The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. Kirtland, OH: P. P. Pratt and J. Goodson; printed by O. Cowdery & Co., 1837. iii–vi, 7–619 pp., plus two additional pp. The copy used herein is held at CHL. Includes signature marks.
judgment seat; and behold, to their astonishment, they saw those five men who had fallen to the earth. And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the multitude who had gathered together at the garden of Nephi; therefore they said among themselves, these men are they who have murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not flee from us.
And it came to pass that they laid hold on them, and bound them, and cast them into prison. And there was a proclamation sent abroad that the judge was slain, and that the murderers had been taken, and were cast into prison. And it came to pass that on the morrow, the people did assemble themselves together to mourn and to fast, at the burial of the great chief judge, who had been slain. And thus were also those judges who were at the garden of Nephi, and heard his words, were also gathered together at the burial.
And it came to pass that they inquired among the people, saying, where are the five who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge whether he was dead? And they answered and said, concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but there are five, who are the murderers, whom we have cast into prison. And it came to pass that the judges desired that they should be brought; and they were brought, and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying, we ran and came to the place of the judgment, and when we saw all things, even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished, insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison.— Now as for the murder of this man, we know not who has done it, and only this much we know, we ran and came according as ye desired, and behold he was dead according to the words of Nephi.
And now it came to pass, that the judges did expound the matter unto the people, and did cry out against Nephi, saying, behold we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some one to slay the judge, and then he might declare it unto us, that he might convert us unto his faith, that he might raise himself to be a great man, chosen of God, and a prophet; and now behold we will detect this man, and he shall con [p. 456]