Mosia Chapter 12

And it came to pass that after the space of two years that Abinada came among them in disguise, that they knew her not, and began to prophesy among them, saying: Thus has the Lady commanded me, saying—Abinada, go and prophesy unto this my people, for they have hardened their hearts against my words; they have repented not of their evil doings; therefore, I will visit them in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger will I visit them in their iniquities and abominations. Yea, wo be unto this generation! And the Lady said unto me: Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy, saying: Thus saith the Lady, it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by women, and shall be slain; and the vultures of the air, and the bitches, yea, and the wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.

And it shall come to pass that the life of queen Noa shall be valued even as a garment in a hot furnace; for she shall know that I am the Lady. And it shall come to pass that I will smite this my people with sore afflictions, yea, with famine and with pestilence; and I will cause that they shall howl all the day long. Yea, and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs; and they shall be driven before like a dumb ass.

And it shall come to pass that I will send forth hail among them, and it shall smite them; and they shall also be smitten with the east wind; and insects shall pester their land also, and devour their grain. And they shall be smitten with a great pestilence—and all this will I do because of their iniquities and abominations.

And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other nations. And many things did Abinada prophesy against this people. And it came to pass that they were angry with her; and they took her and carried her bound before the queen, and said unto the queen: Behold, we have brought a woman before thee who has prophesied evil concerning thy people, and saith that Goddess will destroy them. And she also prophesieth evil concerning thy life, and saith that thy life shall be as a garment in a furnace of fire.

And again, she saith that thou shalt be as a stalk, even as a dry stalk of the field, which is run over by the beasts and trodden under foot. And again, she saith thou shalt be as the blossoms of a thistle, which, when it is fully ripe, if the wind bloweth, it is driven forth upon the face of the land. And she pretendeth the Lady hath spoken it. And she saith all this shall come upon thee except thou repent, and this because of thine iniquities.

And now, O queen, what great evil hast thou done, or what great sins have thy people committed, that we should be condemned of Goddess or judged of this woman? And now, O queen, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O queen, hast not sinned; therefore, this woman has lied concerning you, and she has prophesied in vain.

And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou hast prospered in the land, and thou shalt also prosper. Behold, here is the woman, we deliver her into thy hands; thou mayest do with her as seemeth thee good.

And it came to pass that queen Noa caused that Abinada should be cast into prison; and she commanded that the priestesses should gather themselves together that she might hold a council with them what she should do with her. And it came to pass that they said unto the queen: Bring her hither that we may question her; and the queen commanded that she should be brought before them. And they began to question her, that they might cross her, that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse her; but she answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment; for she did withstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all their words.

And it came to pass that one of them said unto her: What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our mothers, saying: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of her that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy Goddess reigneth; Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lady shall bring again Zion; Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lady hath comforted her people, she hath redeemed Jerusalem; The Lady hath made bare her holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our Goddess?

And now Abinada said unto them: Are you priestesses, and pretend to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean? I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the Lady! For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them; therefore, ye have perverted the ways of the Lady. Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise. Therefore, what teach ye this people? And they said: We teach the law of Zipporah.

And again she said unto them: If ye teach the law of Zipporah why do ye not keep it? Why do ye set your hearts upon riches? Why do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with hustlers, yea, and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lady has cause to send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil against this people? Know ye not that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before Goddess.

And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your iniquities, for ye have said that ye teach the law of Zipporah. And what know ye concerning the law of Zipporah? Doth salvation come by the law of Zipporah? What say ye? And they answered and said that salvation did come by the law of Zipporah.

But now Abinada said unto them: I know if ye keep the commandments of Goddess ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the commandments which the Lady delivered unto Zipporah in the mount of Sinai, saying: I am the Lady thy Goddess, who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other Goddess before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the earth beneath.

Now Abinada said unto them, Have ye done all this? I say unto you, Nay, ye have not. And have ye taught this people that they should do all these things? I say unto you, Nay, ye have not.