THE BOOK OF MORONI |
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CHAPTER 1Moroni writes for he benefit of the Lamanites—The Nephites who will not deny Christ are put to death. [Between A.D. 400 and 421] |
Moroni, having complete all that he had thought the Lord had for him to do, wanders the land hiding himself from the murderous Lamanites, who would kill him for he would not deny Christ. These last writings must be towards the end of Moroni's death in his last few years. [Between about A.D. 416-421] | |
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1 NOW I, Moroni, after having made an end
of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed
anot to have written more, but I have not as yet perished;
and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.
2 For behold, their awars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their bhatred they cput to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christa. 3 And I, Moroni, will not adeny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.
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2a because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ Though the final great battle of the Nephite nation was fought and lost in 385 A.D. in the land of Cumorah round about the hill of Cumorah, there seems to have been 'pockets' of Nephites who had been bypassed in the Lamanite pursuit and captain Mormon's 384 A.D. rounding up of the Nephites roung about the land of Cumorah's final regions of remaining Nephite cities. Whether these remaining Nephites where those who had refused to fight in that final battle or had been in the more remote recesses of the land which the path of pursuit did not follow, is not given in the Book of Mormon. But it is stated here that such Nephites did remain after Cumorah and even Mormon did live to fight again beyond the age of 80 and he final was reported by Moroni to have died in one such later, post Cumorah battle. Whether Moroni did even fight again after Cumorah is not stated, but it seems implied that his charge was to survive and care for the records, writing the final chapters of his father Mormon's book, abridging Ether's abrided record of the Jaredites to even a more abridged form and not to finally write a short book of his own as he finds himself yet alive even after completing the Jaredite abridgement of an abridgement. |
1a
Morm. 8:5;
Moro. 10:1-2 2a 1 Ne. 12:21 (20-23) b TG hate c Alma 45:14 3a Matt. 10:33 (32-33); 3 Ne. 29:5
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4 Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I
had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more;
but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of
aworth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day,
according to the will of the
Lorda.
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4a according to the will of the Lord All things performed by the righteous is 'according to the will of the Lord.' As one comes to taking upon themselves the very image and countenence of Christ in their walk of life, the are less likely to do that which is not according to the will of the Lord. When one gives a priesthood blessing, it commonly contains such a statement that the blessing be fulfilled according to the will of the Lord. Some times it is an 'if' occasion, that is 'if' it is the will of God, then such and such be done according to that will. Other times it is more of a commanded performance which the will of the Lord directs. Here is the last days of Moroni, he seems to imply that it was God's will that he did add this final short book of his own to the Book of Mormon record, thus being more of a command perforance than just a matter of writing because there is noting else to do. Certainly the matters of which Moroni adds to the record are of an important and significant nature, though they are of a brief and short nature. |
4a
2 Ne. 3:12 (11-12, 19)
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