The First Book Of Nephi His Reign And Ministry (Chap. 1.4)

1 Nephi 4:1
And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let
us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping
the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all
the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea,
or even than his tens of thousands?

1 Nephi 4:2
Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for
he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided
hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of
captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow
and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.

1 Nephi 4:3
Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an
angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go
up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to
destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.

1 Nephi 4:4
Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and
did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up
until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 4:5
And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide
themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves,
I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of
Laban.

1 Nephi 4:6
And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things
which I should do.

1 Nephi 4:7
Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house
of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before
me, for he was drunken with wine.

1 Nephi 4:8
And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.

1 Nephi 4:9
And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath
thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the
workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the
blade thereof was of the most precious steel.

1 Nephi 4:10
And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that
I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time
have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I
might not slay him.

1 Nephi 4:11
And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath
delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had
sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken
unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our
property.

1 Nephi 4:12
And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay
him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

1 Nephi 4:13
Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his
righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than
that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

1 Nephi 4:14
And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered
the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness,
saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments,
they shall prosper in the land of promise.

1 Nephi 4:15
Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the
commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they
should have the law.

1 Nephi 4:16
And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of
brass.

1 Nephi 4:17
And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my
hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according
to his commandments.

1 Nephi 4:18
Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban
by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own
sword.

1 Nephi 4:19
And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I
took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea,
even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.

1 Nephi 4:20
And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of
Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban,
behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the
treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he
should go with me into the treasury.

1 Nephi 4:21
And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the
garments and also the sword girded about my loins.

1 Nephi 4:22
And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he
knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.

1 Nephi 4:23
And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.

1 Nephi 4:24
And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings,
which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who
were without the walls.

1 Nephi 4:25
And I also bade him that he should follow me.

1 Nephi 4:26
And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church,
and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he
did follow me.

1 Nephi 4:27
And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the
Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the
walls.

1 Nephi 4:28
And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly
frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before
my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had
slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.

1 Nephi 4:29
And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did
hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.

1 Nephi 4:30
And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my
brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before
me and return to the city of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 4:31
And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also
having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize
upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.

1 Nephi 4:32
And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would
hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so
that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.

1 Nephi 4:33
And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not
fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go
down in the wilderness with us.

1 Nephi 4:34
And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath
commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in
keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go
down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with
us.

1 Nephi 4:35
And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words
which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he
promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our
father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would
tarry with us from that time forth.

1 Nephi 4:36
Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this
cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into
the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.

1 Nephi 4:37
And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us,
our fears did cease concerning him.

1 Nephi 4:38
And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the
servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed
unto the tent of our father.