Book of Mormon Commentary - Mosiah 1

by Don R. Hender

It may seem odd that the very first book in the Book of Mormon taken from the large plates of Nephi has no lead-in explanation other than just the name 'The Book of Mosiah'. Of course this is a part of Mormon's abridgment of the large plates of Nephi. The first 116 pages of Mormon's abridgment of those plates was lost, and it is likely that Nephi's large plates history and record of the kings and Mormon's abridgment of them had more than just a Book of Lehi which was therefore skipped from that 'Book of Lehi', which we are told that the 116 pages contained. From the 'Book of Lehi' to the 'Book of Mosiah' would certainly seem to have consisted of some intervening records and books from Nephi through the Nephite Kings down to this prophet king Mosiah. Thus we must be resigned to the fact that in the loss of the 116 pages, we also lost much more. For rather than continuing to translate from where the 116 pages had left off, Joseph was commanded to jump over and translate the small plates of Nephi which reached down to the time of this King Mosiah and his son King Benjamin. And then this is where Joseph Smith was then allowed to return to Mormon's abridgment and resume his translation from that abridgment of Mormon much further along than when he had previously left off after translating those first 116 pages of the Book of Lehi.
But now, as to a lack of an introducing heading to Mormon's abridgement, which now commences with the Book of Mosiah, it might well be considered that the separate little book, 'The Words of Mormon' does stand as the introduction to what now is in the Book of Mormon to day as the abridgment of Mormon, of at least that portion which we do have.

THE BOOK OF MOSIAH

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

             CHAPTER 1
King Benjamin teaches his sons the language and prophecies of their fathers—Their religion and civilization have been preserved because of the recrods kept on the various plates—Mosiah is chosen as king and is given custody of the records and other things. [About 130-124 B.C.]
King Benjamin teaches his sons the Egpytian language and the prophecies of their fathers recorded in Egyptian upon the plates of brass and in 'Reformed Egpytian' upon the plates of the Book of Mormon fathers—A people's culture is preserved in the language of the people and the Nephites had kept the records which preserved their language and their culture—In such a depleated linguistic and educated condition, the people of Zarahemla fully trusted in the prophet leader which restored their language and culture to them and chose Mosiah to be their joint King. [About 130-124 B.C.] Languages: Egyptian was not the 'common language' of the people ought to understood. It is similiar to the time when the scriptures were in Latin and all the peoples of Europe did speak their own separate tongue. Though the people of Zarahemla were taught the common language of the Nephites, which would likely have been their separately developed Hebrew language, it is quite likely that the party which accompanied Mulek to the Americas had various nationalities and languages among them. Certainly their joint language had become corrupted and that is why Mosiah had to endeavor to teach them the Hebrew language again. Thus we are faces with a time when the people likely spoke at least two languages, Hebrew and the developed language of Zarahemla and kept their scriptural writings in another entirely diferent language again, Egyptian and Reformed Egpytian.

1 AND now there was no more contention in all the ^aland of Zarahemla^a, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his days.

1^a in all the land of Zarahemla One must attempt to keep in mind and distinguish what 'divisions' of the land and nation of Zarahemla were. There was the actual 'City of Zarahemla' wherein the buildings and commerce of the city was located. About such a city there was the immediate 'Land of Zarahemla' which did pertain unto that city. But when in this case it states 'all the land' of Zarahemla, it is speaking of the entire nation of Zarahemla, which during the time of King Benjamin would have likely consisted of the 'capital city of Zarahemla' and other such communities north down the lower valley course of the river of Sidon down to the sea, as well as any such other communities to the south of the capital city of Zarahemla which did reside within the upper Sidon River valley to the south of that central city. As one reads the Book of Mormon carefully, they come to understand that the capital city of Zarahemla and its immediate land round about it was in the center of the heart of the land. The common course which would have led the people ot Mulek to that central location in the center of the land would have been to travel up the Sidon River, perhaps even by way of their ship as the River Sidon was and is such a great river that it is navigable for a great distance into the interior of the land. Even in its head waters about Manti, the river was large and great enough to carry thousands of dead bodies out to sea. 1^a Omni 1:13; Alma 2:15

2 And it came to pass that he had three ^asons; and he called their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman. And he caused that they should be ^btaught in all the ^clanguage of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers^a, which were delivered them by the hand of the Lord.
3 And he also taught them concerning the records which were engraven on the ^aplates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye should remember that were it not for these ^bplates, which contain these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in ^cignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries of God.
4 For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children, except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been taught in the ^alanguage of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings^a, and teach them to his children, that thereby they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the commandments of God, even down to this present time.

