Who Was Zedekiah? And What Does it Tell Us About Lehi?

"For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah..."

After Nephi's initial introduction, the first line of the record gives us a clue from which we can begin to construct a historical context.

Zedekiah is a young king (only 21 years old), and he is set to rule over Judah by the King of Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar II). Judah was not a sovereign nation but was under Babylonian governance. Just a few years prior to being a tributary to Babylon, Judah was under Egyptian control under the Pharaoh Necho (around 608 bce). After King Josiah is killed in the battle of Megiddo, Jehoahaz is chosen to be king, and he is quickly replace by his older brother Jehoiakim.

In 605 BCE, the Egyptians are defeated in the battle of Carchemish and Nebuchadnezzar II then besieges Jerusalem. Jehoiakim changed allegiances to avoid the destruction of Jerusalem. He paid tribute from the treasury, some temple artifacts, and some of the royal family and nobility as hostages. The subsequent failure of the Babylonian invasion into Egypt undermined Babylonian control of the area, and after three years, Jehoiakim switched allegiance back to the Egyptians and ceased paying the tribute to Babylon. In 599 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Judah and again laid siege to Jerusalem. In 598 BCE, Jehoiakim died during the siege and was succeeded by his son Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin). Jerusalem fell within three months. Jeconiah was deposed by Nebuchadnezzar, who installed Zedekiah, Jehoiakim's brother, in his place.

Needless to say, Lehi's upbringing would have been tumultuous, full of political and economic instability. How he was able to amass any wealth is an interesting fact to consider. Did he inherit his wealth? Was he politically or militarily connected ? Was he a war hero? What influence did he have among his peers?

Nephi records that he was "taught somewhat in all the learning of my father...I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians." Why was Lehi so familiar with the language of the Egyptians? Did he favor Egyptian culture and politics over that of the Babylonians? Did he trade with and have business relationships with the Egyptians? What did he learn and adopt from them?

It is important to consider Lehi's life and standing before he heeds the invitation of the "true messengers". It places his actions into context, and enables us to better liken the scriptures to our own lives.