22
¶ Anditcametopass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
1 Anditcametopass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, heream I.
25
Anditcametopass, that in the morning, behold, itwas Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
29
¶ Anditcametopass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive thatwas in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
24
Anditcametopass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
13
Anditcametopass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
• • •
22
¶ Anditcametopass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man:and all the rulers of the congregation cameand told Moses.
• • •
27
¶ Anditcametopass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
7
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. Anditcametopass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
25
And the Lordcame down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit thatwas upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: anditcametopass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
8
Anditcametopass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
9
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, anditcametopass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
11
Andit was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: anditcametopass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
10
Anditcametopass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
23
Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib,that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: anditcametopass, that as many as cameto the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
32
¶ Anditcametopass, thatwhen David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite cameto meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
29
Anditcametopass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
35
¶ Anditcametopassthat night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
1 Anditcametopass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, andcameand besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.
2
Anditcametopass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,
19
Anditcametopass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.
8
Anditcametopass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.
12
Anditcametopass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
• • •
16
Anditcametopass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
16
Anditcametopass, that when all our enemies heard thereof,and all the heathen thatwere about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
19
Anditcametopass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: andsome of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
23
Anditcametopass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire thatwas on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire thatwas on the hearth.
4
¶ Anditcametopass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.
1 Anditcametopass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
6
Anditcametopass, that
when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire
from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
2
Anditcametopass, that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord God, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.
15
Anditcametopass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
• • •
23
Anditcametopass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
46
Anditcametopass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
1 Anditcametopass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
• • •
40
Anditcametopass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
1 Anditcametopass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
15
Anditcametopass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
1 Anditcametopass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,
26
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. Anditcametopass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
1 Anditcametopass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara:
6
Anditcametopass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
• • •
17
Anditcametopass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
8
Anditcametopass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
• • •
17
Anditcametopass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and
brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or
customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into
the hands of the Romans.
7
Anditcametopassthat he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
2
Anditcametopassthat the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
3
Anditcametopassthat he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
4
Anditcametopassthat he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7
Anditcametopassthat he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
8
Anditcametopassthat he called the name of the river, Laman, andit emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat
my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power,
being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
17
And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. Anditcametopassthat he believed in my words.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat
the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy
faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.
1 Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, returned from speaking with the Lord, to the tent of my father.
2
Anditcametopassthat he spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
8
Anditcametopassthat when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.
11
And we cast lots—who of us should go in unto the house of Laban. Anditcametopassthat the lot fell upon Laman; and Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as he sat in his house.
• • •
13
And behold, itcametopassthat Laban was angry, and thrust him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have the records. Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a robber, and I will slay thee.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat after this manner of language did I persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God.
22
Anditcametopassthat we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat we went in unto Laban, and desired him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.
25
Anditcametopassthat when Laban saw our property, andthatit was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.
26
Anditcametopassthat we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, andit fell into the hands of Laban.
27
Anditcametopassthat we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.
28
Anditcametopassthat Laman was angry with me, and also with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman. Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even with a rod.
1 Anditcametopassthat I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and
let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold
he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat when Laman saw me he was exceedingly frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, andthat he had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.
29
Anditcametopassthat I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.
30
Anditcametopassthat when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth.
• • •
37
Anditcametopassthat when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him.
38
Anditcametopassthat we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed unto the tent of our father.
1 Anditcametopassthat after we had come down into the wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had mourned because of us.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.
2
Anditcametopassthat the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi, and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem, and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.
3
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did again, with my brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.
4
Anditcametopassthat we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord.
5
Anditcametopassthat the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.
6
Anditcametopassthat as we journeyed in the wilderness, behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us; yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and his wife, and his three other daughters.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. Anditcametopassthat they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.
19
Anditcametopassthat they were angry with me again, and sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my life.
20
Anditcametopassthat they were sorrowful, because of their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and did plead with me that I would forgive them of the thing that they had done against me.
21
Anditcametopassthat I did frankly forgive them all that they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto the Lord their God for forgiveness. Anditcametopassthat they did so. And after they had done praying unto the Lord we did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father.
22
Anditcametopassthat we did come down unto the tent of our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him.
1 Anditcametopassthat we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.
2
Anditcametopassthat
while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying:
Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a
vision.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he cameand stood before me.
6
Anditcametopassthat he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.
7
Anditcametopassthat as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
11
Anditcametopassthat I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld thatit was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.
16
Anditcametopassthat they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.
17
Anditcametopassthat I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.
18
Anditcametopassthat I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
23
Anditcametopassthat there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.
24
Anditcametopassthat I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.
8
Anditcametopassthat the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; andit was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.
13
Anditcametopassthat I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.
14
Anditcametopassthat I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.
• • •
29
And I also beheld twelve others following him. Anditcametopassthat they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.
30
Anditcametopassthat the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; andit fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
1 Anditcametopassthat the angel said unto me: Look, and behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. And I looked and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the sea.
2
Anditcametopassthat I beheld multitudes gathered together to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.
3
Anditcametopassthat I beheld many generations pass away, after the manner of wars and contentions in the land; and I beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them.
4
Anditcametopassthat I saw a mist of darkness on the face of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking thereof.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat I saw the multitudes of the earth gathered together.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat I looked and beheld the people of my seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my brethren; and they were gathered together to battle.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat I beheld, and saw the people of the seed of my brethren that they had overcome my seed; and they went forth in multitudes upon the face of the land.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations.
1 Anditcametopassthat the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.
11
Anditcametopassthat the angel said unto me: Behold the wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat I beheld the Spirit of God, thatit wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.
14
Anditcametopassthat I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, thatit was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, andit was carried forth among them.
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat
the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of
God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel—and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father—wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.
• • •
38
Anditcametopassthat I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, thatitcame forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.
5
Anditcametopassthat the angel spake unto me, Nephi, saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that whoso repenteth not must perish.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat
when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me: Rememberest
thou the covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto
him, Yea.
9
Anditcametopassthat he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.
12
Anditcametopassthat I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.
13
Anditcametopassthat I beheld that
the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon
the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.
14
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, thatit descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.
15
Anditcametopassthat I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
1 Anditcametopassthat after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father.
2
Anditcametopassthat I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall.
6
Anditcametopassthat after I had received strength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat
I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things; yea, I spake
unto them concerning the restoration of the Jews in the latter days.
20
And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. Anditcametopassthat I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.
21
Anditcametopassthat
they did speak unto me again, saying: What meaneth this thing which our
father saw in a dream? What meaneth the tree which he saw?
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat I said unto them thatit was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of probation.
1 And now itcametopassthat after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.
2
Anditcametopassthat I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren, with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.
5
Anditcametopassthat they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the Lord spake unto my father by night, and commanded him that on the morrow he should take his journey into the wilderness.
10
Anditcametopassthat as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; andit was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.
11
Anditcametopassthat we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.
12
Anditcametopassthat we did take our tents and depart into the wilderness, across the river Laman.
13
Anditcametopassthat we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.
14
Anditcametopassthat we did take our bows and our arrows, and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And
we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction,
keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the
borders near the Red Sea.
15
Anditcametopassthat we did travel for the space of many days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows and our stones and our slings.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat as I, Nephi, went forth to slay food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel; and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with me because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.
19
Anditcametopassthat we did return without food to our families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying, they did suffer much for the want of food.
20
Anditcametopassthat Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat
I, Nephi, did speak much unto my brethren, because they had hardened
their hearts again, even unto complaining against the Lord their God.
23
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did make out of wood a bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones. And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?
24
Anditcametopassthat
he did inquire of the Lord, for they had humbled themselves because of
my words; for I did say many things unto them in the energy of my soul.
25
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the Lord came unto my father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the depths of sorrow.
26
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the Lord said unto him: Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.
27
Anditcametopassthat when my father beheld the things which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble exceedingly, and also my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and our wives.
28
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.
• • •
30
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.
31
Anditcametopassthat I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.
32
Anditcametopassthat I did return to our tents, bearing the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had obtained food, how great was their joy! Anditcametopassthat they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him.
33
Anditcametopassthat we did again take our journey, traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning; and after we had traveled for the space of many days we did pitch our tents again, that we might tarry for the space of a time.
34
Anditcametopassthat Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom.
35
Anditcametopassthat the daughters of Ishmael did mourn exceedingly, because of the loss of their father, and because of their afflictions in the wilderness; and they did murmur against my father, because he had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, saying: Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction, hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings we must perish in the wilderness with hunger.
• • •
39
Anditcametopassthat the Lord was with us, yea, even the voice of the Lord cameand did speak many words unto them, and did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again with food, that we did not perish.
1 Anditcametopassthat we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat we did pitch our tents by the seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we cameto the seashore; and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.
7
Anditcametopassthat after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. Anditcametopassthat I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord.
8
Anditcametopassthat the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore, that I might make tools.
11
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did make a bellows wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts; and after I had made a bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire, I did smite two stones together that I might make fire.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock.
• • •
19
And now itcametopassthat I, Nephi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying: Do ye believe that
our fathers, who were the children of Israel, would have been led away
out of the hands of the Egyptians if they had not hearkened unto the
words of the Lord?
• • •
31
Anditcametopassthat according to his word he did destroy them; and according to his word he did lead them; and according to his word he did do all things for them; and there was not any thing done save it were by his word.
• • •
48
And now itcametopassthat when I had spoken these words they were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him.
49
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, said unto them that they should murmur no more against their father; neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should build a ship.
• • •
52
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, said many things unto my brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and
could not contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon
me nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days. Now
they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so powerful
was the Spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon them.
53
Anditcametopassthat the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God.
54
Anditcametopassthat I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.
1 Anditcametopassthat they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld thatit was good, andthat the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.
5
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.
6
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according tothat which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ship, with our wives and our children.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer itthat he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.
12
Anditcametopassthat after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, andthat they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.
• • •
21
Anditcametopass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, andit did work whither I desired it. Anditcametopassthat I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.
22
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.
23
Anditcametopassthat after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.
24
Anditcametopassthat we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. Anditcametopassthat they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance.
25
Anditcametopassthat we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.
1 Anditcametopassthat the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.
• • •
22
Now itcametopassthat I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; anditcametopassthat I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.
1 And now itcametopassthat after I, Nephi, had read these things which were engraven upon the plates of brass, my brethren came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye have read? Behold, are they to be understood according to things which are spiritual, which shall come topass according to the spirit and not the flesh?
1 And now itcametopassthat after I, Nephi, had made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem.
8
Anditcametopassthat after my father had made an end of speaking to the sons and daughters of Laman, he caused the sons and daughters of Lemuel to be brought before him.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat when my father had made an end of speaking unto them, behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household.
• • •
12
Anditcametopass after my father, Lehi, had spoken unto all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old. Anditcametopassthat he died, and was buried.
13
Anditcametopassthat not many days after his death, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me because of the admonitions of the Lord.
5
Anditcametopassthat the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all those who would go with me.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat we began to prosper exceedingly, andto multiply in the land.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, andto labor with their hands.
18
Anditcametopassthat they would that I should be their king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according tothat which was in my power.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.
27
Anditcametopassthat we lived after the manner of happiness.
• • •
30
Anditcametopassthat the Lord God said unto me: Make other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people.
15
And now itcametopassthat the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.
4
Anditcametopassthat the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw that his olive-tree began to decay; and he said: I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, andit perish not.
5
Anditcametopassthat he pruned it, and digged about it, and nourished it according to his word.
6
Anditcametopassthat after many days it began to put forth somewhat a little, young and tender branches; but behold, the main top thereof began to perish.
7
Anditcametopassthat the master of the vineyard saw it, and he said unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should lose this tree; wherefore, go and pluck the branches from a wild olive-tree, and bring them hither unto me; and we will pluck off those main branches which are beginning to wither away, and we will cast them into the fire that they may be burned.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat the servant of the Lord of the vineyard did according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard, and grafted in the branches of the wild olive-tree.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the nethermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in another, according to his will and pleasure.
15
Anditcametopassthat a long time passed away, and the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor in the vineyard.
16
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard, and also the servant, went down into the vineyard to labor. Anditcametopassthat the servant said unto his master: Behold, look here; behold the tree.
17
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard looked and beheld the tree in the which the wild olive branches had been grafted; andit had sprung forth and begun to bear fruit. And he beheld thatit was good; and the fruit thereof was like unto the natural fruit.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the vineyard, and behold if the natural branches of the tree have not brought forth much fruit also, that I may lay up of the fruit thereof against the season, unto mine own self.
20
Anditcametopassthat they went forth whither the master had hid the natural branches of the tree, and he said unto the servant: Behold these; and he beheld the first thatit had brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also thatit was good. And he said unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self; for behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it, andit hath brought forth much fruit.
21
Anditcametopassthat the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, andit hath brought forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self.
24
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard said again unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also, which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, andit hath brought forth fruit.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth good fruit, and cast them into the fire.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard and the servant of the Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of the vineyard.
29
Anditcametopassthat a long time had passed away, and the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor again in the vineyard. For behold, the time draweth near, and the end soon cometh; wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season, unto mine own self.
30
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard and the servant went down into the vineyard; and they cameto the tree whose natural branches had been broken off, and the wild branches had been grafted in; and behold all sorts of fruit did cumber the tree.
31
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard did taste of the fruit, every sort according to its number. And the Lord of the vineyard said: Behold, this long time have we nourished this tree, and I have laid up unto myself against the season much fruit.
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof profit me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.
• • •
38
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard, and behold if the natural branches have also brought forth evil fruit.
39
Anditcametopassthat they went down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard. Anditcametopassthat they beheld that the fruit of the natural branches had become corrupt also; yea, the first and the second and also the last; and they had all become corrupt.
• • •
41
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?
• • •
48
Anditcametopassthat the servant said unto his master: Is it not the loftiness of thy vineyard—have not the branches thereof overcome the roots which are good? And
because the branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they grew
faster than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto themselves.
Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard have become corrupted?
49
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Let us go toand hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard?
• • •
55
Anditcametopassthat they took from the natural tree which had become wild, and grafted in unto the natural trees, which also had become wild.
• • •
70
Anditcametopassthat the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few.
• • •
72
Anditcametopassthat the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.
• • •
75
Anditcametopassthat when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, andthat his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, thatit is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard.
2
Anditcametopassthat he began to preach among the people, andto declare unto them that there should be no Christ. And he preached many things which were flattering unto the people; and this he did that he might overthrow the doctrine of Christ.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat he came unto me, and on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have heard and also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat he said unto me: Show me a sign by this power of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat when I, Jacob, had spoken these words, the power of the Lord came upon him, insomuch that he fell to the earth. Anditcametopassthat he was nourished for the space of many days.
16
Anditcametopassthat he said unto the people: Gather together on the morrow, for I shall die; wherefore, I desire to speak unto the people before I shall die.
17
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow the multitude were gathered together; and he spake plainly unto them and denied the things which he had taught them, and confessed the Christ, and the power of the Holy Ghost, and the ministering of angels.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat when he had said these words he could say no more, and he gave up the ghost.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat peace and the love of God was restored again among the people; and they searched the scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked man.
24
Anditcametopassthat many means were devised to reclaim and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; but it all was vain, for they delighted in wars and bloodshed, and they had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren. And they sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days.
12
Anditcametopassthat after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.
• • •
19
And now itcametopassthat I, Enos, went about among the people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of the things which I had heard and seen.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat I began to be old, and an hundred and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jerusalem.
