V2.03.05 Account of the Second King of Lehi-Nephi - Reimagining the Book of Mormon

Account of the second king of Lehi-Nephi

abridged ca. 364 ad

And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon Noah, one of his sons. Therefore Noah began to reign in his stead. And he did not walk in the ways of his father. For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and concubines. And he did cause his people to commit sin, and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.

And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain. And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom. For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts.

Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which King Noah had put upon his people. Thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity. Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests. For they did speak flattering things unto them. And it came to pass that King Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings, and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of precious things, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of brass, and of ziff, and of copper. And he also built him a spacious palace, and a throne in the midst thereof, all of which was of fine wood and was ornamented with gold and silver and with precious things. And he also caused that his workmen should work all manner of fine work within the walls of the temple, of fine wood, and of copper, and of brass. And the seats which were set apart for the high priests, which were above all the other seats, he did ornament with pure gold. And he caused a breastwork to be built before them, that they might rest their bodies and their arms upon, while they should speak lying and vain words to his people.

And it came to pass that he built a tower near the temple. Yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites. And he could even look over all the land round about. And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built in the land Shilom. And he caused a great tower to be built on the hill north of the land Shilom, which had been a resort for the children of Nephi, at the time they fled out of the land. And thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation of his people.

And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his riches, and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his concubines. And so did also his priests spend their time with harlots. And it came to pass that he planted vineyards round about in the land. And he built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance. And therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people.

And it came to pass that the Lamanites began to come in upon his people, upon small numbers, and to slay them in their fields, and while they were tending their flocks. And King Noah sent guards round about the land to keep them off; but he did not send a sufficient number, and the Lamanites came upon them and killed them, and drove many of their flocks out of the land. Thus the Lamanites began to destroy them, and to exercise their hatred upon them.

And it came to pass that King Noah sent his armies against them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a time: therefore, they returned rejoicing in their spoil. And now, because of this great victory they were lifted up in the pride of their hearts. They did boast in their own strength, saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the Lamanites! And thus they did boast, and did delight in blood, and the shedding of the blood of their brethren, and this because of the wickedness of their king and priests.

And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi. And he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying:

Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying:

Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord:
Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations!
And their wickedness, and their whoredoms!
And except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.
And except they repent and turn to the Lord their god, behold,
I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies.
Yea, and they shall be brought into bondage and they shall be
Afflicted by the hand of their enemies.
And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the Lord
Their god, and am a jealous god, visiting the iniquities of my people.
And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn
Unto the Lord their god, they shall be brought into bondage;
And none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the almighty God.
Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto me
I will be slow to hear their cries! Yea, and I will suffer them that they be
Smitten by their enemies. And except they repent in sackcloth
And ashes, and cry mightily to the Lord their god, I will not hear
Their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions;

And thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.

Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken these words unto them they were wroth with him, and sought to take away his life. But the Lord delivered him out of their hands. Now when King Noah had heard of the words which Abinadi had spoken unto the people, he was also wroth. And he said:

Who is Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him?
Or who is the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such great affliction?
I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I may slay him!
For he has said these things that he might stir up my people to anger, one
With another, and to raise contentions among my people.
Therefore I will slay him.

Now the eyes of the people were blinded. Therefore they hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they sought from that time forward to take him. And King Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of his evil doings.

And it came to pass that after the space of two years that Abinadi came among them in disguise, that they knew him not, and began to prophesy among them, saying:

Thus has the Lord commanded me, saying – Abinadi!
Go and prophesy unto this my people!
For they have hardened their hearts against my words.
They have repented not of their evil doings.
Therefore, I will visit them in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger
Will I visit them in their iniquities and abominations.
Yea, wo be unto this generation!
And the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy,
Saying: Thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass that this generation,
Because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage,
And shall be smitten on the cheek!
Yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be slain!
And the vultures of the air, and the dogs,
Yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.
And it shall come to pass, that the life of King Noah shall be valued
Even as a garment in a hot furnace.
For he shall know that I am the Lord.
And it shall come to pass that I will smite this, my people,
With sore afflictions, yea, with famine and with pestilence.
And I will cause that they shall howl all the day long.
Yea, and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs!
And they shall be driven before like a dumb ass.
And it shall come to pass that I will send forth hail among them, and
It shall smite them and they shall also be smitten with the east wind
And insects shall pester their land also, and devour their grain.
And they shall be smitten with a great pestilence.
And all this will I do because of their iniquities and abominations.
And it shall come to pass that except they repent, I will utterly destroy
Them from off the face of the earth!
Yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them
For other nations which shall possess the land.
Yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations
Of this people to other nations.

