The Collected Works of Joseph Smith Jr.. Joseph Smith Jr.
4 Now I do not write upon these plates all the words which they
murmured against me. But it sufficeth me to say, that they did
seek to take away my life.
2 Nephi 5:5
5 And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi,
should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all
those who would go with me.
2 Nephi 5:6
6 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family,
and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother and
his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also
my sisters, and all those who would go with me. And all those
who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and
the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my
words.
2 Nephi 5:7
7 And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible
for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many
days. And after we had journeyed for the space of many days we
did pitch our tents.
2 Nephi 5:8
8 And my people would that we should call the name of the place
Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi.
2 Nephi 5:9
9 And all those who were with me did take upon them to call
themselves the people of Nephi.
2 Nephi 5:10
10 And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes,
and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the
law of Moses.
2 Nephi 5:11
11 And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for
we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we
began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.
2 Nephi 5:12
12 And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were
engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass,
which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord,
according to that which is written.
2 Nephi 5:13
13 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and
to multiply in the land.
2 Nephi 5:14
14 And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the
manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people
who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us;
for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who
were called my people.
2 Nephi 5:15
15 And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in
all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and
of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which
were in great abundance.
2 Nephi 5:16
16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it
after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built
of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon
the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's
temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the
temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly
fine.
2 Nephi 5:17
17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be
industrious, and to labor with their hands.
2 Nephi 5:18
18 And it came to pass that they would that I should be their
king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king;
nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my
power.
2 Nephi 5:19
19 And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my
brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their
ruler and their teacher. Wherefore, I had been their ruler and
their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until
the time they sought to take away my life.
2 Nephi 5:20
20 Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake
unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy
words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And
behold, they were cut off from his presence.
2 Nephi 5:21
21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a
sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had
hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto
a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and
delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the
Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.
2 Nephi 5:22
22 And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be
loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their
iniquities.
2 Nephi 5:23
23 And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their
seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And
the Lord spake it, and it was done.
2 Nephi 5:24
24 And because of their cursing which was upon them they did
become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did
seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.
2 Nephi 5:25
25 And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto
thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as
they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall
scourge them even unto destruction.
2 Nephi 5:26
26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and
Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of
my people.
2 Nephi 5:27
27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of
happiness.
2 Nephi 5:28
28 And thirty years had passed away