7
Anditcametopassthat they came many times against us, the Nephites, to battle. But our kings and our leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord; and they taught the people the ways of the Lord; wherefore, we withstood the Lamanites and swept them away out of our lands, and began to fortify our cities, or whatsoever place of our inheritance.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that
if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into
transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the land.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat
by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the
land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually
stirring them up unto repentance.
13
Anditcametopassthat two hundred and thirty and eight years had passed away—after the manner of wars, and contentions, and dissensions, for the space of much of the time.
3
Anditcametopassthat two hundred and seventy and six years had passed away, and we had many seasons of peace; and we had many seasons of serious war and bloodshed. Yea, and in fine, two hundred and eighty and two years had passed away, and I had kept these plates according to the commandments of my fathers; and I conferred them upon my son Amaron. And I make an end.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat I did deliver the plates unto my brother Chemish.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat he did according as the Lord had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord; and they were led by many preachings and prophesyings. And they were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led by the power of his arm, through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
18
But itcametopassthat Mosiah caused that they should be taught in his language. Anditcametopassthat after they were taught in the language of Mosiah, Zarahemla gave a genealogy of his fathers, according to his memory; and they are written, but not in these plates.
19
Anditcametopassthat the people of Zarahemla, and of Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed to be their king.
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat I began to be old; and, having no seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord, wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; andthat which is evil cometh from the devil.
• • •
29
Anditcametopassthat they also took others to a considerable number, and took their journey again into the wilderness.
13
Anditcametopass also that the armies of the Lamanites came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people. But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his own arm, with the sword of Laban.
14
And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the Lamanites. Anditcametopassthat they did contend against the Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of their inheritance.
15
Anditcametopassthat after there had been false Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes;
2
Anditcametopassthat he had three sons; and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; andthat
they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the
mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of the
Lord.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat after king Benjamin had made an end of teaching his sons, that he waxed old, and he saw that he must very soon go the way of all the earth; therefore, he thought it expedient that he should confer the kingdom upon one of his sons.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat after king Benjamin had made an end of these sayings to his son, that he gave him charge concerning all the affairs of the kingdom.
• • •
18
And now, itcametopassthat Mosiah went and did as his father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather themselves together, to go up to the temple to hear the words which his father should speak unto them.
1 Anditcametopassthat after Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family being separate one from another.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words.
1 And now, itcametopassthat when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.
1 And now, itcametopassthat when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them.
2
Anditcametopassthat there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ.
3
And again, itcametopassthat when king Benjamin had made an end of all these things, and had consecrated his son Mosiah to be a ruler and a king over his people, and had given him all the charges concerning the kingdom, and also had appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, andto stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made, he dismissed the multitude, and they returned, every one, according to their families, to their own houses.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat king Mosiah did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe his judgments and his statutes, and did keep his commandments in all things whatsoever he commanded him.
1 And now, itcametopassthat after king Mosiah had had continual peace for the space of three years, he was desirous to know concerning the people who went up to
dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi, or in the city of Lehi-Nephi; for his
people had heard nothing from them from the time they left the land of
Zarahemla; therefore, they wearied him with their teasings.
2
Anditcametopassthat king Mosiah granted that sixteen of their strong men might go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi, to inquire concerning their brethren.
3
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow they started to go up, having with them one Ammon, he being a strong and mighty man, and a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was also their leader.
• • •
14
And now, itcametopassthat after Limhi had heard the words of Ammon, he was exceedingly glad, and said: Now, I know of a surety that my brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla are yet alive. And now, I will rejoice; and on the morrow I will cause that my people shall rejoice also.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat when they had gathered themselves together that he spake unto them in this wise, saying: O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many strugglings, which have been in vain; yet I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made.
1 Anditcametopassthat after king Limhi had made an end of speaking to his people, for he spake many things unto them and
only a few of them have I written in this book, he told his people all
the things concerning their brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat after he had done all this, that king Limhi dismissed the multitude, and caused that they should return every one unto his own house.
5
Anditcametopassthat he caused that the plates which contained the record of his people from the time that they left the land of Zarahemla, should be brought before Ammon, that he might read them.
5
Anditcametopassthat I went again with four of my men into the city, in unto the king, that I might know of the disposition of the king, andthat I might know if I might go in with my people and possess the land in peace.
• • •
15
Yea, anditcametopassthat they fled, all that were not overtaken, even into the city of Nephi, and did call upon me for protection.
16
Anditcametopassthat I did arm them with bows, and with arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and I and my people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle.
1 Anditcametopassthat we again began to establish the kingdom and we again began to possess the land in peace. And I caused that there should be weapons of war made of every kind, that thereby I might have weapons for my people against the time the Lamanites should come up again to war against my people.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat we did inherit the land of our fathers for many years, yea, for the space of twenty and two years.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat king Laman died, and his son began to reign in his stead. And he began to stir his people up in rebellion against my people; therefore they began to prepare for war, andto come up to battle against my people.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat they came up upon the north of the land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, men armed with bows, and with arrows, and with swords, and with cimeters, and with stones, and with slings; and they had their heads shaved that they were naked; and they were girded with a leathern girdle about their loins.
9
Anditcametopassthat I caused that the women and children of my people should be hid in the wilderness; and I also caused that all my old men that could bear arms, and also all my young men that were able to bear arms, should gather themselves together to go to battle against the Lamanites; and I did place them in their ranks, every man according to his age.
10
Anditcametopassthat we did go up to battle against the Lamanites; and I, even I, in my old age, did go up to battle against the Lamanites. Anditcametopassthat we did go up in the strength of the Lord to battle.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat we did drive them again out of our land; and we slew them with a great slaughter, even so many that we did not number them.
21
Anditcametopassthat we returned again to our own land, and my people again began to tend their flocks, andto till their ground.
1 And now itcametopassthat Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat king Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of precious things, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of brass, and of ziff, and of copper;
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat he built a tower near the temple; yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites; and he could even look over all the land round about.
13
Anditcametopassthat he caused many buildings to be built in the land Shilom; and he caused a great tower to
be built on the hill north of the land Shilom, which had been a resort
for the children of Nephi at the time they fled out of the land; and thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation of his people.
14
Anditcametopassthat he placed his heart upon his riches, and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with harlots.
15
Anditcametopassthat he planted vineyards round about in the land; and he built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance; and therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people.
16
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites began to come in upon his people, upon small numbers, andto slay them in their fields, and while they were tending their flocks.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat king Noah sent his armies against them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a time; therefore, they returned rejoicing in their spoil.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi; and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
1 Anditcametopassthat after the space of two years that Abinadi came among them in disguise, that they knew him not, and began to prophesy among them, saying: Thus has the Lord commanded me, saying—Abinadi, go and
prophesy unto this my people, for they have hardened their hearts
against my words; they have repented not of their evil doings;
therefore, I will visit them in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger will I
visit them in their iniquities and abominations.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat they were angry with him; and they took him and carried him bound before the king, and said unto the king: Behold, we have brought a man before thee who has prophesied evil concerning thy people, and saith that God will destroy them.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat king Noah caused that Abinadi should be cast into prison; and he commanded that the priests should gather themselves together that he might hold a council with them what he should do with him.
18
Anditcametopassthat they said unto the king: Bring him hither that we may question him; and the king commanded that he should be brought before them.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat one of them said unto him: What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying:
25
Anditcametopassthat after Abinadi had made an end of these sayings that he said unto them: Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these commandments?
1 And now, itcametopassthat after Abinadi had spoken these words he stretched forth his hand and said: The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall confess before God that his judgments are just.
1 And now itcametopassthat when Abinadi had finished these sayings, that the king commanded that the priests should take him and cause that he should be put to death.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat the king caused that his guards should surround Abinadi and take him; and they bound him and cast him into prison.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat they took him and bound him, and scourged his skin with faggots, yea, even unto death.
1 And now, itcametopassthat Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat as many as did believe him did go forth to
a place which was called Mormon, having received its name from the
king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times or
at seasons, by wild beasts.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat as many as believed him went thither to hear his words.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, andto be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
• • •
12
And now itcametopassthat Alma took Helam, he being one of the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried, saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart.
• • •
17
And they were called the church of God, or the church of Christ, from that time forward. Anditcametopassthat whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was added to his church.
18
Anditcametopassthat Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, andto teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
• • •
30
And now itcametopassthat all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there cameto the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat Alma and the people of the Lord were apprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness.
1 Anditcametopassthat the army of the king returned, having searched in vain for the people of the Lord.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat he fought with the king; and when the king saw that he was about to overpower him, he fled and ran and got upon the tower which was near the temple.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did pursue them, and did overtake them, and began to slay them.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat those who tarried with their wives and their children caused that their fair daughters should stand forth and plead with the Lamanites that they would not slay them.
14
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites had compassion on them, for they were charmed with the beauty of their women.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat Gideon sent men into the wilderness secretly, to search for the king and those that were with him. Anditcametopassthat they met the people in the wilderness, all save the king and his priests.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat they were about to return to the land of Nephi, and they met the men of Gideon. And the men of Gideon told them of all that had happened to their wives and their children; andthat the Lamanites had granted unto them that they might possess the land by paying a tribute to the Lamanites of one half of all they possessed.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat after they had ended the ceremony, that they returned to the land of Nephi, rejoicing, because their wives and their children were not slain; and they told Gideon what they had done to the king.
25
Anditcametopassthat the king of the Lamanites made an oath unto them, that his people should not slay them.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat Limhi began to establish the kingdom andto establish peace among his people.
2
Anditcametopassthat there was one day a small number of them gathered together to sing andto dance.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat when the Lamanites found that their daughters had been missing, they were angry with the people of Limhi, for they thought it was the people of Limhi.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat when the Lamanites had come up, that the people of Limhi began to fall upon them from their waiting places, and began to slay them.
10
Anditcametopassthat the battle became exceedingly sore, for they fought like lions for their prey.
11
Anditcametopassthat the people of Limhi began to drive the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as the Lamanites. But they fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves and like dragons did they fight.
12
Anditcametopassthat they found the king of the Lamanites among the number of their dead; yet he was not dead, having been wounded and left upon the ground, so speedy was the flight of his people.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat the king was pacified towards his people; and he said unto them: Let us go forth to meet my people, without arms; and I swear unto you with an oath that my people shall not slay thy people.
25
Anditcametopassthat they followed the king, and went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. Anditcametopassthat they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the people of Limhi.
1 Anditcametopassthat Limhi and his people returned to the city of Nephi, and began to dwell in the land again in peace.
2
Anditcametopassthat after many days the Lamanites began again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they began to come into the borders of the land round about.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat the people began to murmur with the king because of their afflictions; and they began to be desirous to go against them to battle. And they did afflict the king sorely with their complaints; therefore he granted unto them that they should do according to their desires.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did beat them, and drove them back, and slew many of them.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat their continual cries did stir up the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the Lamanites; and they went again to battle, but they were driven back again, suffering much loss.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat there was no more disturbance between the Lamanites and the people of Limhi, even until the time that Ammon and his brethren came into the land.
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat king Limhi and many of his people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from God. And Ammon declined doing this thing, considering himself an unworthy servant.
1 And now itcametopassthat Ammon and king Limhi began to consult with the people how they should deliver themselves out of bondage; and even they did cause that all the people should gather themselves together; and this they did that they might have the voice of the people concerning the matter.
2
Anditcametopassthat they could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous, it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them, thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat the king hearkened unto the words of Gideon.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat the people of king Limhi did depart by night into the wilderness with their flocks and their herds, and they went round about the land of Shilom in the wilderness, and bent their course towards the land of Zarahemla, being led by Ammon and his brethren.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat Mosiah received them with joy; and he also received their records, and also the records which had been found by the people of Limhi.
17
Anditcametopassthat none received authority to preach or to teach except it were by him from God. Therefore he consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just men.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat they began to prosper exceedingly in the land; and they called the land Helam.
20
Anditcametopassthat they did multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which they called the city of Helam.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat he did deliver them, and he did show forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their rejoicings.
• • •
29
Anditcametopassthat the Lord did soften the hearts of the Lamanites. And Alma and his brethren went forth and delivered themselves up into their hands; and the Lamanites took possession of the land of Helam.
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat Amulon did plead with the Lamanites; and he also sent forth their wives, who were the daughters of the Lamanites, to plead with their brethren, that they should not destroy their husbands.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites promised unto Alma and his brethren, that if they would show them the way which led to the land of Nephi that they would grant unto them their lives and their liberty.
1 Anditcametopassthat Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the land of Amulon.
• • •
8
And now itcametopassthat Amulon began to exercise authority over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him, and cause that his children should persecute their children.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the Lord cameto them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
• • •
15
And now itcametopassthat the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
16
Anditcametopassthat so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat they departed out of the valley, and took their journey into the wilderness.
5
Anditcametopassthat Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to
his people; yea, he read the records of the people of Zeniff, from the
time they left the land of Zarahemla until they returned again.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat those who were the children of Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the daughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers, therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who were called Nephites.
• • •
14
And now itcametopassthat when Mosiah had made an end of speaking and reading to the people, he desired that Alma should also speak to the people.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat after Alma had taught the people many things, and had made an end of speaking to them, that king Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people were desirous that they might be baptized also.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.
• • •
23
And now there were seven churches in the land of Zarahemla. Anditcametopassthat whosoever were desirous to take upon them the name of Christ, or of God, they did join the churches of God;
7
Anditcametopassthat they were brought before the priests, and delivered up unto the priests by the teachers; and the priests brought them before Alma, who was the high priest.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat Alma did not know concerning them; but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord cameto him, saying:
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat Alma went and judged those that had been taken in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord.
• • •
37
Anditcametopassthat Alma did regulate all the affairs of the church; and they began again to have peace andto prosper exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly before God, receiving many, and baptizing many.
1 And now itcametopassthat the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted with his priests.
2
Anditcametopassthat king Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land round about that there should not any unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of God.
• • •
10
And now itcametopassthat while he was going about to destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, andto lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or even the king—
• • •
17
And now itcametopassthat these were the last words which the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed.
• • •
32
And now itcametopassthat Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they had heard and seen, and
preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted
by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.
2
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the people came, saying: We are desirous that Aaron thy son should be our king and our ruler.
• • •
41
Anditcametopassthat they did appoint judges to rule over them, or to judge them according to the law; and this they did throughout all the land.
42
Anditcametopassthat Alma was appointed to be the first chief judge, he being also the high priest, his father having conferred the office upon him, and having given him the charge concerning all the affairs of the church.
43
And now itcametopassthat Alma did walk in the ways of the Lord, and he did keep his commandments, and he did judge righteous judgments; and there was continual peace through the land.
• • •
45
And now itcametopassthat his father died, being eighty and two years old, having lived to fulfil the commandments of God.
46
Anditcametopassthat Mosiah died also, in the thirty and third year of his reign, being sixty and three years old; making in the whole, five hundred and nine years from the time Lehi left Jerusalem.
2
Anditcametopassthat in the first year of the reign of Alma in the judgment-seat, there was a man brought before him to be judged, a man who was large, and was noted for his much strength.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat he did teach these things so much that many did believe on his words, even so many that they began to support him and give him money.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat he stood before Alma and pleaded for himself with much boldness.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat they took him; and his name was Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death.
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat by thus exercising the law upon them, every man suffering according tothat which he had done, they became more still, and durst not commit any wickedness if it were known; therefore, there was much peace among the people of Nephi until the fifth year of the reign of the judges.
