Continued from the previous post regarding Lehi and his sons knowing about wilderness living, and why Lehi would have had seeds of every kind on hand.
It was discussed in the last post how Lehi, and probably all or some of his sons, might have camped along the King’s Highway waiting for caravans. However, where would Lehi go that he might need such tents? In 600 B.C., camel caravans did not enter Jerusalem because the rocky, sharp flints of its soil slashed the camel's large, unhoofed, cushion-like feet. Consequently, caravans skirted the area, traveling to the east on their trek north. By going along the sandy road of the western coast and the relatively smooth King's Highway, caravans traveled with ease at no discomfort or danger to their tender-footed camels.
A camel train or caravan, of course, is a series of camels carrying passengers and goods on a regular or semi-regular service between points. Although they rarely travelled faster than the walking speed of a person, camels' ability to withstand harsh conditions made them ideal for communication and trade in the desert areas of the Arabian Peninsula for centuries.
These caravans did not always follow a regular schedule, they traveled or camped at any time of day or night, depending on weather, local conditions, and the need for rest. Since the caravan traveled at the walking speed of the men, the distance made in a day was usually between 10 and 25 miles, depending on the trail or road and weather conditions, and distances between water sources. On occasions several days were spent in a camp without going forward, due to bad weather. A one-way trip from the Frankincense trees around Samhuran in South Oman to Damascus in Syria, about 2500 miles, could take anywhere from four to nine months.
Obviously, these caravans would stop along the way to sell their merchandise to the middle men (merchants) who bought from the Caravans and took their wares up to Jerusalem to resell to the city’s merchants. It was a lucrative market, but an enterprising middle-man merchant would have to travel down to the caravan route, camp along the way until a train passed, buy what merchandise they wanted, then place it on donkeys and travel back to the city to resell the goods. Such a merchant would obviously take his sons, and whatever servants he had with him to assist in the loading and unloading as well as to teach them their father's trade.
If Lehi had his home a few miles from Jerusalem, living on the lands of his inheritance, where he could have raised goats, sheep, fruits and grains, he might have supplied these goods as well to the sugs or markets, in the old, walled city along with the wares he purchased from the carvans. In such an enterprise, Lehi would have gone forth out of Jerusalem, then returned to Jerusalem (1 Nephi 5:5,7). He would have needed tents to camp in while waiting for the caravans along the trail, and several donkeys on which to load his purchases and take back up to Jerusalem for resale.
This would explain 1) why Lehi had tents, donkeys, provisions and animals sufficient to move his family when called upon to do so, 2) why Lehi's sons knew how to handle tents and travel in the wilderness, and 3) how Lehi had sufficient knowledge of the main routes and water holes to survive along his journey down to his first encampment in the valley he called Lemuel, prior to receiving the Liahona.
It might also explain why Lehi went forth (1 Neph 5:5), leaving the area of Jerusalem to meet a caravan. And while on such trips and waiting, encamped along the road awaiting the caravan, he would have prayed mightily unto the Lord. Here he would have had time on his hands and his concerns over the people of Jerusalem must have weighed heavily on his mind, for many prophets had been sent among them to warn the people of their evil ways.
On the trail, in his tent, and later in his home, Lehi prayed mightily for those in Jerusalem
While praying at such a time, Lehi might have had his vision of the pillar of fire and saw many things that made him "quake and tremble" (1 Nephi 1:6). After this experience, and, perhaps, after the caravan passed by and he concluded his business, he returned to his own house at Jerusalem where he cast himself on his bed in exhaustion from the trip and the spiritual experience (1 Nephi 5:7).
In addition, living outside Jerusalem, Lehi was most likely a farmer, which was the occupation or situation all who lived in such a location would have been. In such cases, they would have grown grain for eating and feeding of sheep, goats, and cattle in winter time when there is uncertain growth for browsing. Certainly wheat, millet and cereal grains for the family, barley for making the all-important bread that was the staple of every meal, and oats for the animals.
Donkeys were also kept for use as a beast of burden for carrying loads—this animal (ass) is mentioned 130 times in the Old Testament alone. On the other hand, some kept mules since they were stronger than donkeys and horses were held little interest to the farmer around Jerusalem.
Sheep and goats tended to be kept in pens on the outskirts of the village since they needed pastureland to graze. Goat’s milk was an important staple of life, and Lambs provided wool (Proverbs 27:26–27). However, the donkeys were of such value, along with the cow, that they were kept in the stable adjacent to the courtyard of the owner. Chickens that ran freely in the courtyard were found in nearly every home.
Pigeons were also raised on the outskirts of the town, both for food, and as sacrificial animals for the temple. When it came time that an animal must be slaughtered, it was used for many purposes including food.
The skins of lambs and goats could be prepared for use as clothing, water carriers, and even prepared for the use in writing the sacred scrolls. Domestic animals were valued very highly: And Jesus said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”(Luke 14:5).
As farmers living outside the city, Lehi and his sons would have known how to do small repair work, on both buildings and metal tack, and other metal needs around the farm. By the time Lehi left to go into the wilderness, Nephi and his brothers would have had various skills as working and repairing with both wood and metal, including making their own tools.
They would also have planted fruit, olive and date trees with small plots of such things as beans and other legumes. Thus, Lehi would have had the seeds mentioned by Nephi (1 Nephi 8:1; 18:6,24).
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