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CHAPTER 11King Noah rules in wickedness—He revels in riotous living with his wives and comcubines—Abinadi prophesies that the peopl will be taken into bondage—His life is sought by King Noah. [Between 160 and 150 B.C.] |
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1 AND now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon
Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his
stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father.
2 For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he did walk after the desires of his own heart. And he had many wives and aconcubines. And he did bcause his people to commit sin, and do that which was cabominable in the sight of the Lord. Yea, and they did commit dwhoredoms and eall manner of wickedness. 3 And he laid a atax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their bziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part of all their grain.
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2a
Jacob 3:5;
Ether 10:5 b 1 Kings 14:16; 1 Kings 15:26; 1 Kings 16:2; 1 Kings 21:22; 2 Kings 21:2 (1-9); Mosiah 23:12; Mosiah 29:31 c Mosiah 29:18 d 2 Ne. 28:15 e Mosiah 23:9 3a Gen. 47:24; Ether 10:5-6 b HEB related words: adjective, "shining", verb, "to overlay or plate with metal."
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4 And all this did he take to asupport himself, and
his wives and his bconcubines; and also his priests, and
their wives and their concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the
kingdom.
5 For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new aones in their steada, such as were lifted up in the pride of their hearts. 6 Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquitya.
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5a he put down all the priests that had
been consecrated by his father, and consecrated new ones in their
stead Now there has been some speculation concerning whether Alma
had his priesthood as a priest because of his consecration prior to Abinadi's
prophecies. This is not the case for all the 'righteous priests' of Zeniff
were put down and wicked Noah did consecrated wicked ones in their stead.
Alma could have only obtained his true authority through the administration
of angels during the days of his repentance. And if one reads carefully the
Book of Mormon, this will be apparent, for it states that Alma obtains his
authority from God.
6a thus did the people labor exceedingly to support iniquity When corrupt leaders are in position, then our taxes are being used in support of iniquity and iniquitiable causes. We are taxed upon our income at a rate in excess of the taxation upon the Nephites. And what is it that our tax money is buying? These are the tough questions that we should ask ourselves. And we should labor diligently to insure that those of political position are not those who live iniquiteous lives and enact iniquiteous laws and support iniquiteous living. Else our money is being spent for evil. This land is a land unto Christ and He will NOT support it in its state of wickedness. Thus it is important that our political leaders are such who do not live as wicked King Noah and support riotous living and iniquiteous ventures with the tax money of the people. Yet in government there are many who do support wickedness with our tax money in the things that they support with our tax dollar. An accounting ought to be made and given as to what is done with our tax dollar and what designs it does support such as paying support to those who are living in sin after the manner of those of Sodom and Gomorah. |
4a
Prov. 29:3 b TG Concubine 5a 1 Kings 12:31; 2 Chr. 11:14 (13-14); Mosiah 11:11; Mosiah 12:25 (17, 25)
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7 Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were
deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and
priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them.
8 And it came to pass that king Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of aprecious things, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of brass, and of ziff, and of copper; 9 And he also built him a spacious palace, and a throne in the midst thereof, all of which was of fine wood and was ornamented with gold and silver and with precious things.
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8a
Esth. 1:4
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Concerning the TempleIt would seem that verses 10-12 speak concerning the temple. The temple was ornamented, the seats of the high priests were ornament and a breastwork built and finally a tower was built near or next to that temple, a very high tower. |
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10 And he also caused that his workmen should work all manner of fine
work within the walls of the atemple, of fine wood, and of
copper, and of brass.
11 And the seats which were set apart for the ahigh priests, which were above all the other seatsa, he did ornament with pure gold; and he caused a breastwork to be built before them, that they might rest their bodies and their arms upon while they should speakb lying and vain words to his people. 12 And it came to pass that he built a atower near the templea; yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the landa of bShilom, and also the land of cShemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites; and he could even look over all the land round about.
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11a the seats which were set apart for
the high priests, which were above all the other seats This sounds
similar to the assembly hall seats where the seats of the congregation are at
the common level of the hall and the seats for the presiding officials of the
priesthood are raised. Whether the Book of Mormon people who had taken upon
themselves the worship of Jesus Chrsit and merely keep the law of Moses while
yet Chris had not come, now whether they did have as a part of their temple
complex such an assembly hall is to be considered. Certainly this discription
of the seating arragnement is similar and does remind one of the common seats
of the congregation and the raised seats of the priesthood administrators.
