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smote the rock, and there came forth water, that the children of Israel might quench their thirst; and 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 were expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts, and blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the true and living God.

25. And 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. And after they had crossed the river Jordan, he did make them mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea, unto the scattering them to destruction. And now do ye suppose that the children of this land, who were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers, do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you, nay. Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they, if they had been righteous? I say unto you, nay; behold, 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 fulness 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. Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited: and he hath created his children, that they should possess it. And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked. And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes. He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool. And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt, and he did straighten them in the wilderness with his rod, for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straightened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery-flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten, he prepared a way that they might be healed: and the labour which they had to perform, was to look ; and because

of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished. And 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.

26. And now, after all these things, the time has come that they havebecome 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, who shall be led away into captivity; wherefore, 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 them. Ye 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 has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder. And 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 the rough places to be made smooth, and smooth places shall be broken up. O then why is it, that ye can be so hard in your hearts? Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you, and my heart is pained: I fear lest ye shall be cast off for ever. Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God, insomuch that my frame has no strength.

27. And 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.

28. And it came to pass that 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.

29. And I said unto them, if God had commanded me to do all things, I could do them. If he should command me that I

should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth ; and if I should say it, it would be done. And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?

30. And 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.

31. And 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 shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God. And 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. And 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 has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying, I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.

32. And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curicus workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship. Now 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.

33. And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord shewed unto me great things.

34. And 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. 35. And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the

ship. And it came to pass that on the morrow, after 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 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.

36. And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the eldest was called Jacob and the younger Joseph. And it came to pass 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; and after 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 that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness. And 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 them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying, we will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.

37. And 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 did suffer it, that he might shew forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.

38. And 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; wherefore, 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 not loose me. And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceeding sore.

39. And it came to pass that 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, and that 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.

40. Nevertheless 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.

41. Now 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 sick beds. Because 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 grey hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near to be cast into the watery grave. And 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; and 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.

42. And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that 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.

43. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land. And 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.

44. And 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.

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