2:1 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.
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.
2:3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord,
wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
2:4 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.
2:5 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.
2:6 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.
2:7 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.
2:8 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.
2:9 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!
2:10 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!
2:11 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.
2:12 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. 2:13 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.
2:14 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.
2:15 And my father dwelt in a tent.
2:16 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.
2:17 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.
2:18 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.
2:19 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.
2:20 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.
2:21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall
be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
2:22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be
made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
2:23 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.
2:24 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.