5
Anditcametopassthat the people assembled themselves together throughout all the land, every man according to his mind, whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies, having much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the people came against Amlici, that he was not made king over the people.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat they gathered themselves together, and did consecrate Amlici to be their king.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat Amlici did arm his men with all manner of weapons of war of every kind; and he also appointed rulers and leaders over his people, to lead them to war against their brethren.
15
Anditcametopassthat the Amlicites came upon the hill Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land of Zarahemla, and there they began to make war with the Nephites.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites did pursue the Amlicites all that day, and did slay them with much slaughter, insomuch that there were slain of the Amlicites twelve thousand five hundred thirty and two souls; and there were slain of the Nephites six thousand five hundred sixty and two souls.
20
Anditcametopassthat when Alma could pursue the Amlicites no longer he caused that his people should pitch their tents in the valley of Gideon, the valley being called after that Gideon who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword; and in this valley the Nephites did pitch their tents for the night.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow they returned into the camp of the Nephites in great haste, being greatly astonished, and struck with much fear, saying:
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat the people of Nephi took their tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their city, which was the city of Zarahemla.
• • •
29
Anditcametopassthat Alma fought with Amlici with the sword, face to face; and they did contend mightily, one with another.
30
Anditcametopassthat Alma, being a man of God, being exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people.
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat when they had all crossed the river Sidon that the Lamanites and the Amlicites began to flee before them, notwithstanding they were so numerous that they could not be numbered.
• • •
38
Anditcametopassthat many died in the wilderness of their wounds, and were devoured by those beasts and also the vultures of the air; and their bones have been found, and have been heaped up on the earth.
1 Anditcametopassthat
the Nephites who were not slain by the weapons of war, after having
buried those who had been slain—now the number of the slain were not
numbered, because of the greatness of their number—after they had
finished burying their dead they all returned to their lands, andto their houses, and their wives, and their children.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat whosoever did mingle his seed with that of the Lamanites did bring the same curse upon his seed.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat
whosoever would not believe in the tradition of the Lamanites, but
believed those records which were brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the tradition of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the commandments of God and kept them, were called the Nephites, or the people of Nephi, from that time forth—
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat there was an army sent to drive them out of their land.
15
And now itcametopassthat Alma, having seen the afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.
1 And now itcametopassthat
after Alma had made an end of speaking unto the people of the church,
which was established in the city of Zarahemla, he ordained priests and elders, by laying on his hands according to the order of God, to preside and watch over the church.
2
Anditcametopassthat whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church.
3
Andit also cametopassthat whosoever did belong to the church that did not repent of their wickedness and humble themselves before God—I mean those who were lifted up in the pride of their hearts—the same were rejected, and their names were blotted out, that their names were not numbered among those of the righteous.
• • •
7
And now itcametopassthat when Alma had made these regulations he departed from them, yea, from the church which was in the city of Zarahemla, and
went over upon the east of the river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon,
there having been a city built, which was called the city of Gideon,
which was in the valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword.
1 And now itcametopassthat
Alma returned from the land of Gideon, after having taught the people
of Gideon many things which cannot be written, having established the
order of the church, according as he had before done in the land of
Zarahemla, yea, he returned to his own house at Zarahemla to rest himself from the labors which he had performed.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat the people cameto him throughout all the borders of the land which was by the wilderness side. And they were baptized throughout all the land;
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat when Alma had come to the city of Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, itcametopass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying:
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat the man received him into his house; and the man was called Amulek; and he brought forth bread and meat and set before Alma.
22
Anditcametopassthat Alma ate bread and was filled; and he blessed Amulek and his house, and he gave thanks unto God.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat the people did wax more gross in their iniquities.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat they went forth and began to preach andto prophesy unto the people, according to the spirit and power which the Lord had given them.
34
Anditcametopassthat Amulek went and stood forth, and began to preach unto them also. And now the words of Amulek are not all written, nevertheless a part of his words are written in this book.
8
Anditcametopassthat I obeyed the voice of the angel, and returned towards my house. And as I was going thither I found the man whom the angel said unto me: Thou shalt receive into thy house—and behold it was this same man who has been speaking unto you concerning the things of God.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat they began to question Amulek, that thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the words which he should speak.
• • •
24
And now itcametopassthat the people were more angry with Amulek, and they cried out, saying: This man doth revile against our laws which are just, and our wise lawyers whom we have selected.
• • •
28
And now itcametopassthat when Amulek had spoken these words the people cried out against him, saying: Now we know that this man is a child of the devil, for he hath lied unto us; for he hath spoken against our law. And now he says that he has not spoken against it.
• • •
30
Anditcametopassthat the lawyers put it into their hearts that they should remember these things against him.
21
And now itcametopassthat when Alma had said these words unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh;
6
Anditcametopassthat Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.
7
Anditcametopassthat he began to cry unto the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat Alma and Amulek answered him nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the officers to be cast into prison.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat the judge stood before them, and said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people? Know ye not that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames? And he commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing.
20
Anditcametopassthat they departed and went their ways, but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smote them again on their cheeks. And many came forth also, and smote them, saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn our law? If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves?
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat they all went forth and smote them, saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood upon their feet.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
1 Anditcametopassthat Alma and Amulek were commanded to depart out of that city; and they departed, andcame out even into the land of Sidom; and behold, there they found all the people who had departed out of the land of Ammonihah, who had been cast out and stoned, because they believed in the words of Alma.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat they went immediately, obeying the message which he had sent unto them; and they went in unto the house unto Zeezrom; and they found him upon his bed, sick, being very low with a burning fever; and his mind also was exceedingly sore because of his iniquities; and when he saw them he stretched forth his hand, and besought them that they would heal him.
6
Anditcametopassthat Alma said unto him, taking him by the hand: Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat they were many; for they did flock in from all the region round about Sidom, and were baptized.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and
his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word
of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;
6
Anditcametopassthat Alma inquired of the Lord concerning the matter. And Alma returned and
said unto them: Behold, the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the
south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. And behold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites.
7
Anditcametopassthat Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east side of the river Sidon.
1 And now itcametopassthat as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.
10
Anditcametopassthat the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat the hearts of the sons of Mosiah, and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat king Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.
25
But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant. Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. Anditcametopassthat he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites.
• • •
31
Anditcametopassthat he flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us.
32
Anditcametopassthat they went in search of the flocks, and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather them together again to the place of water.
1 Anditcametopassthat king Lamoni caused that his servants should stand forth and testify to all the things which they had seen concerning the matter.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat king Lamoni inquired of his servants, saying: Where is this man that has such great power?
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat when Ammon had made ready the horses and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat Ammon said unto him again: What desirest thou of me? But the king answered him not.
16
Anditcametopassthat Ammon, being filled with the Spirit of God, therefore he perceived the thoughts of the king. And he said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others, in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it this that causeth thy marvelings?
• • •
40
Anditcametopassthat after he had said all these things, and expounded them to the king, that the king believed all his words.
• • •
43
Anditcametopassthat his servants took him and carried him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if he were dead for the space of two days and two nights; and his wife, and his sons, and his daughters mourned over him, after the manner of the Lamanites, greatly lamenting his loss.
1 Anditcametopassthat after two days and two nights they were about to take his body and lay it in a sepulchre, which they had made for the purpose of burying their dead.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat Ammon did as he was commanded, and went in unto the queen, and desired to know what she would that he should do.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat she watched over the bed of her husband, from that time even until that time on the morrow which Ammon had appointed that he should rise.
12
Anditcametopassthat he arose, according to the words of Ammon; and as he arose, he stretched forth his hand unto the woman, and said: Blessed be the name of God, and blessed art thou.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat they did call on the name of the Lord, in their might, even until they had all fallen to the earth, save it
were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was Abish, she having been
converted unto the Lord for many years, on account of a remarkable
vision of her father—
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat when the multitude beheld that the man had fallen dead, who lifted the sword to slay Ammon, fear came upon them all, and they durst not put forth their hands to touch him or any of those who had fallen; and they began to marvel again among themselves what could be the cause of this great power, or what all these things could mean.
25
Anditcametopassthat there were many among them who said that Ammon was the Great Spirit, and others said he was sent by the Great Spirit;
• • •
29
Anditcametopassthat she went and took the queen by the hand, that perhaps she might raise her from the ground; and as soon as she touched her hand she arose and stood upon her feet, and
cried with a loud voice, saying: O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from
an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people!
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil.
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat there were many that did believe in their words; and as many as did believe were baptized; and they became a righteous people, and they did establish a church among them.
1 Anditcametopassthat when they had established a church in that land, that king Lamoni desired that Ammon should go with him to the land of Nephi, that he might show him unto his father.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat as Ammon and Lamoni were journeying thither, they met the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat Lamoni rehearsed unto him whither he was going, for he feared to offend him.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their journey towards the land of Middoni. And Lamoni found favor in the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon were brought forth out of prison.
4
Anditcametopassthat Aaron cameto the city of Jerusalem, and first began to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues after the order of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and the Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat they saw that the people would harden their hearts, therefore they departed andcame over into the land of Middoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and few believed on the words which they taught.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.
18
Anditcametopassthat Ammon and Lamoni returned from the land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of their inheritance.
• • •
23
And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; anditcametopassthat he did teach them all things concerning things pertaining to righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were zealous for keeping the commandments of God.
2
Anditcametopassthat he went in unto him into the king’s palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom thou hast delivered out of prison.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat when Aaron saw that
the king would believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam,
reading the scriptures unto the king—how God created man after his own
image, andthat God gave him commandments, andthat because of transgression, man had fallen.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat
when Aaron had said these words, the king did bow down before the Lord,
upon his knees; yea, even he did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat his servants ran and told the queen all that had happened unto the king. And she came in unto the king; and when she saw him lay as if he were dead, and also Aaron and his brethren standing as though they had been the cause of his fall, she was angry with them, and commanded that her servants, or the servants of the king, should take them and slay them.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat when the king saw that the people were pacified, he caused that Aaron and his brethren should stand forth in the midst of the multitude, andthat they should preach the word unto them.
27
Anditcametopassthat
the king sent a proclamation throughout all the land, amongst all his
people who were in all his land, who were in all the regions round
about, which was bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and round about on the borders of the seashore, and
the borders of the wilderness which was on the north by the land of
Zarahemla, through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon,
running from the east towards the west—and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided.
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites had inhabited the land Bountiful, even from the east unto the west sea, and thus the Nephites in their wisdom, with their guards and their armies, had hemmed in the Lamanites on the south, that thereby they should have no more possession on the north, that they might not overrun the land northward.
4
And now itcametopassthat when the king had sent forth this proclamation, that Aaron and his brethren went forth from city to city, and from one house of worship to another, establishing churches, and consecrating priests and teachers throughout the land among the Lamanites, to preach andto teach the word of God among them; and thus they began to have great success.
• • •
16
And now itcametopassthat the king and those who were converted were desirous that they might have a name, that thereby they might be distinguished from their brethren; therefore the king consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, concerning the name that they should take upon them, that they might be distinguished.
17
Anditcametopassthat they called their names Anti-Nephi-Lehies; and they were called by this name and were no more called Lamanites.
1 Anditcametopassthat the Amalekites and the Amulonites and the Lamanites who were in the land of Amulon, and also in the land of Helam, and who were in the land of Jerusalem, and in fine, in all the land round about, who had not been converted and had not taken upon them the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, were stirred up by the Amalekites and by the Amulonites to anger against their brethren.
• • •
17
And now itcametopassthat when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat their brethren, the Lamanites, made preparations for war, andcame up to the land of Nephi for the purpose of destroying the king, andto place another in his stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out of the land.
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them.
26
Anditcametopassthat the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved.
7
Anditcametopassthat those rulers who were the remnant of the children of Amulon caused that they should be put to death, yea, all those that believed in these things.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat when the Lamanites saw that they could not overpower the Nephites they returned again to their own land; and many of them came over to dwell in the land of Ishmael and the land of Nephi, and did join themselves to the people of God, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
10
Anditcametopassthat when Ammon had said these words, his brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting.
2
Anditcametopassthat the Amalekites, because of their loss, were exceedingly angry. And when they saw that they could not seek revenge from the Nephites, they began to stir up the people in anger against their brethren, the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi; therefore they began again to destroy them.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat Ammon went and inquired of the Lord, and the Lord said unto him:
• • •
13
And now itcametopassthat Ammon went and told the king all the words which the Lord had said unto him.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat Ammon said unto them: Behold, I and my brethren will go forth into the land of Zarahemla, and ye shall remain here until we return; and we will try the hearts of our brethren, whether they will that ye shall come into their land.
16
Anditcametopassthat as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.
• • •
20
And now itcametopassthat Alma conducted his brethren back to the land of Zarahemla; even to his own house. And they went and told the chief judge all the things that had happened unto them in the land of Nephi, among their brethren, the Lamanites.
21
Anditcametopassthat
the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all the land, desiring
the voice of the people concerning the admitting their brethren, who
were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
22
Anditcametopassthat the voice of the people came,
saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the
east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south
of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthatit did cause great joy among them. And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name ever after.
1 And now itcametopassthat after the people of Ammon were established in the land of Jershon, and a church also established in the land of Jershon, and
the armies of the Nephites were set round about the land of Jershon,
yea, in all the borders round about the land of Zarahemla; behold the
armies of the Lamanites had followed their brethren into the wilderness.
5
Anditcametopassthat in the commencement of the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges, there was continual peace.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat he caused that he should be carried out of the land. And he came over into the land of Gideon, and began to preach unto them also; and here he did not have much success, for he was taken and bound and carried before the high priest, and also the chief judge over the land.
22
Anditcametopassthat the high priest said unto him: Why do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord? Why do ye teach this people that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their rejoicings? Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the holy prophets?
• • •
30
Anditcametopassthat when he was brought before Alma and the chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.
• • •
46
And now itcametopassthat Alma said unto him: Behold, I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be destroyed.
• • •
56
Anditcametopassthat the curse was not taken off of Korihor; but he was cast out, and went about from house to house begging for his food.
• • •
58
Anditcametopassthat they were all convinced of the wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the manner of Korihor. And Korihor did go about from house to house, begging food for his support.
59
Anditcametopassthat as he went forth among the people, yea, among a people who had separated themselves from the Nephites and called themselves Zoramites, being led by a man whose name was Zoram—and as he went forth amongst them, behold, he was run upon and trodden down, even until he was dead.
1 Anditcametopassthat they did go forth, and began to preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach the word in their streets.
2
Anditcametopassthat after much labor among them, they began to
have success among the poor class of people; for behold, they were cast
out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of their apparel—
3
Anditcametopassthat
after the more popular part of the Zoramites had consulted together
concerning the words which had been preached unto them, they were angry
because of the word, for it did destroy their craft; therefore they would not hearken unto the words.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land; and they were many; and they came over also into the land of Jershon.
7
Anditcametopassthat Alma and his brethren did minister unto them.
10
Anditcametopassthat I fell to the earth; andit was for the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
8
Anditcametopassthat I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and
never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I
receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did find peace to my soul.
1 And now itcametopassthat the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites came with their thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was their leader.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat he met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat the word of the Lord came unto Alma, and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, that the armies of the Lamanites were marching round about in the wilderness, that they might come over into the land of Manti, that they might commence an attack upon the weaker part of the people. And those messengers went and delivered the message unto Moroni.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat Moroni caused that
his army should be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of
the river Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon in the
wilderness.
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites came up on the north of the hill, where a part of the army of Moroni was concealed.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites, when they saw the Nephites coming upon them in their rear, turned them about and began to contend with the army of Lehi.
