Editing Zeniff (section)

{{Short description|Nephite king in the Book of Mormon}}
{{Infobox royalty
| title        = King of the Nephites in Lehi-Nephi and Shilom
| image        = Cropped Zeniff, in Zeniffs Treaty with King Laman, ca1924 copy.png
| alt          = The illustration is not in color. The face of a man (Zeniff) is in profile, facing right relative to the viewer. He wears a helmet similar to a kettle hat. It may have a chin strap. The man visible has a mustache and may have a beard.
| caption      = As depicted in ''Zeniff's Treaty with King Laman'' ({{circa|1924}})
| reign        = ~40 years
| successor    = [[King Noah|Noah]]
}}

'''Zeniff''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|z|iː|n|ɪ|f}})<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/pronunciation?lang=eng |website=churchofjesuschrist.org |title=Book of Mormon Pronunciation Guide |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200516144651/http://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/scriptures/bofm/pronunciation?lang=eng |archive-date=2020-05-16 |access-date=2012-02-25 |publisher=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints}} [[Wikipedia:IPA for English|IPA]]-ified from «zē´nĭf»</ref> is a king in the [[Book of Mormon]] whose personal account is recorded in the [[Book of Mosiah]]. He is the father of [[King Noah]] and the grandfather of [[Limhi|King Limhi]].{{sfn|Largey|2003|p=802}} Zeniff is the first king of [[Nephites|Nephite]] colonists who come from [[Zarahemla]] and settle in the land of Lehi-Nephi. The Nephites believe this land to be rightfully theirs by inheritance (as it was the homeland of the early Nephites), even attempting to reclaim the land by force. In an expedition in which he spies for the Nephites, Zeniff claims to see good in the [[Lamanites|Lamanite]] inhabitants. He argues against a militaristic approach and causes an internal battle among the Nephite army. Zeniff later leads a group of Nephites back to Lehi-Nephi and establishes a peace [[treaty]] with the Lamanite king whose people inhabit the land. Zeniff’s people prosper with him as king, but the Lamanite king betrays their treaty and attempts to exploit them. Zeniff and his people successfully fight off the Lamanites’ multiple aggressions, and Zeniff's reign lasts about forty years, after which he passes the kingship to one of his sons, [[King Noah|Noah]].{{sfn|Hardy|2023|p=250}} Scholarly interpretations have highlighted Zeniff's shifting perceptions of Lamanites, such as how his opinion changes when his people contends with the Lamanites and the role that Zeniff's narration plays in racializing Lamanites in the Book of Mormon.