1 Nephi 3:15

But behold I said unto them that:

As the Lord liveth, and as we live,

we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness

until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.

1 Nephi 3:16

Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord;

therefore let us go down to the land of our father's inheritance,

for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner of riches.

And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the Lord.

1 Nephi 3:17

For he knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed,

because of the wickedness of the people.

1 Nephi 3:18

For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophets.

Wherefore, if my father should dwell in the land

after he hath been commanded to flee out of the land,

behold, he would also perish.

Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the land.

1 Nephi 3:19

And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records,

that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers;

1 Nephi 3:20

And also that we may preserve unto them the words

which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets,

which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God,

since the world began, even down unto this present time.

1 Nephi 3:21

And it came to pass that after this manner of language

did I persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful

in keeping the commandments of God.

1 Nephi 3:22

And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance,

and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things.

1 Nephi 3:23

And after we had gathered these things together,

we went up again unto the house of Laban.

1 Nephi 3:24

And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired him

that he would give unto us the records

which were engraven upon the plates of brass,

for which we would give unto him

our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.

1 Nephi 3:25

And it came to pass that

when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great,

he did lust after it,

insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us,

that he might obtain our property.

1 Nephi 3:26

And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban,

and we were obliged to leave behind our property,

and it fell into the hands of Laban.

1 Nephi 3:27

And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness,

and the servants of Laban did not overtake us,

and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.

1 Nephi 3:28

And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also with my father;

and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman.

Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard words

unto us, their younger brothers,

and they did smite us even with a rod.

1 Nephi 3:29

And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod,

behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them,

and he spake unto them, saying:

Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod?

Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you,

and this because of your iniquities?

Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again,

and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.

1 Nephi 3:30

And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.

1 Nephi 3:31

And after the angel had departed,

Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying:

How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands?

Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty,

yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?