• • •
39
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites became frightened, because of the great destruction among them, even until they began to flee towards the river Sidon.
• • •
41
Anditcametopassthat Moroni and his army met the Lamanites in the valley, on the other side of the river Sidon, and began to fall upon them andto slay them.
• • •
48
Anditcametopassthat when the men of Moroni saw the fierceness and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to shrink and flee from them. And Moroni, perceiving their intent, sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts—yea, the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom from bondage.
49
Anditcametopassthat they turned upon the Lamanites, and they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom from bondage.
1 Anditcametopassthat they did stop and withdrew a pace from them. And Moroni said unto Zerahemnah: Behold, Zerahemnah, that we do not desire to be men of blood. Ye know that ye are in our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you.
• • •
8
And now itcametopassthat when Zerahemnah had heard these sayings he came forth and delivered up his sword and his cimeter, and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold, here are our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you, but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the wilderness; otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will perish or conquer.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat the soldier who stood by, who smote off the scalp of Zerahemnah, took up the scalp from off the ground by the hair, and laid it upon the point of his sword, and stretched it forth unto them, saying unto them with a loud voice:
• • •
17
And now Moroni was angry, because of the stubbornness of the Lamanites; therefore he commanded his people that they should fall upon them and slay them. Anditcametopassthat they began to slay them; yea, and the Lamanites did contend with their swords and their might.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat Moroni caused that the work of death should cease again among the people. And he took the weapons of war from the Lamanites; and after they had entered into a covenant with him of peace they were suffered to depart into the wilderness.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat they did cast their dead into the waters of Sidon, and they have gone forth and are buried in the depths of the sea.
15
And now itcametopassthat after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the righteous’ sake.
• • •
18
And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek. Anditcametopassthat he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of.
• • •
22
Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to
establish the church again in all the land, yea, in every city
throughout all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. Anditcametopassthat they did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches.
23
And now itcametopassthat after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren;
1 Anditcametopassthat as many as would not hearken to the words of Helaman and his brethren were gathered together against their brethren.
• • •
11
And now itcametopassthat
when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites,
had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
12
Anditcametopassthat he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south—A chosen land, and the land of liberty.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that
they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they
should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.
• • •
28
And now itcametopassthat when Moroni had said these words he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called Amalickiahites.
29
Anditcametopassthat when Amalickiah saw that the people of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites—and he also saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause in which they had undertaken—therefore, fearing that he should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would and departed into the land of Nephi.
• • •
31
Therefore Moroni thought it was expedient that he should take his armies, who had gathered themselves together, and armed themselves, and entered into a covenant to keep the peace—anditcametopassthat he took his army and marched out with his tents into the wilderness, to cut off the course of Amalickiah in the wilderness.
32
Anditcametopassthat he did according to his desires, and marched forth into the wilderness, and headed the armies of Amalickiah.
33
Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah fled with a small number of his men, and the remainder were delivered up into the hands of Moroni and were taken back into the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat whomsoever of the Amalickiahites that would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of freedom, that they might maintain a free government, he caused to be put to death; and there were but few who denied the covenant of freedom.
36
Anditcametopass also, that he caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the standard of liberty among the Nephites.
• • •
39
Anditcametopassthat there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.
2
Anditcametopassthat when the proclamation had gone forth among them they were exceedingly afraid; yea, they feared to displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against the Nephites lest they should lose their lives. Anditcametopassthat they would not, or the more part of them would not, obey the commandments of the king.
3
And now itcametopassthat the king was wroth because of their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat they had gathered themselves together upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in preparation to battle.
• • •
9
And behold, itcametopassthat he caused his army to pitch their tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas.
10
Anditcametopassthat when it was night he sent a secret embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with him.
11
Anditcametopassthat when Lehonti received the message he durst not go down to the foot of the mount. Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come down. Anditcametopassthat Lehonti would not; and he sent again the third time.
12
Anditcametopassthat when Amalickiah found that he could not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into the mount, nearly to Lehonti’s camp; and he sent again the fourth time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down, andthat he would bring his guards with him.
13
Anditcametopassthat when Lehonti had come down with his guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down with his army in the night-time, and surround those men in their camps over whom the king had given him command, andthat he would deliver them up into Lehonti’s hands, if he would make him (Amalickiah) a second leader over the whole army.
14
Anditcametopassthat Lehonti came down with his men and surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti.
15
Anditcametopassthat when they saw that they were surrounded, they plead with Amalickiah that he would suffer them to fall in with their brethren, that they might not be destroyed. Now this was the very thing which Amalickiah desired.
16
Anditcametopassthat he delivered his men, contrary to the commands of the king. Now this was the thing that Amalickiah desired, that he might accomplish his designs in dethroning the king.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah marched with his armies (for he had gained his desires) to the land of Nephi, to the city of Nephi, which was the chief city.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat the king put forth his hand to raise them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace, which custom they had taken from the Nephites.
24
Anditcametopassthat when he had raised the first from the ground, behold he stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell to the earth.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah commanded that his armies should march forth and see what had happened to the king; and when they had come to the spot, and found the king lying in his gore, Amalickiah pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved the king, let him go forth, and pursue his servants that they may be slain.
28
Anditcametopassthat all they who loved the king, when they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants of the king.
• • •
32
And now itcametopassthat the queen, when she had heard that the king was slain—for Amalickiah had sent an embassy to the queen informing her that the king had been slain by his servants, that he had pursued them with his army, but it was in vain, and they had made their escape—
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah took the same servant that slew the king, and all them who were with him, and went in unto the queen, unto the place where she sat; and they all testified unto her that the king was slain by his own servants; and they said also: They have fled; does not this testify against them? And thus they satisfied the queen concerning the death of the king.
35
Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah sought the favor of the queen, and took her unto him to wife; and thus by his fraud, and
by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the kingdom;
yea, he was acknowledged king throughout all the land, among all the
people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, and all the dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephi down to the present time.
1 And now itcametopassthat, as soon as Amalickiah had obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat they took their camp, and moved forth toward the land of Zarahemla in the wilderness.
9
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites, were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for war.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat the captains of the Lamanites brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time, insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.
• • •
25
Anditcametopass, that when the Lamanites saw that their chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness. Anditcametopassthat they returned to the land of Nephi, to inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth, concerning their great loss.
26
Anditcametopassthat he was exceedingly angry with his people, because he had not obtained his desire over the Nephites; he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage.
• • •
28
Anditcametopass, that
on the other hand, the people of Nephi did thank the Lord their God,
because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of
their enemies.
1 And now itcametopassthat Moroni did not stop making preparations for war, or to defend his people against the Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should commence in the commencement of the twentieth year of the reign of the judges, that
they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the
cities, throughout all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat Moroni caused that his armies should go forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth and drove all the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat
when Moroni had driven all the Lamanites out of the east wilderness,
which was north of the lands of their own possessions, he caused that the inhabitants who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by the seashore, and possess the land.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites began the foundation of a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; andit was by the east sea; andit was on the south by the line of the possessions of the Lamanites.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat the twenty and second year of the reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty and third year.
25
Anditcametopassthat in the commencement of the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have been peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a contention which took place among them concerning the land of Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat when the people of Morianton, who were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy them.
• • •
31
Anditcametopassthat she fled, andcame over to the camp of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat they did not head them until they had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.
35
Anditcametopassthat the army which was sent by Moroni, which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners, and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
• • •
37
Anditcametopassthat in the same year that the people of Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second chief judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect uprightness before God.
5
Anditcametopassthat those who were desirous that Pahoran should be dethroned from the judgment-seat were called king-men, for they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government andto establish a king over the land.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat this matter of their contention was settled by the voice of the people. Anditcametopassthat the voice of the people came in favor of the freemen, and Pahoran retained the judgment-seat, which caused much rejoicing among the brethren of Pahoran and also many of the people of liberty, who also put the king-men to silence, that they durst not oppose but were obliged to maintain the cause of freedom.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat when the men who were called king-men had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle against them, they were glad in their hearts; and they refused to take up arms, for they were so wroth with the chief judge, and also with the people of liberty, that they would not take up arms to defend their country.
14
Anditcametopassthat when Moroni saw this, and also saw that
the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he was
exceedingly wroth because of the stubbornness of those people whom he
had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he was exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against them.
15
Anditcametopassthat he sent a petition, with the voice of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.
16
For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction. Anditcametopassthatit was granted according to the voice of the people.
17
Anditcametopassthat Moroni commanded that his army should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take up arms and support the cause of liberty.
18
Anditcametopassthat the armies did march forth against them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility, insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight against the men of Moroni they were hewn down and leveled to the earth.
19
Anditcametopassthat there were four thousand of those dissenters who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their leaders who were not slain in battle were taken and cast into prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites were not sufficiently strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive them, slaying many. Anditcametopassthat Amalickiah took possession of the city, yea, possession of all their fortifications.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat they marched to the borders of the land Bountiful, driving the Nephites before them and slaying many.
• • •
30
Anditcametopassthat he headed Amalickiah also, as he was marching forth with his numerous army that he might take possession of the land Bountiful, and also the land northward.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat they did harass them, insomuch that they did slay them even until it was dark. Anditcametopassthat Teancum and his men did pitch their tents in the borders of the land Bountiful; and Amalickiah did pitch his tents in the borders on the beach by the seashore, and after this manner were they driven.
33
Anditcametopassthat when the night had come, Teancum and his servant stole forth and went out by night, and went into the camp of Amalickiah; and behold, sleep had overpowered them because of their much fatigue, which was caused by the labors and heat of the day.
34
Anditcametopassthat Teancum stole privily into the tent of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the death of the king immediately that he did not awake his servants.
3
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Amalickiah was appointed king over the people; and his name was Ammoron; thus king Ammoron, the brother of king Amalickiah, was appointed to reign in his stead.
4
Anditcametopassthat he did command that
his people should maintain those cities, which they had taken by the
shedding of blood; for they had not taken any cities save they had lost
much blood.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat he kept thus preparing for war until Moroni had sent a large number of men to strengthen his army.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat Teancum had received orders to make an attack upon the city of Mulek, and retake it if it were possible.
17
Anditcametopassthat Teancum made preparations to make an attack upon the city of Mulek, and march forth with his army against the Lamanites; but he saw thatit was impossible that he could overpower them while they were in their fortifications; therefore he abandoned his designs and returned again to the city Bountiful, to wait for the coming of Moroni, that he might receive strength to his army.
18
Anditcametopassthat Moroni did arrive with his army at the land of Bountiful, in the latter end of the twenty and seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat Moroni, having no hopes of meeting them upon fair grounds, therefore, he resolved upon a plan that he might decoy the Lamanites out of their strongholds.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat the armies of the Lamanites did march forth against Teancum, supposing by their numbers to overpower Teancum because of the smallness of his numbers. And as Teancum saw the armies of the Lamanites coming out against him he began to retreat down by the seashore, northward.
24
Anditcametopassthat when the Lamanites saw that he began to flee, they took courage and pursued them with vigor. And while Teancum was thus leading away the Lamanites who were pursuing them in vain, behold, Moroni commanded that a part of his army who were with him should march forth into the city, and take possession of it.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did pursue Teancum until they came near the city Bountiful, and then they were met by Lehi and a small army, which had been left to protect the city Bountiful.
• • •
31
Anditcametopassthat before the Lamanites had retreated far they were surrounded by the Nephites, by the men of Moroni on one hand, and the men of Lehi on the other, all of whom were fresh and full of strength; but the Lamanites were wearied because of their long march.
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat Jacob, being their leader, being also a Zoramite, and having an unconquerable spirit, he led the Lamanites forth to battle with exceeding fury against Moroni.
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat they fought on both hands with exceeding fury; and there were many slain on both sides; yea, and Moroni was wounded and Jacob was killed.
• • •
38
Anditcametopassthat when the Lamanites had heard these words, their chief captains, all those who were not slain, came forth and threw down their weapons of war at the feet of Moroni, and also commanded their men that they should do the same.
1 Anditcametopassthat they did set guards over the prisoners of the Lamanites, and did compel them to go forth and bury their dead, yea, and also the dead of the Nephites who were slain; and Moroni placed men over them to guard them while they should perform their labors.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat after the Lamanites had finished burying their dead and also the dead of the Nephites, they were marched back into the land Bountiful; and Teancum, by the orders of Moroni, caused that they should commence laboring in digging a ditch round about the land, or the city, Bountiful.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat Moroni had thus gained a victory over one of the greatest of the armies of the Lamanites, and had obtained possession of the city of Mulek, which was one of the strongest holds of the Lamanites in the land of Nephi; and thus he had also built a stronghold to retain his prisoners.
7
Anditcametopassthat he did no more attempt a battle with the Lamanites in that year, but he did employ his men in preparing for war, yea, and in making fortifications to guard against the Lamanites, yea, and also delivering their women and their children from famine and affliction, and providing food for their armies.
8
And now itcametopassthat
the armies of the Lamanites, on the west sea, south, while in the
absence of Moroni on account of some intrigue amongst the Nephites,
which caused dissensions amongst them, had gained some ground over the
Nephites, yea, insomuch that they had obtained possession of a number of their cities in that part of the land.
• • •
22
And now itcametopassthat Helaman did march at the head of his two thousand stripling soldiers, to the support of the people in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea.
2
Anditcametopassthat Moroni felt to
rejoice exceedingly at this request, for he desired the provisions
which were imparted for the support of the Lamanite prisoners for the
support of his own people; and he also desired his own people for the strengthening of his army.
4
And now itcametopassthat when Moroni had said these words, he caused that a search should be made among his men, that perhaps he might find a man who was a descendant of Laman among them.
5
Anditcametopassthat they found one, whose name was Laman; and he was one of the servants of the king who was murdered by Amalickiah.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat they did take of the wine freely; andit was pleasant to their taste, therefore they took of it more freely; andit was strong, having been prepared in its strength.
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat he did cause the Lamanites, whom he had taken prisoners, that they should commence a labor in strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid.
26
Anditcametopassthat when he had fortified the city Gid, according to his desires, he caused that his prisoners should be taken to the city Bountiful; and he also guarded that city with an exceedingly strong force.
27
Anditcametopassthat they did, notwithstanding all the intrigues of the Lamanites, keep and protect all the prisoners whom they had taken, and also maintain all the ground and the advantage which they had retaken.
28
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites began again to be victorious, andto reclaim their rights and their privileges.
• • •
33
And now itcametopassthatit was expedient for Moroni to make preparations to attack the city Morianton; for behold, the Lamanites had, by their labors, fortified the city Morianton until it had become an exceeding stronghold.
18
And now itcametopassthat when the Lamanites saw that Antipus had received a greater strength to his army, they were compelled by the orders of Ammoron to not come against the city of Judea, or against us, to battle.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat we kept spies out round about, to watch the movements of the Lamanites, that they might not pass us by night nor by day to make an attack upon our other cities which were on the northward.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat we did march forth, as if with our provisions, to go tothat city.
33
Anditcametopassthat Antipus did march forth with a part of his army, leaving the remainder to maintain the city. But he did not march forth until I had gone forth with my little army, andcame near the city Antiparah.
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat when they had been informed by their spies, they came forth with their army and marched against us.
36
Anditcametopassthat we did flee before them, northward. And thus we did lead away the most powerful army of the Lamanites;
• • •
39
Anditcametopassthat before the dawn of the morning, behold, the Lamanites were pursuing us. Now we were not sufficiently strong to contend with them; yea, I would not suffer that my little sons should fall into their hands; therefore we did continue our march, and we took our march into the wilderness.
