THE SECOND BOOK OF NEFI Chapter 11

  1. Now I, Nefi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Yesha’yahu. For behold, Yesha’yahu spoke many things which were hard for many of my people to understand, for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Y’hudim; for I, Nefi, have not taught them many things concerning the manner of the Y’hudim, for their works were works of darkness, and their doings were doings of abominations.131 Wherefore I write unto my people, unto all those that shall receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know the judgments of Elohim, that they come upon all nations according to the word which he has spoken. Wherefore hearken, O my people which are of the house of Isra’el, and give ear unto my words, for because the words of Yesha’yahu are not plain unto you, nevertheless, they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy. But I give unto you a prophecy according to the spirit which is in me. Wherefore, I shall prophesy according to the plainness which has been with me from the time that I came out from Yerushalayim with my father. For behold, my soul delights in plainness unto my people, that they may learn; yes, and my soul delights in the words of Yesha’yahu.
  2. For I came out from Yerushalayim, and my eyes have beheld the things of the Y’hudim, and I know that the Y’hudim do understand the things of the prophets. And there is no other people that understand the things which were spoken unto the Y’hudim like unto them, except it be that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Y’hudim. But behold, I, Nefi, have not taught my children after the manner of the Y’hudim. But behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at Yerushalayim; wherefore, I know concerning the regions round about. And I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments of Elohim which have come to pass among the Y’hudim, unto my children, according to all that which Yesha’yahu has spoken, and I do not write them.
  3. But behold, I proceed with my own prophecy according to my plainness, in the which I know that no man can err. Nevertheless, in the days that the prophecies of Yesha’yahu shall be fulfilled, men shall know of a surety at the times when they shall come to pass; wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men. And he that supposes that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly and confine the words unto my own people. For I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days, for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written them.
  4. And as one generation has been destroyed among the Y’hudim because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from generation to generation according to their iniquities. And never have any of them been destroyed except it were foretold them by the prophets of yhwh. Wherefore, it has been told132 them concerning the destruction which should come upon them immediately after my father left Yerushalayim; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts. And according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, except it be those which are carried away captive into Babylon. And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me. And even though they have been carried away, they shall return again and possess the land of Yerushalayim; wherefore, they shall be restored again to the lands of their inheritance. But behold, they shall have wars and rumors of wars.
  5. And when the day comes that the Only Begotten of the Father — yes, even the Father of Heaven and of earth — shall manifest133 himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks. Behold, they will crucify him. And after he is laid in a sepulcher for the space of three days, he shall rise from the dead with healing in his wings,134 and all those who shall believe on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of Elohim. Wherefore, my soul delights to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his day and my heart does magnify his holy name. And behold, it shall come to pass that after the Mashiach has risen from the dead, and has manifested himself unto his people, unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Yerushalayim shall be destroyed again; for woe unto them that fight against Elohim and the people of his assembly. Wherefore, the Y’hudim shall be scattered among all nations, yes, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Y’hudim shall be scattered by other nations.135
  6. And after they have been scattered, and Adonai yhwh has scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yes, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Mashiach, the Son of Elohim, and the atonement which is infinite for all mankind, and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Mashiach, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward anymore for another mashiach — and then, at that time, the day will come that it must be necessary that they should believe these things — yhwh136 will set his hand again the second time137 to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among138 the children of men. Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which words shall judge them at the last day. For they shall be given them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Mashiach, who was rejected by them, and unto the convincing of them that they need not look forward anymore for a Mashiach to come; for there should not any come, except it should be a false mashiach which should deceive the people, for there is only one Mashiach spoken of by the prophets, and that Mashiach is he which should be rejected139 of the Y’hudim. For according to the words of the prophets, the Mashiach comes in six hundred years from the time that my father left Yerushalayim.140 And according to the words of the prophets, and also the word of the angel of Elohim, his name shall be Yeshua HaMashiach, the Son of Elohim.
  7. And now my brothers, I have spoken plainly that you cannot err. And as Adonai yhwh lives that brought Isra’el up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moshe power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up before them, and also gave him power that he should strike the rock and the water should come forth, yes, behold, I say unto you that as these things are true, and as Adonai yhwh lives, there is no other name given under Heaven, except it be this Yeshua HaMashiach of which I have spoken, by which man can be saved. Wherefore, for this cause has Adonai yhwh promised unto me that these things which I write shall be kept, and preserved, and handed down unto my seed from generation to generation — that the promise may be fulfilled unto Yosef that his seed should never perish as long as the earth should stand. Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to generation as long as the earth shall stand, and they shall go according to the will and pleasure of Elohim. And the nations which shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words which are written.
