I Nephi V

16and now it came to pass that 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 that which we are able to bear 2and it came to pass that 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 3and now my brethren if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth and give heed unto it that ye might walk uprightly before God then ye would not murmur because of the truth and say thou speakest hard things against us 4and it came to pass that I Nephi did exhort my brethren with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord 5and to came to pass that 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 6now all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel 7and it came to pass that 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 8and thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him and also I Nephi had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly 9and it came to pass that 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 10and it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning and went forth to the tent door and to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship and it was of fine brass and within the ball was two spindles and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness 11and it came to pass that 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 12and it came to pass that we did take our tents and departed into the wilderness across the river Laman 13and it came to pass that 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 14and it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families and after that 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 into the wilderness following the same direction keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness which was in the borders near the Red Sea 15and it came to pass that 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 16and we did follow the directions of the ball which led us in the most fertile parts of the wilderness 17and after that we had traveled for the space of many days we did pitch our tents for the space of a time that we might again rest ourselves and obtain food for our families 18and it came to pass that as I Nephi went forth to slay food behold I did break my bow which was made of fine steel and after that I did break by bow behold my brethren were angry with me because of the loss of my bow for we did obtain no food 19and it came to pass that 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 20and it came to pass that 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 exceeding sorrowful even that they did murmur against the Lord 21now it came to pass that I Nephi having been afflicted with my brethren because of the loss of my bow and their bows having lost their springs it began to be exceeding difficult yea insomuch that we could obtain no food 22and it came to pass that I Nephi did speak much unto my brethren because that they had hardened their hearts again even unto complaining against the Lord their God 23and it came to pass that 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 24and it came to pass that 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 25and it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father and he was truly chastened because of his murmurings against the Lord insomuch that he was brought down into the depths of sorrow 26and it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him look upon the ball and behold the things which are written 27and it came to pass that 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 28and it came to pass that I Nephi beheld that 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 29and there was also written upon them a new writing which was plain to be read which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord and it was written and changed from time to time according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it and thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things 30and it came to pass that I Nephi did go forth up into the top of the mountain according to the directions which was given upon the ball 31and it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts insomuch that I did obtain food for our families 32and it came to pass that 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 and it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord and did give thanks unto him 33and it came to pass that we did again take our journey traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning and after that 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 34and it came to pass that Ishmael died and was buried in the place which was called Nahom 35and it came to pass that 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 that 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 afflictions hunger thirst and fatigue and after all these sufferings we must perish in the wilderness with hunger 36and thus they did murmur against my father and also against me and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem 37and Laman saith unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael behold let us slay our father and also our brother Nephi who hath taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher who are his elder brethren 38now he saith that the Lord hath talked with him and also that angels hath ministered unto him but behold we know that he lieth unto us and he telleth us these things and he worketh many things by his cunning arts that he may deceive our eyes thinking perhaps that he may lead us away into some strange wilderness and after that he hath led us away he hath thought to make himself a king and a ruler over us that he may do with us according to his will and pleasure and after this manner did my brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger 39and it came to pass that the Lord was with us yea even the voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them and did chasten them exceedingly and after that 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 17and it came to pass that 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 bare children in the wilderness 2and so great was the blessings of the Lord upon us that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness our women did give plenty of suck for their children and were strong yea even like unto the men and they began to bear their journeyings without murmuring 3and thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled and if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them and strengthen them and provide ways and means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he hath commanded them wherefore he did provide ways and means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness 4and we did sojourn for the space of many years yea even eight years in the wilderness 5and we did come to the land which we called Bountiful because of