Mosiah 7:20 20 And again, that same God has brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, and has kept and preserved his people even until now; and behold, it is because of our iniquities and abominations that he has brought us into bondage.

Mosiah 7:21 21 And ye all are witnesses this day, that Zeniff, who was made king over this people, he being over-zealous to inherit the land of his fathers, therefore being deceived by the cunning and craftiness of king Laman, who having entered into a treaty with king Zeniff, and having yielded up into his hands the possessions of a part of the land, or even the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the city of Shilom; and the land round about—­

Mosiah 7:22 22 And all this he did, for the sole purpose of bringing this people into subjection or into bondage.  And behold, we at this time do pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites, to the amount of one half of our corn, and our barley, and even all our grain of every kind, and one half of the increase of our flocks and our herds; and even one half of all we have or possess the king of the Lamanites doth exact of us, or our lives.

Mosiah 7:23 23 And now, is not this grievous to be borne?  And is not this,
our affliction, great?  Now behold, how great reason we have to
mourn.

Mosiah 7:24 24 Yea, I say unto you, great are the reasons which we have to
mourn; for behold how many of our brethren have been slain, and
their blood has been spilt in vain, and all because of iniquity.

Mosiah 7:25 25 For if this people had not fallen into transgression the Lord would not have suffered that this great evil should come upon them.  But behold, they would not hearken unto his words; but there arose contentions among them, even so much that they did shed blood among themselves.

Mosiah 7:26 26 And a prophet of the Lord have they slain; yea, a chosen man
of God, who told them of their wickedness and abominations, and
prophesied of many things which are to come, yea, even the coming
of Christ.

Mosiah 7:27 27 And because he said unto them that Christ was the God, the Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the image of man, and it should be the image after which man was created in the beginning; or in other words, he said that man was created after the image of God, and that God should come down among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and go forth upon the face of the earth—­

Mosiah 7:28 28 And now, because he said this, they did put him to death; and
many more things did they do which brought down the wrath of God
upon them.  Therefore, who wondereth that they are in bondage,
and that they are smitten with sore afflictions?

Mosiah 7:29 29 For behold, the Lord hath said:  I will not succor my people
in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways
that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling
block before them.