11:1 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. |
|
11:2 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. |
|
11:3 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. |
|
11:4 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. |
|
11:5 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. |
|
11:6 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. |
|
11:7 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. |
|
11:8 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; |
|
11:9 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. |
|
11:10 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. |
|
11:11 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. |
|
11:12 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. |
|
11:13 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. |
|
11:14 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. |
|
11:15 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. |
|
11:16 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. |
|
11:17 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. |
|
11:18 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. |
|
11:19 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. |
|
11:20 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. |
|
11:21 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. |
|
11:22 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. |
|
11:23 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. |
|
11:24 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. |
|
11:25 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. |
|
11:26 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. |
|
11:27 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? |
|
11:28 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. |
|
11:29 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. |
|