• • •
41
Anditcametopassthat again, when the light of the morning came we saw the Lamanites upon us, and we did flee before them.
• • •
49
Anditcametopassthat I did return with my two thousand against these Lamanites who had pursued us. And now behold, the armies of Antipus had overtaken them, and a terrible battle had commenced.
• • •
52
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites took courage, and began to pursue them; and thus were the Lamanites pursuing them with great vigor when Helaman came upon their rear with his two thousand, and began to slay them exceedingly, insomuch that the whole army of the Lamanites halted and turned upon Helaman.
• • •
54
And now itcametopassthat we, the people of Nephi, the people of Antipus, and I with my two thousand, did surround the Lamanites, and did slay them; yea, insomuch that they were compelled to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves as prisoners of war.
55
And now itcametopassthat
when they had surrendered themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered
those young men who had fought with me, fearing lest there were many of
them slain.
1 And now itcametopassthat I received an epistle from Ammoron, the king, stating that if I would deliver up those prisoners of war whom we had taken that he would deliver up the city of Antiparah unto us.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat in the commencement of the twenty and ninth year, we received a supply of provisions, and also an addition to our army, from the land of Zarahemla, and from the land round about, to the number of six thousand men, besides sixty of the sons of the Ammonites who had come to join their brethren, my little band of two thousand. And now behold, we were strong, yea, and we had also plenty of provisions brought unto us.
7
Anditcametopassthatit was our desire to wage a battle with the army which was placed to protect the city Cumeni.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat we did camp round about the city for many nights; but we did sleep upon our swords, and keep guards, that the Lamanites could not come upon us by night and slay us, which they attempted many times; but as many times as they attempted this their blood was spilt.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat not many days had passed away before the Lamanites began to lose all hopes of succor; therefore they yielded up the city unto our hands; and thus we had accomplished our designs in obtaining the city Cumeni.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat those men whom we sent with the prisoners did arrive in season to check them, as they were about to overpower us.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat after the Lamanites had fled, I immediately gave orders that my men who had been wounded should be taken from among the dead, and caused that their wounds should be dressed.
25
Anditcametopassthat there were two hundred, out of my two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, andto our great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there one soul among them who had not received many wounds.
• • •
28
And now itcametopassthat after we had thus taken care of our wounded men, and had buried our dead and also the dead of the Lamanites, who were many, behold, we did inquire of Gid concerning the prisoners whom they had started to go down to the land of Zarahemla with.
• • •
30
And now, these are the words which Gid said unto me: Behold, we did start to go down to the land of Zarahemla with our prisoners. Anditcametopassthat we did meet the spies of our armies, who had been sent out to watch the camp of the Lamanites.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat our prisoners did hear their cries, which caused them to take courage; and they did rise up in rebellion against us.
33
Anditcametopass because of their rebellion we did cause that our swords should come upon them. Anditcametopassthat they did in a body run upon our swords, in the which, the greater number of them were slain; and the remainder of them broke through and fled from us.
4
Anditcametopassthat I thus did send an embassy to the governor of our land, to acquaint him concerning the affairs of our people. Anditcametopassthat we did wait to receive provisions and strength from the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat we did wait in these difficult circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were about to perish for the want of food.
• • •
11
Yea, anditcametopassthat the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow, that when the Lamanites saw that we were in the borders by the wilderness which was near the city, that they sent out their spies round about us that they might discover the number and the strength of our army.
15
Anditcametopassthat when they saw that we were not strong, according to our numbers, and fearing that we should cut them off from their support except they should come out to battle against us and kill us, and also supposing that they could easily destroy us with their numerous hosts, therefore they began to make preparations to come out against us to battle.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did come out with their numerous army against us. And when they had come and were about to fall upon us with the sword, I caused that my men, those who were with me, should retreat into the wilderness.
19
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did follow after us with great speed, for they were exceedingly desirous to overtake us that they might slay us; therefore they did follow us into the wilderness; and we did pass by in the midst of Gid and Teomner, insomuch that they were not discovered by the Lamanites.
20
Anditcametopassthat when the Lamanites had passed by, or when the army had passed by, Gid and Teomner did rise up from their secret places, and did cut off the spies of the Lamanites that they should not return to the city.
21
Anditcametopassthat when they had cut them off, they ran to the city and fell upon the guards who were left to guard the city, insomuch that they did destroy them and did take possession of the city.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat Gid and Teomner by this means had obtained possession of their strongholds. Anditcametopassthat we took our course, after having traveled much in the wilderness towards the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
28
And thus itcametopass, that by this stratagem we did take possession of the city of Manti without the shedding of blood.
29
Anditcametopassthat when the armies of the Lamanites did arrive near the city, and saw that we were prepared to meet them, they were astonished exceedingly and struck with great fear, insomuch that they did flee into the wilderness.
30
Yea, anditcametopassthat the armies of the Lamanites did flee out of all this quarter of the land. But behold, they have carried with them many women and children out of the land.
3
Anditcametopassthat he immediately sent an epistle to Pahoran, desiring that he should cause men to be gathered together to strengthen Helaman, or the armies of Helaman, insomuch that he might with ease maintain that part of the land which he had been so miraculously prospered in regaining.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat while Moroni was thus making preparations to go against the Lamanites to battle, behold, the people of Nephihah, who were gathered together from the city of Moroni and the city of Lehi and the city of Morianton, were attacked by the Lamanites.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.
1 Anditcametopassthat he wrote again to the governor of the land, who was Pahoran, and these are the words which he wrote, saying: Behold, I direct mine epistle to Pahoran, in the city of Zarahemla, who is the chief judge and the governor over the land, and also to all those who have been chosen by this people to govern and manage the affairs of this war.
1 And now itcametopassthat when Moroni had received this epistle his heart did take courage, and was filled with exceedingly great joy because of the faithfulness of Pahoran, that he was not also a traitor to the freedom and cause of his country.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat Moroni took a small number of men, according to the desire of Pahoran, and gave Lehi and Teancum command over the remainder of his army, and took his march towards the land of Gideon.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat thousands did flock unto his standard, and did take up their swords in the defence of their freedom, that they might not come into bondage.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat Moroni and Pahoran went down with their armies into the land of Zarahemla, and went forth against the city, and did meet the men of Pachus, insomuch that they did come to battle.
• • •
13
And he also caused that an army of six thousand men, with a sufficient quantity of food, should be sent to the armies of Lehi and Teancum. Anditcametopassthat this was done to fortify the land against the Lamanites.
14
Anditcametopassthat Moroni and
Pahoran, leaving a large body of men in the land of Zarahemla, took
their march with a large body of men towards the land of Nephihah, being
determined to overthrow the Lamanites in that city.
15
Anditcametopassthat as they were marching towards the land, they took a large body of men of the Lamanites, and slew many of them, and took their provisions and their weapons of war.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat when they had sent them away they pursued their march towards the land of Nephihah. Anditcametopassthat when they had come to the city of Nephihah, they did pitch their tents in the plains of Nephihah, which is near the city of Nephihah.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat they were on the east, by the entrance; and they were all asleep. And now Moroni returned to his army, and caused that they should prepare in haste strong cords and ladders, to be let down from the top of the wall into the inner part of the wall.
22
Anditcametopassthat Moroni caused that his men should march forth and come upon the top of the wall, and let themselves down into that part of the city, yea, even on the west, where the Lamanites did not camp with their armies.
23
Anditcametopassthat they were all let down into the city by night, by the means of their strong cords and their ladders; thus when the morning came they were all within the walls of the city.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat as many as were desirous, unto them it was granted according to their desires.
• • •
31
Anditcametopassthat when the Lamanites saw that Moroni was coming against them, they were again frightened and fled before the army of Moroni.
32
Anditcametopassthat Moroni and his army did pursue them from city to city, until they were met by Lehi and Teancum; and the Lamanites fled from Lehi and Teancum, even down upon the borders by the seashore, until they cameto the land of Moroni.
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat Moroni and Lehi and Teancum did encamp with their armies round about in the borders of the land of Moroni, insomuch that the Lamanites were encircled about in the borders by the wilderness on the south, and in the borders by the wilderness on the east.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat Teancum in his anger did go forth into the camp of the Lamanites, and did let himself down over the walls of the city. And he went forth with a cord, from place to place, insomuch that he did find the king; and
he did cast a javelin at him, which did pierce him near the heart. But
behold, the king did awaken his servants before he died, insomuch that they did pursue Teancum, and slew him.
• • •
42
Anditcametopassthat after Moroni had fortified those parts of the land which were most exposed to the Lamanites, until they were sufficiently strong, he returned to the city of Zarahemla; and also Helaman returned to the place of his inheritance; and there was once more peace established among the people of Nephi.
• • •
46
Anditcametopassthat they did establish again the church of God, throughout all the land.
• • •
52
Anditcametopassthat all these things were done. And Helaman died, in the thirty and fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
3
Anditcametopassthat Moroni died also. And thus ended the thirty and sixth year of the reign of the judges.
4
Anditcametopassthat in the thirty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, there was a large company of men, even to the amount of five thousand and four hundred men, with their wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla into the land which was northward.
5
Anditcametopassthat Hagoth, he being an exceedingly curious man, therefore he went forth and built him an exceedingly large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the narrow neck which led into the land northward.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat they were never heard of more. And we suppose that they were drowned in the depths of the sea. Anditcametopassthat one other ship also did sail forth; and whither she did go we know not.
9
Anditcametopassthat in this year there were many people who went forth into the land northward. And thus ended the thirty and eighth year.
6
Anditcametopassthat Pacumeni, when he saw that he could not obtain the judgment-seat, he did unite with the voice of the people.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat Pacumeni, who was the chief judge, did flee before Coriantumr, even to the walls of the city. Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr did smite him against the wall, insomuch that he died. And thus ended the days of Pacumeni.
• • •
30
Anditcametopassthat Moronihah did head them in their retreat, and did give unto them battle, insomuch thatit became an exceedingly bloody battle; yea, many were slain, and among the number who were slain Coriantumr was also found.
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat Moronihah took possession of the city of Zarahemla again, and caused that the Lamanites who had been taken prisoners should depart out of the land in peace.
2
Anditcametopassthat Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, was appointed to fill the judgment-seat, by the voice of the people.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto him a sign; therefore Kishkumen made known unto him the object of his desire, desiring that he would conduct him to the judgment-seat that he might murder Helaman.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat Helaman did send forth to take this band of robbers and secret murderers, that they might be executed according to the law.
8
Anditcametopassthat they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat there were many of the people of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this land.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat there was still great contention in the land, yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also in the forty and eighth year.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat he had two sons. He gave unto the eldest the name of Nephi, and unto the youngest, the name of Lehi. And they began to grow up unto the Lord.
22
Anditcametopassthat the wars and contentions began to cease, in a small degree, among the people of the Nephites, in the latter end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat in this same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat the work of the Lord did prosper unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls, yea, even tens of thousands.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat there was peace and exceedingly great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year of the reign of the judges.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat the fifty and second year ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the people; andit was because of their exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land; andit did grow upon them from day to day.
37
Anditcametopass in the fifty and third year of the reign of the judges, Helaman died, and his eldest son Nephi began to reign in his stead. Anditcametopassthat he did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of his father.
3
Anditcametopassthat they did endeavor to stir up the Lamanites to war against the Nephites; but behold, the Lamanites were exceedingly afraid, insomuch that they would not hearken to the words of those dissenters.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat they did repent, and inasmuch as they did repent they did begin to prosper.
1 Anditcametopassthat in this same year, behold, Nephi delivered up the judgment-seat to a man whose name was Cezoram.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat Nephi had become weary because of their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days, and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days;
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat these were the words which Helaman taught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written, and also many things which are written.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat they did preach with great power, insomuch that they did confound many of those dissenters who had gone over from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto them the wrongs which they had done.
18
Anditcametopassthat Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given unto them that they might speak, and they also had what they should speak given unto them—
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat Nephi and Lehi did proceed from thence to go to the land of Nephi.
21
Anditcametopassthat they were taken by an army of the Lamanites and cast into prison; yea, even in that same prison in which Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat Nephi and Lehi were encircled about as if by fire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands upon them for fear lest they should be burned. Nevertheless, Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in the midst of fire and were not burned.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and began to speak unto them, saying: Fear not, for behold, it is God that has shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is shown unto you that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat they were overshadowed with a cloud of darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.
29
Anditcametopassthat there came a voice as if it were above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to declare good tidings.
• • •
32
And behold the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to destroy my servants. Anditcametopassthat the earth shook again, and the walls trembled.
• • •
34
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites could not flee because of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat he turned him about, and behold, he saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi; and behold, they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of angels. And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven; and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their voices to some being whom they beheld.
37
Anditcametopassthat this man did cry unto the multitude, that they might turn and look. And behold, there was power given unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the faces of Nephi and Lehi.
• • •
40
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites said unto him: What shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?
• • •
42
Anditcametopassthat they all did begin to cry unto the voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.
43
Anditcametopassthat when they cast their eyes about, and saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire.
• • •
46
Anditcametopassthat there came a voice unto them, yea, a pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:
• • •
50
Anditcametopassthat they did go forth, and did minister unto the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the more part of the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the greatness of the evidences which they had received.
• • •
52
Anditcametopassthat they did yield up unto the Nephites the lands of their possession.
1 Anditcametopassthat when the sixty and second year of the reign of the judges had ended, all these things had happened and the Lamanites had become, the more part of them, a righteous people, insomuch that their righteousness did exceed that of the Nephites, because of their firmness and their steadiness in the faith.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat many of the Lamanites did come down into the land of Zarahemla, and did declare unto the people of the Nephites the manner of their conversion, and did exhort them to faith and repentance.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat many of the Lamanites did go into the land northward; and also Nephi and Lehi went into the land northward, to preach unto the people. And thus ended the sixty and third year.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did also go whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or among the Nephites; and thus they did have free intercourse one with another, to buy andto sell, andto get gain, according to their desire.
9
Anditcametopassthat they became exceedingly rich, both the Lamanites and the Nephites; and they did have an exceeding plenty of gold, and of silver, and of all manner of precious metals, both in the land south and in the land north.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat in the sixty and sixth year of the reign of the judges, behold, Cezoram was murdered by an unknown hand as he sat upon the judgment-seat. Anditcametopassthat in the same year, that his son, who had been appointed by the people in his stead, was also murdered. And thus ended the sixty and sixth year.
• • •
20
And now itcametopassthat when the Lamanites found that there were robbers among them they were exceedingly sorrowful; and they did use every means in their power to destroy them off the face of the earth.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat they did have their signs, yea, their secret signs, and their secret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do he should not be injured by his brother, nor by those who did belong to his band, who had taken this covenant.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat all these iniquities did come unto them in the space of not many years, insomuch that a more part of it had come unto them in the sixty and seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
• • •
37
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.
• • •
41
Anditcametopassthat thus ended the sixty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
11
Anditcametopassthat there were certain men passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat he opened his mouth and said unto them: Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I may tell you of your iniquities?
1 And now itcametopassthat when Nephi had said these words, behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according to the crime which he has done?
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat thus they did stir up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there were some who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good man, and those things which he saith will surely come topass except we repent;
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat those people who sought to destroy Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them, seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch that the remainder of them did fear.
