Alma 32:1-7

After Alma’s prayer, his party went forth and began to preach to the Zoramites. They preached in their synagogue, their houses, as well as in the streets.

Like the prologue to John’s Gospel, Alma 32 is structured around the term word. Alma 32 begins with an editorial statement that prepares readers for Alma’s sermon concerning the word of God:

And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach the word in their streets. (Alma 32:1) (Italics in original)

The narrator’s two references to the term word in this passage, together with repeated mention of word later in Alma’s sermon, suggest the attestation of a biblical-like theme word or leitwort (the technique of word repetition[1]). Following the repetition of word in the introduction, the chapter continues with this theme.[2]

They began to have success among the poor class. They were cast of the synagogues because their clothing didn’t meet the standards of the main body of the Zoramites. They were considered filthy; they were considered scum.

The Lord has made it clear it is our responsibility to care for the poor.

·       “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20).

·       “Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached” (Luke 7:22).

·       “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor” (Psalms 10:2).

·       “The poor is hated even of his own neighbor” (Proverbs 14:20).

·       “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker” (Proverbs 17:5).

·       “Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard” (Proverbs 21:13).

·       “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse” (Proverbs 28:27).

In his description of Alma’s teaching, Mormon further develops the connection between the costly apparel of the Zoramites and their form of worship. Mormon reveals that the Zoramite people contained a lower class, a poor group that had been cast out of the synagogues “because of the coarseness of their apparel” (Alma 32:2). (The Book of Mormon shows a nuanced understanding of the poor, as does the Bible, often portraying them as the group truly prepared to follow God because of their humility and encouraging the rich to provide help to the poor without judging them. See Lindon J. Robison, “‘No Poor among Them,’” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 86–97. See also Compton, “Spirituality of the Outcast,” 139–60.)[3]

Instead of establishing a more equitable system that focused on nurturing one another, they not only marginalized the poor in their society (see Alma 32:3) but refused to care for others. For example, when the smitten antichrist Korihor sought refuge among them, he found no safety even though he professed a similar belief system, but was run down and killed (see Alma 30).[4]

Caring for the poor was an important part of Nephite society. King Benjamin made the clear in his farewell sermon. We are commanded to not to turn away the beggar.

We are all beggars before God. He does not turn us away. We do not beg for forgiveness of our sins in vain. They Lord grants us forgiveness. We have been given everything we have from God, including the very air we breathe.

We are not to judge the person, saying, “The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.” (emphasis mine) (Mosiah 4:17-18).[5]

Alma was preaching on a hill called Onidah. While he was preaching to a group of people, a large group of the poor (both in hear and as to the things of the world) approached Alma.

One in the group, acting as the spokesman, addressed Alma directly. What should we do, he asked, because we have been cast out of our synagogues. We’re hated by the rich because of our poverty.^[6] We helped build the synagogues, and now there is no place in there for us to worship.^[7]

According to Mormon’s narrative, for which he accessed the records of Alma, the poor Zoramites originally “labored abundantly” (Alma 32:5) to build the synagogue, apparently anticipating their participation in the worship of the community. After the completion of the synagogue, however, the poor Zoramites found that their labors did not merit their inclusion in the community’s central religious ritual. Since the form of that ritual was uniquely designed to emphasize appearances, it became clear that the poor Zoramites were not appropriately prepared. Given the Zoramites’ love of fine adornments, it would have been difficult to justify their central doctrine of superiority if those who were poorly attired were allowed to be seen in the influential position atop the Rameumptom.[8]

Hearing this, Alma turned away from the congregation to whom he was preaching towards the poor. He rejoice in their afflictions.[9] They had been humbled and were prepared to hear the word of God.[10] He ceased speaking to the other group and began preaching to the group of the Zoramite poor.

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[1] Numéro Cinq, Leitwort, leading word, word repetition as a technique, Douglas Glover, accessed July 18, 2015.

[2] The Word and the Seed: The Theological Use of Biblical Creation in Alma 32, David E. Bokovoy, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 23 (2014): 11.

[3] The Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony, Parrish Brady and Shon Hopkin, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/1 (2013): 44, 52.

[4] The Zoramite Separation: A Sociological Perspective, Sherrie Mills Johnson, Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 14/1 (2005): 78.

[5] For King Benjamin’s complete words, see Mosiah 4:16-24.

[6] “The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly” (Proverbs 18:23).

[7] “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:37-38).

[8] The Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony, Parrish Brady and Shon Hopkin, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/1 (2013): 44.

[9] “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:1).

[10] “And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—

That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God” (Alma 16:16-17).