And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people. And it came to pass that they were angry with him and they took him, and carried him bound before the king, and said unto the king:

Behold, we have brought a man before thee, who has prophesied
Evil concerning thy people, and saith that God will destroy them. And
He also prophesieth evil concerning thy life, and saith that thy life
Shall be as a garment in a furnace of fire. And again, he saith
That thou shalt be as a stalk, even as a dry stalk of the field,
Which is run over by the beasts and trodden under foot.
And again, he saith
Thou shalt be as the blossoms of a thistle, which, when it is fully ripe,
If the wind bloweth, it is driven forth upon the face of the land.
And he pretendeth the Lord hath spoken it. And he saith
All this shall come upon thee,
Except thou repent, and this because of thine iniquities.

And now, O king, what great evil hast thou done, or what great sins
Have thy people committed, that we should be condemned of
God, or judged of this man? And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, And thou, O king, Hast not sinned!
Therefore, this man has lied concerning you, and he has
Prophesied in vain. And behold, we are strong, we shall not
Come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies! Yea,
And thou hast prospered in the land,
And thou shalt also prosper. Behold, here is the man,
We deliver him into thy hands.
Thou mayest do with him as seemeth thee good.

And it came to pass that King Noah caused that Abinadi should be cast into prison. And he commanded that the priests should gather themselves together, that he might hold a council with them what he should do with him. And it came to pass that they said unto the king: Bring him hither that we may question him.

And the king commanded that he should be brought before them. And they began to question him, that they might cross him, that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him. But he answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment. For he did withstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all their words. And it came to pass that one of them said unto him:

What meaneth the words which are written,
And which have been taught by our fathers, saying:
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
Of him that bringeth good tidings
That publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good
That publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy god reigneth!
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall
They sing! For they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring
Again Zion.
Break forth into joy! Sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem!
For the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations,
And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our god?

And now Abinadi said unto them:

Are you priests, and pretend to teach this people?
And to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet
Desire to know of me what these things mean?
I say unto you, wo be unto you, for perverting the ways of the Lord!
For if ye understand these things, ye have not taught them.
Therefore, ye have perverted the ways of the Lord.
Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding.
Therefore, ye have not been wise.
Therefore, what teach ye this people?

And they said: We teach the law of Moses.
And again he said unto them:

If ye teach the law of Moses, why do ye not keep it?
Why do ye set your hearts upon riches?
Why do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots?
Yea, and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has cause
To send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil
Against this people? Know ye not that I speak the truth?
Yea, ye know that I speak the truth.
And you ought to tremble before God.
And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your iniquities,
For ye have said that ye teach the law of Moses. And what know ye
Concerning the law of Moses? Doth salvation come by the law of Moses?
What say ye?

And they answered and said that salvation did come by the law of Moses. But now Abinadi said unto them:

I know if ye keep the commandments of God, ye shall be saved.
Yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lord delivered
Unto Moses in the mount of Sinai, saying:
I am the Lord thy god, who hath brought thee out of the land
Of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage.
Thou shalt have no other god before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
Of any thing in Heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.

Now Abinadi said unto them:

Have ye done all this? I say unto you, Nay, ye have not.
And have ye taught this people that they should do all these things?
I say unto you, Nay, ye have not.

And now when the king had heard these words, he said unto his priests:

Away with this fellow, and slay him!
For what have we to do with him, for he is mad.

And they stood forth and attempted to lay their hands on him. But he withstood them, and said unto them:

Touch me not, for God shall smite you, if ye lay your hands upon me,
For I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent me
To deliver. Neither have I told you that which ye requested, that I
Should tell. Therefore, God will not suffer that I shall be
Destroyed at this time.
But I must fulfill the commandments wherewith
God has commanded me. And because I have told you the truth,
Ye are angry with me. And again, because I have spoken the word
Of God ye have judged me that I am mad.

Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that the people of King Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. And his face shone with exceeding luster, even as Moses’ did while in the mount of Sinai, while speaking with the Lord. And he spake with power and authority from God. And he continued his words, saying:

Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish my message.
Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts because I tell you
The truth concerning your iniquities.
Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with anger.
But I finish my message, and then it matters not whither I go,
If it so be that I am saved. But this much I tell you,
What you do with me, after this, shall be as a type and a shadow
Of things which are to come.

And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God,
For I perceive that they are not written in your hearts
I perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part of
Your lives. And now, ye remember that I said unto you:
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
Of things which are in Heaven above, or which are in the earth beneath,
Or which are in the water under the earth.

And again: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them.
For I the Lord thy god am a jealous god, visiting
The iniquities of the fathers
Upon the children, unto the third and fourth generations
Of them that hate me. And showing mercy unto thousands
Of them that love me and keep my commandments.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy god in vain!
For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work.
But the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord thy god, thou shalt not
Do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor
Thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
For in six days the Lord made Heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is. Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon
The land which the Lord thy god giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house,
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant,
Nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor
Anything that is thy neighbor’s.

