THE BOOK OF OMNI
CHAPTER 1
Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki, each in turn, keep the records—Mosiah discovers the people of Zarahemla, who came from Jerusalem in the days of Zedekiah—Mosiah is made king over them—The descendants of Mulek at Zarahemla had discovered Coriantumr, the last of the Jaredites—King Benjamin succeeds Mosiah—Men should offer their souls as an offering to Christ. About 323–130 B.C.
1 I, Omni, was commanded by my father, Jarom, to write somewhat on these plates, to preserve our genealogy.
2 In my days I fought much with the sword to preserve my people, the Nephites, from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites. But I myself am a wicked man and have not kept the statutes and the commandments of the Lord as I ought to have done.
3 Two hundred and seventy-six years passed, and we had many seasons of peace but also many seasons of serious war and bloodshed. Two hundred and eighty-two years passed, and I had kept these plates according to the commandments of my fathers, and I gave them to my son Amaron.
4 I, Amaron, write a few things in the book of my father.
5 Three hundred and twenty years had passed, and the more wicked part of the Nephites were destroyed because after the Lord had led them out of Jerusalem, and preserved them from their enemies, he would not allow his words to be dismissed that he spoke to our fathers, saying: If you do not keep my commandments you will not prosper in the land.
7 So the Lord visited them in great judgment, but he spared the righteous and delivered them from their enemies, so they would not perish.
8 I gave the plates to my brother Chemish.
9 I, Chemish, write a few things in the same book with my brother. I saw what he wrote last, that he wrote it with his own hand, and he wrote it in the day he gave the records to me. And we keep the records according to the commandments of our fathers.
10 I, Abinadom, am the son of Chemish. I saw much war and contention between my people, the Nephites, and the Lamanites, and I have taken the lives of many Lamanites with my own sword in defense of my brethren.
11 The more complete record of this people is engraved on plates held by the kings for generations; and I know of no revelation or prophecy except what has already been written, so what is written is enough.
12 I am Amaleki, son of Abinadom. I will speak somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla. He was warned of the Lord to flee from the land of Nephi into the wilderness, taking those who would listen to the voice of the Lord.
13 He did what the Lord commanded, and they departed into the wilderness, as many as would listen to the voice of the Lord, and they were led by much preaching and prophecies. And they were cautioned continually by the word of God, and they were led by the power of his arm through the wilderness until they came to the land called Zarahemla.
14 They discovered the people of Zarahemla, and there was great rejoicing among Zarahemla and the people of Zarahemla because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass that contained the record of the Jews.
15 Mosiah discovered that the people of Zarahemla left Jerusalem at the time that Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.
16 They journeyed in the wilderness and were brought by the hand of the Lord across the great waters to the land where Mosiah discovered them; and they had lived there from that time forth.
17 At the time Mosiah discovered them, they had become exceedingly numerous. But they had had many wars and serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to time. Their language had become corrupted because they had brought no records with them, so Mosiah and his people could not understand them. And they denied the being of their Creator.
18 Mosiah directed that they should be taught in his language, and then Zarahemla gave a genealogy of his fathers, according to his memory, and they are written, but not in these plates.
19 The people of Zarahemla and of Mosiah united, and Mosiah was appointed to be their king.
20 In the days of Mosiah, a large stone was brought to him with engravings on it; and he interpreted the engravings by the gift and power of God.
21 They gave an account of a man, Coriantumr, and the slain of his people. Coriantumr was discovered by the people of Zarahemla, and he lived with them for nine months.
22 The stone also spoke a few words about his fathers. His first parents left the tower at the time the Lord confused the language of the people; and the harshness of the Lord fell upon them according to his judgments, which are righteous; and their bones lay scattered in the land northward.
23 I, Amaleki, was born in the days of Mosiah, and I have lived to see his death, and Benjamin, his son, reigns in his place.
24 In the days of king Benjamin there was a serious war and much bloodshed between the Nephites and Lamanites. But the Nephites gained much advantage over them, and king Benjamin drove them out of the land of Zarahemla.
25 I began to be old, and because I have no seed, and I know king Benjamin to be a righteous man before the Lord, I will give these plates to him, calling all men to come to God, the Holy One of Israel, and to believe in prophesying, revelations, the ministering of angels, the gift of speaking with tongues, the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things that are good, because there is nothing that is good unless it comes from the Lord. And that which is evil comes from the devil.
26 My beloved brethren, I desire that you would come to Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and share in his salvation and the power of his redemption. Come to him and offer your whole souls as an offering to him, and continue in fasting and praying, and continue to the end; and as the Lord lives you will be saved.
27 A group of people went into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi because there was a large number who wanted to possess the land of their inheritance.
28 Their leader was a strong and mighty man, and proudly stubborn, so he caused contention among them; and they were all killed in the wilderness, except fifty, and they returned again to the land of Zarahemla.
29 They gathered a considerable number of others and journeyed again into the wilderness.
30 I, Amaleki, had a brother who went with them. I have not heard about them since. I am about to lie down in my grave; and these plates are full.