12 Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of
man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments
of man are not always just.
Mosiah 29:13
13 Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men
to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge
this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have
men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did
for this people—I say unto you, if this could always be the case
then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to
rule over you.
Mosiah 29:14
14 And even I myself have labored with all the power and
faculties which I have possessed, to teach you the commandments
of God, and to establish peace throughout the land, that there
should be no wars nor contentions, no stealing, nor plundering,
nor murdering, nor any manner of iniquity;
Mosiah 29:15
15 And whosoever has committed iniquity, him have I punished
according to the crime which he has committed, according to the
law which has been given to us by our fathers.
Mosiah 29:16
16 Now I say unto you, that because all men are not just it is
not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over
you.
Mosiah 29:17
17 For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to
be committed, yea, and what great destruction!
Mosiah 29:18
18 Yea, remember king Noah, his wickedness and his abominations,
and also the wickedness and abominations of his people. Behold
what great destruction did come upon them; and also because of
their iniquities they were brought into bondage.
Mosiah 29:19
19 And were it not for the interposition of their all-wise
Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must
unavoidably remain in bondage until now.
Mosiah 29:20
20 But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble
themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him
he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work
with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending
the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.
Mosiah 29:21
21 And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an
iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the
shedding of much blood.
Mosiah 29:22
22 For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth
his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who
have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under
his feet the commandments of God;
Mosiah 29:23
23 And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his
people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and
whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and
whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against
them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an
unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness.
Mosiah 29:24
24 And now behold I say unto you, it is not expedient that such
abominations should come upon you.
Mosiah 29:25
25 Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges,
that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given
you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them
by the hand of the Lord.
Mosiah 29:26
26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth
anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for
the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right;
therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your
business by the voice of the people.
Mosiah 29:27
27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth
choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will
come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great
destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.
Mosiah 29:28
28 And now if ye have judges, and they do not judge you
according to the law which has been given, ye can cause that they
may be judged of a higher judge.
Mosiah 29:29
29 If your higher judges do not judge righteous judgments, ye
shall cause that a small number of your lower judges should be
gathered together, and they shall judge your higher judges,
according to the voice of the people.
Mosiah 29:30
30 And I command you to do these things in the fear of the Lord;
and I command you to do these things, and that ye have no king;
that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be
answered upon their own heads.
Mosiah 29:31
31 For behold I say unto you, the sins of many people have been
caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their
iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings.
Mosiah 29:32
32 And now I desire that this inequality should be no more in
this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that
this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his
rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we
may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our
posterity remains upon the face of the land.
Mosiah 29:33
33 And many more things did king Mosiah write unto them,
unfolding unto them all the trials and troubles of a righteous
king, yea, all the travails of soul for their people, and also
all the murmurings of the people to their king; and he explained