2^a he caused that they should be taught in in all the language of his fathers, that thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the mouths of their fathers The plates of brass had been writen in the Egyptian language and the record of the Book of Mormon itself was written in 'Reformed Egyptain'. Therefore the language of the fathers which had to be learned in order to study the scriptures was not the common language of the people but the language of the scriptures which was Egyptian. Thus Benjamin did not merely have his sons taught in the common language of the day, likely a form of Hebrew, but he did have his sons schooled in the language that the scriptures were being kept in. And this is the significance of this current statement.
4^a taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read these engravings The plates of brase as kept by the descendants of Joseph in the house of Laban's ancestors (1 Nephi 5:16), which are likely also Lehi's ancestors because Lehi's genealogy was found upon them (1 Nephi 5:14), were engraved in Egyptian. This may well indicate the antiquity of the plates of brass dating their beginnings back to the time of Moses and even Joseph in Egypt. And thus they could very well be the very record of Joseph command by God that the seed of Joseph write and maintain (JST Genesis 50:31 ~ See also Ezekiel 37:15-22). 2^a 1 Ne. 1:1; D&C 68:25, 28
   ^b Enos 1:1; Mosiah 4:15 (14-15)
   ^c Morm. 9:32
3^a 2 Ne. 5:12; Mosiah 1:16; Mosiah 28:20
   ^b 1 Ne. 3:19-20; Omni 1:17
   ^c Alma 37:8
4^a 1 Ne. 1:2; 1 Ne. 3:19; Morm. 9:32-33;
     JS-H 1:64

5 I say unto you, my sons, ^awere it not for these things, which have been kept and ^bpreserved by the hand of God, that we might ^cread and understand of his ^dmysteries, and have his ^ecommandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the ^ftraditions of their fathers, which are not correct.
6 O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are ^atrue, and also that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.
7 And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to ^asearch them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should ^bkeep the commandments of God, that ye may ^cprosper in the land according to the ^dpromises which the Lord made unto our fathers.

5^a Alma 37:9
   ^b TG Scriptures, Preservation of
   ^c Deut. 6:6-8; 2 Chr. 34:21; 1 Ne. 15:24 (23-24);
     TG Scriptures, Value of
   ^d TG Mysteries of Godliness
   ^e 1 Ne. 4:15
   ^f Jacob 7:24; Mosiah 10:12 (11-17)
6^a 1 Ne. 1:3; 1 Ne. 14:30; 2 Ne. 25:20;
     Alma 3:12; Ether 5:3 (1-3)
7^a TG Scriptures, Study of
   ^b Lev. 25:18-19; Mosiah 2:22; Alma 50:(20-22)
   ^c Josh. 1:7; Ps. 1:3 (2-3); Ps. 122:6;
     1 Ne. 2:20
   ^d Omni 1:6; Alma 9:13-14

8 And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which are not written in this book.
9 And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end of teaching his sons, that he waxed ^aold, and he saw that he must very soon go the way of all the earth; therefore, he thought it expedient that he should confer the kingdom upon one of his sons.

9^a TG Old Age

10 Therefore, ^*he had Mosiah brought before him; and these are the words which he spake unto him, saying: My son, I would that ye should make a proclamation throughout all this land among all this ^apeople, or the people of Zarahemla, and the people of Mosiah who dwell in the land, that thereby they may be gathered together; for on the morrow^a I shall proclaim unto this my people out of mine own mouth that thou art a ^bking and a ruler over this people, whom the Lord our God hath given us.
11 And moreover, I shall give this people a ^aname, that thereby they may be distinguished^a above all the people which the Lord God hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I do because they have been a ^bdiligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord.
12 And I give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out, except it be through ^atransgression.

