Book of Mormon
Covenant of Christ
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5 Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God because of the anger of my brethren. 2 But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that they did seek to take away my life. 3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying, Our younger brother thinks to rule over us, and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler, for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people. 4 Now I do not write upon these plates all the words which they murmured against me, but it sufficeth me to say that they did seek to take away my life.
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5 I cried often to the Lord my God in prayer because of my brothers’ anger, 2 but their anger against me grew to such an extent that they tried to kill me. 3 Indeed, they complained about me, saying: Our younger brother is planning to rule over us — we’ve put up with so much from him. Therefore let’s kill him now, so we won’t be bothered anymore by what he says. We refuse to have him be in charge of us, because it belongs to us, the older brothers, to rule over the people. 4 Now I don’t write on these plates all of their accusations against me, I’ll just leave it with they tried to kill me.
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5 And it came to pass that 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. 6 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family, and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother, and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go with me. And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words. 7 And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days. And after we had journeyed for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents. 8 And my people would that we should call the name of the place Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi. 9 And all those who were with me did take upon them to call themselves the people of Nephi. 10 And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the law of Moses. 11 And the Lord was with us and we did prosper exceedingly, for we did sow seed and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind. 12 And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and also the ball, or the compass, which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord according to that which is written.
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5 Then the Lord warned me and any who wanted to go with me, to leave them and escape into the wilderness. 6 Therefore I took my family, Zoram and his family, my older brother Sam and his family, my younger brothers Jacob and Joseph, my sisters, and anyone willing to go with me. Those willing to go with me were the people who believed in God’s warnings and revelations; as a result, they listened to what I said. 7 We took our tents and everything we could and traveled in the wilderness for many days. After we had traveled for many days we set up our tents. 8 Those who accompanied me wanted to name the place Nephi, so we called it Nephi, 9 and they took the liberty of calling themselves Nephi’s people. 10 We paid careful attention to follow the Lord’s judgments, statutes, and commandments in all things, according to the Law of Moses. 11 The Lord was with us and we thrived, sowing seeds and harvesting abundantly. We began to raise flocks, herds, and animals of every kind. 12 I also brought the records engraved on the brass plates, and the ball or compass prepared for my father on which the Lord had written messages.
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13 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly and to multiply in the land. 14 And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us. For I knew their hatred towards me, and my children, and those who were called my people. 15 And I did teach my people to build buildings and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance. 16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon, save it were not built of so many precious things, for they were not to be found upon the land. Wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon’s temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon, and the workmanship thereof was exceeding fine.
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13 Then we began to have very good results on the land and our families multiplied. 14 I took Laban’s sword and made many copies, to defend ourselves from the people who were now called Lamanites, fearing they would attack and kill us, because I knew they hated me, my children, and those called my people. 15 I taught my people to construct buildings and work in all kinds of wood, iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, silver, and useful metals, which were abundant. 16 And I built a temple, constructing it like Solomon’s temple, except that it wasn’t built of similar carved stonework — since we didn’t have access to that in our new place — so it wasn’t an exact copy of Solomon’s temple. But the layout followed Solomon’s temple, and it had our best workmanship.
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17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious and to labor with their hands. 18 And it came to pass that 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 to that which was in my power. 19 And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their ruler and their teacher; wherefore, I had been their ruler and their teacher according to the commandments of the Lord until the time they sought to take away my life. 20 Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And behold, they were cut off from his presence. 21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint. Wherefore, as they were white and exceeding fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. 22 And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities. 23 And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed, for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it, and it was done. 24 And because of their cursing which was upon them, they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey. 25 And the Lord God said unto me, They shall be a scourge unto thy seed to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as they will not remember me and hearken unto my words, they shall scourge them even unto destruction.
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17 I encouraged my people to be industrious and work with their hands. 18 They wanted me to be their king, but I didn’t want them to have a king. Nevertheless, I did for them everything in my power. 19 What the Lord predicted about my brothers happened when God said I would be a ruler and teacher. I actually had been their ruler and teacher, following the Lord’s commandments, until they tried to kill me. 20 As a result, what the Lord told me was fulfilled, saying: If they refuse to listen to your words, they’ll be cut off from God’s presence. And they actually were cut off from His presence. 21 He imposed a cursing on them. It was a severe cursing because of their iniquity, because they had hardened their hearts against Him. They were unyielding, like flint. Therefore, although they had been pure and radiant and highly pleasing, the Lord God made their dark countenance show through so they wouldn’t be attractive to my people. 22 The Lord God decreed: I’ll cause them — unless they repent of their iniquities — to repulse your people. 23 And the descendants of anyone who joins their descendants will be cursed, since they’ll receive the same cursing. The Lord spoke it, and it was done. 24 Because of the curse upon them, they became people without purpose and meaning, engaged in trifling and foolish behavior, full of mischief and subtlety, hunting predator animals in the wilderness. 25 The Lord God told me: They will afflict your descendants in order to remind your posterity to remember Me. And to the degree your posterity fails to remember Me and hearken to My words, they’ll attack your people, threatening their complete destruction.
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26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people. 27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness. 28 And thirty years had passed away from the time we left Jerusalem. 29 And I, Nephi, had kept the records, upon my plates which I had made, of my people thus far.
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26 And I ordained Jacob and Joseph to be priests and teachers in the land of my people. 27 And we lived in a way that brought happiness, 28 thirty years having elapsed since we left Jerusalem. 29 And I had kept the record of my people up to this time upon the plates I had made.
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30 And it came to pass that 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. 31 Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of the Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven these things. 32 And I engravened that which is pleasing unto God. And if my people are pleased with the things of God, they will be pleased with mine engravings which are upon these plates. 33 And if my people desire to know the more particular part of the history of my people, they must search mine other plates. 34 And it sufficeth me to say that forty years had passed away, and we had already had wars and contentions with our brethren.
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30 Then the Lord God told me: Make other plates. You are to engrave important things on them that I consider valuable for your people’s benefit. 31 Therefore in order to obey the Lord’s commandment, I went and made these plates on which I’ve written these things. 32 And I engraved what pleases God. So, if my people are pleased with the things of God, they’ll be pleased with what I’ve written on these plates. 33 But if my people want to know details about our history, they’ll need to study my other plates. 34 It’s enough for me to say that forty years had come to an end, and we had already had wars and conflicts with our brothers.