3
Anditcametopassthat they ran in their might, andcame in unto the judgment-seat; and behold, the chief judge had fallen to the earth, and did lie in his blood.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat they laid hold on them, and bound them and cast them into prison. And there was a proclamation sent abroad that the judge was slain, andthat the murderers had been taken and were cast into prison.
10
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow the people did assemble themselves together to mourn andto fast, at the burial of the great chief judge who had been slain.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat they inquired among the people, saying: Where are the five who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge whether he was dead? And they answered and
said: Concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but
there are five who are the murderers, whom we have cast into prison.
13
Anditcametopassthat the judges desired that they should be brought; and they were brought, and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying:
• • •
16
And now itcametopassthat the judges did expound the matter unto the people, and did cry out against Nephi, saying: Behold, we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some one to slay the judge, and then he might declare it unto us, that he might convert us unto his faith, that he might raise himself to be a great man, chosen of God, and a prophet.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat
the five were liberated on the day of the burial. Nevertheless, they
did rebuke the judges in the words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend with them one by one, insomuch that they did confound them.
• • •
37
Anditcametopassthat they went and did, even according as Nephi had said unto them. And behold, the words which he had said were true; for according to the words he did deny; and also according to the words he did confess.
1 Anditcametopassthat there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.
2
Anditcametopassthat Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat when Nephi had declared unto them the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts and would not hearken unto his words; therefore they did revile against him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him that they might cast him into prison.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people.
18
Anditcametopassthat they would not hearken unto his words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword.
3
Anditcametopassthat in this year Nephi did cry unto the Lord, saying:
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat the people saw that they were about to perish by famine, and they began to remember the Lord their God; and they began to remember the words of Nephi.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat the judges did say unto Nephi, according to the words which had been desired. Anditcametopassthat when Nephi saw that the people had repented and did humble themselves in sackcloth, he cried again unto the Lord, saying:
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat in the seventy and sixth year the Lord did turn away his anger from the people, and caused that rain should fall upon the earth, insomuch thatit did bring forth her fruit in the season of her fruit. Anditcametopassthatit did bring forth her grain in the season of her grain.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat the seventy and sixth year did end in peace. And the seventy and seventh year began in peace; and the church did spread throughout the face of all the land; and the more part of the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, did belong to the church; and they did have exceedingly great peace in the land; and thus ended the seventy and seventh year.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat in the eightieth
year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were a
certain number of the dissenters from the people of Nephi, who had some
years before gone over unto the Lamanites, and taken upon themselves the name of Lamanites, and also a certain number who were real descendants of the Lamanites, being stirred up to anger by them, or by those dissenters, therefore they commenced a war with their brethren.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthatit was expedient that there should be a stop put to this work of destruction; therefore they sent an army of strong men into the wilderness and upon the mountains to search out this band of robbers, andto destroy them.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat thus ended this year. And the robbers did still increase and wax strong, insomuch that they did defy the whole armies of the Nephites, and also of the Lamanites; and they did cause great fear to come unto the people upon all the face of the land.
2
Anditcametopassthat in this year there was one Samuel, a Lamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach unto the people. Anditcametopassthat he did preach, many days, repentance unto the people, and they did cast him out, and he was about to return to his own land.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat they would not suffer that he should enter into the city; therefore he went and got upon the wall thereof, and stretched forth his hand and cried with a loud voice, and prophesied unto the people whatsoever things the Lord put into his heart.
1 And now, itcametopassthat there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be baptized unto the Lord.
4
Anditcametopassthat in the commencement of the ninety and second year, behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come topass.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.
12
Anditcametopassthat he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. Anditcametopassthat the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew thatit was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.
• • •
21
Anditcametopass also that a new star did appear, according to the word.
22
Anditcametopassthat from this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen; but notwithstanding these lyings and deceivings the more part of the people did believe, and were converted unto the Lord.
23
Anditcametopassthat Nephi went forth among the people, and also many others, baptizing unto repentance, in the which there was a great remission of sins. And thus the people began again to have peace in the land.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat the ninety and third year did also pass away in peace, save it were for the Gadianton robbers, who dwelt upon the mountains, who did infest the land; for so strong were their holds and their secret places that the people could not overpower them; therefore they did commit many murders, and did do much slaughter among the people.
28
Anditcametopassthat in the ninety and fourth year they began to
increase in a great degree, because there were many dissenters of the
Nephites who did flee unto them, which did cause much sorrow unto those
Nephites who did remain in the land.
1 Anditcametopassthat thus passed away the ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat the people began to wax strong in wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satan did go about, leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat the people did still remain in wickedness, notwithstanding the much preaching and prophesying which was sent among them; and thus passed away the tenth year also; and the eleventh year also passed away in iniquity.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat
before this thirteenth year had passed away the Nephites were
threatened with utter destruction because of this war, which had become
exceedingly sore.
14
Anditcametopassthat those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites;
1 And now itcametopassthat in the sixteenth year from the coming of Christ, Lachoneus, the governor of the land, received an epistle from the leader and the governor of this band of robbers; and these were the words which were written, saying:
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat Lachoneus did appoint chief captains over all the armies of the Nephites, to command them at the time that the robbers should come down out of the wilderness against them.
1 Anditcametopassthat in the latter end of the eighteenth year those armies of robbers had prepared for battle, and began to come down andto sally forth from the hills, and out of the mountains, and the wilderness, and their strongholds, and their secret places, and began to take possession of the lands, both which were in the land south and which were in the land north, and began to take possession of all the lands which had been deserted by the Nephites, and the cities which had been left desolate.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat in the nineteenth year Giddianhi found thatit was expedient that he should go up to battle against the Nephites, for there was no way that they could subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat they did come up to battle; andit was in the sixth month; and behold, great and terrible was the day that they did come up to battle; and they were girded about after the manner of robbers; and they had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn, and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood.
8
Anditcametopassthat the armies of the Nephites, when they saw the appearance of the army of Giddianhi, had all fallen to the earth, and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.
9
Anditcametopassthat when the armies of Giddianhi saw this they began to shout with a loud voice, because of their joy, for they had supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear because of the terror of their armies.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat Gidgiddoni commanded that his armies should pursue them as far as the borders of the wilderness, andthat they should not spare any that should fall into their hands by the way; and thus they did pursue them and did slay them, to the borders of the wilderness, even until they had fulfilled the commandment of Gidgiddoni.
14
Anditcametopassthat Giddianhi, who had stood and fought with boldness, was pursued as he fled; and being weary because of his much fighting he was overtaken and slain. And thus was the end of Giddianhi the robber.
15
Anditcametopassthat the armies of the Nephites did return again to their place of security. Anditcametopassthat this nineteenth year did pass away, and the robbers did not come again to battle; neither did they come again in the twentieth year.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat the wild game became scarce in the wilderness insomuch that the robbers were about to perish with hunger.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat Zemnarihah did give command unto his people that they should withdraw themselves from the siege, and march into the furthermost parts of the land northward.
• • •
31
Anditcametopassthat they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and
praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in
preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.
4
And now itcametopassthat when they had taken all the robbers prisoners, insomuch that none did escape who were not slain, they did cast their prisoners into prison, and did cause the word of God to be preached unto them; and as many as would repent of their sins and enter into a covenant that they would murder no more were set at liberty.
1 And now itcametopassthat the people of the Nephites did all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.
2
Anditcametopassthat they had not eaten up all their provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the land southward.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat there were many cities built anew, and there were many old cities repaired.
11
Anditcametopassthat they were not so strong in number as the tribes of the people, who were united together save it were their leaders did establish their laws, every one according to
his tribe; nevertheless they were enemies; notwithstanding they were
not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred of those who
had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations;
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat the thirty and first year did pass away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord; but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.
1 And now itcametopassthat according to our record, and we know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did keep the record—for he truly did many miracles in the name of Jesus; and there was not any man who could do a miracle in the name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his iniquity—
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat when the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the storm, and the tempest, and the quakings of the earth did cease—for behold, they did last for about the space of three hours; andit was said by some that the time was greater; nevertheless, all these great and terrible things were done in about the space of three hours—and then behold, there was darkness upon the face of the land.
20
Anditcametopassthat there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness;
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthatit did last for the space of three days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come upon them.
3
Anditcametopassthat there came a voice again unto the people, and all the people did hear, and did witness of it, saying:
• • •
8
And now itcametopassthat after the people had heard these words, behold, they began to weep and howl again because of the loss of their kindred and friends.
9
Anditcametopassthat thus did the three days pass away. Andit was in the morning, and the darkness dispersed from off the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the rocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease, and all the tumultuous noises did pass away.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat in the ending of the thirty and fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly manifest himself unto them—
1 And now itcametopassthat
there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi,
round about the temple which was in the land Bountiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if itcame out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; andit was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame thatit did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.
4
Anditcametopassthat again they heard the voice, and they understood it not.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people, saying:
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered thatit had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven.
13
Anditcametopassthat the Lord spake unto them saying:
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, thatit was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat he spake unto Nephi (for Nephi was among the multitude) and he commanded him that he should come forth.
1
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, andto those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, andto be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.
25
And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto them: Remember the words which I have spoken. For behold, ye are they whom I have chosen to
minister unto this people. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought
for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for
your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
1
And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not, that ye be not judged.
1 And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had ended these sayings he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I taught before I ascended to my Father; therefore, whoso remembereth these sayings of mine and doeth them, him will I raise up at the last day.
2
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that old things had passed away, andthat all things had become new.
• • •
11
And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen:
5
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat he commanded that their little children should be brought.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.
14
Anditcametopassthat when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.
19
Anditcametopassthat Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.
1 Anditcametopassthat Jesus commanded his Disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat when he said these words, he commanded his Disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, andthat they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.
9
Anditcametopassthat they did so, and did drink of itand were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words unto his Disciples, he turned again unto the multitude and said unto them:
• • •
26
And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words, he turned his eyes again upon the Disciples whom he had chosen, and said unto them:
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat
when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, he touched with his hand
the Disciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched
them all, and spake unto them as he touched them.
• • •
38
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had touched them all, there came a cloud and overshadowed the multitude that they could not see Jesus.
1 And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had ascended into heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his wife and his children and did return to his own home.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow, when the multitude was gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son, whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah—now these were the names of the disciples whom Jesus had chosen—anditcametopassthat they went forth and stood in the midst of the multitude.
• • •
7
And the disciples did pray unto the Father also in the name of Jesus. Anditcametopassthat they arose and ministered unto the people.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat Nephi went down into the water and was baptized.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat while the angels were ministering unto the disciples, behold, Jesus cameand stood in the midst and ministered unto them.
16
Anditcametopassthat he spake unto the multitude, and commanded them that they should kneel down again upon the earth, and also that his disciples should kneel down upon the earth.
17
Anditcametopassthat when they had all knelt down upon the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat Jesus departed out of the midst of them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to the earth, and he said:
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.
25
Anditcametopassthat Jesus blessed them as they did pray unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and
behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea, even
there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness thereof.
• • •
31
Anditcametopassthat he went again a little way off and prayed unto the Father;
• • •
35
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had made an end of praying he came again to the disciples, and
said unto them: So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews;
wherefore I could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their
unbelief.
1 Anditcametopassthat he commanded the multitude that they should cease to pray, and also his disciples. And he commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat he brake bread again and blessed it, and gave to the disciples to eat.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat
when they had all given glory unto Jesus, he said unto them: Behold now
I finish the commandment which the Father hath commanded me concerning
this people, who are a remnant of the house of Israel.
6
And now itcametopassthat
when Jesus had said these words he said unto them again, after he had
expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said
unto them: Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not.
7
Anditcametopassthat he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.
13
Anditcametopassthat Jesus commanded thatit should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.
14
And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had expounded all the scriptures in one, which they had written, he commanded them that they should teach the things which he had expounded unto them.
1 Anditcametopassthat he commanded them that they should write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto them. Anditcametopassthat after they were written he expounded them. And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying: Thus said the Father unto Malachi—Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.
1 And now itcametopassthat when Jesus had told these things he expounded them unto the multitude; and he did expound all things unto them, both great and small.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat he did teach and minister unto the children of the multitude of whom hath been spoken, and he did loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter.
15
Anditcametopassthat after he had ascended into heaven—the second time that he showed himself unto them, and had gone unto the Father, after having healed all their sick, and their lame, and opened the eyes of their blind and unstopped the ears of the deaf, and even had done all manner of cures among them, and raised a man from the dead, and had shown forth his power unto them, and had ascended unto the Father—
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat the disciples whom Jesus had chosen began from that time forth to baptize andto teach as many as did come unto them; and as many as were baptized in the name of Jesus were filled with the Holy Ghost.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat they did do all things even as Jesus had commanded them.
1 Anditcametopassthat as the disciples of Jesus were journeying and were preaching the things which they had both heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, itcametopassthat the disciples were gathered together and were united in mighty prayer and fasting.
• • •
33
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein, until the night cometh, wherein no man can work.
12
Anditcametopassthat when Jesus had spoken these words, he touched every one of them with his finger save it were the three who were to tarry, and then he departed.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat thus they did go forth among all the people of Nephi, and did preach the gospel of Christ unto all people upon the face of the land; and they were converted unto the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of Jesus.
1 Anditcametopassthat the thirty and fourth year passed away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about. And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also receive the Holy Ghost.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat the thirty and seventh year passed away also, and there still continued to be peace in the land.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat
there was no contention among all the people, in all the land; but
there were mighty miracles wrought among the disciples of Jesus.
14
Anditcametopassthat the seventy and first year passed away, and also the seventy and second year, yea, and in fine, till the seventy and ninth year had passed away; yea, even an hundred years had passed away, and the disciples of Jesus, whom he had chosen, had all gone to the paradise of God, save it were the three who should tarry; and there were other disciples ordained in their stead; and also many of that generation had passed away.
15
Anditcametopassthat there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat Nephi, he that kept this last record, (and he kept it upon the plates of Nephi) died, and his son Amos kept it in his stead; and he kept it upon the plates of Nephi also.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat Amos died also, (andit was an hundred and ninety and four years from the coming of Christ) and his son Amos kept the record in his stead; and he also kept it upon the plates of Nephi; andit was also written in the book of Nephi, which is this book.
22
Anditcametopassthat two hundred years had passed away; and the second generation had all passed away save it were a few.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat when two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat in this year there arose a people who were called the Nephites, and they were true believers in Christ; and among them there were those who were called by the Lamanites—Jacobites, and Josephites, and Zoramites;
• • •
38
Anditcametopassthat they who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; and they did not dwindle in unbelief, but they did wilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ; and they did teach their children that they should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning, did dwindle.
• • •
40
Anditcametopassthat two hundred and forty and four years had passed away, and thus were the affairs of the people. And the more wicked part of the people did wax strong, and became exceedingly more numerous than were the people of God.
• • •
42
Anditcametopassthat the wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton.
• • •
45
Anditcametopassthat when three hundred years had passed away, both the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked one like unto another.
46
Anditcametopassthat the robbers of Gadianton did spread over all the face of the land; and there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus. And gold and silver did they lay up in store in abundance, and did traffic in all manner of traffic.
47
Anditcametopassthat after three hundred and five years had passed away, (and the people did still remain in wickedness) Amos died; and his brother, Ammaron, did keep the record in his stead.
48
Anditcametopassthat when three hundred and
twenty years had passed away, Ammaron, being constrained by the Holy
Ghost, did hide up the records which were sacred—yea, even all the
sacred records which had been handed down from generation to generation, which were sacred—even until the three hundred and twentieth year from the coming of Christ.