10^a for on the morrow Particularly used by the limited geographical theorist, this statement about King Benjamin addressing the people 'on the morrow' has been taken that King Benjamin had his son Mosiah rush out, publish to all in the land that very day that tomorrow King Benjamin would address the people. King Benjamin then would have had his 'tower' built in less than a 12 hour period of time to enable himself to speak to all the people who assembled themselves over night. And even though the Book of Mormon states that the people did gather, with there animals of sacrifice to the temple, did pitch their tents all facing toward the temple and were so numerous that they could not be numbered, this all occurs in less than say 18 hours, including their hurriedly prepared presumed temple sacrifices, and they were then also ready to hear King Benjamin, presumably after the events of such sacrifices, speak that same day of all those temple sacrifices? Certainly to do so in an 'over night' fashion would have to mean that the land and people were of a very limited small group indeed. But this is NOT what would have happened in a Hebrew community context of a mass gathering to sacrifice and then to hear the words of the King 'on the morrow', all occurring on the very next day.
Besides simply meaning 'tomorrow', that is the very next day after today, there are other respects in which the phrase 'on the morrow' is traditionally used and it means something else other than just 'tomorrow', which does not fit the Hebrew life style context in respect to what was obviously happening. 'On the morrow' can also be used in terms of being the next day after a particular coming event, that is the time following an event or particular occurance. In the Hebrew Law of Moses, which is designed to bring man unto an understanding of Jesus Christ, the people are commanded at particular times of the year to gather to the temple and offer their sacrifices. One such time of the year would have been the time of Passover another is the Day of Atonement. Now the Passover in the time of Christ was carried out for a 'week's' duration of events culminnating with the Seder Meal Friday evening and then the Saturday Sabbath services of the next day. It would seem that since all the people did come prepared with animal sacrifices to be offered at the temple, the timing of King Benjamin's address was particularlly arranged to coincide with just such an event. And the statement that he planned to address the people 'on the morrow' meant that his intent was to address the people the following day after the traditional keeping of the events of the Law of Moses. And then after the spiritual experience of such events of the Law of Moses bringing the people unto Christ, the people were to further remain 'on the morrow' after the day or days of their Law of Moses observances to then further hear the message of the King, particularly that of taking upon themselves the very name of Christ. This would explain the people's deep spiritual preparation for the words of the King and their overwhelming reactions when upon hearing those words and their ready acceptance of them.
What better ocassion would it have been than the day after 'sacrifice' and the people's renewal of commitment to the Lord in conjunction with the Law of Moses than for King Benjamin to stand forth on what was likely a Sunday after the Passover observance to peach concerning Jesus Christ and the people to take upon themselves the name of Christ? Reflecting back upon Jacob's two day sermon at the temple in the original land and city of Nephi, one must consider that also to be of such an ocassion, the annual 'Passover Conference' with a precedence of 'conference addresses' being preached at just such gatherings by the prophet leaders of the people. Certainly this is more in line with the Hebrew way of life than to just all of a sudden haphazardly say tomorrow come running and bring your sacrifices with you to hear the King the very next day. Perparations of putting together the tents, oganizing and ordering of events and the needs of extended families even in a limited society would require more advanced planning and notification than such as the limited geographical model proponents would have one consider.
In short, the people would have been in the process of planning their annual 'temple' or 'passover' excursion. King Benjamin's proclamation would have been sent throughout all of the land days in advance so that at this particular 'passover' extra effort would be made by the families of the people to all come and be represented minus such a maintenance level of such contingent family members as necessary left at home to care for the herds and such other temporal matters. But certainly every family would be well represented and ready to hear what the king would have prepared to teach them. The matter of King Benjamin's preparation to have it written down for distribution not only meant that all present would have access to his words throughout the hearing range, but also that the message could be taken back home to the 'Marthas' and 'men' left to care for the temporal matters of their various concerns, who were still at home. And though certainly King Benjamin's tower was a tower of timbers, the standard building material for the land of Zarahemla, it would have given the serveral number of days of preparation and design needed to build such a tower.
Imagine, the time of annual Passover, of all coming to the annual Temple events required by the Law of Moses with the added incentive that the aging King was particularlly going to address the people concerning a new King on the 'day after', 'on the morrow' after the end of the Passover observance. Imagine the added excitement of arriving for that week's events and seeing a great tower constructed from which the King would speak. Certainly all would so arranger their 'tents', there 'stalls', their tabernacle shelters from the sun in a manner as to face that tower and the temple grounds at which it was constructed. NO, this was not just a hurried up next day rushed experience. It was well designed and thoughtout not only by the King but by the administration of that angel who had appeared and commanded the event. After the Passover week and the Passover meal and observance, after that particular Sabbath, the people would will be in tune spiritually to receive the words of their King and well prepared to commit themselves to Jesus Christ whose sacrifices and performances of the Law of Moses they had just been participating in. 'On the morrow' meant that the day after the Passover Sabbath King Benjamin would address his people, on that very aniversary which would be the Sunday after the Jewish Sabbath when Jesus Christ would arise. The timing and significance could not be more profound. Would this not be the manner and the order of how God would have ordered it to have delivered by the words of an angel respecting Jesus Christ?
One particular additional note, the actual phrase 'on the morrow' or concept of the 'morrow' may have a very special and particular meaning in relationship to the passover (See Leviticus 23:(particularly verses 11, 15 & 16).
11^a I shall give this people a name, that thereby they may be distinguished This 'name' which King Benjamin would give his people was 'the name of Christ', which will be so stated in Mosiah chapter five. Now whether the Nephites did hold to the manners of speaking the 'Holy Name' of God, keeping it in reverence or not becomes a question. Is that name 'Christ' or is that name 'the name of Christ', which is some other name of The Christ such as 'Jesus'? We as latter day saints take upon ourselves the name of 'Jesus Christ' as a matter of being recognized members of the church of Jesus Christ. In the book of Moses, which speaks of the name by which Adam, Enoch and Noah knew the redeemer by states it to be 'Jesus Christ' (Moses 6:52, Moses 7:50, Moses 8:24). In the New Testament it states in Philippians 2:9-11 that God the Father of Spirits had exalted Jesus, and it was He who had given Christ 'a name which is above every name; and 'at the name of Jesus every kneew should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father'.
The fact is that God the Father had given Jehovah that name before the foundation of the world in the preexistance, thus Adam knew him by that name, Jesus Christ. In Zechariah chapter 3, which is the 4^th vision of Zecahriah, the angel of the LORD, God the Father, has 'Jehoshua' stand before him in a preexistent council of judgment between 'Jesus' and Satan. Even then did the Father and the scriptures state and it was known that his name was Joshua or Jehoshua, that is 'Jehovah in whom is salvation'. The significance of taking upon ones self the name of Jesus Christ is to become the sons and daughters of Christ in a gospel sense and to look to him for a remission of one's sins and to his atonement to enable man to again return unto the presence of God the Father of us all, our Father of our Spirits.
10^* [About 124 B.C.]
     ^a Omni 1:14; Mosaih 27:35
     ^b Gen. 41:43 (41-43); Jarom 1:7, 14;
       Mosiah 2:30
11^a Mosiah 5:8-12;
       TG Jesus Christ, Taking the Name of
     ^b TG Diligence
12^a TG Transgression

