Sariah, the wife of the prophet Lehi, holds a distinct place in the annals of the Book of Mormon as the matriarch of both the Nephite and Lamanite civilizations. Her story unfolds starting around 600 B.C., when she, along with her husband and their children, departed from Jerusalem by divine command, venturing into the wilderness to escape the city’s impending destruction. This faithful woman faced the trials of desert travel, the perils of an uncertain journey, and the heartache brought on by familial discord.
During their wilderness sojourn, Sariah notably experienced acute anxiety when her sons did not return promptly from their mission to procure the brass plates from Laban. Tormented by the thought of their possible demise, she lamented to Lehi, expressing her fears that her sons had been slain. Her distress was allayed only when her sons returned safely, at which point she rejoiced and affirmed her husband’s divine calling stating with conviction, “Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness ... and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons” (1 Nephi 5:8).
Her steadfastness and ability to rejoice in the face of trial are further illustrated in Lehi’s dream of the tree of life, wherein she is seen partaking of the fruit symbolizing the love of God (1 Nephi 8:14-16). Even as she faced the challenges of aging during the ocean voyage to the Promised Land, enduring near death due to the mistreatment of Nephi by his older brothers Laman and Lemuel (1 Nephi 18:17-18), Sariah’s story is one of perseverance and faith.
Despite only sparse details of her life being recorded in scripture, Sariah’s role as a nurturing influence on her family and her intrinsic part in the founding of a monumental legacy remain undiminished. While the account of her death is not provided, her life sets an enduring example of loyalty, faith, and resilience as the ancestral mother to the peoples of an entire hemisphere.