1 NOW when Ammon and his brethren
aseparated themselves in the borders of the land of the
Lamanites, behold Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by
the Lamanites, bJerusalem, calling it after the land of
their fathers' nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.
2 Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of
aAmulon had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.
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1a
Alma 17:13, 17
b
Alma 24:1;
3 Ne. 9:7
2a
Mosiah 23:31;
Mosiah 24:1;
Alma 24:1, 28-30;
Alma 25:7 (4-9)
3 Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened,
but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder;
therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden
their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their
abominations.
4 And it came to pass that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem, and
first began to preach to the Amalekites. And he began to preach to them in
their asynagogues, for they had built synagogues after the
border of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and
the Amulonites were after the order of the
Nehorsa.
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4a the Amulonites were after the order of
the Nehors The Amulonites, being of the people of the wicked
priests of Noah, would certainly practice priestcraft, for that was their
order under Noah. From the Zarahemla perspective, the record does state it to
be the order after Nehor, he who established priestcraft in the land of
Zarahemla, but from the perspective of the Amulonites, it was that profession
which they had kept ever since the days of wicked King Noah.
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4a
D&C 66:7
b
Alma 1:12 (2-15);
Alma 14:16;
Alma 24:28
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5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their
asynagoguesa to
preach unto the people, and as he was
speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with
him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an
bangel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold
care not this people as good as thy people?
6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest
thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have
cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a
arighteous people? Behold, we have built
bsanctuaries, and we do assemble ourselves together to
worship cGod. We do believe that God will save all men.
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5a their synagogues Now the
common structure of the worship of the people of the Nephites was after that
order of a synagogue. Even the Nephite discenters did keep and maintain such
structures among themselves though they were after the order of Nehors.
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5a
Alma 16:13
b
Mosiah 27:11-15
c
Moses 8:21
6a
Jer. 2:35;
Mosiah 12:14 (9-15)
b
Alma 15:17;
Alma 16:13;
Alma 23:2;
Hel. 3:14 (9, 14)
c
Alma 1:4
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7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God
shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?
8 And the man said unto him: We do not abelieve
that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish
traditions. We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do
we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know concerning the
things which they spake, of that which is to come.
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8a
Jacob 7:2 (1-7)
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9 Now Aaron began to open the ascriptures unto them
concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the
dead, and that there could be bno redemption for mankind
csave it were through the ddeath and
sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.
10 And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto them
they were angry with him, and began to amock him; and they
would not hear the words which he spake.
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9a
Alma 25:6
b
Alma 22:14 (13-14)
c
Mosiah 5:8;
Alma 38:9
d
TG
Jesus Christ, Death of
10a
TG
Mocking
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11 Therefore, when he saw that they would not hear his words, he
departed out of their synagogue, and came over to a village which
was called Ani-Anti, and there he found Muloki preaching the word
unto them; and also Ammah and his brethren. And they contended
with many about the word.
12 And it came to pass that they saw that the people would harden
their hearts, therefore they departed and came over into the land of
aMiddoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and
bfew believed on the words which they taught.
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12a
Alma 23:10
b
Matt. 7:14
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13 Nevertheless, Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were
taken and cast into aprison, and the remainder of them fled
out of the land of Middoni unto the regions round about.
14 And those who were cast into prison asuffered
many things, and they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and
they were fed and clotheda.
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14a and clothed One of the
practices common to many ancient societies is that when a man is placed into
captivity or prison, they ARE NOT will clothed like in our society of today.
Rather they are commonly striped down. Alma and Amulek were so striped down
naked in the prison of Ammonihah. And here we have a comment which seems to
confirm this practice in the prisons in the land of Nephi of the Lamanites.
It is also confirmed by such captive depictions of the ancient peoples of
America.
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13a
Alma 20:2
14a
Alma 20:29
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15 And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they
were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they
had suffered.
16 And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the
aSpirit of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every
synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they
could be admitted.
17 And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch
that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did
aconvince many of their sins, and of the traditions of
their fathers, which were not correct.
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16a
Acts 16:6;
Alma 22:1-4)
17a
Alma 62:45;
D&C 18:44)
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18 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the land
of Middoni to the land of aIshmael, which was the land of
their inheritance.
19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him, or
be his aservant.
20 But he caused that there should be asynagogues
built in the land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people
who were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.
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18a
Alma 17:19;
Alma 22:1, 4;
Alma 25:13
19a
Alma 17:25
20a
Alma 16:13
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21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many things.
And he did also declare unto them that they were a people who were under him,
and that they were a afree people, that they were free from
the oppressions of the king, his father; for that his father had granted unto
him that he might reign over the people who were in the land of Ishmael, and
in all the land round about.
22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the
aliberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to
their desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land which
was under the reign of king Lamoni.
23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it came
to pass that he did teach them all things concerning things pertaining to
righteousness. And he did exhort them daily, with all diligence; and they
gave heed unto his word, and they were azealous for keeping
the commandments of God.
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21a
Alma 20:24;
Alma 22:1
22a
Luke 4:8;
D&C 93:19;
D&C 134:4 (1-4);
A of F 1:11;
TG
Liberty
23a
TG
Zeal, Zealous
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CHAPTER 21