# Mosiah 11

*Paraphrase*

### Noah’s Corruption

Zeniff handed the kingdom over to his son Noah. But Noah didn’t follow his father’s example. He ignored God’s commandments and did whatever he wanted. He married many wives and kept concubines. He led his people into sin—disgusting things in God’s eyes. They slept around and gave themselves over to every kind of evil.

He taxed the people heavily—a fifth of everything they owned: their gold, silver, ziff, copper, brass, iron, their fattened animals, and their grain. He used all that wealth to support himself, his wives and concubines, and his priests and their wives and concubines. He completely reshaped the kingdom. He fired all the priests his father had appointed and replaced them with new ones—arrogant men full of themselves. The people worked themselves to exhaustion, and their taxes went to support these lazy priests who worshiped idols and slept around. Before long, the people became idol worshipers too. The king and his priests deceived them with empty flattery and lies.

### A Kingdom of Luxury

King Noah built many grand buildings and decorated them with fine woodwork and every kind of precious metal—gold, silver, iron, brass, ziff, and copper. He built himself a huge palace with a throne in the center. Everything was made from fine wood and covered with gold, silver, and precious stones. He had his workers create intricate carvings inside the temple walls—fine wood, copper, and brass. The seats for the high priests—elevated above everyone else—he covered in pure gold. He even had a railing built in front of them so they could lean back comfortably while they fed lies to the people. He built a tower next to the temple—a very high tower. From the top, he could look out over the land of Shilom and the land of Shemlon, which belonged to the Lamanites. He could see everything for miles around. He put up many buildings in Shilom, and built another massive tower on the hill north of Shilom—the place where the Nephites had fled years before. All of it paid for by taxing his people into poverty.

He obsessed over his wealth and spent his days partying with his wives and concubines. His priests did the same, hanging around prostitutes. He planted vineyards all over the land, built wine presses, and produced wine by the barrel. He became a drunk. So did his people.

### War and Pride

The Lamanites started attacking in small groups—killing people in the fields and while they were tending their flocks. King Noah sent guards to patrol the borders, but not enough of them. The Lamanites kept coming, killing people and stealing livestock. The attacks grew worse and the hatred intensified. So King Noah sent his armies out, and they drove the Lamanites back—at least for a while. They came home celebrating their victory and the plunder they’d taken. This one victory went straight to their heads. They got cocky and started bragging about their strength. “Fifty of us could take on thousands of Lamanites,” they boasted. They started enjoying violence—even enjoyed killing their own brothers. All because their king and priests had corrupted them.

### Abinadi’s Warning

Then a man named Abinadi stood up and started prophesying. He said, “This is what the Lord told me to say to you: Disaster is coming for this people! I’ve seen your disgusting behavior—your evil and sexual sin. Unless you repent, I will strike you down in my anger. Unless you repent and turn back to the Lord your God, I’ll hand you over to your enemies. You’ll become their slaves and suffer under their control. Then you’ll know that I am the Lord your God—a jealous God who punishes my people for their sins. If this people refuses to repent and turn back to the Lord, you’ll be enslaved. No one will save you—except the Lord Almighty God. When you finally cry out to me, I’ll be slow to answer. I’ll let your enemies beat you down. Unless you repent in sackcloth and ashes and cry out desperately to the Lord your God, I won’t listen to your prayers. I won’t rescue you from your suffering. This is what the Lord says. This is what he commanded me to tell you.”

After Abinadi spoke these words, the people were furious. They tried to kill him, but the Lord protected him. When King Noah heard what Abinadi had said, he exploded in rage. “Who does Abinadi think he is, judging me and my people? Who is this Lord who threatens us with such disaster? Bring Abinadi here so I can kill him. He’s just trying to turn my people against each other and stir up trouble. I’ll execute him.” The people were blind to the truth. They hardened their hearts against Abinadi’s words and from that point on, they hunted him. King Noah hardened his heart against the Lord’s message and refused to repent.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/paraphrase/mosiah/11)*
