1 Nephi 17:23

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying:

Do ye believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel,

would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians

if they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord?

1 Nephi 17:24

Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of bondage,

if the Lord had not commanded Moses

that he should lead them out of bondage?

1 Nephi 17:25

Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage;

and ye know that they were laden with tasks,

which were grievous to be borne;

wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing for them,

that they should be brought out of bondage.

1 Nephi 17:26

Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work;

and ye know that by his word

the waters of the Red Sea were divided hither and thither,

and they passed through on dry ground.

1 Nephi 17:27

But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea,

who were the armies of Pharaoh.

1 Nephi 17:28

And ye also know that they were fed with manna in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:29

Yea, and ye also know that Moses, by his word

according to the power of God which was in him,

smote the rock, and there came forth water,

that the children of Israel might quench their thirst.

1 Nephi 17:30

And notwithstanding they being led,

the Lord their God, their Redeemer, going before them,

leading them by day and giving light unto them by night,

and doing all things for them which were expedient for man to receive,

they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds,

and reviled against Moses and against the true and living God.

1 Nephi 17:31

And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy them;

and according to his word he did lead them;

and according to his word he did do all things for them;

and there was not any thing done save it were by his word.

1 Nephi 17:32

And after they had crossed the river Jordan

he did make them mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land,

yea, unto the scattering them to destruction.

1 Nephi 17:33

And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land,

who were in the land of promise,

who were driven out by our fathers,

do ye suppose that they were righteous?

Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

1 Nephi 17:34

Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they

if they had been righteous?

I say unto you, Nay.

1 Nephi 17:35

Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one;

he that is righteous is favored of God.

But behold, this people had rejected every word of God,

and they were ripe in iniquity;

and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them;

and the Lord did curse the land against them,

and bless it unto our fathers;

yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction,

and he did bless it unto our fathers

unto their obtaining power over it.

1 Nephi 17:36

Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited;

and he hath created his children that they should possess it.

1 Nephi 17:37

And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked.

1 Nephi 17:38

And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands,

and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.

1 Nephi 17:39

He ruleth high in the heavens,

for it is his throne,

and this earth is his footstool.

1 Nephi 17:40

And he loveth those who will have him to be their God.

Behold, he loved our fathers,

and he covenanted with them,

yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;

and he remembered the covenants which he had made;

wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt.

1 Nephi 17:41

And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod;

for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have;

and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity.

He sent fiery flying serpents among them;

and after they were bitten

he prepared a way that they might be healed;

and the labor which they had to perform was to look;

and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it,

there were many who perished.

1 Nephi 17:42

And they did harden their hearts from time to time,

and they did revile against Moses,

and also against God;

nevertheless, ye know that they were led forth

by his matchless power into the land of promise.

1 Nephi 17:43

And now, after all these things,

the time has come that they have become wicked,

yea, nearly unto ripeness;

and I know not but they are at this day about to be destroyed;

for I know that the day must surely come

that they must be destroyed, save a few only,

who shall be led away into captivity.

1 Nephi 17:44

Wherefore, the Lord commanded my father

that he should depart into the wilderness;

and the Jews also sought to take away his life;

yea, and ye also have sought to take away his life;

wherefore, ye are murderers in your hearts

and ye are like unto them.

1 Nephi 17:45

Ye are swift to do iniquity

but slow to remember the Lord your God.

Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you;

yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time;

and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice,

but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words;

wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder,

which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder.

1 Nephi 17:46

And ye also know that by the power of his almighty word

he can cause the earth that it shall pass away;

yea, and ye know that by his word he can cause

the rough places to be made smooth, and smooth places shall be broken up.

O, then, why is it, that ye can be so hard in your hearts?

1 Nephi 17:47

Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you,

and my heart is pained;

I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever.

Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God,

insomuch that my frame has no strength.