Is the Book of Mormon a historical account?

Some or all Latter-day Saints believe that the Book of Mormon contains a historical account of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the American continents - specifically the group of people referred to as the Nephites and Lamanites.

Let's examine some purported events recorded in the Book of Mormon and compare it with a biblical timeline.

There is a Book of Mormon video - "The Lord Commands Lehi's Family to Leave Jerusalem."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edg-0hAM3iA

It depicts Jerusalem in a state of calm as Lehi begins to preach.

Here's a brief summary of some Book of Mormon chapters.

- The introduction notes of 1 Nephi 1 says "The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem, because he prophesieth unto the people concerning their iniquity and they seek to destroy his life".

- 1 Nephi 2 - Lehi leaves Jerusalem in the first year of Zedekiah's reign. The Introduction notes for 3 Nephi 1 says, "And Helaman was the son of Helaman, who was the son of Alma, who was the son of Alma, being a descendant of Nephi who was the son of Lehi, who came out of Jerusalem in the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, the king of Judah".

This heading is also found in the 1830 version of the Book of Mormon. See the Joseph Smith Papers.

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/book-of-mormon-1830/458#XB17B2C90-A617-41D2-9005-C2A294C923DF

- 1 Nephi 3 - Nephi and his brothers return to Jerusalem to get their gold, silver, and other precious items in order to barter for brass plates from Laban. They are denied the plates, their treasures are confiscated and they flee out of Jerusalem and back into the wilderness.

- 1 Nephi 4 - They return again to Jerusalem and are successful in retrieving the plates after Laban is killed. They leave Jerusalem in haste for fear of being captured by Laban's servants.

- 1 Nephi 7 - They return to Jerusalem again and get Ishmael and his household. In 1 Nephi 7:6, some of Ishmael's household, together with some of Nephi's brothers, rebel and wish to return to the land of Jerusalem. 1 Nephi 16:36 mentions that the daughters of Ishmael wanted to return to Jerusalem.

- 1 Nephi 17:21 - One of Lehi's sons says they would have been happier and enjoyed their possessions if they had only remained in Jerusalem.

- Jerusalem was said to have been destroyed immediately after Lehi left Jerusalem (2 Nephi 25:10).

When one reads Jeremiah's account in the Bible, the history in the Book of Mormon doesn't make sense - Lehi and family were totally oblivious to all the Babylonian activity in and around Jerusalem. They seem more fearful of Laban and his servants. In Lehi's case, we see that he was concerned about attempts for the Jews to kill him, but no concern about being killed or being taken captive by the invading Babylonian soldiers. Neither is there any concern about how tough life was due to the Babylonian siege in the years of King Jehoiachin before Zedekiah even comes to the throne (2 Kings 24:10-17).

Daniel 1:1-2 says, "In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god".

This is before the time Lehi and his family are supposedly still living in Jerusalem, prior to their departure in the first year of Zedekiah's reign. The Jews are living in a time of death, destruction, and oppression - not in calm as expressed in the Book of Mormon during the time Lehi is supposedly prophesying to the people.

Also, don't forget that Manasseh himself was taken captive to Babylon by the Assyrian army during his reign as king of Judah, before Zedekiah ever became king. See 2 Chronicles 33:11 (KJV): "Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon".

The event in 2 Chronicles 33:11 happens during the reign of Manasseh, king of Judah.

Manasseh reigned about 55 years (one of the longest reigns in Judah). Approximate dates: c. 697–642 BC. His capture by Assyria is usually placed sometime in the middle of his reign, likely around the 670s BC (during Assyrian dominance under Esarhaddon or Ashurbanipal).

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. He reigned c. 597–586 BC. His reign ends with the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon.

From Manasseh's captivity (~670s BC) to Zedekiah’s accession (597 BC), there is roughly 70–80 years. From the end of Manasseh's reign (642 BC) to Zedekiah's accession, there is about 45 years. Several kings come between them.

Lehi and his family are totally oblivious to all of this. The reason: the events in the Book of Mormon never happened.

In regards to his sons and Ishmael's daughters, it's puzzling how they would think their life would be better in Jerusalem as opposed to freedom in the desert when Jerusalem is being ransacked, people are being killed, and possibly women are being raped - before Zedekiah comes to the throne (see also 2 Kings 23 and 2 Kings 24).