its much fruit and also wild honey and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish and we beheld the sea which we called Irreantum which being interpreted is many waters 6and it came to pass that 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 was exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore and we called the place Bountiful because of its much fruit 7and it came to pass that after I Nephi had been in the land Bountiful for the space of many days the voice of the Lord came unto me saying arise and get thee into the mountain and it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain and cried unto the Lord 8and it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me saying thou shalt construct a ship after the manner which I shall shew thee that I may carry thy people across these waters 9and I saith Lord whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shewn unto me 10and it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore that I might make tools 11and it came to pass that I Nephi did make bellowses wherewith to blow the fire of the skins of beasts and after I had made bellowses that I might have wherewith to blow the fire I did smite two stones together that I might make fire 12for the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire as we journeyed in the wilderness for he saith I will make that thy food shall become sweet that ye cook it not 13and I will also be your light in the wilderness and I will prepare the way before you if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments wherefore inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led 14yea and the Lord said also that after ye have arriven to the promised land ye shall know that I the Lord am God and that I the Lord did deliver you from destruction yea that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem 15wherefore I Nephi did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence 16and it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock 17and when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship they began to murmur against me saying our brother is a fool for he thinketh that he can build a ship yea and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters 18and thus my brethren did complain against me and were desirous that they might not labor for they did not believe that I could build a ship neither would they believe that I were instructed of the Lord 19and now it came to pass that I Nephi was exceeding 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 20and thou are like unto our father led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart yea he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years and our women have toiled being big with child and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things save it were death and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions 21behold these many years we have suffered in the wilderness which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance yea and we might have been happy 22and we know that the people which were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people for they keep the statutes and the judgments of the Lord and all his commandments according to the law of Moses wherefore we know that they are a righteous people and our father hath judged them and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his word yea and our brother is like unto him and after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us 23and it came to pass that I Nephi spake unto them saying do ye believe that our fathers which 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 24yea do ye suppose that they would have been led out of bondage if the Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead them out of bondage 25now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage and ye know that they were laden with tasks which were grievious to be borne wherefore ye know that it must needs be a good thing for them that they should be brought out of bondage 26now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red Sea was divided hither and thither and they passed through on dry ground 27but ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea which were the armies of Pharaoh 28and ye also know that they were fed with manna in the wilderness 29yea and ye also know that Moses by his word according to the power of God which was in him smote the rock and there came forth water that the children of Israel might quench their thirst 30and notwithstanding they being led the Lord their God their Redeemer going before them leading them by day and giving light unto them by night and doing all things for them which was expedient for man to receive they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds and reviled against Moses and against the true and living God 31and it came to pass that 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 32and after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them mighty unto the driving out the children of the land yea unto the scattering them to destruction 33and now do ye suppose that the children of this land which were in the land of promise which were driven out by our fathers do ye suppose that they were righteous behold I say unto you nay 34do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they if they had been righteous I say unto you nay 35behold the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one he that is righteous is favored of God but behold this people had rejected every word of God and they were ripe in iniquity and the fullness of the wrath of God was upon them and the Lord did curse the land against them and bless it unto our fathers yea he did curse it against them unto their destruction and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it 36behold the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited and he hath created his children that they should possess it 37and he raiseth up a righteous nation and destroyeth the nations of the wicked 38and he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands and the wicked he destroyeth and curseth the land unto them for their sakes 39he ruleth high in the heavens for it is his throne and this earth is his footstool 40and he loveth them which will have him to be their God behold he loved our fathers and he covenanted with them yea even Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and he remembered the covenants which he had made wherefore he did bring them out of the land of Egypt 41and he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod for they hardened their hearts even as ye have and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity he sent flying fiery serpents among them and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed and the labor which they had to perform were to look and because of the simpleness of the way or the easiness of it there were many which perished 42and