6
Anditcametopassthat I, being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward, even to the land of Zarahemla.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat the war began to be among them in the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon.
11
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites had gathered together a great number of men, even to exceed the number of thirty thousand. Anditcametopassthat they did have in this same year a number of battles, in which the Nephites did beat the Lamanites and did slay many of them.
12
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites withdrew their design, and there was peace settled in the land; and peace did remain for the space of about four years, that there was no bloodshed.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite.
1 Anditcametopass in that same year there began to be a war again between the Nephites and the Lamanites. And notwithstanding I being young, was large in stature; therefore the people of Nephi appointed me that I should be their leader, or the leader of their armies.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat in the three hundred and twenty and seventh year the Lamanites did come upon us with exceedingly great power, insomuch that they did frighten my armies; therefore they would not fight, and they began to retreat towards the north countries.
4
Anditcametopassthat we did come to the city of Angola, and we did take possession of the city, and make preparations to defend ourselves against the Lamanites. Anditcametopassthat we did fortify the city with our might; but notwithstanding all our fortifications the Lamanites did come upon us and did drive us out of the city.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat we did gather in our people as fast as it were possible, that we might get them together in one body.
• • •
9
And now, the Lamanites had a king, and his name was Aaron; and he came against us with an army of forty and four thousand. And behold, I withstood him with forty and two thousand. Anditcametopassthat I beat him with my army that he fled before me. And behold, all this was done, and three hundred and thirty years had passed away.
10
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites began to repent of their iniquity, and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the prophet; for behold no man could keep that which was his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous people.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat my sorrow did return unto me again, and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of them hewn down in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land. And thus three hundred and forty and four years had passed away.
16
Anditcametopassthat in the three hundred and forty and fifth year the Nephites did begin to flee before the Lamanites; and they were pursued until they came even to the land of Jashon, before it was possible to stop them in their retreat.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat in this year the people of Nephi again were hunted and driven. Anditcametopassthat we were driven forth until we had come northward to the land which was called Shem.
21
Anditcametopassthat we did fortify the city of Shem, and we did gather in our people as much as it were possible, that perhaps we might save them from destruction.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat I did speak unto my people, and did urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and their children, and their houses, and their homes.
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat we did contend with an army of thirty thousand against an army of fifty thousand. Anditcametopassthat we did stand before them with such firmness that they did flee from before us.
26
Anditcametopassthat when they had fled we did pursue them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them; nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.
1 Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did not come to battle again until ten years more had passed away. And behold, I had employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and their arms against the time of battle.
2
Anditcametopassthat the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto this people—Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat after this tenth year had passed away, making, in the whole, three hundred and sixty years from the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites sent an epistle unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were preparing to come again to battle against us.
5
Anditcametopassthat I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat in the three hundred and sixty and first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation to battle against us; anditcametopassthat in that year we did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands again.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people, because of their wickedness and abomination.
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat I utterly refused to go up against mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord had commanded me; and I did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto the world the things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of the Spirit which had testified of things to come.
1 And now itcametopassthat in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation.
2
Anditcametopassthat the armies of the Nephites were driven back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city Teancum.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthat the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did come down against the city Desolation; and there was an exceedingly sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the Nephites.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat the Nephites did again flee from before them, taking all the inhabitants with them, both in towns and villages.
1 Anditcametopassthat I did go forth among the Nephites, and did repent of the oath which I had made that I would no more assist them; and they gave me command again of their armies, for they looked upon me as though I could deliver them from their afflictions.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat the Lamanites did come against us as we had fled to the city of Jordan; but behold, they were driven back that they did not take the city at that time.
4
Anditcametopassthat they came against us again, and we did maintain the city. And there were also other cities which were maintained by the Nephites, which strongholds did cut them off that they could not get into the country which lay before us, to destroy the inhabitants of our land.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat in the three hundred and eightieth year the Lamanites did come again against us to battle, and we did stand against them boldly; but it was all in vain, for so great were their numbers that they did tread the people of the Nephites under their feet.
7
Anditcametopassthat we did again take to flight, and those whose flight was swifter than the Lamanites’ did escape, and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites’ were swept down and destroyed.
1 And now I finish my record concerning the destruction of my people, the Nephites. Anditcametopassthat we did march forth before the Lamanites.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat the king of the Lamanites did grant unto me the thing which I desired.
4
Anditcametopassthat we did march forth to the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents round about the hill Cumorah; andit was in a land of many waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the Lamanites.
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat when we had gathered in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing itto be the last struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to
fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would destroy
them) therefore I made this record out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.
7
Anditcametopassthat my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.
8
Anditcametopassthat they cameto battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers.
9
Anditcametopassthat they did fall upon my people with the sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all manner of weapons of war.
10
Anditcametopassthat my men were hewn down, yea, even my ten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat there were ten more who did fall by the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a few who had escaped into the south countries, and a few who had deserted over unto the Lamanites, had fallen; and their flesh, and bones, and blood lay upon the face of the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew them to molder upon the land, andto crumble andto return to their mother earth.
2
And now itcametopassthat after the great and
tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into
the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all
destroyed.
35
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon Jared; therefore he did not confound the language of Jared; and Jared and his brother were not confounded.
• • •
37
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and their families also, that they were not confounded.
38
Anditcametopassthat Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.
39
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord according tothat which had been spoken by the mouth of Jared.
40
Anditcametopassthat the Lord did hear the brother of Jared, and had compassion upon him, and said unto him:
1 Anditcametopassthat Jared and his brother, and their families, and also the friends of Jared and his brother and their families, went down into the valley which was northward, (and
the name of the valley was Nimrod, being called after the mighty
hunter) with their flocks which they had gathered together, male and female, of every kind.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat when they had come down into the valley of Nimrod the Lord came down and talked with the brother of Jared; and he was in a cloud, and the brother of Jared saw him not.
5
Anditcametopassthat the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. Anditcametopassthat the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel.
6
Anditcametopassthat they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.
• • •
16
And the Lord said: Go to work and build, after the manner of barges which ye have hitherto built. Anditcametopassthat the brother of Jared did go to work, and also his brethren, and built barges after the manner which they had built, according to the instructions of the Lord. And they were small, and they were light upon the water, even like unto the lightness of a fowl upon the water.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Jared did so, according as the Lord had commanded.
1 Anditcametopassthat
the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been
prepared was eight) went forth unto the mount, which they called the
mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord, saying:
• • •
6
Anditcametopassthat when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; andit was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt not suffer these things which ye have seen and heard to go forth unto the world, until the time cometh that I shall glorify my name in the flesh; wherefore, ye shall treasure up the things which ye have seen and heard, and show itto no man.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat the Lord commanded him that he should seal up the two stones which he had received, and show them not, until the Lord should show them unto the children of men.
4
Anditcametopassthat when they had prepared all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them—anditcametopassthat when they had done all these things they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.
5
Anditcametopassthat the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.
6
Anditcametopassthat they were many times buried in the depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused by the fierceness of the wind.
7
Anditcametopassthat when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and
also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they
were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.
8
Anditcametopassthat the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat they went forth upon the face of the land, and began to till the earth.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat they began to spread upon the face of the land, andto multiply andto till the earth; and they did wax strong in the land.
• • •
21
Anditcametopassthat they did number their people; and after that they had numbered them, they did desire of them the things which they would that they should do before they went down to their graves.
22
Anditcametopassthat the people desired of them that they should anoint one of their sons to be a king over them.
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat they chose even the firstborn of the brother of Jared; and his name was Pagag. Anditcametopassthat he refused and would not be their king. And the people would that his father should constrain him, but his father would not; and he commanded them that they should constrain no man to be their king.
26
Anditcametopassthat they chose all the brothers of Pagag, and they would not.
27
Anditcametopassthat neither would the sons of Jared, even all save it were one; and Orihah was anointed to be king over the people.
• • •
29
Anditcametopassthat Jared died, and his brother also.
30
Anditcametopassthat Orihah did walk humbly before the Lord, and did remember how great things the Lord had done for his father, and also taught his people how great things the Lord had done for their fathers.
1 Anditcametopassthat Orihah did execute judgment upon the land in righteousness all his days, whose days were exceedingly many.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat he also begat Kib in his old age. Anditcametopassthat Kib reigned in his stead; and Kib begat Corihor.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat Kib dwelt in captivity, and
his people under Corihor his son, until he became exceedingly old;
nevertheless Kib begat Shule in his old age, while he was yet in
captivity.
8
Anditcametopassthat Shule was angry with his brother; and Shule waxed strong, and became mighty as to the strength of a man; and he was also mighty in judgment.
• • •
11
Anditcametopassthat he did execute judgment in righteousness; and he did spread his kingdom upon all the face of the land, for the people had become exceedingly numerous.
12
Anditcametopassthat Shule also begat many sons and daughters.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat Corihor had many sons and daughters. And among the sons of Corihor there was one whose name was Noah.
15
Anditcametopassthat Noah rebelled against Shule, the king, and also his father Corihor, and drew away Cohor his brother, and also all his brethren and many of the people.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat he gave battle again unto Shule, the king; and he took Shule, the king, and carried him away captive into Moron.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat the people did revile against the prophets, and did mock them. Anditcametopassthat king Shule did execute judgment against all those who did revile against the prophets.
• • •
26
And because the people did repent of their iniquities and idolatries the Lord did spare them, and they began to prosper again in the land. Anditcametopassthat Shule begat sons and daughters in his old age.
1 Anditcametopassthat he begat Omer, and Omer reigned in his stead. And Omer begat Jared; and Jared begat sons and daughters.
2
And Jared rebelled against his father, andcameand dwelt in the land of Heth. Anditcametopassthat he did flatter many people, because of his cunning words, until he had gained the half of the kingdom.
• • •
4
And now, in the days of the reign of Omer he was in captivity the half of his days. Anditcametopassthat he begat sons and daughters, among whom were Esrom and Coriantumr;
5
And they were exceedingly angry because of the doings of Jared their brother, insomuch that they did raise an army and gave battle unto Jared. Anditcametopassthat they did give battle unto him by night.
6
Anditcametopassthat when they had slain the army of Jared they were about to slay him also; and he plead with them that they would not slay him, and he would give up the kingdom unto his father. Anditcametopassthat they did grant unto him his life.
• • •
9
Now the daughter of Jared was exceedingly fair. Anditcametopassthat she did talk with her father, and
said unto him: Whereby hath my father so much sorrow? Hath he not read
the record which our fathers brought across the great deep? Behold, is
there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory?
• • •
11
And now Omer was a friend to Akish; wherefore, when Jared had sent for Akish, the daughter of Jared danced before him that she pleased him, insomuch that he desired her to wife. Anditcametopassthat he said unto Jared: Give her unto me to wife.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?
14
Anditcametopassthat they all sware unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life.
15
Anditcametopassthat thus they did agree with Akish. And
Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of
old who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain,
who was a murderer from the beginning.
• • •
18
Anditcametopassthat they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God;
4
Anditcametopassthat Jared was anointed king over the people, by the hand of wickedness; and he gave unto Akish his daughter to wife.
5
Anditcametopassthat Akish sought the life of his father-in-law; and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the oath of the ancients, and they obtained the head of his father-in-law, as he sat upon his throne, giving audience to his people.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat Akish began to be jealous of his son, therefore he shut him up in prison, and kept him upon little or no food until he had suffered death.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat Nimrah gathered together a small number of men, and fled out of the land, andcame over and dwelt with Omer.
10
Anditcametopassthat Akish begat other sons, and they won the hearts of the people, notwithstanding they had sworn unto him to do all manner of iniquity according tothat which he desired.
• • •
14
Anditcametopassthat Omer began to be old; nevertheless, in his old age he begat Emer; and he anointed Emer to be king to reign in his stead.
15
And after that he had anointed Emer to be king he saw peace in the land for the space of two years, and he died, having seen exceedingly many days, which were full of sorrow. Anditcametopassthat Emer did reign in his stead, and did fill the steps of his father.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat Coriantum did walk in the steps of his father, and did build many mighty cities, and did administer that which was good unto his people in all his days. Anditcametopassthat he had no children even until he was exceedingly old.
24
Anditcametopassthat his wife died, being an hundred and two years old. Anditcametopassthat Coriantum took to wife, in his old age, a young maid, and begat sons and daughters; wherefore he lived until he was an hundred and forty and two years old.
25
Anditcametopassthat he begat Com, and Com reigned in his stead; and he reigned forty and nine years, and he begat Heth; and he also begat other sons and daughters.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat he did dethrone his father, for he slew him with his own sword; and he did reign in his stead.
• • •
29
But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out; and some of them they cast into pits and left them to perish. Anditcametopassthat they did all these things according to the commandment of the king, Heth.
30
Anditcametopassthat there began to be a great dearth upon the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth.
31
And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people. Anditcametopassthat their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents, towards the land southward, which was called by the Nephites Zarahemla.
32
Anditcametopassthat there were many of them which did perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward.
33
Anditcametopassthat the Lord did cause the serpents that they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up the way that the people could not pass, that whoso should attempt topass might fall by the poisonous serpents.
34
Anditcametopassthat the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by the way, until they had devoured them all. Now when the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord.
35
Anditcametopassthat when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine.
1 Anditcametopassthat Shez, who was a descendant of Heth—for Heth had perished by the famine, and all his household save it were Shez—wherefore, Shez began to build up again a broken people.
2
Anditcametopassthat Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord; and he begat sons and daughters.
• • •
4
Anditcametopassthat his father did build up many cities upon the face of the land, and the people began again to spread over all the face of the land. And Shez did live to an exceedingly old age; and he begat Riplakish. And he died, and Riplakish reigned in his stead.
5
Anditcametopassthat Riplakish did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and concubines, and did lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings.
• • •
7
Wherefore he did obtain all his fine work, yea, even his fine gold he did cause to be refined in prison; and all manner of fine workmanship he did cause to be wrought in prison. Anditcametopassthat he did afflict the people with his whoredoms and abominations.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat Morianton built up many cities, and the people became exceedingly rich under his reign, both in buildings, and in gold and silver, and in raising grain, and in flocks, and herds, and such things which had been restored unto them.
13
And Morianton did live to an exceedingly great age, and then he begat Kim; and Kim did reign in the stead of his father; and he did reign eight years, and his father died. Anditcametopassthat Kim did not reign in righteousness, wherefore he was not favored of the Lord.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat Levi did serve in captivity after the death of his father, for the space of forty and two years. And he did make war against the king of the land, by which he did obtain unto himself the kingdom.
• • •
17
Anditcametopassthat Corom did that which was good in the sight of the Lord all his days; and he begat many sons and daughters; and after he had seen many days he did pass away, even like unto the rest of the earth; and Kish reigned in his stead.
18
Anditcametopassthat Kish passed away also, and Lib reigned in his stead.
19
Anditcametopassthat Lib also did that which was good in the sight of the Lord. And in the days of Lib the poisonous serpents were destroyed. Wherefore they did go into the land southward, to hunt food for the people of the land, for the land was covered with animals of the forest. And Lib also himself became a great hunter.
• • •
29
Anditcametopassthat Lib did live many years, and begat sons and daughters; and he also begat Hearthom.
30
Anditcametopassthat Hearthom reigned in the stead of his father. And when Hearthom had reigned twenty and four years, behold, the kingdom was taken away from him. And he served many years in captivity, yea, even all the remainder of his days.
• • •
32
Anditcametopassthat Com drew away the half of the kingdom. And he reigned over the half of the kingdom forty and two years; and he went to battle against the king, Amgid, and they fought for the space of many years, during which time Com gained power over Amgid, and obtained power over the remainder of the kingdom.
