3 And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who
were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers,
do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you,
Nay.

1 Nephi 17:34
34 Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice
than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay.

1 Nephi 17:35
35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is
righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had
rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and
the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did
curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea,
he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did
bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.

1 Nephi 17:36
36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be
inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should
possess it.

1 Nephi 17:37
37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the
nations of the wicked.

1 Nephi 17:38
38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and
the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for
their sakes.

1 Nephi 17:39
39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this
earth is his footstool.

1 Nephi 17:40
40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God.
Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea,
even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants
which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land
of Egypt.

1 Nephi 17:41
41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for
they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord
straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying
serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way
that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to
perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or
the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

1 Nephi 17:42
42 And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they
did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye
know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the
land of promise.

1 Nephi 17:43
43 And now, after all these things, the time has come that they
have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but
they are at this day about to be destroyed; for I know that t