Mormon 1

People in this chapter

And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon (v. 1). For hundreds of pages Mormon has been the quiet editor, abridging other men's records. Now he writes his own.

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Mormon 1:1-5A Sober Child, Quick to Observe

1And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon.

Mormon starts his own record. He writes about what he has personally seen and heard, and he calls it the Book of Mormon.

2And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe; 3Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would that ye should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings concerning this people. 4And behold, ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye leave in the place where they are; and ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye have observed concerning this people.

When Mormon was about ten, Ammaron, the keeper of the sacred records, chose him. Ammaron said Mormon was serious-minded and noticed things.

Ammaron told Mormon to remember what he saw. At about age 24 he was to go to the hill where the records were hidden, take the plates of Nephi, and write what he had observed.

5And I, Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, (and my father's name was Mormon) I remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me.

Mormon tells us he descended from Nephi, his father was also named Mormon, and he remembered what Ammaron told him.

Mormon 1:6-12Numerous as the Sand of the Sea

6And it came to pass that I, being eleven years old, was carried by my father into the land southward, even to the land of Zarahemla. 7The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.

At eleven, Mormon's father took him to the land of Zarahemla. The land was full of buildings and people.

8And it came to pass in this year there began to be a war between the Nephites, who consisted of the Nephites and the Jacobites and the Josephites and the Zoramites; and this war was between the Nephites, and the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites. 9Now the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites were called Lamanites, and the two parties were Nephites and Lamanites. 10And it came to pass that the war began to be among them in the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon. 11And it came to pass that the Nephites had gathered together a great number of men, even to exceed the number of thirty thousand. And it came to pass that they did have in this same year a number of battles, in which the Nephites did beat the Lamanites and did slay many of them. 12And it came to pass that the Lamanites withdrew their design, and there was peace settled in the land; and peace did remain for the space of about four years, that there was no bloodshed.

That same year war started between the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Nephites won several battles, and then there was peace for about four years.

Mormon 1:13-15Tasted and Knew of the Goodness of Jesus

13But wickedness did prevail upon the face of the whole land, insomuch that the Lord did take away his beloved disciples, and the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the iniquity of the people. 14And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief.

The people became so wicked that the Lord took away His three disciples. Miracles and healing stopped, and the Holy Ghost no longer came upon anyone, because of their wickedness and unbelief.

15And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and knew of the goodness of Jesus.

Mormon 1:16-19My Mouth Was Shut

16And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for behold they had wilfully rebelled against their God; and the beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of their iniquity. 17But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their sake.

Mormon wanted to preach, but the Lord forbade him because the people had deliberately rebelled. Mormon stayed among them anyway.

18And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites, did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again. 19And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite.

Robbers filled the land, so people buried their treasures, but the treasures slipped away. Mormon says this fulfilled what Abinadi and Samuel the Lamanite had prophesied.

Research trail

Sources & further study

These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.

Where this echoes in Scripture

A Sober Child, Quick to Observe

1 Nephi 1:1I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father... therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.Nephi opened his record the same way.
4 Nephi 1:48-49Ammaron, being constrained by the Holy Ghost, did hide up the records which were sacred.
Mormon 2:17-18I had gone according to the word of Ammaron, and taken the plates of Nephi.Mormon fulfills the charge.
1 Samuel 3:19And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.Another prophet called as a child.
Alma 37:35O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth.

Numerous as the Sand of the Sea

Genesis 22:17I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore.
4 Nephi 1:36-38They who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites.Where these names returned.
Words of Mormon 1:1I have witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
Alma 45:10In four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.Alma's prophecy of this era.

Tasted and Knew of the Goodness of Jesus

My Mouth Was Shut