The Return To The Land of Nephi
After Mosiah's death, during the reign of his son, King Benjamin, an army of Nephites determined to return to the land of Nephi and "possess the land of their inheritance" (Omni 1:27). Zeniff was among this group. When they drew near to the land of Nephi, Zeniff was sent to spy on the Lamanites, so that their army could destroy them. After seeing the Lamanites, Zeniff felt that they should not be destroyed but that the Nephites should enter into a treaty with them. The (unnamed) leader of the Nephite army, "an austere and blood-thirsty man", viewed this report as treasonous and tried to have Zeniff put to death. Fighting broke out among the Nephites, "the greater part of their army was destroyed", and "those that were spared" returned to the land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 9:1-2).
After a short time, Zeniff, who describes himself as "over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers", gathered another group of Nephites and returned to the land of the Lamanites. This time Zeniff went to the king of the Lamanites and, pledging peace, persuaded him to let them stay in the land. The Lamanite king, Laman, gave them the land of Lehi-Nephi and the land of Shilom, after commanding the Lamanites in those lands to depart.
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