CHAPTER 3.

1. AND now I speak unto you, Joseph, "my last born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow, did thy mother bear thee.

2. And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee 'this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security for ever, if it so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.

3. And now, Joseph, my last born, whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee for ever, for thy seed shall not cutterly be destroyed.

4. For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph, who was carried captive into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord, which he made unto Joseph;

5. Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins, the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off; nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord, that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the Spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light; yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.

6. For Joseph truly testified, saying: A "seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.

7. Yea, Joseph truly said, Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment, that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers.

8. And I will give unto him a commandment, that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.

9. And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.

10. And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt.

a, 1. Nep. 18: 7, 19. b, 1. Nep. 2: 20. 18: 22, 23.

c, I. Nep. 13: 30. Mos. 8: 13-18. e, vers. 11, 14.

Alma 10: 3.

II. Nen. 21:8 11. Mor. 8:16, 25.

1. Nep. 5:14-16. 3:21-28.

E

Ether

11. But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy and unto him will I give power to bring forth my unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing for word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them word, which shall have already gone forth among then

12. Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write, an fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall together, unto the confounding of false doctrines, and 1 down of contentions, and establishing peace among the of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge covenants, saith the Lord.

13. And out of weakness he shall be made stron that day when my work shall commence among all people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith Lord.

14. And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy shall be confounded; for this promise, which I obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shal fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this pron

15. And his name shall be called "after me: and it s be after the name of his father. And he shall be like u me; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people salvation;

16. Yea, thus prophesied Joseph, I am sure of thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed for e

17. And the Lord hath said, I will raise up a Moses; I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will give ju ment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tong that he shall speak much; for I will not make him mig in speaking. But I will write unto him my law, by finger of mine own hand; and I will make a spokesp for him.

18. And the Lord said unto me also, I will raise up u the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a 'spokesm And I, behold, I will give unto him, that he shall write writing of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loi and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it.

19. And the words which he shall write, shall be t words which are expedient in my wisdom should go for unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fr of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust; for I kn their faith.

h, Josel

f. Ezek. 37: 16-20. g, III. Nep. 5:23. Mor. 7: 5, 10. i, II. Nep. 27: 6-26. Enos 1: 12-18. Alma 37: 1-20. III. Nep. 16: 10, Mor. 7: 8-10. j, Doc. & Cov. 100: 9, 11.

20. And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words.

21. Because of their faith, their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith, unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.

22. And now, behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my father of old prophesy.

23. Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book.

24. And there shall rise up 'one mighty among them, who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and unto the seed of thy brethren.

25. And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little; wherefore hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi, and it shall be done unto thee, even according to the words which I have spoken. Remember the words of thy dying father. Amen.

CHAPTER 4.

1. AND now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried into Egypt:

2. For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the "plates of brass.

3. Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them, Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my first-born, I would that ye should give ear unto my words;

4. For the Lord God hath said, That inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments, ye shall be cut off from my presence.

5. But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go

k, I. Nep. 26: 16. Mor. 8: 14-16, 23, 25, 26. 1, an Indian prophet. a, see a, 1. Nep. 3.

down to my grave, save I should leave a blessing upor For behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the w should go, ye will not depart from it

6. Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leav blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from and be answered upon the heads of your parents.

7. Wherefore, because of my blessing, the Lord Go not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he merciful unto you, and unto your seed for ever

wi

8. And it came to pass that after my father had ma end of speaking to the sons and daughters of Lama caused the sons and daughters of Lemuel to be bro before him.

9. And he spake unto them, saying Behold, my and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughte my second son; behold I leave unto you the same bles which I left unto the sons and daughters of Laman; wl fore, thou shalt not utterly be destroyed; but in the end seed shall be blessed.

10. And it came to pass that when my father had n an end of speaking unto them, behold, he spake the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household.

11. And after he had made an end of speaking them, he spake unto Sam, saying: Blessed art thou, and seed; for thou shalt inherit the land, like unto thy bro Nephi. And thy seed shall be "numbered with his se and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and thy s like unto his seed; and thou shalt be blessed in all thy da

12. And it came to pass after my father, Lebi, had spo unto all his household, according to the feelings of his and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed And it came to pass that he died, and was buried.

13. And it came to pass that not many days after death, Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, w angry with me because of the admonitions of the Lord;

14. For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto the according to his word: for I had spake many things un them, and also my father, before his death; many of whi sayings, are written upon mine other plates; for a mo history part are written upon mine other plates.

15. And upon these, I write the things of my soul, a many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plat of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and n heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning ar the profit of my children.

16. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord and my heart pondereth continually upon the things whic I have seen and heard.

10: 18, 19. Jacob 3: 3-9. Hela. 7: 23, 2 Mor. 5: 20, 21. Ether 13: 6, 8-11. e, Jacob 1:12-14

b, 1. Nep. 13: 31. u. Nep. 15: 10-17. III. Nep. 20: 22. 5-7. d, 1. Nep. 7: 6.

f, I. Nep. 2:4.

c, ver 9, 1.Ne

17. Nevertheless, the great goodness of the Lord, in shewing me his great and marvellous works, my heart exclaimeth, O wretched man that I am; yea, my heart -orroweth because of my flesh. My soul grieveth because of nine iniquities.

18. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which doth so easily beset me.

19. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have Trusted.

20. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

21. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

22. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

23. Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night time.

24. And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

25. And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceeding high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things; yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

26. O then, if I have seen so great things; if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men, hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep, and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

27. And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart, to destroy my peace and afflict my Soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

28. Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

29. Do not anger again, because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength, because of mine afflictions.

30. Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say, O Lord, I will praise thee for ever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

31. O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

32. May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because, that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite? O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road?

33. O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of