Chapter 21
Limhi’s people are
smitten and defeated by the Lamanites—They meet Ammon and are converted—They
tell Ammon of the twenty–four Jaredite plates. About 122–121 B.C.
1 AND it came to pass
that Limhi and his people returned to the city of Nephi, and began to dwell in
the land again in peace.
2 And it came to pass
that after many days the Lamanites began again to be stirred up in anger
against the Nephites, and they began to come into the borders of the land round
about.
3 Now they durst not
slay them, because of the oath which their king had made unto Limhi; but they
would smite them on their cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began
to put heavy burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass—
4 Yea, all this was
done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled.
5 And now the
afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there was no way that they could
deliver themselves out of their hands, for the Lamanites had surrounded them on
every side.
6 And it came to pass
that the people began to murmur with the king because of their afflictions; and
they began to be desirous to go against them to battle. And they did afflict the king sorely with
their complaints; therefore he granted unto them that they should do according
to their desires.
7 And they gathered
themselves together again, and put on their armor, and went forth against the
Lamanites to drive them out of their land.
8 And it came to pass
that the Lamanites did beat them, and drove them back, and slew many of them.
9 And now there was a
great mourning and lamentation among the people of Limhi, the widow mourning
for her husband, the son and the daughter mourning for their father, and the
brothers for their brethren.
10 Now there were a
great many widows in the land, and they did cry mightily from day to day, for a
great fear of the Lamanites had come upon them.
11 And it came to pass
that their continual cries did stir up the remainder of the people of Limhi to
anger against the Lamanites; and they went again to battle, but they were
driven back again, suffering much loss.
12 Yea, they went
again even the third time, and suffered in the like manner; and those that were
not slain returned again to the city of Nephi.
13 And they did humble
themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage,
submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened,
according to the desires of their enemies.
14 And they did humble
themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God;
yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver
them out of their afflictions.
15 And now the Lord
was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord
did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they
began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out
of bondage.
16 And it came to pass
that they began to prosper by degrees in the land, and began to raise grain
more abundantly, and flocks, and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.
17 Now there was a
great number of women, more than there was of men; therefore king Limhi
commanded that every man should impart to the support of the widows and their
children, that they might not perish with hunger; and this they did because of
the greatness of their number that had been slain.
18 Now the people of
Limhi kept together in a body as much as it was possible, and secured their
grain and their flocks;
19 And the king
himself did not trust his person without the walls of the city, unless he took
his guards with him, fearing that he might by some means fall into the hands of
the Lamanites.
20 And he caused that
his people should watch the land round about, that by some means they might
take those priests that fled into the wilderness, who had stolen the daughters
of the Lamanites, and that had caused such a great destruction to come upon
them.
Mosiah 21:1-20
The war was over.
Peace was found in the land.
Eventually, however, the Lamanites became upset with the Nephites. They moved into the lands around the people
of Limhi.
The Lamanites couldn’t kill them because of their king’s
oath. Instead, they abused them. They hit them and placed heavy burdens upon
them.
“They started harassing; that’s the way it starts. They
couldn’t kill them because they had made an oath to King Limhi. (Isn’t that
nice they observed their oaths? We observe oaths, too, as long as it is
convenient. Our treaties with the Indians, for example; there are some ‘beauties.’)
But they did bother them and do what Indians would do. They were brutal. They
would hit them in the face, boss them around, and then ‘put heavy burdens upon
their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb ass.’ That was the
prophecy—they started bullying them.”[1]
Mormon tells us this was done to fulfill the words of the
Lord. Abinadi warned them of the
consequences of their wickedness and they didn’t repent. Now they were reaping what they had sown.
Things were very had for the Nephites. Not only were they suffering many
afflictions, they were surrounded by the Lamanites. Things were not looking good.
The people complained about their situation to king. They wanted to go to war. Limhi eventually agreed. The people prepared for war and went forth to
attack the Lamanites.
Limhi’s people were roundly defeated. Many died in the battle. Mourning was heard throughout the land. There were many widows in the land.
Anger increased among Limhi’s people. They went to battle a second time and
suffered a major defeat with many casualties.
They went forward with battle for a third time, and suffered a terrible
defeat.
Limhi’s people have attacked the Lamanites three times and
were defeated three times. The people
become a defeated and humbled people.
Mormon tells us they humbled “themselves
to the dust.” They accepted the
treatment and orders of their captors.
In their humility, they turned to the Lord. They cried unto Him for deliverance; however,
the Lord was slow to hear their cries because of their sins. This was similar to the Lord’s message to
Israel when they demanded a king. Samuel
warned them, “And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye
shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day” (1 Samuel
8:18). This was also a fulfillment of
Abinadi’s prophecy, “Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry
unto me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer them that
they be smitten by their enemies” (Mosiah 11:24).
“Until the people repent, the Lord is under no compulsion to
deliver them. Because the Zeniffites had been forewarned, “the Lord was slow to
hear their cry because of their iniquities” (Mosiah 21:15). He does listen
(just as 1 Samuel 8:18 says the Lord will not listen to the people’s cries when
they are enslaved by their king), after the lesson is learned.”[2]
While not freeing them from their captivity, the Lord did
hear the cries. He softened the hearts
of the Lamanites overseers, and the treatment of the people of Limhi was eased.
As time went by, the people began to prosper. The flocks and herds increased and much grain
was raised. “Grain was perhaps the most
important food crop cultivated by the Book of Mormon people. The grain harvest
became a measure of prosperity and favor with the Lord…”[3]
The wars had taken their toll on the population. Many men died during the battles leaving
their wives and children to fend for themselves. Seeing this, Limhi commanded his people to
support the widows and their families.
Limhi, not knowing the words of King Benjamin, followed them.
“And also, ye
yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will
administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not
suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out
to perish…
“And now, for the
sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of
retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless
before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every
man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the
naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually
and temporally, according to their wants.” (Mosiah 4:16, 26)
As much as possible, they people secured their grain and
flocks. The king would not leave the
city alone. He always left with his
guards to protect him from possible Lamanite attack.
The people of Limhi also kept their eyes open looking for
the Limhi’s father’s priests, the men who had kidnapped the Lamanite daughters
and brought upon so much suffering upon them.
[1] Teachings
of the Book of Mormon – Semester 2, Lecture 38 – Mosiah 20–23, Maxwell
Institute.
[2] Historical
Narrative, Literary Narrative—Expelling Poetics from the Republic of History,
Alan Goff, Maxwell Institute.
[3] Agriculture
in Lehi’s World: Some Textual, Historical, Archaeological, and Botanical
Insight, Terry B. Ball & Wilford M. Hess, Maxwell Institute.
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