Mosiah
29 verses
Zeniff gave the kingdom to Noah, one of his sons. Noah began to rule in his place, but he did not follow his father’s ways.
And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father.
He did not keep the commandments of God, but followed the desires of his own heart. He had many wives and concubines, and he led his people to sin and do things that were detestable to the Lord. They committed sexual immorality and all kinds of wickedness.
For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.
He taxed the people one fifth of everything they owned—a fifth of their gold, their silver, their ziff, their copper, their brass, and their iron; a fifth of their livestock; and also a fifth of all their grain.
And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain.
He took all of this to support himself, his wives, and his concubines, as well as his priests and their wives and concubines. In this way, he changed the affairs of the kingdom.
And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom.
He removed all the priests his father had appointed and chose new ones to take their place—those who were filled with pride in their hearts.
For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.
In this way, they were supported in their laziness, idolatry, and immoral behavior by the taxes that King Noah had placed on his people. The people worked extremely hard to support wickedness.
Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity.
They also became idolatrous because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests, who spoke flattering things to them.
Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them.
King Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings, decorating them with fine woodwork and all kinds of precious materials—gold, silver, iron, brass, ziff, and copper.
And it came to pass that king Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of precious things, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of brass, and of ziff, and of copper;
He also built himself a large palace with a throne in the middle, all made of fine wood and decorated with gold, silver, and other precious things.
And he also built him a spacious palace, and a throne in the midst thereof, all of which was of fine wood and was ornamented with gold and silver and with precious things.
He also had his workers make all kinds of fine work inside the walls of the temple, using fine wood, copper, and brass.
And he also caused that his workmen should work all manner of fine work within the walls of the temple, of fine wood, and of copper, and of brass.
He decorated the seats set apart for the high priests, which were higher than all the other seats, with pure gold. He also had a breastwork built in front of them, so they could rest their bodies and arms on it while they spoke lying and vain words to his people.
And the seats which were set apart for the high priests, which were above all the other seats, he did ornament with pure gold; and he caused a breastwork to be built before them, that they might rest their bodies and their arms upon while they should speak lying and vain words to his people.
He built a tower near the temple—a very tall tower, so high that he could stand on top of it and see the land of Shilom, as well as the land of Shemlon, which was held by the Lamanites. He could even look out over all the surrounding land.
And it came to pass that he built a tower near the temple; yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites; and he could even look over all the land round about.
He had many buildings constructed in the land of Shilom, and he built a great tower on the hill north of Shilom, which had been a place where the children of Nephi gathered when they fled from the land. He used the wealth he gained from taxing his people for these projects.
And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built in the land Shilom; and he caused a great tower to be built on the hill north of the land Shilom, which had been a resort for the children of Nephi at the time they fled out of the land; and thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation of his people.
He focused his heart on his riches and spent his time in wild living with his wives and concubines; his priests also spent their time with prostitutes.
And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his riches, and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with harlots.
He planted vineyards throughout the land, built wine-presses, and made plenty of wine; as a result, he became a heavy drinker, and so did his people.
And it came to pass that he planted vineyards round about in the land; and he built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance; and therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people.
The Lamanites started attacking his people in small groups, killing them in their fields and while they were tending their flocks.
And it came to pass that the Lamanites began to come in upon his people, upon small numbers, and to slay them in their fields, and while they were tending their flocks.
King Noah sent guards throughout the land to keep them away, but he didn’t send enough. The Lamanites attacked, killed them, and drove many of their flocks out of the land. This is how the Lamanites began to destroy them and show their hatred toward them.
And king Noah sent guards round about the land to keep them off; but he did not send a sufficient number, and the Lamanites came upon them and killed them, and drove many of their flocks out of the land; thus the Lamanites began to destroy them, and to exercise their hatred upon them.
King Noah sent his armies against them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a time; so they returned, rejoicing in their plunder.
And it came to pass that king Noah sent his armies against them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a time; therefore, they returned rejoicing in their spoil.
Because of this great victory, they became proud and boasted about their own strength, saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the Lamanites. They bragged like this and took pleasure in bloodshed and in killing their own brothers, all because of the wickedness of their king and priests.
And now, because of this great victory they were lifted up in the pride of their hearts; they did boast in their own strength, saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the Lamanites; and thus they did boast, and did delight in blood, and the shedding of the blood of their brethren, and this because of the wickedness of their king and priests.
A man among them named Abinadi went out and began to prophesy, saying, “This is what the Lord says, and he has commanded me to say: Go and tell this people, ‘This is what the Lord says—Woe to this people, for I have seen their abominations, their wickedness, and their sexual immorality; and unless they repent, I will come against them in my anger. ’”
And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi; and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
Unless they repent and turn to the Lord their God, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies, and they will be brought into bondage and afflicted by their enemies.
And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies.
They will know that I am the Lord their God, and that I am a jealous God, bringing consequences for the sins of my people.
And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of my people.
If these people don’t repent and turn to the Lord their God, they will be brought into bondage, and no one will deliver them except the Lord, the Almighty God.
And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God.
When they cry to me, I will be slow to listen to their cries, and I will allow them to be struck by their enemies.
Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies.
Unless they repent in sackcloth and ashes and cry out with all their strength to the Lord their God, I will not listen to their prayers, nor will I deliver them from their troubles; this is what the Lord says, and this is what he has commanded me.
And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.
When Abinadi finished speaking these words to them, they were angry with him and tried to kill him, but the Lord saved him from their hands.
Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken these words unto them they were wroth with him, and sought to take away his life; but the Lord delivered him out of their hands.
When King Noah heard what Abinadi had said to the people, he was angry and said, “Who is Abinadi, that he should judge me and my people? And who is the Lord, that he would bring such great affliction on my people? ”
Now when king Noah had heard of the words which Abinadi had spoken unto the people, he was also wroth; and he said: Who is Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, or who is the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such great affliction?
I command you to bring Abinadi here so I can kill him, because he has said these things to stir up my people to anger against each other and to cause contention among them. So I will kill him.
I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I may slay him, for he has said these things that he might stir up my people to anger one with another, and to raise contentions among my people; therefore I will slay him.
The people were blinded, so they hardened their hearts against Abinadi’s words and tried from then on to capture him. King Noah also hardened his heart against the word of the Lord and did not repent of his evil actions.
Now the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore they hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they sought from that time forward to take him. And king Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of his evil doings.