1 AND now behold, there was not a living soul [ So pretty much everyone right? I think if we really look at this it is the covenant people of the Lord, these to whom God has breathed the breath of life, Temple ordinances. So if that is true then it means that the covenant people of the Lord are becoming awake. ] among all the people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken; [ Everyone is a stanch believer - since they were such good believers they were also great doers of the word vs 3 repenting and being diligent day and night. ] for they knew that it must needs be that they must be fulfilled.

2 And they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come, because of the many signs which had been given, according to the words of the prophets; and because of the things which had come to pass already they knew that it must needs be that all things should come to pass according to that which had been spoken.

3 Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night. [ Forsake sin - then serve God - it is not enough to just abandon the sin, we must do his work as well - so much for waiting to be commanded in all things. At this point in time the Nephites appear to be doing rather well as to keeping the commandments and continue to do so until chapter 6 when they start to loose their focus as a people on keeping all the commandments. It is interesting to note that when this account is being written by Mormon - the Nephites are in the final stages of apostasy before the great cataclysmic destructions which happen in chapter 8. As Mormon is writing this one can only imagine the correalations that Mormon sees between this time an the times in which Mormon was living.]

4 And now it came to pass that when they had taken all the robbers prisoners, insomuch that none did escape who were not slain, they did cast their prisoners into prison, and did cause the word of God to be preached unto them; [ HOW TO TREAT CRIMINALS? cast them into prison and teach the word of God to them - change their hearts while in prison.] and as many as would repent of their sins and enter into a covenant that they would murder no more were set at liberty. [ Which is that they were given land upon which they could labor and support themselves see 3 Ne 6:3]

5 But as many as there were who did not enter into a covenant, and who did still continue to have those secret murders in their hearts, yea, as many as were found breathing out threatenings against their brethren were condemned and punished according to the law.

6 And thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret, and abominable combinations, in the which there was so much wickedness, and so many murders committed. [ At least for now. In a couple of hundred years they are back again 4 Ne. 1:42. ]

7  And thus had the twenty and second year passed away, [ Or as I have just explained is how the 22nd year passed away. ] and the twenty and third year also, and the twenty and fourth, and the twenty and fifth; and thus had *twenty and five years passed away. [ The 23rd, 24 and 25th years have all passed away and what happens in this period is documented in the next verses. ]

8 And there had many things transpired which, in the eyes of some, [ In who's eye's? Those that had eyes to see. They have awakened enough that they can see. The eyes of a living soul hear, which is what President Nelson asked us to do - to Hear Him. You better start to hear of you will not survive. ] would be great and marvelous; nevertheless, they cannot all be written in this book; [ Why are they not written here? Because they are the responsibility of John The Revelator to write them. So in a way Mormon is suggesting that we go read the books of John for more info - looking for "great and marvelous" events and "living souls". See Rev 15:1 - Is Mormon suggesting that we live in the time of the seven last plagues? ] yea, this book cannot contain even a hundredth part of what was done among so many people in the space of twenty and five years; [ There were so many fantastic things that happened. Notice how Mormon is commenting so to speak that because the people were so diligent in keeping the commandments the Lord truely blessed them, and looking over the records there was so much to write about (how they saw the hand of the Lord in their life) that Mormon was limited to address only a small part of the good things that had happened. He continues on further in this chapter to link the goodness of the people to them receiving the promised blessings available to Israel. vs 20-26.]

9 But behold there are records which do contain all the proceedings of this people; and a shorter but true account was given by Nephi.

10 Therefore I have made my record of these things according to the record of Nephi, which was engraven on the plates which were called the plates of Nephi.

11 And behold, I do make the record on plates which I have made with mine own hands.

12 And behold, I am called Mormon, [ Mormon is writting this account some 400 years after these events have taken place and as such can be somewhat reflective in how he chooses to present the stories. It is here that Mormon introduces himself. ] being called after the land of Mormon, [ See Mosiah 18:4 When it was named Mormon and the time was that the people there were a righteous people. I suppose he is longing for that time again when times where much better than they are now. ] the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people, yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression.

13 Behold, I am a disciple [ Almost every use of the word "disciple" in the Book Of Mormon has to deal with a member of the quorum of 12 apostles. So here Mormon is declaring to us that he is an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. ] of Jesus Christ, the son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, [ This is the first reason he was called to do. (Moroni 7-8) ] that they might have everlasting life.

