THE BOOK OF JAROM
CHAPTER 1
The Nephites keep the law of Moses, look forward to the coming of Christ, and prosper in the land—Many prophets labor to keep the people in the way of truth. About 399–361 B.C.
1 I, Jarom, write a few words according to the commandment of my father, Enos, so our genealogy may be kept.
2 I write only a little, because these plates are small and are written for the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites. I will not write about my prophesying or revelations, because what could I write more than my fathers have written? Have they not revealed the plan of salvation? Yes, and this is enough for me.
3 Much needs to be done among this people because of the hardness of their hearts, the deafness of their ears, the blindness of their minds, and the stiffness of their necks. But God is exceedingly merciful to them and has not yet swept them off the land.
4 Many among us have had many revelations, so they are not all stubbornly prideful. Those without pride, and who have faith, have fellowship with the Holy Spirit, who shows himself to men according to their faith.
5 Two hundred years had passed away, and the people of Nephi had grown strong in the land. They kept the law of Moses and kept the sabbath day holy to the Lord. They did not speak vulgarly, nor did they blaspheme. And the laws of the land were exceedingly strict.
6 They were scattered over much of the land, and the Lamanites also, who were exceedingly more numerous than the Nephites, and they loved murder and drank the blood of beasts.
7 Many times they came to battle against us, the Nephites. But our kings and leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord, and they taught the people the ways of the Lord, so we stood against the Lamanites and swept them out of our lands, and began to fortify our cities and other places in our land.
8 We multiplied exceedingly, spread over the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, silver, and precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, buildings, and machinery, and also in iron, copper, brass, and steel, making all kinds of tools to till the ground and weapons of war: the sharp pointed arrow, quiver, dart, javelin, and other preparations for war.
9 Being thus prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which he spoke to our fathers, saying, If you keep my commandments you will prosper in the land.
10 The prophets of the Lord threatened the people of Nephi according to the word of God, that if they did not keep the commandments but fell into transgression, they would be destroyed from the land.
11 So the prophets, priests, and teachers labored diligently, encouraging the people with all patience to be diligent. They taught the law of Moses and the intent for which it was given, persuading them to look forward to the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was.
12 In this way they kept them from being destroyed from the land, because they pierced their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up to repentance.
13 Two hundred and thirty-eight years had passed, with wars, contentions, and dissensions for much of the time.
14 I, Jarom, do not write more, because the plates are small. But you can go to the other plates of Nephi, where the records of our wars are engraved according to the writings of the kings or others appointed to write.
15 I give these plates to my son Omni, so they may be kept according to the commandments of my fathers.