Mosiah 17:5-13

5  And it came to pass that the king caused that his guards should surround Abinadi and take him; and they bound him and cast him into prison.

6  And after three days, having counseled with his priests, he caused that he should again be brought before him.

7  And he said unto him: Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death.

8  For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people.

Mosiah 17:5-8 (Emphasis mine)

Abinadi is cast into prison for three days.  Then, he's brought before the King again.  He's guilty and sentenced to death because he said that "... God himself should come down among the children of men ..."  He was then told to recant this as this was the reason he was sentenced to death.  Oh, and by the way, since we're talking about it, take back the words you said about me and my people.  

Why the three day delay? We could have been looking at  Here's a possible reason.

"Fifty days after Passover on the ancient Israelite calendar was the festival of Pentecost or Shavuot ('Weeks'), which the law of Moses required the children of Israel to observe (see Exodus 23:16). Recent research has probed the possibility that Abinadi delivered his prophetic message in the city of Nephi on this festive occasion ... the story of Abinadi in Mosiah 11-17 now comes vividly to life. Consider the following points:

 

"1. Timing would have been important to Abinadi. He had already been expelled once from the city, two years earlier (see Mosiah 11:28-12:1). His reentry on a festival day would have given him a ready audience.

"2. Both of Abinadi's speeches deal with the themes of Pentecost. He reversed the festival's blessings and rejoicing, and turned them into curses and predictions of gloom. At the time when a bounteous grain season would have been at hand, Abinadi cursed the crops: he prophesied that hail, dry winds, and insects shall ruin 'their grain' (Mosiah 12:6) ... Abinadi called upon Exodus terminology to proclaim that bondage and burdens would return to the wicked people in the city of Nephi: "They shall be brought into bondage; . . . and none shall deliver them" (Mosiah 11:21, 23), "and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs" (Mosiah 12:2, 5; compare Exodus 1:11).

"3. At precisely the time when Noah's priests would have been hypocritically pledging allegiance to the Ten Commandments (and indeed they professed to teach the law of Moses; see Mosiah 12:27), Abinadi rehearsed to them those very commandments (see Mosiah 12:33). On any other day this might have seemed a strange defense for a man on trial for his life, but not on Pentecost—the day on which the Ten Commandments were on center stage ...

"6. The ancient festival appears to have been a three-day event (see Exodus 19:11), which may explain why Abinadi's trial was postponed for 'three days.'  " (Mosiah 17:6).(Emphasis mine)

Abinadi and Pentecost, Robert F. Smith, Gordon C. Thomasson, and John W. Welch, Maxwell Institute, Accessed July 16, 2011.

9  Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands.
10  Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you.  And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.

Mosiah 17:9-10 (Emphasis mine)

Abinadi continues to stand up to the wicked King and priests.  He refuses to recall his words.  He tells them that he has allowed himself to be taken.  He is willing to die for the truth; if they kill him, his words will stand as a testimony against them.

Even facing his death, Abinadi keeps his integrity.  He stayed true to the Lord.

1  A FALSE balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
2  When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
3  The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

Proverbs 11:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

7  The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Proverbs 20:7 (Emphasis mine)

11  And now king Noah was about to release him, for he feared his word; for he feared that the judgments of God would come upon him.
12  But the priests lifted up their voices against him, and began to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king.  Therefore the king was stirred up in anger against him, and he delivered him up that he might be slain.
13  And it came to pass that they took him and bound him, and scourged his skin with faggots, yea, even unto death.

Mosiah 17:11-13 (Emphasis mine)

Then the priests find out.  That doesn't make them very happy.  They want Abinadi dead.  So, the kissed up to the king and reminded him of all the things he said about him.  Then the King became angry and demanded he die.  

