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THE SON OF ALMA The account of Alma, who was the son of Alma, the first and chief judge over the people of Nehpi, and also the high priest over the Church. An account of the reign of the judges, and the wars and contentions among the people. And also an account of a war between the Nephites and the Lamanites, according to the record of Alma, the first and chief judge. |
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CHAPTER 1
Nehor teaches false doctrines, establishes a church, introduces
priestcraft, and slays Gideon—He is executed for his
crimes— |
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1 NOW it came to pass that in the first year of the reign
of the judges over the people of Nephi, from this time forward, king Mosiah
having agone the way of all the earth, having warred a good
warfare, walking uprightly before God, leaving none to reign in his stead;
nevertheless he had established blaws, and they were
acknowledged by the people; therefore they were obliged to abide by the
claws which he had made.
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1a
Mosiah 29:46 b Jarom 1:5; Alma 4:16; Alma 8:17; Hel. 4:22; c TG Citizenship
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2 And it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of Alma in
the judgment-seat, there was a aman brought before him to
be judged, a man who was large, and was noted for his much strength.
3 And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that which he atermed to be the word of God, bearing down bagainst the church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become cpopular; and they ought dnot to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people. 4 And he also testified unto the people that aall mankind should be saved at the last day, and that they bneed not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had ccreated all men, and had also dredeemed eall men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life.
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2a
Alma 1:15 3a Ezek. 13:3 (1-4) b TG Antichrist c Luke 6:26; 1 Ne. 22:23 d Mosiah 18:24, 26; Mosiah 27:5 (3-5) 4a Alma 15:15; Alma 21:6; Alma 30:17; Morm. 8:31 b TG Humility; TG Meekness c TG Jesus Christ, Creator; TG Man, Physical Creation of d TG Jesus Christ, Redeemer; TG Redemption e Moses 4:1
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5 And it came to pass that he did teach these things so much that
many did believe on his words, even so many that they began to support him
and give him amoney.
6 And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to wear very costly aapparel, yea, and even began to bestablish a cchurch after the manner of his preaching.
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5a
Acts 8:18 (17-23) 6a TG Apparel b TG Unrighteous Dominion c TG Devil, Church of
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7 And it came to pass as he was going, to preach to those who
believed on his word, he met a man who belonged to the church of God, yea,
even one of their ateachers; and he began to contend
with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the church; but the
man withstood him, admonishing him with the bwords of God.
8 Now the name of the man was aGideon; and it was he who was an instrument in the hands of God in delivering the people of Limhi out of bondage. 9 Now, because Gideon withstood him with the words of God he was wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite hima. Now Gideon being astricken with many years, therefore he was not able to withstand his blows, therefore he was bslain by the sword. 10 And the man who slew him was taken by the people of the church, and was brought before Alma, to be ajudged according to the crimes which he had committed.
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9a he was wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite him Here Nehor murders Gideon, an old man merely for the cause of religious argument. For this cause alone Nahor was guilty and would receive the death penalty. |
7a
TG
Teacher b TG Word of God; TG Word of the Lord 8a Mosiah 20:17; Mosiah 22:3; Alma 2:1 9a Gen. 24:1; 1 Ne. 18:17 b Alma 6:7 10a Mosiah 29:42
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11 And it came to pass that he stood before Alma and pleaded for
himself with much boldness.
12 But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that apriestcraft has been introduced among this peoplea. And behold, thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by the sword; and were bpriestcraft to be enforced among this people it would prove their entire destruction. 13 And thou hast shed the ablood of a righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this peoplea; and were we to spare thee his blood would come upon us for bvengeance.
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12a this is the first time that
priestcraft has been introduced among this people A fine
clarification needs be made here, 'This people' has reference to the people
of the nation of Zarahemla. When Zeniff established 'his people' in the
land of the Lamanites, though they were of the Nephites, this excluded them
from being of the nation of Zarahemla. And indeed the practice of
'priestcraft' had been exercised in the wicked kingdom of King Noah and his
wicked priests but never before had it been practiced in the nation of the
Nephties of Zarahemla. If one keeps track of where this belief arises next
in the land, the belief called as being of the Nehors, then one can consider
to where the more wicked part of the people of King Limhi did immigrate to
and situate themselve at. The more righteous portion of those of that once
separate nation of the people of Limhi did apparently establish themselves
with righteous Gideon in the valley and city of Gideon, for thus it was
called. But others of the people of Limhi would establish themselves elswhere
as the nation of Zarahemla had increased and needs be colonized elsewhere
other than centrally about the city of Zarahemla by these 'new immigrants.
