(Book of Mormon) Words of Mormon 1:4
Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and put them with the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation, until the days of king Benjamin. ... And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation to generation, until they have fallen into my hands.
(Book of Mormon) Words of Mormon 1:5
And now concerning this king Benjamin, he had somewhat contentions among his own people. ... But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he did stand against them.
(Book of Mormon) Words of Mormon 1:6
And it came to pass that after there had been false christs — and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes — and after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people — and all these having been punished according to their crimes — and after there having been much contentions and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people — for behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority, and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people — wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.
And now there was no more contention in all the land of Zarahemla, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his days. ... And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which are not written in this book.
And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end of teaching his sons, that he waxed old and he saw that he must very soon go the way of all the earth. ... And these are the words which he spake unto him, saying, My son, I would that ye should make a proclamation throughout all this land, among all this people, or the people of Zarahemla and the people of Mosiah who dwell in this land, that thereby they may be gathered together; for on the morrow I shall proclaim unto this my people out of mine own mouth that thou art a king and a ruler over this people whom the Lord our God hath given us.
And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end of these sayings to his son, that he gave him charge concerning all the affairs of the kingdom.
And it came to pass that after Mosiah had done as his father had commanded him and had made a proclamation throughout all the land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them. ... And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses, and also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God, who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to be their king, who had established peace in the land of Zarahemla, and who had taught them to keep the commandments of God, that thereby they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men.
And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them. ... For the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words which he should speak unto them.
Yet as I have been chosen by this people, and was consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people, and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power to serve thee with all the might, mind, and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me, I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold, nor silver, nor any manner of riches of you, neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, or that ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery, or even I have not suffered that ye should commit any manner of wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the commandments of the Lord in all things which he hath commanded you.
Behold, ye have called me your king. ... And if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then had not ye ought to labor to serve one another? ... And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service and yet has been in the service of God, doth merit any thanks from you, oh how had you ought to thank your Heavenly King!
And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye yourselves are, for I am also of the dust. ... And moreover, I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble yourselves together that I might declare unto you that I can no longer be your teacher nor your king; for even at this time my whole frame doth tremble exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you. ... But the Lord God doth support me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto you, and hath commanded me that I should declare unto you this day that my son Mosiah is a king and a ruler over you.
And now it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and behold, they had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them; and they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth.
And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words, the spirit of the Lord came upon them and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins and having peace of conscience because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ, who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them. ... And king Benjamin again opened his mouth and began to speak unto them, saying, My friends and my brethren, my kindred and my people, I would again call your attention, that ye may hear and understand the remainder of my words which I shall speak unto you.
And now it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them. ... And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceeding great joy.
And now these are the words which king Benjamin desired of them, and therefore, he said unto them, Ye have spoken the words that I desired, and the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant.
And now king Benjamin thought it was expedient, after having finished speaking to the people, that he should take the names of all those who had entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments. ... And again, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of all these things, and had consecrated his son Mosiah to be a ruler and a king over his people, and had given him all the charges concerning the kingdom, and also had appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made, he dismissed the multitude and they returned, everyone according to their families, to their own houses.
And king Benjamin lived three years, and he died. ... And it came to pass that king Mosiah did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe his judgments and his statutes, and did keep his commandments in all things whatsoever he commanded him.
And king Mosiah did cause his people that they should till the earth, and he also himself did till the earth, that thereby he might not become burthensome to his people, that he might do according to that which his father had done in all things.
And now it came to pass that after king Mosiah had had continual peace for the space of three years, he was desirous to know concerning the people who went up to dwell in the land of Lehi-Nephi, or in the city of Lehi-Nephi; for his people had heard nothing from them from the time they left the land of Zarahemla; therefore, they wearied him with their teasings.
And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted that sixteen of their strong men might go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi to inquire concerning their brethren. ... And behold, they met the king of the people who was in the land of Nephi and in the land of Shilom, and they were surrounded by the king’s guard, and were taken, and were bound, and were committed to prison.
And it came to pass, when they had been in prison two days, they were again brought before the king and their bands were loosed. ... And they stood before the king and were permitted, or rather commanded, that they should answer the questions which he should ask them. ... And he said unto them, Behold, I am Limhi, the son of Noah, who was the son of Zeniff, who came up out of the land of Zarahemla to inherit this land which was the land of their fathers, who was made a king by the voice of the people.
And now when Ammon saw that he was permitted to speak, he went forth and bowed himself before the king. ... And rising again, he said, O king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am yet alive and am permitted to speak.
And now behold, our brethren will deliver us out of our bondage, or out of the hands of the Lamanites, and we will be their slaves; for it is better that we be slaves to the Nephites than to pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites.
And now king Limhi commanded his guards that they should no more bind Ammon nor his brethren, but caused that they should go to the hill which was north of Shilom and bring their brethren into the city, that thereby they might eat, and drink, and rest themselves from the labors of their journey, for they had suffered many things; they had suffered hunger, thirst, and fatigue.
And now it came to pass on the morrow, that king Limhi sent a proclamation among all his people, that thereby they might gather themselves together to the temple to hear the words which he should speak unto them.