2
Anditcametopassthat the prophets were rejected by the people, and they fled unto Com for protection, for the people sought to destroy them.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Shiblom caused that all the prophets who prophesied of the destruction of the people should be put to death;
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat Shiblom was slain, and Seth was brought into captivity, and did dwell in captivity all his days.
10
Anditcametopassthat Ahah, his son, did obtain the kingdom; and he did reign over the people all his days. And he did do all manner of iniquity in his days, by which he did cause the shedding of much blood; and few were his days.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat in the days of Ethem there came many prophets, and prophesied again unto the people; yea, they did prophesy that the Lord would utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth except they repented of their iniquities.
13
Anditcametopassthat the people hardened their hearts, and would not hearken unto their words; and the prophets mourned and withdrew from among the people.
14
Anditcametopassthat Ethem did execute judgment in wickedness all his days; and he begat Moron. Anditcametopassthat Moron did reign in his stead; and Moron did that which was wicked before the Lord.
15
Anditcametopassthat there arose a rebellion among the people, because of that secret combination which was built up to get power and gain; and there arose a mighty man among them in iniquity, and gave battle unto Moron, in which he did overthrow the half of the kingdom; and he did maintain the half of the kingdom for many years.
16
Anditcametopassthat Moron did overthrow him, and did obtain the kingdom again.
17
Anditcametopassthat there arose another mighty man; and he was a descendant of the brother of Jared.
18
Anditcametopassthat he did overthrow Moron and obtain the kingdom; wherefore, Moron dwelt in captivity all the remainder of his days; and he begat Coriantor.
19
Anditcametopassthat Coriantor dwelt in captivity all his days.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat Coriantor begat Ether, and he died, having dwelt in captivity all his days.
1 Anditcametopassthat the days of Ether were in the days of Coriantumr; and Coriantumr was king over all the land.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not.
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.
37
Anditcametopassthat the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And
because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even
unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions
of my Father.
15
Anditcametopassthat in that same year in which he was cast out from among the people there began to be a great war among the people, for there were many who rose up, who were mighty men, and sought to destroy Coriantumr by their secret plans of wickedness, of which hath been spoken.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat the sons of Coriantumr fought much and bled much.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr repented not, neither his household, neither the people; and the wars ceased not; and they sought to kill Ether, but he fled from before them and hid again in the cavity of the rock.
23
Anditcametopassthat there arose up Shared, and he also gave battle unto Coriantumr; and he did beat him, insomuch that in the third year he did bring him into captivity.
• • •
27
Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr was exceedingly angry with Shared, and he went against him with his armies to battle; and they did meet in great anger, and they did meet in the valley of Gilgal; and the battle became exceedingly sore.
28
Anditcametopassthat Shared fought against him for the space of three days. Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr beat him, and did pursue him until he cameto the plains of Heshlon.
29
Anditcametopassthat Shared gave him battle again upon the plains; and behold, he did beat Coriantumr, and drove him back again to the valley of Gilgal.
4
Anditcametopassthat the brother of Shared did give battle unto him in the wilderness of Akish; and the battle became exceedingly sore, and many thousands fell by the sword.
5
Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr did lay siege to the wilderness; and the brother of Shared did march forth out of the wilderness by night, and slew a part of the army of Coriantumr, as they were drunken.
• • •
7
Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr dwelt with his army in the wilderness for the space of two years, in which he did receive great strength to his army.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat his high priest murdered him as he sat upon his throne.
10
Anditcametopassthat one of the secret combinations murdered him in a secret pass, and obtained unto himself the kingdom; and his name was Lib; and Lib was a man of great stature, more than any other man among all the people.
11
Anditcametopassthat in the first year of Lib, Coriantumr came up unto the land of Moron, and gave battle unto Lib.
12
Anditcametopassthat he fought with Lib, in which Lib did smite upon his arm that he was wounded; nevertheless, the army of Coriantumr did press forward upon Lib, that he fled to the borders upon the seashore.
13
Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr pursued him; and Lib gave battle unto him upon the seashore.
14
Anditcametopassthat Lib did smite the army of Coriantumr, that they fled again to the wilderness of Akish.
15
Anditcametopassthat Lib did pursue him until he cameto the plains of Agosh. And Coriantumr had taken all the people with him as he fled before Lib in that quarter of the land whither he fled.
• • •
17
Now the name of the brother of Lib was called Shiz. Anditcametopassthat Shiz pursued after Coriantumr, and he did overthrow many cities, and he did slay both women and children, and he did burn the cities.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthat the people began to flock together in armies, throughout all the face of the land.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat Shiz did pursue Coriantumr eastward, even to the borders by the seashore, and there he gave battle unto Shiz for the space of three days.
• • •
29
Anditcametopassthat they came forth, but were driven again; and they came the second time, and they were driven again the second time. Anditcametopassthat they came again the third time, and the battle became exceedingly sore.
30
Anditcametopassthat Shiz smote upon Coriantumr that he gave him many deep wounds; and Coriantumr, having lost his blood, fainted, and was carried away as though he were dead.
4
Anditcametopassthat he wrote an epistle unto Shiz, desiring him that he would spare the people, and he would give up the kingdom for the sake of the lives of the people.
5
Anditcametopassthat when Shiz had received his epistle he wrote an epistle unto Coriantumr, that if he would give himself up, that he might slay him with his own sword, that he would spare the lives of the people.
6
Anditcametopassthat the people repented not of their iniquity; and the people of Coriantumr were stirred up to anger against the people of Shiz; and the people of Shiz were stirred up to anger against the people of Coriantumr; wherefore, the people of Shiz did give battle unto the people of Coriantumr.
• • •
8
Anditcametopassthat he cameto the waters of Ripliancum, which, by interpretation, is large, or to exceed all; wherefore, when they cameto these waters they pitched their tents; and Shiz also pitched his tents near unto them; and therefore on the morrow they did come to battle.
9
Anditcametopassthat they fought an exceedingly sore battle, in which Coriantumr was wounded again, and he fainted with the loss of blood.
10
Anditcametopassthat the armies of Coriantumr did press upon the armies of Shiz that they beat them, that they caused them to flee before them; and they did flee southward, and did pitch their tents in a place which was called Ogath.
11
Anditcametopassthat the army of Coriantumr did pitch their tents by the hill Ramah; andit was that same hill where my father Mormon did hide up the records unto the Lord, which were sacred.
12
Anditcametopassthat they did gather together all the people upon all the face of the land, who had not been slain, save it was Ether.
13
Anditcametopassthat Ether did behold all the doings of the people; and he beheld that the people who were for Coriantumr were gathered together to the army of Coriantumr; and the people who were for Shiz were gathered together to the army of Shiz.
• • •
15
Anditcametopassthat when they were all gathered together, every one to the army which he would, with their wives and their children—both men, women and children being armed with weapons of war, having shields, and breastplates, and head-plates, and being clothed after the manner of war—they did march forth one against another to battle; and they fought all that day, and conquered not.
16
Anditcametopassthat when it was night they were weary, and retired to their camps; and after they had retired to their camps they took up a howling and a lamentation for the loss of the slain of their people; and so great were their cries, their howlings and lamentations, that they did rend the air exceedingly.
17
Anditcametopassthat on the morrow they did go again to battle, and great and terrible was that day; nevertheless, they conquered not, and when the night came again they did rend the air with their cries, and their howlings, and their mournings, for the loss of the slain of their people.
18
Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr wrote again an epistle unto Shiz, desiring that he would not come again to battle, but that he would take the kingdom, and spare the lives of the people.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat they fought all that day, and when the night came they slept upon their swords.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat they slept upon their swords that night, and on the morrow they fought again, and they contended in their might with their swords and with their shields, all that day.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat they ate and slept, and prepared for death on the morrow. And they were large and mighty men as to the strength of men.
27
Anditcametopassthat they fought for the space of three hours, and they fainted with the loss of blood.
28
Anditcametopassthat when the men of Coriantumr had received sufficient strength that they could walk, they were about to flee for their lives; but behold, Shiz arose, and also his men, and he swore in his wrath that he would slay Coriantumr or he would perish by the sword.
29
Wherefore, he did pursue them, and on the morrow he did overtake them; and they fought again with the sword. Anditcametopassthat when they had all fallen by the sword, save it were Coriantumr and Shiz, behold Shiz had fainted with the loss of blood.
30
Anditcametopassthat when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz.
31
Anditcametopassthat after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up on his hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died.
32
Anditcametopassthat Coriantumr fell to the earth, and became as if he had no life.
36
Anditcametopassthat
Adam, being tempted of the devil—for, behold, the devil was before
Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is
my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency;
3
Anditcametopassthat there arose a great contention among the people concerning the law of circumcision, for the unbelieving husband was desirous that his children should be circumcised and become subject to the law of Moses, which law was fulfilled.
4
Anditcametopassthat the children, being brought up in subjection to the law of Moses, gave heed to the traditions of their fathers and believed not the gospel of Christ, wherein they became unholy.
5
Anditcametopassthat I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity. Anditcametopassthat the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore thy garments shall be made clean. And
because thou hast seen thy weakness, thou shalt be made strong, even
unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions
of my Father. And now I . . . bid farewell unto the Gentiles; yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force.
8
Anditcametopassthat Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered.
• • •
10
Anditcametopassthatit was for the space of many hours before Moses did again receive his natural strength like unto man; and he said unto himself: Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat when Moses had said these words, behold, Satan came tempting him, saying: Moses, son of man, worship me.
13
Anditcametopassthat Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell. Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory.
• • •
22
Anditcametopassthat Satan cried with a loud voice, with weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and he departed hence, even from the presence of Moses, that he beheld him not.
• • •
24
Anditcametopassthat when Satan had departed from the presence of Moses, that Moses lifted up his eyes unto heaven, being filled with the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and the Son;
• • •
30
Anditcametopassthat Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?
• • •
36
Anditcametopassthat Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content.
1 Anditcametopassthat the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the words which I speak. I am the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these things; yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, and the earth upon which thou standest.
1 Anditcametopassthat after I, the Lord God, had driven them out, that Adam began to till the earth, andto have dominion over all the beasts of the field, andto eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, as I the Lord had commanded him. And Eve, also, his wife, did labor with him.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat Cain took one of his brothers’ daughters to wife, and they loved Satan more than God.
• • •
32
And Cain went into the field, and Cain talked with Abel, his brother. Anditcametopassthat while they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him.
24
Anditcametopassthat all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.
• • •
26
Anditcametopassthat Enoch journeyed in the land, among the people; and as he journeyed, the Spirit of God descended out of heaven, and abode upon him.
• • •
37
Anditcametopassthat Enoch went forth in the land, among the people, standing upon the hills and the high places, and cried with a loud voice, testifying against their works; and all men were offended because of him.
1 Anditcametopassthat Enoch continued his speech, saying: Behold, our father Adam taught these things, and many have believed and become the sons of God, and many have believed not, and have perished in their sins, and are looking forth with fear, in torment, for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God to be poured out upon them.
• • •
3
Anditcametopassthat I turned and went up on the mount; and as I stood upon the mount, I beheld the heavens open, and I was clothed upon with glory;
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat I beheld in the valley of Shum, and lo, a great people which dwelt in tents, which were the people of Shum.
• • •
9
Anditcametopassthat the Lord said unto me: Look; and I looked, and I beheld the land of Sharon, and the land of Enoch, and the land of Omner, and the land of Heni, and the land of Shem, and the land of Haner, and the land of Hanannihah, and all the inhabitants thereof;
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat Enoch continued to call upon all the people, save it were the people of Canaan, to repent;
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat Enoch talked with the Lord; and
he said unto the Lord: Surely Zion shall dwell in safety forever. But
the Lord said unto Enoch: Zion have I blessed, but the residue of the
people have I cursed.
21
Anditcametopassthat the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever.
• • •
28
Anditcametopassthat the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is itthat the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?
• • •
41
Anditcametopassthat the Lord spake unto Enoch, and told Enoch all the doings of the children of men; wherefore Enoch knew, and looked upon their wickedness, and their misery, and wept and stretched forth his arms, and his heart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity shook.
• • •
45
Anditcametopassthat Enoch looked; and from Noah, he beheld all the families of the earth; and he cried unto the Lord, saying: When shall the day of the Lord come? When shall the blood of the Righteous be shed, that all they that mourn may be sanctified and have eternal life?
• • •
48
Anditcametopassthat Enoch looked upon the earth; and
he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the
mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my
children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face?
• • •
50
Anditcametopassthat Enoch continued his cry unto the Lord, saying: I ask thee, O Lord, in the name of thine Only Begotten, even Jesus Christ, that thou wilt have mercy upon Noah and his seed, that the earth might never more be covered by the floods.
• • •
54
Anditcametopassthat
Enoch cried unto the Lord, saying: When the Son of Man cometh in the
flesh, shall the earth rest? I pray thee, show me these things.
• • •
65
Anditcametopassthat Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years;
• • •
69
And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; anditcametopassthat Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is Fled.
2
Anditcametopassthat Methuselah, the son of Enoch, was not taken, that the covenants of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he made to Enoch; for he truly covenanted with Enoch that Noah should be of the fruit of his loins.
3
Anditcametopassthat Methuselah prophesied that from his loins should spring all the kingdoms of the earth (through Noah), and he took glory unto himself.
• • •
5
Anditcametopassthat Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begat Lamech;
• • •
16
Anditcametopassthat Noah prophesied, and taught the things of God, even as it was in the beginning.
• • •
20
Anditcametopassthat Noah called upon the children of men that they should repent; but they hearkened not unto his words;
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthat Noah continued his preaching unto the people, saying: Hearken, and give heed unto my words;
9
Anditcametopassthat the priest made an offering unto the god of Pharaoh, and also unto the god of Shagreel, even after the manner of the Egyptians. Now the god of Shagreel was the sun.
• • •
12
Anditcametopassthat the priests laid violence upon me, that they might slay me also, as they did those virgins upon this altar; andthat you may have a knowledge of this altar, I will refer you to the representation at the commencement of this record.
2
Anditcametopassthat I, Abraham, took Sarai to wife, and Nahor, my brother, took Milcah to wife, who was the daughter of Haran.
• • •
25
Anditcametopassthat I, Abraham, told Sarai, my wife, all that the Lord had said unto me—Therefore say unto them, I pray thee, thou art my sister, thatit may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee.
5
And the Gods called the light Day, and the darkness they called Night. Anditcametopassthat from the evening until morning they called night; and from the morning until the evening they called day; and this was the first, or the beginning, of that which they called day and night.
• • •
8
And the Gods called the expanse, Heaven. Anditcametopassthatit was from evening until morning that they called night; anditcametopassthatit was from morning until evening that they called day; and this was the second time that they called night and day.
• • •
13
Anditcametopassthat they numbered the days; from the evening until the morning they called night; anditcametopass, from the morning until the evening they called day; andit was the third time.
• • •
19
Anditcametopassthatit was from evening until morning thatit was night; anditcametopassthatit was from morning until evening thatit was day; andit was the fourth time.
• • •
23
Anditcametopassthatit was from evening until morning that they called night; anditcametopassthatit was from morning until evening that they called day; andit was the fifth time.
• • •
31
And the Gods said: We will do everything that we have said, and organize them; and behold, they shall be very obedient. Anditcametopassthatit was from evening until morning they called night; anditcametopassthatit was from morning until evening that they called day; and they numbered the sixth time.
No comments:
Post a Comment