And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an end of these sayings that he said unto them:

Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all
These things for to keep these commandments?
I say unto you, Nay. For if ye had, the Lord would not have
Caused me to come forth, and to prophesy evil concerning this people.
And now ye have said, that salvation cometh by the law of Moses.
I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of
Moses as yet. But I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall
No more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.
And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come
By the law alone and were it not for the atonement which God
Himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must
Unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.
And now I say unto you, that it was expedient that there
Should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very strict law
For they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do iniquity,
And slow to remember the Lord their god.
Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances
And of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly
From day to day, to keep them in remembrance of
God, and their duty towards him.

But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things
To come. And now, did they understand the law? I say unto you,
Nay, they did not all understand the law, and this because of the hardness
Of their hearts. For they understood not that there could not
Any man be saved, except it were through the redemption of God.
For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the
Coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? Yea,
And even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the world began.
Have they not spoken more or less concerning these things?
Have they not said that God himself should come down among
The children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth
In mighty power upon the face of the earth? Yea,
And have they not said also that he should bring to pass the resurrection
Of the dead, and that he, himself, should be oppressed and afflicted?

Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report?
And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root
Out of dry ground. He hath no form nor comeliness.
And when we shall see him, there is no beauty, that we should desire him.
He is despised, and rejected of men!
A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief
And we hid as it were our faces from him
He was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows
Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
For our iniquities! The chastisement of our peace was upon him.
And with his stripes we are healed.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray
We have turned every one to his own way
And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers
Is dumb so he opened not his mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment
And who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out
Of the land of the living,
For the transgressions of my people was he stricken.
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich
In his death, because he had done no evil, neither was
Any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him!
He hath put him to grief
When thou shalt make his soul an offering
For sin he shall see his seed,
He shall prolong his days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied
By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many
For he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and
He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath
Poured out his soul unto death.
And he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sins of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

And now Abinadi said unto them:

I would that ye should understand that God himself shall come
Down among the children of men, and shall redeem his people.⁵
And because he dwelleth in flesh, he shall be called
The Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will
Of the Father, being the Father and the Son —
The Father, because he was conceived
By the power of God and the Son because of the flesh.

Thus becoming the Father and Son –
And they are one god, yea, the very Eternal Father of Heaven
And of Earth. And thus the flesh becoming subject to
The spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one
God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation,
But suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged,
And cast out, and disowned by his people.
And after all this,
After working many mighty miracles among the children of men,
He shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said,
As a sheep before the shearer is dumb,
So he opened not his mouth.
Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified,
And slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death,
The will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.
And thus God breaketh the bands of death!
Having gained the victory over death
Giving the Son power to make intercession for
The children of men: Having ascended into Heaven,
Having the bowels of mercy, being filled with compassion towards
The children of men. Standing betwixt them
And justice. Having broken the bands of death,
Taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions,
Having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.
And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation?

Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made
An offering for sin, he shall see his seed.
And now what say ye? And who shall be his seed?
Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words
Of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have
Prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord — I say unto you,
That all those who have hearkened unto their words,
And believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked
Forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you,
That these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the Kingdom of God.
For these are they whose sins he has borne
These are they for whom he has died,
To redeem them from their transgressions.
And now, are they not his seed?

Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened
His mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression,
I mean all the holy prophets, ever since the world began?
I say unto you, that they are his seed.
And these are they who have published peace,
Who have brought good tidings of good,
Who have published salvation; that saith unto Zion:
Thy god reigneth!
And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of those that are still publishing peace!
And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
Of those who shall hereafter publish peace,
Yea, from this time henceforth and forever!
And behold, I say unto you, this is not all.
For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
Of him that bringeth good tidings,
That is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed
His people, yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people!
For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his people,
Which was prepared from the foundation of the world,
I say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have perished.
But behold, the bands of death shall be broken,
And the Son reigneth and hath power over the dead
Therefore, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.
And there cometh a resurrection, even a first resurrection!
Yea, even a resurrection of those that have been, and who are,
And who shall be, even until the resurrection of Christ:
For so shall he be called!
And now, the resurrection of all the prophets, and all
Those that have believed in their words, or all those that have kept
The commandments of God shall come forth in the first resurrection.
Therefore, they are the first resurrection.
They are raised to dwell with God who has redeemed them!
Thus they have eternal life through Christ, who has broken the bands
Of death. And these are those who have part in the first resurrection
And these are they that have died before Christ came,
In their ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them.
And thus the Lord bringeth about the restoration of these
And they have a part in the first resurrection,
Or have eternal life, being redeemed by the Lord.
And little children also have eternal life.
But behold, and fear, and tremble before God,
For ye ought to tremble, for the Lord redeemeth none such, that rebel
Against him and die in their sins! Yea, even all those that have perished
In their sins ever since the world began, that have willfully rebelled
Against God, that have known the commandments of God,
And would not keep them, these are they that
Have no part in the first resurrection.
Therefore ought ye not to tremble?
For salvation cometh to none such!
For the Lord hath redeemed none such
Yea, neither can the Lord redeem such, for he cannot deny himself
For he cannot deny justice when it has its claim.
And now I say unto you that the time shall come that
The salvation of the Lord shall be
Declared to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.
Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice!
With the voice together shall they sing
For they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.
Break forth into joy! Sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem!
For the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations
And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our god!

