revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people; 5. For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made manifest unto us concerning our people, "what things should happen unto them. 6. And we also had many revelations, and the Spirit of much prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which should come. 7. Wherefore we laboured diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation, while the children of Israel were in the wilderness. 8. Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi. 9. Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soon die; wherefore, he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his people now, according to the reigns of the kings. 10. The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in their defence, and having laboured in all his days for their welfare; 11. Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance his name. And whoso should reign in his stead, were called by the people, second Nephi, third Nephi, &c., according to the reigns of the kings; and thus they were called by the people, let them be of whatever name they would. 12. And it came to pass that Nephi died. 13. Now the people which were not Lamanites, were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. 14. But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi, I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings. 15. And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, c, small plates. See b, 1. Nep. 6. 1-18. 19: 10-17. 22: 7, 8. 11. Nep. ch. 25 ch. 26 ch. 27 ch. 29: 11-14. 9, 14, 15. II. Nep. 5: 18. d, 1. Nep. 12 ch. 13 ch. 14 ch. 15: 1: 5-12. 2: 3. 3 ch. 4:1-11. 10 30: 1-6. e, vers. 1-4. ƒ, vers. under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old, desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son: 16. Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride; 17. Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the "temple, having firstly obtained mine errand from the Lord. 18. For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph, had been consecrated priests, and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi. 19. And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads, if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by labouring with our mights, their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise, their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day. Exhortation against Pride of Riches. CHAPTER 2. 1. THE words which Jacob, the brother of Nephi, spake unto the people of Nephi, after the death of Nephi: 2. Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness, and that I might arid my garments of your sins. I come up into the temple this day, that I might declare unto you the word of God; 3. And ye yourselves know, that I have hitherto been diligent in the office of my calling; but I this day am weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls than I have hitherto been. 4. For behold, as yet, ye have been obedient unto the word of the Lord, which I have given unto you. 5. But behold, hearken ye unto me, and know that by the help of the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth, I can tell you concerning your thoughts, how that ye are beginning to labour in sin, which sin appeareth very abominable unto me; yea, and abominable unto God. 6. Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker, that I might testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts; 7. And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceeding tender h, see h, II. Nep. 5. i, II. Nep. 5: 26. g, ver. 11. 44. Jacob 2: 2. j, I. Nep. 9: a, see j, Jacob 1. b, vers. 9, 28, 33, 35. Jacob 3: 7. Moro. 9: 9, 10. Exhortation against Pride of Riches. and chaste, and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God; 8. And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul. 9. Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul, that I should be constrained because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God, have daggers placed to pierce their souls, and wound their delicate minds. 10. But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God. 11. Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the "plainness of the word of God. For behold, as I enquired of the Lord, thus came the word unto me, saying, Jacob, get thou up into the temple on the morrow, and declare the word which I shall give thee unto this people. 12. And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you, and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully. 13. And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren, ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads, because of the costliness of your apparel and persecute your brethren, because ye suppose that ye are better than they. 14. And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things, his judgments must speedily come unto you. 15. O that he would shew you that he can pierce you, and with one glance of his eye, he can smite you to the dust. 16. O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination. And, O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls. 17. Think of your brethren, like unto yourselves, and be c, II. Nep. 9: 44. Jacob 2: 15. e, see h, II. Nep. 5. f, 1. Nep. 2:20. 17:13, 14. 18:8, 23, 25. g, see g, 8:36-40. i, see c. Mos. 27: 31. 4:14. 5:22. II. Nep. 5. h, d, see c, II. Nep. 33. 12:1, 4. 13:12, 14, 30. II. Nep. 28: 14. Mor. bidding Polecam, unless especially commanded no alluded to in verse, 30 familiar with all, and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. 18. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. 19. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ, ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them, for the intent to do good; to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick, and the afflicted. 20. And now, my brethren, I have spoken unto you concerning pride; and those of you which have afflicted your neighbour, and persecuted him because ye were proud in your hearts, of the things which God hath given you, what say ye of it? 21. Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him who created all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other. And all flesh is of the dust; and for the self-same end hath he created them, that they should keep his commandments, and glorify him for ever. 22. And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly, because of you. 23. But the word of God burthens me because of your grosser crimes. For behold, thus saith the Lord, This people begin to wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures; for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son. 24. Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was 'abominable before me, saith the Lord; 25. Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a "righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph. 26. Wherefore, I the Lord God, will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. 27. Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord; for there shall not any man among you have save it be "one wife; and concubines he shall have none; 28. For I, the Lord God, delighteth in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts. 29. Wherefore, this people shall keep my command j, Mos. 4:16, 22, 26. Alma 1 : 26-30. IV. Nep. 3, 24-26. k, 1. Kings 11: 1-13. Deut. 17: 14-17. II. Sam. 3: 2-5, 14. 5: 13. 11: 26, 27. 12: 7-12, 24. 15: 16. 16: 21, 22. 19: 5. 20: 3. 1. Kings 1: 1-4. 7, 1. Kings 11:1-11. Deut. 7: 1-4. Ezra 9:1, 2. Nehemiah 13: 23-27. Deut 17: 14-17. m, II. Nep. 3:5. n, ver. 34. , II. Nep. 28. Jacob 3: 5--7. 0, see ments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or Pcursed be the land for their sakes. 30. For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto "these things. 31. For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem; yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness and abominations of their husbands. 32. And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me, against the men of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts; 33. For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my people, because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with a sore curse, even unto destruction: for they shall not commit "whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts. 34. And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments were "given to our father, Lehi; wherefore ye have known them before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have done these things, which ye ought not to have done. 35. Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the "strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds. CHAPTER 3. 1. BUT behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction. 2. O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, for ever. 3. But wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart; that P, Jacob 3: 3. Ether 2: 7-12. q, See Rev. on marriage, given in 1843. Doc. & Cov. 132. r, the law given to Lehi. See vers. 27, 34. Jacob 3: 5. Alma 45: 16. 8, Ezek. 16: 22-43. v, I. Nep. 1: 16, 17. 6:1. a, see e, H. Nep. 32. |