Jerusalem was destroyed immediately after Lehi left Jerusalem as the church mentions in the notes section of 3 Nephi 1 and as the Book of Mormon mentions in 2 Nephi 25:10. This destruction occurred some time after Jeremiah was imprisoned (in the tenth year of Zedekiah's reign; Jeremiah 32). In Jeremiah 39, we see that the walls of Jerusalem were breached in the 11th year of Zedekiah's reign so there is no way that Jerusalam was immediately destroyed when Lehi is said to have left in the first year of Zedekiah.

According to the Book of Mormon, Mulek was the only surviving son of King Zedekiah of Jerusalem (Helaman 8:21). He and his group also supposedly left Jerusalem for "America" and intermarried with the population of Nephites and Lamanites. But the Bible shows none of this sons remained alive (2 Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:6).

The prophet Jeremiah would depict the Book of Mormon characters (Lehi, his family, and others who supposedly left Jerusalem to escape God's judgment) as the evil figs (Jeremiah 24:1-10).

God's plan was for the Israelites to go into Babylonian captivity. Not even Daniel or Ezekiel escape. Let's examine some key passages in the Bible to show that there was no exodus to freedom instead of being taken captive to Babylon.

"And afterward, saith the Lord, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy. And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey." (Jer. 21:7-9).

"Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good" (Jeremiah 24:5). See also Jeremiah 27:8-20, 29:4-19 and 38:2.

Before Zedekiah even comes to the throne, Babylon has already taken some from Israel into exile.

"The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon" (Jeremiah 24:1).

This dispels the Book of Mormon myth that Lehi, his family, and Ishmael and his family were living at Jerusalem in ease or comfort without any notion of Babylonian conquests prior to them supposedly leaving in the first year of Zedekiah's reign. Recall that the Book of Mormon, in 1 Nephi 17:21, mentions that one of Lehi's sons said they would have been happier and enjoyed their possessions if they had only remained in Jerusalem.

The Babylonian sieges and conquest of Jerusalem were not single events. There were several stages over the reigns of the last three kings of Judah: Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.

There are two distinct Babylonian sieges/captures of Jerusalem before the final destruction: one under Jehoiachin and the final one under Zedekiah. There was also Babylonian domination during Jehoiakim's reign.

Here is the sequence with the principal supporting scriptures.

1. Jehoiakim — Babylon first comes against Judah

King: Jehoiakim
Reign: 11 years

Babylon makes Jehoiakim a vassal

2 Kings 24:1–7 is the primary passage:

"In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him." — 2 Kings 24:1, KJV

The passage then says Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite forces came against Judah.

Other supporting passages:

• 2 Chronicles 36:5–7 — Nebuchadnezzar comes against Jehoiakim and carries articles from the Temple to Babylon.
• Daniel 1:1–2 — Nebuchadnezzar comes against Jerusalem in the days of Jehoiakim and takes vessels from the house of God.
• Jeremiah 25:1–11 — Jeremiah identifies the fourth year of Jehoiakim with the rise of Nebuchadnezzar and predicts Babylon's domination.
• Jeremiah 46:2 — identifies Nebuchadnezzar's victory over Pharaoh Necho at Carchemish as occurring in the fourth year of Jehoiakim.

So the Babylonian campaign against Judah began during Jehoiakim's reign, before Zedekiah becomes king.

2. Jehoiachin — Jerusalem actually besieged and captured

King: Jehoiachin (Jeconiah/Coniah)
Reign: approximately three months

This is the first place where the Bible explicitly says that Jerusalem itself was besieged.

The siege

2 Kings 24:8–12

"At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged."

"Then Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon..."

Jehoiachin surrenders

Nebuchadnezzar takes:

• Jehoiachin
• his mother
• his wives
• his officials
• the mighty men
• craftsmen
• treasures of the Temple

2 Kings 24:12–16

The text says:

"And he carried away all Jerusalem..."

This was a major deportation, but importantly, Jerusalem was not yet destroyed.

Zedekiah becomes king

Nebuchadnezzar then:

"made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah."

— 2 Kings 24:17

2 Chronicles 36:9–10 gives the parallel account.

3. Zedekiah — rebels against Babylon

King: Zedekiah
Reign: 11 years

The Bible explicitly says:

"And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD... And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon."

— 2 Kings 24:19–20

The parallel account is especially important:

2 Chronicles 36:11–13

Zedekiah:

• reigns 11 years
• does evil
• refuses to humble himself before Jeremiah
• rebels against Nebuchadnezzar
• hardens his heart against God
  

4. The final siege begins under Zedekiah

This is the siege that ultimately resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple.

