The people of Noah were the Nephite colonists in the land of Lehi-Nephi who came under the reign of Noah when Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon his son (Mosiah 11:1). Taxed one fifth part of all they possessed to support the king, his wives and concubines, and his priests, “the people did labor exceedingly to support iniquity” — and became idolatrous themselves, deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and priests (Mosiah 11:2-7).
When the Lamanites began to slay them in their fields and among their flocks, Noah’s armies drove the raiders back and returned rejoicing in their spoil, boasting that their fifty could stand against thousands, delighting in the shedding of the blood of their brethren (Mosiah 11:16-19). Among such a people Abinadi came prophesying bondage except they repent (Mosiah 12:1-2); they hardened their hearts, and their king and priests burned him.
The prophesied bondage came in the person of an invading Lamanite army. Commanded by Noah to abandon their wives and children, part of the men fled with the king into the wilderness — and later burned him there, as Abinadi had said (Mosiah 19:9-24). Those who tarried were spared when their fair daughters pled with the Lamanites, and became tributaries at one half of all they possessed (Mosiah 19:13-15). Under Limhi the remnant continued as the people of Limhi, whose bondage fulfilled the word of the Lord: “all this was done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled” (Mosiah 21:4).