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CHAPTER 23Religious freedom is proclaimed—The Lamanites in seven land and cities are converted—They call themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies and are freed from the curse—The Amalekites and the Amulonites reject the truth. [Between 90 and 77 B.C.] |
[Between 90 and 82 B.C.] | |
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1 BEHOLD, now it came to pass that the king
of the Lamanites sent a aproclamation among all his people,
that they should not lay their hands on Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni,
nor either of their brethren who should go forth preaching the word of God,
in whatsoever place they should be, in any part of their land.
2 Yea, he sent a decree among them, that they should not lay their hands on them to bind them, or to cast them into prison; neither should they spit upon them, nor smite them, nor cast them out of their asynagogues, nor scourge them; neither should they cast stones at them, but that they should have free access to their houses, and also their temples, and their bsanctuariesa. 3 And thus they might go forth and preach the word according to their desires, for the king had been converted unto the Lord, and aall his bhousehold; therefore he sent his proclamation throughout the land unto his people, that the word of God might have no obstruction, but that it might go forth throughout all the land, that his people might be convinced concerning the wicked atraditions of their fathers, and that they might be convinced that they were all brethren, and that they ought not to murder, nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to commit any manner of wickedness.
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2a they should have free access to their houses and also their temples, and their sanctuaries Now the use of temples in the days before Christ were for the practice of outward ordinances and common gatherings of people were common. Thus this is not proclaiming anything that was against their religions to allow access to the temple, for the common people were allowed access. And any such religeous restriction concerning any 'inner rooms' and ceremonies would have certainly been maintained and kept. But the missionary Nephites would have been allowed to assemble with the people to declare the word of God in their common assemblies. |
1a
Alma 22:27 2a Alma 21:20 (4-6, 20); Alma 26:29 b Hel. 3:14 (9, 14) 3a Alma 22:23 b Gen. 18:19 c Alma 26:24
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4 And now it came to pass that when the king had sent forth this
proclamation, that Aaron and his brethren went forth from
acity to city, and from one house of worship to another,
establishing churches, and consecrating bpriests and
teachers throughout the land among the Lamanites, to preach and to teach the
word of God among them; and thus they began to have great success.
5 And athousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord, yea, thousands were brought to believe in the btraditions of the Nephites; and they were taught the crecords and prophecies which were handed down even to the present time.
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4a
Luke 8:1;
D&C 66:5;
D&C 75:18 b Alma 30:31 5a Alma 26:4 b Alma 37:19 c Alma 63:12; TG Scriptures, Value of
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6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as
many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of
Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of
prophecy, and the power of God working amiracles in
them —yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites
as believed in their preaching, and were bconverted unto
the Lord, cnever did fall away.
7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.
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6a
Ex. 8:19;
1 Ne. 19:22;
D&C 84:3; D&C 121:12 b TG Commitment; TG Conversion c Alma 27:27
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8 Now, these are athey who were converted unto the
Lord:
9 The people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Ishmaela; 10 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of aMiddonia; 11 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the city of Nephia; 12 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of aShiloma, and who were in the land of Shemlona, and in the city of Lemuela, and in the city of Shimniloma.
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9a the land of Ishmael The
land of Ishmael had a fixed palace of its king and they had flocks and herds.
10a the land of Middoni 11a the city of Nephi 12a the land of Shilom 12b the land of Shemlon 12c the city of Lemuel 12d the city of Shimnilom |
8a
Alma 26:3, 31 10a Alma 20:2; Alma 21:12-13, 18 12a Mosiah 22:11 (8, 11)
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13 And these are the names of the cities of the Lamanites which were
aconverted unto the Lord; and these are they that laid down
the weapons of their rebellion, yea, all their weapons of war; and they were
all Lamanites.
14 And the Amalekites were not aconverted, save only one; neither were any of the bAmulonites; but they did harden their hearts, and also the hearts of the Lamanites in that part of the land wheresoever they dwelt, yea, and all their villages and all their cities. 15 Therefore, we have named all the cities of the Lamanites in which they did repent and come to the knowledge of the truth, and were converted.
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13a
Alma 53:10 14a Alma 24:29 b Mosiah 23:31-39
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16 And now it came to pass that the king and those who were
converted were desirous that they might have a name, that thereby
they might be distinguished from their brethren; therefore the
king consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, concerning
the name that they should take upon them, that they might be
distinguished.
17 And it came to pass that they called their names aAnti-Nephi-Lehies; and they were called by this name and were no more called bLamanites. 18 And they began to be a very aindustrious people; yea, and they were friendly with the Nephites; therefore, they did bopen a correspondence with them, and the ccurse of God did no more follow them.
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17a
Alma 24:1-3, 5, 20 ; b Jacob 1:13 18a TG Industry b Alma 24:8 c 1 Ne. 2:23; 2 Ne. 30:6 (5-6); 3 Ne. 2:15 (14-16)
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