they did harden their hearts from time to time and they did revile against Moses and also against God nevertheless ye know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the land of promise 43and now after all these things the time has come that they have became wicked yea nearly unto ripeness and I know not but they are at this day about to be destroyed for I know that the day must surely come that they must be destroyed save a few only which shall be led away into captivity 44wherefore the Lord commanded my father that he should depart into the wilderness and the Jews also sought to take away his life yea and ye also have sought to take away his life wherefore ye are murderers in your hearts and ye are like unto they 45ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God ye have seen an angel and he spake unto you yea ye have heard his voice from time to time and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice but ye were past feeling that ye could not feel his words wherefore he hath spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder 46and ye also know that by the power of his almighty word he can cause the earth that it shall pass away yea and ye know that by his word he can cause that rough places be made smooth and smooth places shall be broken up O then why is it that ye can be so hard in your hearts 47behold my soul is rent with anguish because of you and my heart is pained I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever behold I am full of the Spirit of God insomuch as if my frame had no strength 48and now it came to pass that 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 their 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 49and it came to pass that I Nephi saith 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 50and I saith unto them if God had commanded me to do all things I could do it if he should command me that I should say unto this water be thou earth and it shall be earth and if I should say it it would be done 51and now if the Lord hath such great power and hath wrought so many miracles among the children of men how is it that he cannot instruct me that I should build a ship 52and it came to pass that 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 53and it came to pass that the Lord said unto me stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren and they shall not wither before thee but I will shake them saith the Lord and this will I do that they may know that I am the Lord their God 54and it came to pass that 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 55and now they said we know of a surety that the Lord is with thee for we know that it is the power of the Lord that hath shaken us and they fell down before me and were about to worship me but I would not suffer them saying I am they brother yea even thy younger brother wherefore worship the Lord thy God and honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee 18and it came to pass that they did worship the Lord and did go forth with me and we did work timbers of curious workmanship and the Lord did shew me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship 2now I Nephi did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men neither did I build the ship after the manner of men but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shewn unto me wherefore it was not after the manner of men 3and I Nephi did go into the mount oft and I did pray oft unto the Lord wherefore the Lord shewed unto me great things 4and it came to pass that after I had finished the ship according to the word of the Lord my brethren beheld that it was good and that the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine wherefore they did humble themselves again before the Lord 5and it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father that we should arise and go down into the ship 6and it came to pass that on the morrow after that we had prepared all things much fruits and meat from the wilderness and honey in abundance and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us we did go down into the ship with all our loading and our seeds and whatsoever things 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 7and now my father had begat two sons in the wilderness the elder was called Jacob and the younger Joseph 8and it came to pass that after we had all gone down into the ship and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land 9and after that we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days behold my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry insomuch that they began to dance and to sing and to speak with much rudeness yea even to that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither yea they were lifted up into exceeding rudeness 10and I Nephi began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us and smite us because of our iniquity that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea wherefore I Nephi began to speak to the with much soberness but behold they were angry with me saying we will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us 11and it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords and they did treat me with much harshness nevertheless the Lord suffered it that he might shew forth his power unto the fulfilling of his word which he hath spoken concerning the wicked 12and it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move the compass which had been prepared of the Lord did cease to work 13wherefore they knew not whither they should steer the ship insomuch that there arose a great storm yea a great and terrible tempest and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea nevertheless they did loose me not 14and on the fourth day which we had been driven back the tempest began to be exceeding sore 15and it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea and after that we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days my brethren began to see that the judgments of God was upon them and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities wherefore they came unto me and loosed the bancs which was upon my wrists and behold they had swollen exceedingly and also mine ankles were much swollen and great was the soreness thereof 16nevertheless I did look unto my God and I did praise him all the day long and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions 17now my father Lehi had said many things unto them and also unto the sons of Ishmael but behold they did breathe out much threatenings against any one that should speak for me and my parents being stricken in years and having suffered much grief because of their children they were brought down yea even upon their sickbeds 18because of their grief and much sorrow and the iniquity of my brethren they were brought near even to be carried out of this time to meet their God yea their gray hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust yea