Zeniff, a man who evidently was somewhat learned, had a personal knowledge of the Land of Lehi-Nephi, and also was acquainted with the language spoken by the Lamanites therein, was therefore appointed a spy to learn, if possible, the size and strength of the Lamanite armies. It must always be remembered that the Nephites regarded Lehi-Nephi as the land of their father's first inheritance. The idea of the leader of this first expedition was to overwhelm the Lamanite armies and take possession of the whole land. But, Zeniff, in making his report of the conditions he found among the Lamanites, told of so many good things which he saw that, he says, "I was desirous that they should not be destroyed."
Instead, Zeniff advocated that a treaty be arranged with the king of the Lamanites for his people to repossess their old homes. He argued with such ardor that a great contention arose between members of the expedition who favored this peaceful settlement of their purposes and those who preferred a war-like attack, and the leader of them ordered Zeniff to be slain. But in the attempt to carry out that order a riot ensued in which all but fifty of their number perished by violence. These survivors returned to their starting place to tell of the sad ending, the failure of their attempts.