Jacob Commanded to Write on Plates

Event 34

Reference: Jacob 1:1-14

The words of his preaching unto his brethren. He confoundetha man who seeketh to overthrow the doctrine of Christ. A fewwords concerning the history of the people of Nephi.FOR behold, it came to pass that fifty and five years hadpassed away from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem;wherefore, Nephi gave me, Jacob, a commandmentconcerning the small plates, upon which these things areengraven. 2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that Ishould write upon these plates a few of the things which Iconsidered to be most precious; that I should not touch,save it were lightly, concerning the history of this peoplewhich are called the people of Nephi. 3 For he said that thehistory of his people should be engraven upon his otherplates, and that I should preserve these plates and handthem down unto my seed, from generation to generation. 4And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelationwhich was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven theheads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them asmuch as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sakeof our people. 5 For because of faith and great anxiety, ittruly had been made manifest unto us concerning ourpeople, what things should happen unto them. 6 And wealso had many revelations, and the spirit of much prophecy;wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, whichshould come.JacobLand of Nephi545 to 422 B.C.7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, thatwe might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partakeof the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest,lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they shouldnot enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptationwhile the children of Israel were in the wilderness. 8Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade allmen not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, butthat all men would believe in Christ, and view his death,and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world;wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil thecommandment of my brother Nephi.9 Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soondie; wherefore, he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his people now, according to the reigns of the kings. 10The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he havingbeen a great protector for them, having wielded the swordof Laban in their defence, and having labored in all his daysfor their welfare— 11 Wherefore, the people were desirousto retain in remembrance his name. And whoso should reignin his stead were called by the people, second Nephi, thirdNephi, and so forth, according to the reigns of the kings;and thus they were called by the people, let them be ofwhatever name they would.JacobLand of Nephi545 to 422 B.C.12 And it came to pass that Nephi died. 13 Now the peoplewhich were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless,they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites,Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. 14 But I, Jacob,shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but Ishall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people ofNephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall callNephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns ofthe kings.