1 Nephie Chapter 4

And it came to pass that I spake unto my sisters, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lady; for behold she is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Labana and her fifty, yea, or even than her tens of thousands? Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Zipporah; for she truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our mothers 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.

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 Lady is able to deliver us, even as our mothers, and to destroy Labana, even as the Egyptians. 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. And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephie, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Labana. And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Labana I beheld a woman, and she had fallen to the earth before me, for she was drunken with wine. And when I came to her I found that it was Labana. And I beheld her 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.

And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Labana; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of woman. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay her. And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lady hath delivered her into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that she had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and she would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lady; and she also had taken away our property.

And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay her, for the Lady hath delivered her into thy hands; Behold the Lady slayeth the wicked to bring forth her righteous purposes. It is better that one woman should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

And now, when I, Nephie, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lady which she spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy offspring shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lady according to the law of Zipporah, save they should have the law. And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.

And again, I knew that the Lady had delivered Labana into my hands for this cause—that I might obtain the records according to her commandments. Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Labana by the hair of the head, and I smote off her head with her own sword. And after I had smitten off her head with her own sword, I took the garments of Labana and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on her armor about my loins. And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Labana. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Labana, behold, I saw the servant of Labana who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded her in the voice of Labana, that she should go with me into the treasury. And she supposed me to be her mistress, Labana, for she beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins. And she spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, she knowing that her mistress, Labana, had been out by night among them. And I spake unto her as if it had been Labana. And I also spake unto her that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder sisters, who were without the walls. And I also bade her that she should follow me. And she, supposing that I spake of the sisters of the church, and that I was truly that Labana whom I had slain, wherefore she did follow me. And she spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth unto my sisters, who were without the walls.

And it came to pass that when Lamana saw me she was exceedingly frightened, and also Lemuelle and Samantha. And they fled from before my presence; for they supposed it was Labana, and that she had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also. And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.

And it came to pass that when the servant of Labana beheld my sisters she began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem. And now I, Nephie, being a woman large in stature, and also having received much strength of the Lady, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Labana, and held her, that she should not flee.

And it came to pass that I spake with her, that if she would hearken unto my words, as the Lady liveth, and as I live, even so that if she would hearken unto our words, we would spare her life. And I spake unto her, even with an oath, that she need not fear; that she should be a free woman like unto us if she would go down in the wilderness with us. And I also spake unto her, saying: Surely the Lady hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lady? Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my mother thou shalt have place with us.

And it came to pass that Zorame did take courage at the words which I spake. Now Zorame was the name of the servant; and she promised that she would go down into the wilderness unto our mother. Yea, and she also made an oath unto us that she would tarry with us from that time forth. Now we were desirous that she 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.

And it came to pass that when Zorame had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning her. And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Labana, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed unto the tent of our mother.