13a thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this people Though we are not give a more detailed account of the life of Gideon, we may set forth a profile of a very righteous man. When in the land of Nephi it was Gideon who did content against the wicked king Noah. And it was Gideon who did set forth that it was the wicked priests who did steal away the daughters of the Lamanites and it was Gideon who came forth with the plan or escape from the Lamanite bondage. And in the land of Zarahemla, it was this Gideon who did lead forth a more righteous people to inhabit the valley and city which would bear his name, the valley and city of Gideon. And it was Gideon, who in his old age did verbally content against this wicked man Nehor, even to the extent that Nehor could not stand against his words but had to resort to murder to over come Gideon and the words of righteousness which Gideon did speak unto him. |
12a
2 Ne. 26:29;
Alma 2:20;
Alma 14:16; TG Priestcraft b Alma 21:4 13a Prov. 28:17; TG Blood, Shedding of b Luke 18:7; D&C 121:5; TG Vengeance
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14 Therefore thou art condemned to adie, according
to the blaw which has been given us by Mosiah, our last
king; and it has been cacknowledged by this people;
therefore this people must dabide by the law.
15 And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was aNehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious bdeath.
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14a
TG
Capital Punishment b Mosiah 29:39 c Hel. 1:8 d TG Citizenship 15a Alma 1:2; Alma 2:1, 20 b Deut. 13:5 (1-9)
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16 Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of
priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the vain things
of the world, and they went forth preaching afalse
doctrines; and this they did for the sake of briches and
honor.
17 Nevertheless, they durst not alie, if it were known, for fear of the law, for liars were punished; therefore they pretended to preach according to their belief; and now the law could have no power on any man for bhis belief. 18 And they durst not asteal, for fear of the law, for such were punished; neither durst they rob, nor murder, for he that bmurdered was punished unto cdeath.
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16a
TG
False Doctrine b TG Riches; TG Vanity 17a TG Honesty; TG Lying b Alma 30:7-12; A of F 1:11 18a Alma 30:10; TG Stealing b TG Murder c TG Capital Punishment
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19 But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the
church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the
church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ.
20 Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the word of God, one with another, without amoney and without price.
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20a
Isa. 55:1-2
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21 Now there was a strict law among the people of the church that
there should anot any man, belonging to the church, arise
and persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there should
be no persecution among themselves.
22 Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their afists.
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21a
Alma 4:8;
TG
Persecution 22a Ex. 21:18-19; Isa. 58:4
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23 Now this was in the *second year of the reign of
Alma, and it was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the
cause of much trial with the church.
24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their names were ablotted out, that they were remembered no more among the people of God. And also many bwithdrew themselves from among them. 25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were asteadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with bpatience the persecution which was heaped upon them.
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23a
[About 90 B.C.] 24a Ex. 32:33; Mosiah 26:32, 36; Alma 6:3; TG Excommunication b Alma 46:7; TG Apostasy of Individuals 25a TG Commitment; TG Steadfastness b TG Patience
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26 And when the priests left their alabor to impart
the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear
the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God
they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not
esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the
hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they
were all equal, and they did all labor, every man
baccording to his strength.
27 And they did aimpart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the bpoor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly capparel, yet they were neat and comely. 28 And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions.
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26a
Mosiah 18:24, 26;
Mosiah 27:5 (3-5) b Mosiah 4:27; D&C 10:4 27a TG Almsgiving; TG Consecration b Luke 18:22; Acts 20:35 (33-35); Mosiah 4:26; Mosiah 42:30 (29-31) c TG Vanity
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29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be
exceedingly arich, having abundance of all things whatsoever
they stood in need—an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of
every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of
precious things, and abundance of bsilk and fine-twined
linen, and all manner of good homely ccloth.
30 And thus, in their aprosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were bnaked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon criches; therefore they were dliberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no erespect to persons as to those who stood in need. 31 And thus they did aprosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church.
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29a
TG
Riches;
TG
Treasure b Alma 4:6 c Mosiah 10:5; Hel. 6:13; TG Clothing 30a 2 Cor. 8:14; Jacob 2:19 (17-19) b TG Poor c Job 31:25; TG Wealth d TG Generosity e Deut. 10:17; Alma 16:14; D&C 1:35 31a TG Prosper
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32 For those who did not belong to their church did indulge
themselves in asorceries, and in
bidolatry or cidleness, and in
dbabblings, and in eenvyings and
fstrife; wearing costly apparel; being
glifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting,
lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner
of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did
transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible.
33 And it came to pass that by thus exercising the law upon them, every man suffering according to that which he had done, they became more still, and durst not commit any wickedness if it were known; therefore, there was much peace among the people of Nephi until the fifth year of the reign of the judges.
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32a
TG
Sorcery b TG Idolatry c TG Laziness d TG Gossip e TG Envy f TG Strife g 2 Kings 14:10; Jacob 2:13; Alma 31:25; Morm. 8:28; TG Pride
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| * Verse 23 [About 90 B.C.]. | ||
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