And now, it came to pass that after Abinadi had spoken these words, he stretched forth his hand and said:

The time shall come when all shall see the salvation of the Lord
When every nation, kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye
And shall confess before God that his judgments are just.
And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause to howl,
And weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth
And this because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord;
Therefore the Lord redeemeth them not.
For they are carnal and devilish,
And the Devil has power over them. Yea, even that old serpent that did
Beguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall;
Which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual,
Devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the Devil.
Thus all mankind were lost!
And behold, they would have been endlessly lost
Were it not that God redeemed his people from their lost and fallen state.
But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and
Goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in
His fallen state and the Devil hath all power over him.
Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption made,
Being an enemy to God, and also is the Devil an enemy to God.
And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking
Of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been
No redemption. And if Christ had not risen from the dead,
Or have broken the bands of death
That the grave should have no victory, and that death should have
No sting, There could have been no resurrection.
But there is a resurrection!
Therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed
Up in Christ. He is the light and the life of the world!
Yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened.
Yea, and also a life which is endless,
That there can be no more death.
Even this mortal shall put on immortality,
And this corruption shall put on incorruption,
And shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged
Of him according to their works, whether they be good or whether
They be evil. If they be good, to the resurrection of endless
Life and happiness, and if they be evil, to the resurrection of endless
Damnation, being delivered up to the devil, who hath subjected
Them, which is damnation
Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires;
Having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were extended
Towards them, for the arms of mercy were extended towards them,
And they would not! They being warned of their iniquities and yet
They would not depart from them and they were commanded
To repent and yet they would not repent.
And now, had ye ought not to tremble and repent of your sins?
And remember, only in and through Christ ye can be saved?
Therefore, if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it is
A shadow of those things which are to come.
Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord,
Which is the very Eternal Father. Amen.

And now it came to pass that when Abinadi had finished these sayings, that the king commanded that the priests should take him, and cause that he should be put to death. But there was one among them whose name was Alma, he also being a descendant of Nephi. And he was a young man, and he believed the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew concerning the iniquity which Abinadi had testified against them. Therefore he began to plead with the king, that he would not be angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace. But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that they might slay him.

But he fled from before them, and hid himself that they found him not. And he being concealed for many days, did write all the words which Abinadi had spoken. And it came to pass that the king caused that his guards should surround Abinadi and take him, and they bound him and cast him into prison. And after three days, having counseled with his priests, he caused that he should again be brought before him. And he said unto him:

Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy
Of death. For thou hast said that God himself should come down, among
The children of men. And now, for this cause thou shalt be put
To death, unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast
Spoken evil concerning me and my people.

Now Abinadi said unto him:

I say unto you, I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you
Concerning this people, for they are true.
And that ye may know of their surety, I have suffered myself
That I have fallen into your hands. Yea, and I will suffer even until death, And I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as
A testimony against you. And if ye slay me, ye will shed
Innocent blood, and this shall also stand
As a testimony against you at the last day.

And now King Noah was about to release him, for he feared his word. For he feared that the judgments of God would come upon him. But the priests lifted up their voices against him, and began to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king!

Therefore the king was stirred up in anger against him, and he delivered him up that he might be slain. And it came to pass that they took him and bound him, and scourged his skin with faggots, yea, even unto death. And now when the flames began to scorch him, he cried unto them, saying:

Behold, even as ye have done unto me, so shall it come to pass
That thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains that I do suffer,
Even the pains of death by fire and this because
They believe in the salvation of the Lord their god.
And it will come to pass
That ye shall be afflicted with all manner of diseases
Because of your iniquities. Yea, and ye shall be
Smitten on every hand, and shall be driven and scattered to
And fro, even as a wild flock is
Driven by wild and ferocious beasts.
And in that day ye shall be hunted, and
Ye shall be taken by the hand
Of your enemies, and then ye shall
Suffer, as I suffer, the pains
Of death by fire. Thus
God executeth vengeance
Upon those that destroy
His people. O God, Receive my soul!

And now, when Abinadi had said these words, he fell, having suffered death by fire. Yea, having been put to death because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death.

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