Lehi

Etymology

Lehi is a name with dual significance, rooted in both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. In Hebrew, the word lechi (לְחִי) means "jawbone". The name originates as a place name in the territory of Judah, mentioned in the biblical book of Judges. According to Judges 15:9, it was at Lehi that the strongman Samson, confronted by a thousand Philistine warriors, seized the jawbone of a donkey and used it as a weapon to defeat them single-handedly. The site thus became known as Ramath-lehi, meaning "hill of the jawbone." In Jewish history, the name was also adopted as an acronym for Lohamei Herut Yisrael (Fighters for the Freedom of Israel), a militant group active during the British Mandate in Palestine.

Religious Significance

In the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the Latter-day Saint movement, Lehi is the name of a prophet who, according to the narrative, fled Jerusalem with his family around 600 BCE, guided by divine revelation. After a long journey through the wilderness and across the sea, he and his followers settled in the Americas. He is the father of notable figures such as Nephi and Jacob. The story of Lehi is central to the Book of Mormon's foundational history.

The name also appears as a modern place name: Lehi is a city in Utah, United States, founded primarily by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s.

Notable Bearers

• The biblical site of Lehi in ancient Judah – not a person but a well-attested locale.
• Lehi (prophet) – the central figure in the Book of Mormon's early chapters.
• Lehi (militant group) – the Jewish underground organization active 1940–1948.

• Meaning: Jawbone
• Origin: Hebrew
• Type: Place name, Religious figure
• Usage: Biblical, Book of Mormon, English-speaking world, Israel