2 Kings 25:1–2

The text gives an exact date:

"And in the ninth year of his [Zedekiah's] reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came... against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it."

And:

"And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah."

— 2 Kings 25:1–2

Ezekiel independently gives the same date

Ezekiel 24:1–2

"In the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month... the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day."

This is significant because Ezekiel was in Babylon, yet he records the precise day on which the siege began.

5. Jeremiah confirms the same siege

Jeremiah 39:1–2

"In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it."

Then:

"And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah... the city was broken up."

So we have three independent biblical accounts giving the same basic chronology:

6. The famine becomes severe

2 Kings 25:3

"And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land."

The parallel account is:

Jeremiah 52:6

Jeremiah says essentially the same thing: by the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine had become severe.

This is also described in:

• Jeremiah 37:21
• Lamentations 2:11–12
• Lamentations 4:4–10
• Lamentations 5:9–10

The situation inside Jerusalem had become catastrophic.

7. Jerusalem's walls are breached

2 Kings 25:4

"Then the city was broken up..."

The defenders flee.

Jeremiah 39:2–4

The city is breached, and:

"Zedekiah king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled..."

So the final fall of Jerusalem occurred in Zedekiah's reign, not Jehoiakim's or Jehoiachin's.

8. Zedekiah attempts to escape

2 Kings 25:4–5

Zedekiah and his soldiers flee Jerusalem by night.

The Babylonian army pursues them and catches Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho.

The parallel is:

• Jeremiah 39:4–5
• Jeremiah 52:7–8

9. Zedekiah is captured and judged

2 Kings 25:6–7

Zedekiah is brought before Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah.

His sons are killed before him, and then:

"he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon."

The parallel accounts are:

• Jeremiah 39:6–7
• Jeremiah 52:9–11

10. Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed

This is the culmination.

2 Kings 25:8–10

Nebuzaradan, captain of the Babylonian guard, comes to Jerusalem and:

"burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem..."

and:

"the army of the Chaldees... brake down the walls of Jerusalem."

The parallel account is:

Jeremiah 52:12–14

The Temple, royal palace, and houses of Jerusalem are burned and the walls demolished.

2 Chronicles 36:17–19

This gives a particularly concise summary:

"And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire..."

This is the destruction of Solomon's Temple and Jerusalem.

11. The remaining population is taken captive

2 Kings 25:11–12

Nebuzaradan carries away:

"the residue of the people that were left in the city..."

with only some of the poorest people left to work the land.

Jeremiah 52:15–16

Gives the parallel account.

2 Chronicles 36:20

Summarizes the result:

"And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon..."

Complete biblical sequence

Putting everything together:

Jehoiakim

2 Kings 24:1–7
2 Chronicles 36:5–7
Daniel 1:1–2
Jeremiah 25:1–11
Jeremiah 46:2

↓
Babylon establishes dominance over Judah. Jehoiakim becomes Nebuchadnezzar's servant and rebels.

Jehoiachin

2 Kings 24:8–16
2 Chronicles 36:8–10

↓
Jerusalem is besieged and captured. Jehoiachin surrenders and is deported to Babylon.

Zedekiah

2 Kings 24:17–20
2 Chronicles 36:10–13

↓
Zedekiah becomes king and rebels against Babylon.

↓

Final siege

2 Kings 25:1–2
Jeremiah 39:1–2
Jeremiah 52:4–6
Ezekiel 24:1–2

↓
Nebuchadnezzar begins the siege in Zedekiah's ninth year.

↓

Famine

2 Kings 25:3
Jeremiah 52:6
Lamentations 2:11–12; 4:4–10

↓

Jerusalem breached

2 Kings 25:4
Jeremiah 39:2–4; 52:7–8

↓

Zedekiah captured

2 Kings 25:5–7
Jeremiah 39:5–7; 52:8–11

↓

Jerusalem and Temple destroyed

2 Kings 25:8–10
Jeremiah 52:12–14
2 Chronicles 36:17–19

↓

Survivors deported to Babylon

2 Kings 25:11–12
Jeremiah 52:15–16
2 Chronicles 36:20

The most important passages to put side-by-side are 2 Kings 24–25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 39, Jeremiah 52, and Ezekiel 24. Together they provide the clearest biblical chronology.