Joseph, Son of Lehi
The youngest son of Lehi, born in the wilderness, whose father connected him to the great Joseph of Egypt
Born in the Wilderness
Joseph was the youngest son of the prophet Lehi and his wife Sariah, born during the family’s eight-year journey through the Arabian wilderness en route to the promised land. His older brothers were Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi; his older sister is unnamed. The Book of Mormon records little narrative about Joseph’s own deeds, but his father’s blessing to him—recorded in 2 Nephi 3—is one of the most theologically rich patriarchal blessings in scripture.
Lehi’s Blessing: The Prophecy of Joseph of Egypt
When Lehi blessed his youngest son, he told him that he was named after his ancestor Joseph of Egypt—a connection that carries deep symbolic weight. Lehi then rehearsed a prophecy that Joseph of Egypt had made concerning a latter-day prophet who would arise from Joseph’s seed:
2 Nephi 3:14–15
“And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise. And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father.”
Latter-day Saints understand this prophecy to refer to Joseph Smith, whose father was also named Joseph—making him “Joseph, son of Joseph”—fulfilling the ancient prophecy literally. The passage also describes the role of this future seer in bringing forth the word of God and “not only bring[ing] my people to salvation” but also to the knowledge of the covenants (2 Nephi 3:7).
The Weight of a Name
Lehi told young Joseph that the ancient Joseph of Egypt had wept for joy upon seeing in vision the covenant descendants who would carry on the work in the last days. The naming of this child—born in the wilderness, at the beginning of a new nation—was itself a prophetic act. Lehi was reaching across centuries to connect his youngest son to one of Israel’s greatest patriarchs and to a future seer who had not yet been born.
2 Nephi 3:24–25
“And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God… and thou art blessed, for thou shalt never perish; the fruit of thy loins shall not perish.”
His Place in the Family
Beyond his father’s blessing, Joseph son of Lehi is mentioned as one of those who sided with Nephi when the family divided in the promised land. He became part of the Nephite people and is listed among those who followed Nephi away from Laman and Lemuel (2 Nephi 5:6). His descendants are counted among the tribes of the Nephite-Josephite inheritance.
He is a figure who carries significance not primarily through his own recorded deeds but through the prophetic weight of his birth, his name, and his father’s vision of what his lineage would produce across millennia.
Key Scriptures
- 2 Nephi 3 — Lehi’s blessing to Joseph; Joseph of Egypt’s prophecy
- 1 Nephi 18:7 — Joseph born in the wilderness
- 2 Nephi 5:6 — Joseph follows Nephi when the family divides