5:1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord
my God, because of the anger of my brethren.
5:2 But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that they
did seek to take away my life.
5:3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks
to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore,
now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his
words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs
unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people.
5:4 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.
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.
5:6 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.
5:7 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.
5:8 And my people would that we should call the name of the place
Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi.
5:9 And all those who were with me did take upon them to call
themselves the people of Nephi.
5:10 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.
5:11 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.
5:12 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.
5:13 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to
multiply in the land.
5:14 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.
5:15 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.
5:16 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.
5:17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be
industrious, and to labor with their hands.
5:18 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.
5:19 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.
5:20 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.
5:21 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.
5:22 And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be
loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities.
5:23 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.
5:24 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.
5:25 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.
5:26 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.
5:27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.
5:28 And thirty years had passed away from the time we left Jerusalem.
5:29 And I, Nephi, had kept the records upon my plates, which I had
made, of my people thus far.
5:30 And it came to pass that the Lord God said unto me: Make other
plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in
my sight, for the profit of thy people.
5:31 Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of the
Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven these
things.
5:32 And I engraved that which is pleasing unto God. And if my people
are pleased with the things of God they will be pleased with mine
engravings which are upon these plates.
5:33 And if my people desire to know the more particular part of the
history of my people they must search mine other plates.
5:34 And it sufficeth me to say that forty years had passed away, and
we had already had wars and contentions with our brethren.