  8. For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children and also our brothers to believe in Mashiach, and to be reconciled to Elohim, for we know that it is by grace that we are saved after all that we can do. And even though we believe in Mashiach, we keep the Torah of Moshe, and look forward with steadfastness unto Mashiach until the Torah shall be fulfilled;141 for, for this end was the Torah given. Wherefore, the Torah has become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Mashiach because of our faith; yet we keep the Torah because of the mitzvot. And we talk of Mashiach, we rejoice in Mashiach, we preach of Mashiach, we prophesy of Mashiach, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. Wherefore, we speak concerning the Torah, that our children may know the deadness of the Torah;142 and they, by knowing the deadness of the Torah, may look forward unto that life which is in Mashiach, and know for what end the Torah was given; and after the Torah is fulfilled in Mashiach, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the Torah ought to be done away.143
  9. And now behold, my people, you are a stiffnecked people; wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that you cannot misunderstand. And the words which I have spoken shall stand as a testimony against you, for they are sufficient to teach any man the right way. For the right way is to believe in Mashiach and deny him not, for by denying him you also deny the prophets and the Torah. And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Mashiach and deny him not, and Mashiach is HaKodesh of Isra’el. Wherefore, you must bow down before him and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul;144 and if you do this, you shall in no way be cast out. And inasmuch as it shall be expedient, you must keep the performances and ordinances of Elohim until145 the Torah shall be fulfilled146 which was given unto Moshe.
  10. And after Mashiach shall have risen from the dead, he shall show himself unto you, my children and my beloved brothers, and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the Torah which you shall do. For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and contentions among my people. And after the Mashiach shall come, there shall be signs given unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and resurrection. And great and terrible shall that day be unto the wicked, for they shall perish. And they perish because they cast out the prophets and the k’doshim, and stone them, and slay them. Wherefore, the cry of the blood of the k’doshim shall ascend up to Elohim from the ground against them. Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the day that comes shall burn them up, says yhwh Tzva’ot, for they shall be as stubble.147 And they that kill the prophets and the k’doshim, the depths of the earth shall swallow them up, says yhwh Tzva’ot, and mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away, and buildings shall fall upon them, and crush them to pieces, and grind them to powder. And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings, and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions; for the fire of the anger of yhwh shall be kindled against them, and they shall be as stubble, and the day that comes shall consume them, says yhwh Tzva’ot.148
  11. Oh the pain and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the slain of my people. For I, Nefi, have seen it, and it very nearly consumes me before the presence of yhwh. But I must cry unto my Elohim, Your ways are just! But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the prophets and destroy them not, but look forward unto Mashiach with steadfastness for the signs which are given, despite all persecutions, behold, they are they which shall not perish. But the Son of Righteousness149 shall appear unto them and he shall heal them,150 and they shall have shalom with him until three generations shall have passed away and many of the fourth generation shall have passed away in righteousness. And when these things shall have passed away, a speedy destruction151 comes unto my people. For despite the pains of my soul, I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass. And they sell themselves for no value, for, for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction. For because they yield unto HaSatan and choose works of darkness rather than light, therefore they must go down to She’ol. For the spirit of yhwh will not always strive with man,152 and when the spirit ceases to strive with man, then comes speedy destruction. And this grieves my soul.
  12. And as I spoke concerning the convincing of the Y’hudim that Yeshua is the very Mashiach, it must necessarily be that the Goyim be convinced also that Yeshua is the Mashiach, the Elohe Kedem, and that he manifests himself unto all those who believe in him by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh, yes, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and wonders among the children of men according to their faith.
  13. But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days, concerning the days when Adonai yhwh shall bring these things forth unto the children of men. After my seed and the seed of my brothers shall have dwindled in unbelief, and shall have been slain by the Goyim, yes, after Adonai yhwh shall have camped against them round about, and shall have laid siege against them153 with a mount, and raised forts against them, and after they shall have been brought down low in the dust,154 even that they are not, yet the words of the righteous shall be written, and the prayers of the faithful shall be heard, and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten. For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust, and their voice shall be as one that has a familiar spirit, for Adonai yhwh will give unto him power that he may whisper concerning them, even as it were out of the ground, and their speech shall whisper out of the dust.155
  14. For thus says Adonai yhwh: They shall write the things which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and sealed up in a book,156 and those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of Elohim. Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been destroyed speedily, and the multitude of their terrible ones157 shall be as chaff that passes away, yes, thus says Adonai yhwh: It shall be at an instant, suddenly.
  15. And it shall come to pass that those who have dwindled in unbelief shall be slain by the hand of the Goyim. And the Goyim are lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and have stumbled because of the greatness of their stumbling block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they put down the power and the miracles of Elohim, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.158 And there are many churches built up which cause envyings, and strifes, and malice; and there are also secret conspiracies, even as in times of old, according to the conspiracies of HaSatan. For he is the foundation of all these things, yes, the foundation of murder and works of darkness; yes, and he leads them by the neck with a flaxen cord until he binds them with his strong cords for ever.
