nephite

Nephite refers to a people described in the Book of Mormon, the sacred text of the Latter-day Saint movement. They are descended from Nephi, a son of Lehi, who led a family out of Jerusalem around 600 BCE. In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites are one of the two major civilizations on the American continents, the other being the Lamanites, who are their traditional rivals. The two groups repeatedly alternate between faithfulness to God and apostasy, often leading to civil and military conflict.

Early Nephite society was governed by kings, but around the 1st century BCE they adopted a system of judges under Mosiah II. They established settlements and cities described in the record, including Zarahemla. The Nephites preserved religious and historical records, eventually compiling the book itself. The narrative emphasizes prophetic teaching, covenantal faith, and the cycles of obedience and rebellion that shape their history.

Religious beliefs center on worship of God and the Messiah, with prophets who exhort reform and fidelity. The narrative is notable for its moral and political cycles, including episodes of warfare, repentance, and renewal, as well as councils, wars, and missionary efforts.

According to the Book of Mormon, the Nephites are largely destroyed in their wars with the Lamanites by the end of the fourth century, with a remnant surviving in scattered groups. The record ends with Mormon and his son Moroni sealing the plates, later to be brought forth in modern times as the Book of Mormon.

In modern usage, "Nephite" identifies a member of this historical people in Latter-day Saint scripture and teaching; outside the LDS tradition the term is primarily of scholarly or devotional interest.