| 6:1 And now I finish my record concerning the
destruction of my people, the Nephites. And it came to
pass that we did march forth before the Lamanites. |
|
| 6:2 And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king
of the Lamanites, and desired of him that he would grant
unto us that we might gather together our people unto the
land of Cumorah, by a hill which was called Cumorah, and
there we could give them battle. |
|
| 6:3 And it came to pass that the king of the
Lamanites did grant unto me the thing which I desired. |
|
| 6:4 And it came to pass that we did march forth to
the land of Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around
about the hill Cumorah; and it was in a land of many
waters, rivers, and fountains; and here we had hope to
gain advantage over the Lamanites. |
|
| 6:5 And when three hundred and eighty and four
years had passed away, we had gathered in all the
remainder of our people unto the land of Cumorah. |
|
| 6:6 And it came to pass that when we had gathered
in all our people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold
I, Mormon, began to be old; and knowing it to be the last
struggle of my people, and having been commanded of the
Lord that I should not suffer the records which had been
handed down by our fathers, which were sacred, to fall
into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the Lamanites would
destroy them) therefore I made this record out of the
plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the
records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the
Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my
son Moroni. |
|
| 6:7 And it came to pass that my people, with their
wives and their children, did now behold the armies of
the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful
fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked,
did they await to receive them. |
|
| 6:8 And it came to pass that they came to battle
against us, and every soul was filled with terror because
of the greatness of their numbers. |
|
| 6:9 And it came to pass that they did fall upon my
people with the sword, and with the
bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and with all
manner of weapons of war. |
|
| 6:10 And it came to pass that my men were hewn down,
yea, even my ten thousand who were with me, and I fell
wounded in the midst; and they passed by me that they did
not put an end to my life. |
|
| 6:11 And when they had gone through and hewn down
all my people save it were twenty and four of us, (among
whom was my son Moroni) and we having survived the dead
of our people, did behold on the morrow, when the
Lamanites had returned unto their camps, from the top of
the hill Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people who were
hewn down, being led in the front by me. |
|
| 6:12 And we also beheld the ten thousand of my
people who were led by my son Moroni. |
|
| 6:13 And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had
fallen, and he also in the midst. |
|
| 6:14 And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand; and
Gilgal had fallen with his ten thousand; and Limhah had
fallen with his ten thousand; and Jeneum had fallen with
his ten thousand; and Cumenihah, and Moronihah, and
Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem, and Josh, had fallen
with their ten thousand each. |
|
| 6:15 And it came to pass that there were ten more
who did fall by the sword, with their ten
thousand each; yea, even all my people, save it were
those twenty and four who were with me, and also a few
who had escaped into the south countries, and a few who
had deserted over unto the Lamanites, had fallen; and
their flesh, and bones, and blood lay upon the face of
the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew them
to molder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to
their mother earth. |
|
| 6:16 And my soul was rent with anguish, because of
the slain of my people, and I cried: |
|
| 6:17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from
the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have
rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive
you! |
|
| 6:18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not
have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your
loss. |
|
| 6:19 O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and
mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it
that ye could have fallen! |
|
| 6:20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot
bring your return. |
|
| 6:21 And the day soon cometh that your 1mortal
must put on immortality, and these bodies which are now
moldering in corruption must soon become incorruptible
bodies; and then ye must 2stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, to be
judged according to your works; and if it so be that ye
are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who
have gone before you. |
[1] I Corinthians 15:53: For this corruptible must
put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality.
[2] II Corinthians
5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ... |
| 6:22 O that ye had repented before this great
destruction had come upon you. But behold, ye are gone,
and the Father, yea, the Eternal Father of heaven,
knoweth your state; and he doeth with you according to
his justice and mercy. |
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