14 And it hath become expedient that I, according to the will of God, that the prayers of those who have gone hence, who were the holy ones, [ Saints. ] should be fulfilled according to their faith, should make a record of these things which have been done— [ The second thing that Mormon was called to do. ]

15 Yea, a small record of that which hath taken place from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem, even down until the present time. [ Or the days in which Mormon lived. ]

16 Therefore I do make my record from the accounts which have been given by those who were before me, until the commencement of my day;

17 And then I do make a record of the things which I have seen with mine own eyes.

18 And I know the record which I make to be a just [ Right or lawful. ] and a true [ Means it is correct or trustworthy. ] record; nevertheless there are many things which, according to our language, we are not able to write.

19 And now I make an end of my saying, which is of myself, and proceed to give my account of the things which have been before me. [ He is going to take us back to the beginning - the place from which we can start as the reference point for the message that he wants to bring forth. ]

20  I am Mormon , and a pure descendant of Lehi. [ Mormon is saying he is not part Judah, via the Mulekites, but is completely from descended from Joseph. This ties in with the v. 21 and 23 references to promises given to the lineage of Joseph. Mormon is of the lineage of Joseph and is fulfilling the promises to Joseph concerning his lineage.When Mormon says he is a pure Lehite, then we have to conclude there was no Mulekite lineage mixed with his. But, Mulekites were in the majority by at least twofold when they combined with the Nephites, cf. Mosiah 25:1-3. Perhaps Mormon is an exception to what one would think would have been typically a heterogeneous mix of Lehite and Mulekite lineage. If Mormon wasn't an exception then there must have been social conventions where Nephites and Mulekites did not intermarry. Unfortunately, we are not informed by Mormon on these matters.] I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, that he brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, (and no one knew it save it were himself and those whom he brought out of that land) and that he hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the salvation of our souls.

21 Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph. [ So Mormon with the view from the past and the records of the past in front of him he can see the hand of the Lord in their life. This is kind of a nosteligic reference to the past as the Nephites have drifted so far from the Lord that they have lost the protection of the Lord and are awaiting their destruction as he writes these verses. Mormon's comments do not go into the negative issues surrounding the apostasy and wickedness of the Nephites as their time to repent and be protected has past; so he chooses to address the future and the covenant blessings awaiting those who will receive this record in the future. (vs 14) the blessings promised the fathers, to bring the record he is currently writing to a remnant of the Lehites. So the choice is deliberately made by him to spend his energy doing something positive, trying to exercise his influence where it may be of some good. so, while there is no explicit mention to the current state of the Nephites, the mention is implied such that. Why would there be any gathering if they weren't scattered? Why would they need to be apprized of their covenant relationship with the Lord unless they had lapsed into apostasy? ]

22 And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to his word.

23 Yea, and surely shall he [ God. ] again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the knowledge of the Lord their God. [ Here he begins to explain to us why the Book Of Mormon is so critical. Mormon has been priveledged to see the final outcomes. So he knows that some of the seed of Joseph through Lehi will be preserved to see the Book Of Mormon come forth and the worth that it will be to them. This is a direct reference to the prophet Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel. In order to accomplish this it will require prophets, apostles and priesthood authority. ]

24 And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in [ Once the restoration has taken place then the Lord will begin the great gathering of his people. ] from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth.

25 And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, [ The Lord's Covenants with the House of Israel. So what Mormon is reflecting on here is what he thinks is important based on the condition of his people at the time that Mormon is writing this record - which is that the Nephites are about to be totally wipped out by the Lamanites - so the idea that there is some hope in the future would be of great imporance. ] even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob [ When ever you see "house of Jacob" the Lord is talking about the family name, their covenant name is Israel. ] be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant [ Or that they will understand, or have knowledge of the gospel. ] that he hath covenanted with them. [ Israel. ] .

26 And then shall they know their Redeemer, [ The Lord's initial promise to Abraham was to have a land of their own In order for that to occur his lineage has to be spiritual and that is accomplished by accepting Christ. So it is for each of us. We must come to know and believe in God for his blessing to be fulfilled in our behalf. ] who is Jesus Christ, the son of God; [ He is not the son of Joseph. He is not the son of a man. This title the son Of God means that his Father is literally God our Father in Heaven ] and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, [ Gathered first spiritually then physically. Remember the first part of the promise to Abraham was for both a promised land and for eternal increase. In order for all of the promises to be fulfilled they will be returned to Abraham's ancestral lands. We need to go to to fully comprehend what facilitates the gathering. In Moses 7:60- it explains how will then gather in from the house of Israel. ] from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen. [ Emphasizes the redemption of Israel is twofold, both spiritual and physical. The first half of v. 26 deals with the spiritual redemption, and the second half of the verse deals with the physical redemption. ]