Chapter 6
King Benjamin records
the names of the people and appoints priests to teach them—Mosiah reigns as a
righteous king. About 124–121 B.C.
1 AND now, king
Benjamin thought it was expedient, after having finished speaking to the
people, that he should take the names of all those who had entered into a
covenant with God to keep his commandments.
2 And it came to pass
that there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had
entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ.
3 And again, it came
to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of all these things, and had
consecrated his son Mosiah to be a ruler and a king over his people, and had
given him all the charges concerning the kingdom, and also had appointed
priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the
commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they
had made, he dismissed the multitude, and they returned, every one, according
to their families, to their own houses.
4 And Mosiah began to
reign in his father's stead. *And
he began to reign in the thirtieth year of his age, making in the whole, about
four hundred and seventy–six years from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem.
5 And king Benjamin
lived three *years and he died.
6 And it came to pass
that king Mosiah did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe his
judgments and his statutes, and did keep his commandments in all things
whatsoever he commanded him.
7 And king Mosiah did
cause his people that they should till the earth. And he also, himself, did till the earth,
that thereby he might not become burdensome to his people, that he might do
according to that which his father had done in all things. And there was no contention among all his people
for the space of three years.
Mosiah 6:1-7
Having finished his sermon, Benjamin had the names of those
who made the covenant recorded. With the
exception of young children, all in the congregation added their names to the
list.
This was similar to the Day of Atonement activities.
On many occasions in Jewish life,
but especially on this day, blessings were pronounced. In Benjamin's case,
several blessings were mentioned: "he doth bless and prosper you"
(Mosiah 2:22); "ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have
no power over you" (Mosiah 2:31); and remember "the blessed and happy
state of those that keep the commandments" (Mosiah 2:41). At the end of
the Day of Atonement, Jewish people exchange blessings such as "May you be
inscribed for life [in the book of life] and merit many years."126 Likewise,
at the conclusion of his speech, Benjamin took "the names of all those who
had entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments" (Mosiah
6:1). In some cases the Israelites immediately began constructing their booths
(sukkot) in preparation for the next phase of this season's
celebrations.[1]
The recording of names was important.
[T]he first thing done after a
covenant ceremony is, likewise, to appoint priests to exhort the people to remember
their promises so they may withstand God's day of judgment (e.g., Mosiah
6:1—3; 2 Nephi 9:52). The disciple's salvation turns upon remembering and
doing the things taught in the Sermon. Therefore, one should not think of the
standards set forth in the Sermon as unreachable ideals. Observing this
specific set of requirements is essential to eternal exaltation, for only
thereby can the Lord raise us up at the last day. In this way, the speech
embraces both this-worldly and other-worldly concerns.[2]
Benjamin had two things left to do; anoint Mosiah to be
king. He also appointed priests and
teachers to the people. They would teach
the people and remind them of the covenant which they had made. When this was done, the people left and
returned to their homes.
Mosiah officially took over as king.
We see a problem we face with the Book of Mormon. There are many dates given, but they are just
estimates.
In addition, dates of certain
events cannot always be stated with precision. Indeed, the date 600 BC only
approximates the year of Lehi's departure. Even the Nephite record keepers were
not sure exactly when Lehi left: in Mosiah 6:4 the best that could be
said of the key date that links the small plates to King Mosiah was that his
reign commenced "in the whole about four hundred and
seventy-six years from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem."[3]
Benjamin died three years after Mosiah became king.
Mosiah was a righteous king.
He “did walk in the ways of the
Lord.” He kept the commandments in
all thing and did whatsoever the Lord commanded him.
The book of Mosiah is possibly the
most carefully composed book in the Book of Mormon concerning a single period
of history. Parts of it were written by Mosiah, son of Benjamin, and he
incorporated the records of others (Limhi, Alma, et al.) in his work. Others
later condensed the record and wrote certain things Mosiah was unlikely to have
said about himself, putting such comments in the third person (Mosiah 6:6–7),
and adding details such as the death of Mosiah (Mosiah 29:46–47).[4]
Mosiah had his people begin tilling the ground and planting
their crops. Like his father, Mosiah took
care of himself and provided for himself.
He was never a burden on the people.
The apostle Paul similarly provided for himself. “And
when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that
which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in
all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I
keep myself” (2 Corinthians 11:9).
Nephi taught his people to be
industrious and to work with their hands (2 Nephi 5:17). After hearing the
gospel taught by Ammon and his brothers, the converted Lamanites, the
Anti-Nephi-Lehies, became a very industrious people (Alma 23:18). Moreover, the
righteous leaders of the Book of Mormon taught through example to till the
earth and to support themselves so they would not be a burden for others (Mosiah
6:7).[5]
[1] King
Benjamin's Speech in the Context of Ancient Israelite Festivals, Terrence
L. Szink and John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 18, 2014.
[2] The
Temple Context and Unity of the Sermon at the Temple, Maxwell Institute,
accessed August 18, 2014.
[3] Glimpses
of Lehi's Jerusalem – Introduction, David Rolph Seely, Jo Ann H. Seely, and
John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 18, 2014.
[4] Mosiah:
The Complex Symbolism and Symbolic Complex of Kingship in the Book of Mormon,
Gordon C. Thomasson, Maxwell Institute, accessed August 18, 2014.
[5] Economic
Insights from the Book of Mormon, Lindon J. Robison, Maxwell Institute,
accessed August 18, 2014.
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