Jeremiah 27

Much like Abinadi responded when king Noah and his wicked priests sentenced him to death, Jeremiah responds as the leaders of Judah convicted him saying -

"As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears."  (Old Testament | Jeremiah 26:14 - 15)

And as Jeremiah again warns Zedekiah of the false prophets preaching appeasing lies to Judah, while counseling Judah to surrender to the Babylonians and become their servants, he tells them why -

"For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city,
20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;
21 Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;
22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place."  (Old Testament | Jeremiah 27:19 - 22)

Not only does Jeremiah prophecy concerning the future return of Judah and the temple vessels, we also learn that at this time (I understand around 606 B.C.), Babylon had already taken some of the best men or nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.  We read in Daniel's record -

"IN the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it."  (Old Testament | Daniel 1:1)

And with that, they  -

"...should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes..."  (Old Testament | Daniel 1:3)

"Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego."  (Old Testament | Daniel 1:6 - 7)

Thus in my mind, these famous Jews were taken captive some 6 years before Lehi left with his family.