13 Yea, and moreover I say unto you, that if this highly favored people of the Lord should fall into ^atransgression, and become a wicked and an adulterous people, that the Lord will deliver them up, that thereby they become ^bweak like unto their brethren; and he will no more ^cpreserve them by his matchless and marvelous power, as he has hitherto preserved our fathers.
14 For I say unto you, that if he had not extended his arm in the preservation of our fathers they must have fallen into the hands of the Lamanites, and become victims to their hatred.
15 And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end of these sayings to his son, that he gave him ^acharge concerning all the affairs of the kingdom.

13^a Heb. 6:6 (4-6)
     ^b Jer. 46:15-17; Hel. 4:24, 26
     ^c D&C 103:8
15^a 1 Kings 2:1; Ps. 72:1-4

16 And moreover, he also gave him charge concerning the records which were engraven on the ^aplates of brass; and also the plates of Nephi; and also, the ^bsword of Laban, and the ^cball or director, which led our fathers through the wilderness, which was prepared by the hand of the Lord that thereby they might be led, every one according to the heed and diligence which they gave unto him.
17 Therefore, as they were ^aunfaithful they did not prosper nor progress in their journey, but were ^bdriven back, and incurred the displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten with famine and sore ^cafflictions, to stir them up in^d remembrance of their duty.
18 And now, it came to pass that Mosiah went and did as his father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather themselves together, to go up to the ^atemple to hear the words which his father should speak unto them.

16^a Mosaih 1:3
     ^b Jacob 1:10; W of M 1:13; D&C 17:1
     ^c 2 Ne. 5:12
17^a TG Disobedience
     ^b 1 Ne. 18:13 (12-13)
     ^c Lam. 1:5; TG Affliction
     ^d Judg. 13:1; Hel. 12:3 (2-3)
18^a 2 Ne. 5:16; Mosiah 2:1

^* Verse 10 [About 124 B.C.].

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