam and tells him that his children will have the blessings of Nephi's children.

Sam is intriguing to me. Not much of what he says is recorded, but it is inferred that he is devoted to his younger brother Nephi. It isn't ever said that he has the prophetic calling or visions of Nephi, which makes his faith unique. Sam seems to have a pure faith. Much of Nephi's faith is converted to absolute knowledge, which seems necessary to his calling. I often wonder if Nephi took counsel with Sam or what his role was on the ship. He seems overlooked in the record. Of course, he isn't alone. None of the women but Sariah are mentioned by name, and no one mentions when she passes away and whether it is before or after Lehi. I guess there isn't room to mention all of that.