  16. For behold, my beloved brothers, I say unto you that Adonai yhwh works not in darkness. He does not do anything except it be for the benefit of the world, for he loves the world, even that he lays down his own life, that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commands none that they shall not partake of his salvation. Behold, does he cry unto any, saying, Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, no; but he says, Come unto me all you ends of the earth, buy milk and honey without money and without price.159 Behold, has he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, no. Has he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold, I say unto you, no, but he has given it free for all men; and he has commanded his people that they should persuade all men unto repentance. Behold, has yhwh commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold, I say unto you, no, but all men are privileged, the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.
  17. He commands that there shall be no priestcrafts; for behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain160 and praise of the world, but they seek not the welfare of Tziyon. Behold, yhwh has forbidden this thing; wherefore, Adonai yhwh has given a mitzvah that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity, they were nothing; wherefore, if they should have charity, they would not allow the laborer in Tziyon to perish. But the laborer in Tziyon shall labor for Tziyon, for if they labor for money, they shall perish. And again, Adonai yhwh has commanded that men should not murder,161 that they should not lie, that they should not steal, that they should not take the name of yhwh their Elohim in vain, that they should not envy,162 that they should not have malice, that they should not contend one with another, that they should not commit whoredoms, and that they should do none of these things.163 For whoever does them shall perish, for none of these iniquities come of yhwh. For he does that which is good among the children of men, and he does nothing except it be plain unto the children of men. And he invites them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness, and he denies none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembers the heathen, and all are alike unto Elohim, both Y’hudi and Goy.

    18. An Aggadic Midrash on Yesha’yahu 29

  18. But behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Goyim, yes, behold, all the nations of the Goyim, and also the Y’hudim, both those who shall come upon this land and those who shall be upon other lands, yes, even upon all the lands of the earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations. And when that day shall come, they shall be visited of yhwh Tzva’ot with thunder, and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm and tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire. And all the nations that fight against Tziyon and that distress her shall be as a dream of a night vision. Yes, it shall be unto them even as unto a hungry man which dreams, and behold, he eats, but he awakes and his soul is empty. Or like unto a thirsty man which dreams, and behold, he drinks, but he awakes and behold, he is faint and his soul has appetite. Yes, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Tziyon.164 For behold, all you that do iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for you shall cry out and cry. Yes, you shall be drunken, but not with wine; you shall stagger, but not with strong drink.165 For behold, yhwh has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, for behold, you have closed your eyes, and you have rejected the prophets, and your rulers and the seers has he covered166 because of your iniquity.
  19. And it shall come to pass that Adonai yhwh shall bring forth unto you the words of a book,167 and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. And behold, the book shall be sealed, and in the book shall be a revelation from Elohim, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof. Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the things which are sealed shall not be delivered168 in the day of the wickedness and abominations of the people; wherefore, the book shall be kept from them. But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words of the book, which are the words of those who have slumbered in the dust, and he shall deliver these words unto another. But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book, for the book shall be sealed by the power of Elohim, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own due time of yhwh, that they may come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. And the day comes that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the housetops, and they shall be read by the power of Mashiach. And all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be, even unto the end of the earth. Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, except it be that three witnesses169 shall behold it by the power of Elohim, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein. And there is no other which shall view it, except it be a few according to the will of Elohim, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men. For Adonai yhwh has said that the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from the dead. Wherefore, Adonai yhwh will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seems him good will he confirm his word; and woe be unto him that rejects the word of Elohim.
  20. But behold, it shall come to pass that Adonai yhwh shall say unto him to whom he shall deliver the book, Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying, Read this, I ask you. And the learned shall say, Bring here the book and I will read it. And now because of the glory of the world and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of Elohim. And the man shall say, I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed.170 Then shall the learned say, I cannot read it. Wherefore, it shall come to pass that Adonai yhwh will deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say, I am not learned.171 Then shall Adonai yhwh say unto him, The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do my own work; wherefore, you shall read the words which I shall give unto you. Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in my own due time, for I will show unto the children of men that I am able to do my own work. Wherefore, when you have read the words which I have commanded you, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto you, then shall you seal up the book again and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which you have not read, until I shall see fit in my own wisdom to reveal all things unto the children of men. For behold, I am Elohim, and I am an Elohim of miracles, and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and for ever, and I work not among the children of men except it be according to their faith.
  21. And again it shall come to pass that yhwh shall say unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him, Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men, therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yes, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. And woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from yhwh, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who sees us? And who knows us? And they also say, Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay. But behold, I will show unto them, says yhwh Tzva’ot, that I know all their works. For shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? But behold, says yhwh Tzva’ot, I will show unto the children of men that it is not yet a very little while and L’vanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest. And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in yhwh, and the poor among men shall rejoice in HaKodesh of Isra’el. For assuredly as yhwh lives, they shall see that the terrible one is brought to nothing, and the scorner is consumed; and all that watch for iniquity are cut off, and they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of no value. Therefore, thus says yhwh, who redeemed Avraham, concerning the house of Ya’akov: Ya’akov shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now grow pale. But when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify HaKodesh of Ya’akov, and shall fear the Elohim of Isra’el. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.172