Chapter 8
Ammon teaches the
people of Limhi—He learns of the twenty–four Jaredite plates—Ancient records
can be translated by seers—The gift of seership exceeds all others. About 121
B.C.
1 AND it came to pass
that after king Limhi had made an end of speaking to his people, for he spake
many things unto them and only a few of them have I written in this book, he
told his people all the things concerning their brethren who were in the land
of Zarahemla.
2 And he caused that
Ammon should stand up before the multitude, and rehearse unto them all that had
happened unto their brethren from the time that Zeniff went up out of the land
even until the time that he himself came up out of the land.
3 And he also
rehearsed unto them the last words which king Benjamin had taught them, and
explained them to the people of king Limhi, so that they might understand all
the words which he spake.
4 And it came to pass
that after he had done all this, that king Limhi dismissed the multitude, and
caused that they should return every one unto his own house.
5 And it came to pass
that he caused that the plates which contained the record of his people from
the time that they left the land of Zarahemla, should be brought before Ammon,
that he might read them.
6 Now, as soon as
Ammon had read the record, the king inquired of him to know if he could interpret
languages, and Ammon told him that he could not.
7 And the king said
unto him: Being grieved for the afflictions of my people, I caused that forty
and three of my people should take a journey into the wilderness, that thereby
they might find the land of Zarahemla, that we might appeal unto our brethren
to deliver us out of bondage.
8 And they were lost
in the wilderness for the space of many days, yet they were diligent, and found
not the land of Zarahemla but returned to this land, having traveled in a land
among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of
men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind,
having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as
numerous as the hosts of Israel.
9 And for a testimony
that the things that they had said are true they have brought twenty–four
plates which are filled with engravings, and they are of pure gold.
10 And behold, also,
they have brought breastplates, which are large, and they are of brass and of
copper, and are perfectly sound.
11 And again, they
have brought swords, the hilts thereof have perished, and the blades thereof
were cankered with rust; and there is no one in the land that is able to
interpret the language or the engravings that are on the plates. Therefore I said unto thee: Canst thou
translate?
12 And I say unto thee
again: Knowest thou of any one that can translate? For I am desirous that these records should
be translated into our language; for, perhaps, they will give us a knowledge of
a remnant of the people who have been destroyed, from whence these records came;
or, perhaps, they will give us a knowledge of this very people who have been
destroyed; and I am desirous to know the cause of their destruction.
13 Now Ammon said unto
him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king, of a man that can translate the
records; for he has wherewith that he can look, and translate all records that
are of ancient date; and it is a gift from God.
And the things are called interpreters, and no man can look in them
except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should
perish. And whosoever is commanded to
look in them, the same is called seer.
14 And behold, the
king of the people who are in the land of Zarahemla is the man that is
commanded to do these things, and who has this high gift from God.
15 And the king said
that a seer is greater than a prophet.
Mosiah 8:1-15
Limhi finishes speaking to his people. Mormon tantalizes us with hints that Limhi “spake many things … and only a few of them
I have written.” One wonders what he
might have said.
Limhi had Ammon speak to the people. He reviewed the history of Zarahemla from the
time of Zeniff to the present. After
reviewing the history, he told the teachings of King Benjamin and explained the
meaning of his words.
Limhi the told thee people to return to their homes.
Mosiah 8:4 does not say whether
Limhi's people entered into the covenant before he "dismissed the
multitude, and caused that they should return every one unto his own
house," but it appears that they did so for two reasons: First, the same
phrase describes how Benjamin "dismissed the multitude, [so] they
returned, every one, according to their families, to their own houses"
(Mosiah 6:3), immediately after his covenant-making and name-taking ceremony
was completed; thus it seems likely that the identical formula is used in
Mosiah 8:4 as a summary statement indicating that all the same covenants had
been concluded in Limhi's case as well. Second, Mosiah 21:30–31 reports that
Ammon and the people declared a time of mourning for those who had been lost;
this mourning would likely have begun the next day. Whenever it began, by that
time the people had already "entered into a covenant with God to serve him
and keep his commandments" (Mosiah 21:31), and these words appear to
describe the same covenant required by Benjamin's speech as it was delivered by
Ammon to King Limhi's people.[1]
Plates had been kept containing a record of the people of
Zeniff. Ammon read through the plates.
Limhi asked Ammon if “he
could interpret languages.” He said
he could not. Limhi explained he sent a party of forty-three to find a way to
get help from Zarahemla. They became lost and wandered for a time. Unexpectedly, they came upon a land that was
covered with the bones of men and beasts.
(Amaleki briefly refers to this on the small plates [see Omni
1:22]). They also found ruins. It was obvious that this had once been home
to an unknown civilization.
While searching the area, they came across twenty-four gold
plates containing engravings in a language they could not read. They also found useable breastplates as well
the hilts of swords as well as rusted swords (see Ether 15:15).
I wish we would know more about how they found the Jaredite
record. It seems they were wandering
around the ruins they suddenly came upon the plates. These were important records. In addition to containing an account of the
Jaredites, it contains the brother of Jared’s record of his vision. There is a school of thought that the brother
of Jared’s record of the history of the world from the beginning to the end
make up the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon. I would think a record of this importance
would have been better preserved; yet, because of their wickedness they may
have no longer valued this record. We
just don’t know.
Limhi inquired of Ammon if he knew of anyone who could
translate the record. He was sure it was
a record of the people that had inhabited the land.
Ammon said he was glad he asked! He refers to King Mosiah2. He has received the gift and ability to
translate records from God. He has “things [that] are called interpreters.” He was referring to a Urim and Thummim.
Using these, he would be able to translate them. ““And
thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim [HEB
Light and Perfection]; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in
before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel
upon his heart before the LORD continually” (Exodus 28:30). Using the “interpreters,” he would be
able to translate the record. “[W]hosoever is commanded to look in them is
call seer.” A seer, Ammon explains,
is greater than a prophet.
[1] Benjamin,
the Man: His Place in Nephite History, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute,
accessed August 30, 2014.
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