Limhi was a Nephite king in the land of Nephi, the son of King Noah³ and grandson of Zeniff, who had led the Nephite colony up from Zarahemla to reclaim the land of their fathers (Mosiah 7:9). After Noah was put to death by fire at the hands of his own people, the kingdom was conferred on Limhi by the voice of the people (Mosiah 19:20). Limhi had not wanted his father destroyed and is called a just man, though he did not excuse Noah’s iniquities (Mosiah 19:17).
Limhi took the throne under Lamanite subjugation, swearing an oath to the Lamanite king that his people would pay tribute of one half of all they possessed (Mosiah 19:26). The oath kept the Lamanites from killing them, but they struck the people on the cheeks and laid heavy burdens on them (Mosiah 21:3). Limhi addressed his people from the temple, telling them to lift up their heads and trust in God, who had brought Israel out of Egypt (Mosiah 7:18-19). He also told them plainly why they were in bondage: the Lord would not succor his people in the day of their transgression, the promise of the covenant was now fulfilled upon them, and yet if they would turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart he would, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver them out of bondage (Mosiah 7:29-33).
When the priests of Noah, hidden in the wilderness, abducted Lamanite women, the Lamanites blamed Limhi’s people and attacked. Limhi’s outnumbered men fought them off and captured the wounded Lamanite king, whom Limhi spared after learning the kidnapping was the work of Noah’s priests. Twice more the people went to battle against the Lamanites and were driven back with great loss, until they submitted to the yoke of bondage and cried to God for deliverance (Mosiah 21:3). Though they humbled themselves and cried mightily all the day long, the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; he began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites to ease their burdens, but did not yet see fit to deliver them out of bondage (Mosiah 21:15).
Limhi had earlier sent a small expedition to find Zarahemla. It failed to locate the city but came upon a land covered with bones and ruins, and returned with twenty-four gold plates engraved with the records of that fallen people (Mosiah 8:8-9; 21:27). Contact with Zarahemla finally came through Ammon¹ and his party, whom Limhi at first imprisoned and then released on learning they were Nephites (Mosiah 7:14). Limhi rejoiced that King Mosiah² could interpret the engravings, and many of his people entered a covenant with God to serve him and keep his commandments (Mosiah 21:32). He gave the twenty-four plates to be carried to Mosiah² for translation (Mosiah 8:9).
On the counsel of Gideon, Limhi’s people sent extra wine to the Lamanite guards, and when the guards were drunk they fled by night with their flocks and herds, led by Ammon¹ around the land of Shilom toward Zarahemla, where they joined Mosiah’s² people and became his subjects (Mosiah 22:4-13). After Alma¹ taught them, Limhi and his people asked to be baptized, and Alma¹ baptized them into the church of God (Mosiah 25:17-18).