The Book of Mormon Part 9

1 Nephi 16:20 20 And it came to pa.s.s 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 G.o.d; yea, and they were all exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord.

1 Nephi 16:21 21 Now it came to pa.s.s 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 exceedingly difficult, yea, insomuch that we could obtain no food.

1 Nephi 16:22 22 And it came to pa.s.s that I, Nephi, did speak much unto my brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto complaining against the Lord their G.o.d.

1 Nephi 16:23 23 And it came to pa.s.s 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?

1 Nephi 16:24 24 And it came to pa.s.s 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.

1 Nephi 16:25 25 And it came to pa.s.s that 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.

1 Nephi 16:26 26 And it came to pa.s.s that the voice of the Lord said unto him: Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.

1 Nephi 16:27 27 And it came to pa.s.s 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.

1 Nephi 16:28 28 And it came to pa.s.s that 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.

1 Nephi 16:29 29 And 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.

1 Nephi 16:30 30 And it came to pa.s.s that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.

1 Nephi 16:31 31 And it came to pa.s.s that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.

1 Nephi 16:32 32 And it came to pa.s.s 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 pa.s.s that they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him.

1 Nephi 16:33 33 And it came to pa.s.s that we did again take our journey, traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning; and after we had traveled for the s.p.a.ce of many days we did pitch our tents again, that we might tarry for the s.p.a.ce of a time.

1 Nephi 16:34 34 And it came to pa.s.s that Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom.

1 Nephi 16:35 35 And it came to pa.s.s 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 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.

1 Nephi 16:36 36 And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 16:37 37 And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael: Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are his elder brethren.

1 Nephi 16:38 38 Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that angels have ministered unto him. But behold, we know that he lies unto us; and he tells 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 he has led us away, he has 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.

1 Nephi 16:39 39 And it came to pa.s.s 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 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 Nephi 17 Chapter 17

1 Nephi 17:1 1 And it came to pa.s.s 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 did bear children in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:2 2 And so great were 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 murmurings.

1 Nephi 17:3 3 And thus we see that the commandments of G.o.d must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of G.o.d he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:4 4 And we did sojourn for the s.p.a.ce of many years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:5 5 And 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.

1 Nephi 17:6 6 And it came to pa.s.s that we did pitch our tents by the seash.o.r.e; 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 came to the seash.o.r.e; and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.

1 Nephi 17:7 7 And it came to pa.s.s that after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the s.p.a.ce of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pa.s.s that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord.

1 Nephi 17:8 8 And it came to pa.s.s that 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.

1 Nephi 17:9 9 And I said: 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 shown unto me?

1 Nephi 17:10 10 And it came to pa.s.s that the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore, that I might make tools.

1 Nephi 17:11 11 And it came to pa.s.s that 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.

1 Nephi 17:12 12 For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;

1 Nephi 17:13 13 And 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.

1 Nephi 17:14 14 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am G.o.d; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 17:15 15 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence.

1 Nephi 17:16 16 And it came to pa.s.s that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock.

1 Nephi 17:17 17 And 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.

1 Nephi 17:18 18 And 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 was instructed of the Lord.

1 Nephi 17:19 19 And now it came to pa.s.s that 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.

1 Nephi 17:20 20 And thou art 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.

1 Nephi 17:21 21 Behold, 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.

1 Nephi 17:22 22 And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and 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 words; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us.

1 Nephi 17:23 23 And it came to pa.s.s that 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?

1 Nephi 17:24 24 Yea, 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?

1 Nephi 17:25 25 Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage; and ye know that they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to be borne; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing for them, that they should be brought out of bondage.

1 Nephi 17:26 26 Now 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 were divided hither and thither, and they pa.s.sed through on dry ground.

1 Nephi 17:27 27 But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, who were the armies of Pharaoh.

1 Nephi 17:28 28 And ye also know that they were fed with manna in the wilderness.