11b he caused a breastwork to be built before them, that they might rest their bodies and their arms upon while they should speak Now in church we do have a pulpit at which our speakers stand to deliver their message. But the common understanding of this 'breastwork' which was built 'before them' has been understood to be in front of each and all of the seats of the high priests that none had to move from their seats to so speak, but they could remain even seated as they would speak to the people while even leaning and resting upon the breastwork.  12a he built a tower near the temple ... so high that he could stand upon the tope thereof and overlook the land Not the purposes for this tower are not well established. But they might be implied: 1) The King could stand upon it, 2) All the land round about could be overlooked, and 3) It stood next to or near the temple. The people of King Noah had become an idolatrous people. In Central America their high ziggurat towers were sacrificial towers of human sacrifice. In North America and in Central America the king often had his residence atop one of the high towers. Also temple were eventually to be built upon the high towers of the people. But it is clear that the temple at this stage was not upon the top of the tower but near by it. Whether king Noah lived upon it is questionable for he also had such a high tower build upon the hill outside the city walls north of the city of Shilom. And both of these tower purposes seem to be more for the purpose of surveying the land round about and thus at this stage of the development of the people, the tower seemed to serve a more strategic purpose of observing the land round about than for any religious or residencial purpose. And with this purpose in mind a common factor between both towers of observation would seem to be that they were built upon the highest hill in each neighborhood. The Shilom tower being built upon the hill north of Shilom and the city of Lehi-Nephi tower being built upon the temple mount presuming that the temple was built upon the city's central hill or mount as was the fashion of building such temples unto the Lord. |
10a
2 Ne. 5:16 11a Mosiah 11:5, 14; Mosiah 12:17 12a Gen. 35:21; Mosiah 2:7-8; Mosiah 19:5-6 b Mosiah 9:14 (6, 8, 14); Mosiah 22:11 (8, 11) c Mosiah 10:7
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13 And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built in
the land Shilom; and he caused a great tower to be built on the
ahill north of the land Shilom, which had been a resort for
the children of Nephi at the time they bfled out of the
land; and thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation of
his people.
14 And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his riches, and he spent his time in ariotous living with his wives and his concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with harlots. 15 And it came to pass that he planted vineyards round about in the land; and he built wine-presses, and made awine in abundance; and therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people.
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13a
Mosiah 7:5 b Omni 1:12-13 14a TG Rioting and Reveling 15a TG Drunkenness; TG Wine
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16 And it came to pass that the Lamanites began to come in upon
his people, upon small numbers, and to slay them in their fields,
and while they were tending their flocks.
17 And king Noah sent guards round about the land to keep them off; but he did not send a sufficient number, and the Lamanites came upon them and killed them, and drove many of their flocks out of the land; thus the Lamanites began to destroy them, and to exercise their hatred upon them. 18 And it came to pass that king Noah sent his armies against them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a time; therefore, they returned rejoicing in their spoil.
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19 And now, because of this great victory they were lifted up in the
pride of their hearts; they did aboast in their own
strength, saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the
Lamanites; and thus they did boast, and did delight in blood, and the
shedding of the blood of their brethren, and this because of the wickedness
of their king and priests.
20 And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was aAbinadi; *and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord—Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will bvisit them in mine anger. 21 And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God, behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea, and they shall be brought into abondage; and they shall be afflicted by the hand of their enemies.
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19a
Amos 6:13;
D&C 3:4;
TG
Boasting 20a See accounts of Abinadi in Mosiah, chapters 11— 17 * [About 150 B. C.] b TG Punishment; TG Reproof 21a Mosiah 12:2; D&C 101:79
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22 And it shall come to pass that they shall aknow
that I am the Lord their God, and am a bjealous God,
visiting the iniquities of my people.
23 And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage; and none shall adeliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty God. 24 Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall acry unto me I will be bslow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that they be smitten by their enemies.
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22a
Ezek. 26:6;
1 Ne. 21:26 (25-26);
D&C 43:25 b Ex. 20:5; Deut. 6:15; Deut. 32:21; Mosiah 13:13 23a Hosea 13:10 (4, 10) 24a Micah 3:4 b Ps. 10:1; Jer. 2:27; Mosiah 21:15
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25 And except they repent in asackcloth and ashes,
and cry mightily to the Lord their God, I will not bhear
their prayers, neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus
saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.
26 Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken these words unto them they were wroth with him, and sought to take away his life; but the Lord adelivered him out of their hands.
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25a
TG
Sackcloth b Isa. 1:15-17; Isa. 59:2 26a TG Prophets, Rejection of; TG Protection, Divine
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27 Now when king Noah had heard of the words which Abinadi had spoken
unto the people, he was also wroth; and he said: aWho is
Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, or
bwho is the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such
great affliction?
28 I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I may slay him, for he has said these things that he might astir up my people to anger one with another, and to raise contentions among my people; therefore I will slay him. 29 Now the eyes of the people were ablinded; therefore they bhardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they sought from that time forward to take him. And king Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of his evil doings.
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27a
Alma 9:6 b Ex. 5:2; Mosiah 12:13 28a TG Provoking 29a 1 Kings 15:26-34; TG Spiritual Blindness; b TG Hardheartedness
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| * Verse 20 [About 150 B.C.]. | ||
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