5 And it came to pass
that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about,
every man according to his family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and
his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the
youngest, every family being separate one from another.
6 And they pitched
their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door
thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and
hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them;
7 For the multitude being so great that king
Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he
caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear the words
which he should speak unto them.
8 And it came to pass
that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all
hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused
that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that
were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words.
Mosiah 2:5-8
King Benjamin’s proclamation to his people has gone
forth. The entire family came and
pitched their tenets. This was much like the children of Israel did in the
Sinai. “Each tent contained one family.
Israel also pitched tents by families in the wilderness (Numbers 2:34). They
dwelt in tents at the time they covenanted with God at Sinai (Deuteronomy
5:27-31).”[1]
John Welch writes:
“[A]t the occasion of King Benjamin’s address, whole
families were present. Benjamin caused all the people in his land to ‘gather
themselves together’ (Mosiah 1:18) and to assemble together (see Mosiah 2:9,
27), both Nephites and Mulekites (Mosiah 1:10): ‘every man according to his
family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their
sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family
being separate one from another’ (Mosiah 2:5). They assembled specifically ‘round
about’ the main Nephite sanctuary in the days of Benjamin, the temple in
Zarahemla (Mosiah 2:6).”[2]
When they pitched their tents, the opening was facing
towards the temple to better hear King Benjamin.
“8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the
tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door,
and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
“9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the
tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the
tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.
“10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the
tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his
tent door” (Exodus 33:8-10).
John Welch further explains the purpose of Benjamin’s
speech.
“Ritual or ceremonial elements are especially prevalent in
Benjamin’s speech. The actual Sitz im Leben, or real-life
context, of King Benjamin’s speech can unambiguously be identified as
ceremonial, since the people gathered around their temple to hear the speech
(see Mosiah 2:5–6). If more were known today about ancient Israelite
rites, more could be said about the ritual dimensions of the prophetic lawsuit
in general, as well as the rhetorical significance of these factors in Benjamin’s
speech in particular. Under the circumstances, however, it is possible to
assume that Benjamin’s speech drew further rhetorical power from its use of
ceremonial terms that were part of the covenant renewal process that occurred
under the law of Moses on the Israelite Day of Atonement.”[3]
Traditionally, the people would meet within the walls of the
temple. There were so many people that
they could not all fit within the temple walls.
Benjamin had a tower built so he could speak to the people.
“All of us admire and respect that noble king of Book of
Mormon fame—even King Benjamin. How respected he must have been for the people
to gather in such great numbers to hear his words and receive his counsel. I
think it most interesting that the multitude ‘pitched their tents round about
the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple,
that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king
Benjamin should speak unto them.’ (Mosiah 2:6.) Even a high tower had to be
erected that the people might hear his words.
“In the true humility of an inspired leader, King Benjamin
recounted his desire to serve his people and lead them in paths of
righteousness.”[4]
The temple was used to impart teachings to the people. “It
would not have surprised the Nephites that the Lord would choose to teach them
at the temple. From what we know about their temples in the cities of Nephi and
Zarahemla, these sacred places were obviously important religious and political
centers for teaching (see Jacob 1:17; 2:2); people were routinely taught within
its walls, see Mosiah 2:7); for preaching (see Alma 16:13); for imparting
the mysteries (see Mosiah 2:9; Alma 12:9; 13:3, 16); for gathering for
ceremonies, coronations, obligatory annual festivals, ordinances, and covenant
renewals (see 2 Nephi 6—10; Jacob 2—3; Mosiah 1—6); for making royal
proclamations (see Mosiah 2:30; 7:17); and for sacrificing ‘according to the
law of Moses.’ (Mosiah 2:3).”[5]
The construction of towers was not unusual. “When King Benjamin crowned his son Mosiah,
all the people in Zarahemla sat in tents around the temple while Benjamin
addressed them. Because he ‘could not teach them all within the walls of the
temple, therefore he caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people
might hear the words which he should speak unto them’ (Mosiah 2:7). Was the
need to improve the acoustics the only reason for the construction of this
tower? Recent research has discovered ancient precedents for the use of such “towers”
in royal convocations and coronation ceremonies. These biblical and Jewish
precedents are not obvious to the casual reader and may well shed light on
Benjamin’s tower.”[6]
There was much preparation for the sermon to the people. “For
such a great day, sacred preparations were in order, especially those made by
the high priest. Rabbinic writings report special efforts taken to keep the
high priest awake during the night of the Day of Atonement, and pious men
followed this example. Benjamin’s preparations, also, were substantial. He
was awakened at night—‘Awake; and I awoke. . . . Awake, and hear’—Mosiah
3:2–3)—by the visitation of an angel from God. He met with his sons (see Mosiah
1:10–18) and carefully wrote his speech in advance (see Mosiah 2:7).”[7]
[2]
King
Benjamin’s Speech in the Context of Ancient Israelite Festivals, John W.
Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 2, 2014.
[3]
Benjamin’s
Speech as a Prophetic Lawsuit, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed
July 2, 2014.
[4] The
Service that Counts, President Thomas S. Monson, October 1989 General
Conference.
[5]
The
Temple Context and Unity of the Sermon at the Temple, Maxwell Institute,
accessed July 2, 2014.
[7]
The
Temple in the Book of Mormon: The Temples at the Cities of Nephi, Zarahemla,
and Bountiful, John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, accessed July 2, 2014.
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