The Collected Works of Joseph Smith Jr.. Joseph Smith Jr.
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 pass 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 pass 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 God must be
fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the
commandments of God 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 space 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 pass that we did pitch our tents by the
seashore; 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 seashore;
and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.
1 Nephi 17:7
7 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land
of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord
came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And
it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and
cried unto the Lord.
1 Nephi 17:8
8 And it came to pass 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 pass 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 pass 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 God; 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 pass 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 pass 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