even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave 19and Jacob and Joseph also being young having need of much nourishment were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother and also my wife with her tears and prayers and also my children did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they would loose me 20and there was nothing save it were the power of God which threatened them with destruction could soften their hearts wherefore when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done insomuch that they loosed me 21and it came to pass that after they had loosed me behold I took the compass and it did work wither I desired it and it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord and after that I had prayed the winds did cease and the storm did cease and there was a great calm 22and it came to pass that I Nephi did guide the ship that we sailed again towards the promised land 23and it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive to the promised land and we went forth upon the land and did pitch our tents and we did call it the promised land 24and it came to pass that 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 and it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly wherefore we were blessed in abundance 25and it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise as we journeyed in the wilderness that there was 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 man and we did find all manner of ore both of gold and of silver and of copper 19and it came to pass that 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 2and I knew not at that time which I made them that I should be commanded of the Lord to make these plates wherefore the record of my father and the genealogy of his forefathers and the more part of all our proceedings in the wilderness are engraven upon those first plates of which I have spoken wherefore the things which transpired before that I made these plates are of a truth more particularly made mention upon the first plates 3and after that I made these plates by way of commandment I Nephi received a commandment that the ministry and the prophecies the more plain and precious parts of them should be written upon these plates and that the things which were written should be kept for the instruction of my people which should possess the land and also for other wise purposes which purposes are known unto the Lord 4wherefore I Nephi did make a record upon the other plates which gives an account or which gives a greater account of the wars and contentions and destructions of my people and now this have I done and commanded my people that they should do after that I was gone and that these plates should be handed down from one generation to another or from one prophet to another until further commandments of the Lord 5and an account of my making these plates shall be given hereafter and then behold I proceed according to that which I have spoken and this I do that the more sacred things may be kept for the knowledge of my people 6nevertheless I do not write any thing upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred and now if I do err even did they err of old not that I would excuse myself because of other men but because of the weakness which is in me according to the flesh I would excuse myself 7for the things which some men esteem to be of great worth both to the body and soul others set at naught and trample under their feet yea even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet I say trample under their feet but I would speak in other words they do set him at naught and hearken not to the voice of his counsels 8and behold he cometh according to the words of the angel in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem 9and the world because of their iniquity shall judge him to be a thing of naught wherefore they scourge him and he suffereth it and they smite him and he suffereth it yea they spit upon him and he suffereth it because of his loving-kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men 10and the God of our fathers which were led out of Egypt out of bondage and also were preserved in the wilderness by him yea the God of Abraham and of Isaac and the God of Jacob yieldeth himself according to the words of the angel as a man into the hands of wicked men to be lifted up according to the words of Zenoch and to be crucified according to the words of Neum and to be buried in a sepulchre according to the words of Zenos which he spake concerning the three days of darkness which should be a sign given of his death unto the who should inhabit the isles of the sea more especially given unto them which are of the house of Israel 11for thus spake the prophet the Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day some with his voice because of their righteousness unto their great joy and salvation and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power by tempest by fire and by smoke and vapor of darkness and by the opening of the earth and by mountains which shall be carried up 12and all these things must surely come saith the prophet Zenos and the rocks of the earth must rend and because of the groanings of the earth many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God to exclaim the God of nature suffers 13and as for they which are at Jerusalem saith the prophet they shall be scourged by all people saith the prophet because they crucified the God of Israel and turned their hearts aside rejecting signs and wonders and power and glory of the God of Israel 14and because they have turned their hearts aside saith the prophet and have despised the Holy One of Israel they shall wander in the flesh and perish and become a hiss and a byword and be hated among all nations 15nevertheless when that day cometh saith the prophet that they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy One of Israel then will he remember the covenants which he made to their fathers 16yea then will he remember the isles of the sea yea and all the people which are of the house of Israel will I gather in saith the Lord according to the words of the prophet Zenos from the four quarters of the earth 17yea and all the earth shall see the salvations of the Lord saith the prophet every nation kindred tongue and people shall be blessed 18and I Nephi have written these things unto my people that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer 19wherefore I speak unto all the house of Israel if it so be that they should obtain these things 20for behold I have workings in the spirit which doth weary me even that all my joints are weak for they which are at Jerusalem for had not the Lord been merciful to shew unto me concerning them even as he had the prophets of old 21for he surely did shew unto prophets of old all things concerning them and also he did shew unto many concerning us wherefore it must needs be that we know concerning them for they are written upon the plates of brass