THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI
HIS REIGN AND MINISTRY
An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah and his four sons, being called, (beginning at the eldest) Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem, because he prophesieth unto the people concerning their iniquity and they seek to destroy his life. He taketh three days' journey into the wilderness with his family. Nephi taketh his brethren and returneth to the land of Jerusalem after the record of the Jews. The account of their sufferings. They take the daughters of Ishmael to wife. They take their families and depart into the wilderness. Their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness. The course of their travels. They come to the large waters. Nephi's brethren rebel against him. He confoundeth them, and buildeth a ship. They call the name of the place Bountiful. They cross the large waters into the promised land, and so forth. This is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I, Nephi, wrote this record.
1 Nephi 1:1
1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all
the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days,
nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a
great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of
my proceedings in my days.
1 Nephi 1:2
2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the
Jews and the language of the Egyptians.
1 Nephi 1:3
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand;
and I make it according to my knowledge.
1 Nephi 1:4
4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah,
king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that
same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent,
or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
1 Nephi 1:5
5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord,
yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt
upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he
saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
1 Nephi 1:7
7 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 1:8
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he
saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded
with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.
1 Nephi 1:9
9 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 1:10
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of
the stars in the firmament.
1 Nephi 1:11
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and
stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
1 Nephi 1:13
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations!
Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem--that it should be
destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many
should be carried away captive into Babylon.
1 Nephi 1:14
14 And it came to pass that 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!
1 Nephi 1:15
15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for
his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had
seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.
16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath
written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he
also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which
I shall not make a full account.
1 Nephi 1:17
17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an
abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own
hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an
account of mine own life.
1 Nephi 1:18
18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many
marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem,
behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them
concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
1 Nephi 1:19
19 And it came to pass that 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 the Messiah, and also the redemption of the
world.
1 Nephi 1:20
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with
the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought
his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the
tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith,
to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
1 Nephi 2:1
1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream,
and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and
because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I
commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.
1 Nephi 2:2
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he
should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did
as the Lord commanded him.
1 Nephi 2:4
4 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 2:5
5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the
wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the
wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers,
who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.
1 Nephi 2:6
6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched
his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
1 Nephi 2:7
7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord,
and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
1 Nephi 2:8
8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the
Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
1 Nephi 2:9
9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the
Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river,
continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
1 Nephi 2:10
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm
and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
1 Nephi 2:11
11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold
they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and
had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their
gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they
said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And
they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
1 Nephi 2:13
13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according
to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem,
who sought to take away the life of my father.
1 Nephi 2:14
14 And it came to pass that 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.
15 And my father dwelt in a tent.
1 Nephi 2:16
16 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 2:17
17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had
manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.
1 Nephi 2:18
18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being
grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.
1 Nephi 2:19
19 And it came to pass that 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 Nephi 2:20
20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led
to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is
choice above all other lands.
1 Nephi 2:21
21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the
presence of the Lord.
22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and
a teacher over thy brethren.
1 Nephi 2:23
23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a
sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me
also.
1 Nephi 2:24
24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir
them up in the ways of remembrance.
1 Nephi 3:1
1 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with the Lord, to the tent of
my father.
1 Nephi 3:2
2 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 3:3
3 For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers,
and they are engraven upon plates of brass.
1 Nephi 3:4
4 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the
house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.
1 Nephi 3:5
5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required
of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.
1 Nephi 3:6
6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not
murmured.
1 Nephi 3:7
7 And it came to pass that 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 And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly
glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord.
1 Nephi 3:9
9 And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the wilderness, with our tents, to go
up to the land of Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 3:10
10 And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my
brethren did consult one with another.
1 Nephi 3:11
11 And we cast lots--who of us should go in unto the house of Laban. And it came to
pass that 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.
1 Nephi 3:12
12 And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass,
which contained the genealogy of my father.
1 Nephi 3:13
13 And behold, it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 3:14
14 But Laman fled out of his presence, and told the things which Laban had done, unto
us. And we began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return
unto my father in the wilderness.
1 Nephi 3:15
15 But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go
down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the
Lord hath commanded us.
1 Nephi 3:16
16 Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; therefore let
us go down to the land of our father's inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and
all manner of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the
Lord.
1 Nephi 3:17
17 For he knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed, because of the wickedness of the
people.
18 For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophets. Wherefore, if my father
should dwell in the land after he hath been commanded to flee out of the land, behold, he
would also perish. Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the land.
1 Nephi 3:19
19 And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may
preserve unto our children the language of our fathers;
1 Nephi 3:20
20 And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the
mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and
power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time.
1 Nephi 3:21
21 And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I persuade my brethren,
that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God.
1 Nephi 3:22
22 And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did
gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things.
1 Nephi 3:23
23 And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of
Laban.
1 Nephi 3:24
24 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 3:25
25 And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it 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.
1 Nephi 3:26
26 And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were
obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban.
1 Nephi 3:27
27 And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not
overtake us, and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.
1 Nephi 3:28
28 And it came to pass that 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 Nephi 3:29
29 And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came
and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger
brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you,
and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the
Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.
30 And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.
1 Nephi 3:31
31 And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying:
How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty
man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?
1 Nephi 4:1
1 And it came to pass that 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?
1 Nephi 4:2
2 Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the
waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through,
out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned
in the waters of the Red Sea.
1 Nephi 4:3
3 Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto
you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our
fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.
1 Nephi 4:4
4 Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to
murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of
Jerusalem.
1 Nephi 4:5
5 And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.
6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.
1 Nephi 4:7
7 Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man,
and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine.
8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.
1 Nephi 4:9
9 And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof
was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the
blade thereof was of the most precious steel.
1 Nephi 4:10
10 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 4:11
11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands.
Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would
not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our
property.
1 Nephi 4:12
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath
delivered him into thy hands;
1 Nephi 4:13
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better
that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.
1 Nephi 4:14
14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord
which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep
my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.
1 Nephi 4:15
15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord
according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.
16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.
1 Nephi 4:17
17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause-
that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.
1 Nephi 4:18
18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head,
and I smote off his head with his own sword.
1 Nephi 4:19
19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban
and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor
about my loins.
1 Nephi 4:20
20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth
towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of
the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into
the treasury.
1 Nephi 4:21
21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the
sword girded about my loins.
1 Nephi 4:22
22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master,
Laban, had been out by night among them.
23 And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.
1 Nephi 4:24
24 And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the
plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who were without the walls.
25 And I also bade him that he should follow me.
1 Nephi 4:26
26 And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church, and that I was truly that
Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he did follow me.
27 And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth
unto my brethren, who were without the walls.
1 Nephi 4:28
28 And it came to pass that 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, and that he had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.
1 Nephi 4:29
29 And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore they did
cease to flee from my presence.
1 Nephi 4:30
30 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 4:31
31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much
strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that
he should not flee.
1 Nephi 4:32
32 And it came to pass that 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.
1 Nephi 4:33
33 And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a
free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us.
1 Nephi 4:34
34 And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this
thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefo