- Now it came to pass that the ninety and first year1 had passed away, and it was six hundred years from the time that Lechi left Yerushalayim; and it was in the year that Lachoneus2 was the chief judge and the governor over the land. And Nefi, the son of Cheleman, had departed out of the land of Zerach’mla, giving charge unto his son Nefi, who was his eldest son, concerning the plates of brass,3 and all the records which had been kept, and all those things which had been kept sacred from the departure of Lechi out of Yerushalayim. Then he departed out of the land, and where he went, no man knows.4 And his son Nefi did keep the record in his place, yes, the record of this people.
- And it came to pass that in the commencement of the ninety and second year, behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully, for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles worked among the people. But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled which were spoken by Sh’mu’el, the Lamanite. And they began to rejoice over their brothers, saying, Behold, the time is past and the words of Sh’mu’el are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing have been vain. And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, for fear that by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass. But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day5 as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.
- Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death, except the sign should come to pass which had been given by Sh’mu’el, the prophet. Now it came to pass that when Nefi, the son of Nefi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful. And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his Elohim in behalf of his people, yes, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers. And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto yhwh all that day. And behold, the voice of yhwh came unto him, saying, Lift up your head and be of good cheer. For behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and tomorrow I come into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.6 Behold, I come unto my own to fulfill all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will both of the Father and of the Son — of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand and this night shall the sign be given.
- And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nefi were fulfilled according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness, and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came. And there were many, who had not believed the words of the prophets, who fell to the earth and became as if they were dead, for they knew that the great plan of destruction which they had laid for those who believed in the words of the prophets had been frustrated. For the sign which had been given was already at hand, and they began to know that the Son of Elohim must shortly appear. Yes, and in short, all the people upon the face of the whole earth, from the west to the east, both in the land north and in the land south, were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to the earth, for they knew that the prophets had testified of these things for many years, and that the sign which had been given was already at hand. And they began to fear because of their iniquity and their unbelief.
- And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was midday. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that yhwh should be born, because of the sign which had been given. And it had come to pass, yes, all things, every point, according to the words of the prophets. And it came to pass also that a new star7 did appear according to the word. And it came to pass that from this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people by HaSatan to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen. But despite these lyings and deceivings, the more part of the people did believe and were converted unto yhwh.
- And it came to pass that Nefi went forth among the people, and also many others, immersing unto repentance, in the which there was a great remission of sins. And thus the people began again to have shalom in the land. And there were no contentions, except it were a few that began to preach, endeavoring to prove by the scriptures that it was no longer necessary to observe the Torah of Moshe. Now in this thing they did err, having not understood the scriptures. But it came to pass that they soon became converted and were convinced of the error which they were in, for it was made known unto them that the Torah was not yet fulfilled8 and that it must be fulfilled in every point. Yes, the word came unto them that it must be fulfilled, yes, that not one yud nor stroke should pass away till it should all be fulfilled.9 Therefore, in this same year were they brought to a knowledge of their error and did confess their faults. And thus the ninety and second year did pass away, bringing glad tidings unto the people because of the signs which did come to pass according to the words of the prophecy of all the holy prophets.
- And it came to pass that the ninety and third year did also pass away in shalom, except it were for the Gaddianton robbers who did dwell upon the mountains, who did infest the land; for so strong were their holds and their secret places that the people could not overpower them; therefore, they did commit many murders and did do much slaughter among the people. And it came to pass that in the ninety and fourth year they began to increase in a great degree because there were many dissenters10 of the Nefites who did flee unto them, which did cause much sorrow unto those Nefites who did remain in the land. And there was also a cause of much sorrow among the Lamanites, for behold, they had many children who came of age that they became responsible for themselves,11 and were led away by some who were Tzuramites, by their lyings and their flattering words, to join those Gaddianton robbers. And thus were the Lamanites afflicted also, and began to decrease as to their faith and righteousness because of the wickedness of the rising generation.
- And it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety and fifth12 year also; and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from Heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen, imagining up some vain thing in their hearts: that it was worked by men and by the power of HaSatan to lead away and deceive the hearts of the people. And thus did HaSatan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine13 of Mashiach was a foolish and a vain thing.
- And it came to pass that the people began to grow strong in wickedness and abominations, and they did not believe that there should be any more signs or wonders given. And HaSatan did go about leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land. And thus did pass away the ninety and sixth year, and also the ninety and seventh year, and also the ninety and eighth year, and also the ninety and ninth year, and also a hundred years had passed away since the days of Moshiyah, who was king over the people of the Nefites. And six hundred and nine years had passed away since Lechi left Yerushalayim;14 and nine years had passed away from the time when the sign was given which was spoken of by the prophets that Mashiach should come into the world. Now the Nefites began to reckon their time15 from this period when the sign was given, or from the coming of Mashiach. Therefore, nine years had passed away, and Nefi, who was the father of Nefi, who had the charge of the records, did not return to the land of Zerach’mla and could nowhere be found in all the land.
- And it came to pass that the people did still remain in wickedness, despite the much preaching and prophesying which was sent among them. And thus passed away the tenth year also, and the eleventh year also passed away in iniquity. And it came to pass in the thirteenth year, there began to be wars and contentions throughout all the land, for the Gaddianton robbers had become so numerous, and did slay so many of the people, and did lay waste so many cities, and did spread so much death and carnage throughout the land, that it became expedient that all the people, both the Nefites and the Lamanites, should take up arms against them. Therefore, all the Lamanites who had become converted unto yhwh did unite with their brothers, the Nefites, and were compelled, for the safety of their lives, and their women, and their children, to take up arms against those Gaddianton robbers, yes, and also to maintain their rights and their privileges of their assembly, and of their worship, and their freedom, and their liberty.16
- And it came to pass that before this thirteenth year had passed away, the Nefites were threatened with utter destruction because of this war which had become exceedingly sore. And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with the Nefites were numbered among the Nefites, and their curse was taken from them,17 and their skin became white like unto the Nefites, and their young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair, and they were numbered among the Nefites and were called Nefites. And thus ended the thirteenth year.
- And it came to pass in the commencement of the fourteenth year, the war between the robbers and the people of Nefi did continue and did become exceedingly sore. Nevertheless, the people of Nefi did gain some advantage over the robbers, insomuch that they did drive them back out of their lands, into the mountains and into their secret places. And thus ended the fourteenth year. And in the fifteenth year they did come forth again against the people of Nefi. And because of the wickedness of the people of Nefi, and their many contentions and dissensions, the Gaddianton robbers did gain many advantages over them. And thus ended the fifteenth year. And thus were the people in a state of many afflictions; and the sword of destruction did hang over them, insomuch that they were about to be struck down by it, and this because of their iniquity.
ספר נפי בן נפי אשר היה בן חלמן
3 NEFI
THE BOOK OF NEFI
THE SON OF NEFI, WHO WAS THE SON OF CHELEMAN
And Cheleman was the son of Cheleman, who was the son of Alma, who was the son of Alma, being a descendant of Nefi, who was the son of Lechi, who came out of Yerushalayim in the first year of the reign of Tzidkiyahu, the king of Y’hudah.
THE THIRD BOOK OF NEFI Chapter 1