Page:Book of Mormon (1830, bookofmormonacco1830smit).pdf/436

to their astonishment, they saw those five men which had fallen to the earth. And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the multitude which had gathered together at the garden of Nephi; therefore they said among themselves, These men are they which have murdered the Judge, and God hath 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 was 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 and Chief Judge, which had been slain. And thus were also those Judges which 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 which was sent to inquire concerning the Chief Judge whether he was dead? And they answered and said, Concerning this five which ye say ye have sent, we know not; but there are five, which 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 which 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 judgement, 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 hath 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 confess his fault and make known unto us the true murderer of this Judge. And it came to pass that the five were liberated on the day of the burial. Nevertheless, they did rebuke the Judges in the words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend