7 And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement. 8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy. 9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow. 10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God. 11 And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls.
Mosiah 25:7-11 (Emphasis mine)
After the reading of the records, the people have very mixed emotions. They didn’t know what to think about all this and the events they have learned about.
They started out with joy because Limhi’s and Alma(1)’s people have been freed from bondage. But they also were saddened to tears when they thought about those who had been slain by the Lamanites. They also felt gratitude and gave thanks to God on behalf of those who had been freed.
Finally, they felt “pain and anguish” because of the sinful nature of the Lamanites. We are at a time in Nephite history where they are led by righteous leaders and the people are following the commandments of God. Instead of looking at the Lamanites as enemies, they look on them as “their brethren.” They are concerned for the welfare of their brother’s soul.
Hugh Nibley wrote:
“Question: Why do you suppose they were so struck with amazement when they read these records?
“Answer: This is back in Zarahemla and is telling us what has been going on with these people who had been going out everywhere. He is talking about three or four different colonies of people—where they originated, their tribulations, etc. They didn't know any of this had been going on with their relatives or anyone. Is this what has happened since we left Jerusalem? Well, they were struck with amazement. It says, ‘For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy’ (Mosiah 25:8). They were glad to hear this.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
12 And it came to pass that those who were the children of Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the daughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers, therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who were called Nephites.
13 And now all the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the Nephites, and this because the kingdom had been conferred upon none but those who were descendants of Nephi.
Mosiah 25:12-13 (Emphasis mine)
We learn that the children of Amulon and the other priests were so displeased by the behavior of their fathers, they renounced their names and became Nephites.
We shouldn’t forget their despicable behavior. When the Lamanites were attacking, King Noah “commanded the people that they should flee before the Lamanites, and he himself did go before them, and they did flee into the wilderness, with their women and their children” (Mosiah 19:9). But things didn’t go very well and the Lamanites caught up with them and began to kill them. King Noah then “commanded them that all the men should leave their wives and their children, and flee before the Lamanites” (Mosiah 19:11). Among those that fled were Amulon and the priests of Noah.
John Tvedtnes explains:
“We subsequently read ‘that those who were the children of Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the daughters of the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers, and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers, therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who were called Nephites’ (Mosiah 25:12). These were the deserted children of the priests of Noah who had come to the city of Zarahemla with Ammon and Limhi, so they had been born before their fathers took Lamanite wives. If they had already been Nephites during the time of Noah, one might wonder why they would want to "be called the children of Nephi" under King Mosiah2. Were these Amulonites an outside group who joined with the Nephites in the land of Nephi and subsequently came to be known as Nephites? It is clear that their half-brothers, the children of Amulon and the other priests by their Lamanite wives, later became leaders in the Lamanite army but still bore the name ‘Amulonites.’ “ [2] (Emphasis mine)
Calling themselves Nephites was a common occurrence. Jacob, Nephi’s brother, wrote “the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites. But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings” (Jacob 1:13-14).
John Sorenson explains the label “Nephite.”
“In a broader sense, ‘Nephites’ was a label given all those governed by a Nephite ruler, as in Jacob 1:13: ‘The people which were not Lamanites were Nephites; nevertheless, they were called [when specified according to descent] Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites, Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites.’ It is interesting to note that groups without direct ancestral connections could come under the Nephite sociopolitical umbrella. Thus, ‘all the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the Nephites’ (Mosiah 25:13). This process of political amalgamation had kinship overtones in many instances, as when a body of converted Lamanites ‘took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those who were called Nephites’ (Mosiah 25:12). The odd phrase ‘the people of the Nephites’ in such places as Alma 54:14 and Helaman 1:1 suggests a social structure where possibly varied populations (‘the people’) were controlled by an elite (‘the Nephites’).” [3] (Emphasis mine)
[1] Lecture 39: Mosiah 23-26, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 24, 2012.
[2] Reinventing the Book of Mormon, John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, January 24, 2012.
[3] Peoples of the Book of Mormon, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed January 24, 2012.
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