7:1 And now, it came to pass that after king Mosiah had had continual
peace for the space of three years, he was desirous to know concerning
the people who went up to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi, or in the
city of Lehi-Nephi; for his people had heard nothing from them from the
time they left the land of Zarahemla; therefore, they wearied him with
their teasings.
7:2 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted that sixteen of their
strong men might go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi to inquire concerning
their brethren.
7:3 And it came to pass that on the morrow they started to go up,
having with them one Ammon, he being a strong and mighty man, and a
descendant of Zarahemla; and he was also their leader.
7:4 And now, they knew not the course they should travel in the
wilderness to go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi; therefore they wandered
many days in the wilderness, even forty days did they wander.
7:5 And when they had wandered forty days they came to a hill, which is
north of the land of Shilom, and there they pitched their tents.
7:6 And Ammon took three of his brethren, and their names were Amaleki,
Helem, and Hem, and they went down into the land of Nephi.
7:7 And behold, they met the king of the people who were in the land of
Nephi, and in the land of Shilom; and they were surrounded by the
king’s guard, and were taken, and were bound, and were committed to
prison.
7:8 And it came to pass when they had been in prison two days they were
again brought before the king, and their bands were loosed; and they
stood before the king, and were permitted, or rather commanded, that
they should answer the questions which he should ask them.
7:9 And he said unto them: Behold, I am Limhi, the son of Noah, who was
the son of Zeniff, who came up out of the land of Zarahemla to inherit
this land, which was the land of their fathers, who was made a king by
the voice of the people.
7:10 And now, I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold as to
come near the walls of the city, when I, myself, was with my guards
without the gate?
7:11 And now, for this cause have I suffered that ye should be
preserved, that I might inquire of you, or else I should have caused
that my guards should have put you to death. Ye are permitted to speak.
7:12 And now, when Ammon saw that he was permitted to speak, he went
forth and bowed himself before the king; and rising again he said: O
king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am yet alive, and
am permitted to speak; and I will endeavor to speak with boldness;
7:13 For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have
suffered that I should have worn these bands. For I am Ammon, and am a
descendant of Zarahemla, and have come up out of the land of Zarahemla
to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff brought up out of that
land.
7:14 And now, it came to pass that after Limhi had heard the words of
Ammon, he was exceedingly glad, and said: Now, I know of a surety that
my brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla are yet alive. And now, I
will rejoice; and on the morrow I will cause that my people shall
rejoice also.
7:15 For behold, we are in bondage to the Lamanites, and are taxed with
a tax which is grievous to be borne. And now, behold, our brethren will
deliver us out of our bondage, or out of the hands of the Lamanites,
and we will be their slaves; for it is better that we be slaves to the
Nephites than to pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites.
7:16 And now, king Limhi commanded his guards that they should no more
bind Ammon nor his brethren, but caused that they should go to the hill
which was north of Shilom, and bring their brethren into the city, that
thereby they might eat, and drink, and rest themselves from the labors
of their journey; for they had suffered many things; they had suffered
hunger, thirst, and fatigue.
7:17 And now, it came to pass on the morrow that king Limhi sent a
proclamation among all his people, that thereby they might gather
themselves together to the temple to hear the words which he should
speak unto them.
7:18 And it came to pass that when they had gathered themselves
together that he spake unto them in this wise, saying: O ye, my people,
lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand,
or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our
enemies, notwithstanding our many strugglings, which have been in vain;
yet I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made.
7:19 Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in
God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and
also, that God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of
Egypt, and caused that they should walk through the Red Sea on dry
ground, and fed them with manna that they might not perish in the
wilderness; and many more things did he do for them.
7:20 And again, that same God has brought our fathers out of the land
of Jerusalem, and has kept and preserved his people even until now; and
behold, it is because of our iniquities and abominations that he has
brought us into bondage.
7:21 And ye all are witnesses this day, that Zeniff, who was made king
over this people, he being over-zealous to inherit the land of his
fathers, therefore being deceived by the cunning and craftiness of king
Laman, who having entered into a treaty with king Zeniff, and having
yielded up into his hands the possessions of a part of the land, or
even the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the city of Shilom; and the land round
about—
7:22 And all this he did, for the sole purpose of bringing this people
into subjection or into bondage. And behold, we at this time do pay
tribute to the king of the Lamanites, to the amount of one half of our
corn, and our barley, and even all our grain of every kind, and one
half of the increase of our flocks and our herds; and even one half of
all we have or possess the king of the Lamanites doth exact of us, or
our lives.
7:23 And now, is not this grievous to be borne? And is not this, our
affliction, great? Now behold, how great reason we have to mourn.
7:24 Yea, I say unto you, great are the reasons which we have to mourn;
for behold how many of our brethren have been slain, and their blood
has been spilt in vain, and all because of iniquity.
7:25 For if this people had not fallen into transgression the Lord
would not have suffered that this great evil should come upon them. But
behold, they would not hearken unto his words; but there arose
contentions among them, even so much that they did shed blood among
themselves.
7:26 And a prophet of the Lord have they slain; yea, a chosen man of
God, who told them of their wickedness and abominations, and prophesied
of many things which are to come, yea, even the coming of Christ.
7:27 And because he said unto them that Christ was the God, the Father
of all things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man,
and it should be the image after which man was created in the
beginning; or in other words, he said that man was created after the
image of God, and that God should come down among the children of men,
and take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the
earth—
7:28 And now, because he said this, they did put him to death; and many
more things did they do which brought down the wrath of God upon them.
Therefore, who wondereth that they are in bondage, and that they are
smitten with sore afflictions?
7:29 For behold, the Lord hath said: I will not succor my people in the
day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways that they
prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling block before
them.
7:30 And again, he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they shall
reap the chaff thereof in the whirlwind; and the effect thereof is
poison.
7:31 And again he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they shall
reap the east wind, which bringeth immediate destruction.
7:32 And now, behold, the promise of the Lord is fulfilled, and ye are
smitten and afflicted.
7:33 But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and
put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye
do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you
out of bondage.