Hugh Nibley writes:

"Then Noah changed his mind. He wanted to let him go now. He didn't like it, and he was afraid of him. He feared the judgment of God would come upon him. Now this is interesting. Noah feared God? This man? Yes, he did. Remember, he considered himself the leader of religious [people]. By [their] standards, he was a righteous man. Remember, in Mosiah 12:13–15, they say he hasn't done anything wrong. They say, 'And now, O king, what great evil hast thou done, or what great sins have thy people committed, that we should be condemned of God or judged of this man? And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king, hast not sinned; therefore, this man has lied concerning you, and he has prophesied in vain. And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou hast prospered in the land, and thou also shalt prosper.' That proves you shall also prosper, so you're righteous. Because we're prosperous, we're victorious and everything else. They really believed that. 

"So what's wrong with King Noah? He was a very popular king. He put on a great show, and the people loved him. This is a very interesting thing about Noah. He was worried, and he wanted to do the right thing here. He was afraid because he knew darn well that Abinadi was right, and he wanted to let him go. But, notice what happened. The priests wouldn't let him out ... the king wanted to give up. He recognized Abinadi, but the priests wouldn't let him do it. Verse 12: 'But the priests lifted up their voices against him . . . saying: He has reviled against the king.' They were putting it on the king to make him responsible. He's reviled against you. You can't deny your office. You can't deny that you're the king, and he has reviled against you [paraphrased]. They were forcing him to put Abinadi to death, to defend the kingly office and keep his royal dignity. 'He has reviled the king. Therefore the king was stirred up in anger against them, and he delivered him up that he might be slain [they put it all onto the king, but it was the priests again].' " (Emphasis mine) 

Lecture 36: Mosiah 16-18, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, Accessed July 16, 2011.

Lew Cramer observed:

"Noah was intimidated and desired to release Abinadi. The priests, however, accused Abinadi of a fourth crime, that of reviling against the king (Mosiah 17:12; Ex. 22:28). On this ground Noah condemned Abinadi, and his priestly accusers scourged and burned him. It was normal under Mosaic law for the accusers to inflict the punishment, but burning was an extraordinary form of execution. It mirrored Abinadi's alleged crime: he was burned just as he had said Noah's life would be valued as a garment in a furnace. As Abinadi died, he prophesied that the same fate would befall his accusers. This prophecy was soon fulfilled (Mosiah 17:15—18; 19:20; Alma 25:7—12)." (Emphasis mine)

Abinadi, Lew W. Cramer, Maxwell Institute, Accessed July 16, 2011.

Mosiah 9:1-10

Having completed Nephi(1)'s Appendix - The Doctrine of Christ, it is time to move on to a new set of scriptures.  After spending some time reviewing the Book of Mormon, I choose Mosiah 9-22.  This is the record of Zeniff.

There are some wonderful and powerful teachings in these chapters.  We meet the prophet Abinadai and read his great and powerful teachings to the wicked king and his priests.  We learn of Alma(1) and his conversion.

Another reason I wanted to look at this story is because it gives us a great look at Mormon's approach to his abridgement.  One theme that is common in his abridgement is the rise of the people when they are righteous and the fall of them when they turn away from the Lord.  As we move along, I will point out some of the characteristics of Mormon's style.

On to the Record of Zeniff.

THE RECORD OF ZENIFF—

An account of his people, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until the time that they were delivered out of the hands of the Lamanites.  Comprising chapters 9 to 22 inclusive.

Chapter 9

Zeniff leads a group from Zarahemla to possess the land of Lehi-Nephi—The Lamanite king permits them to inherit the land—There is war between the Lamanites and Zeniff's people. About 200–187 B.C.

1  I, ZENIFF, having been taught in all the language of the Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, or of the land of our fathers' first inheritance, *[About 200 B.C.] and having been sent as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces, that our army might come upon them and destroy them—but when I saw that which was good among them I was desirous that they should not be destroyed.
2  Therefore, I contended with my brethren in the wilderness, for I would that our ruler should make a treaty with them; but he being an austere and a blood-thirsty man commanded that I should be slain; but I was rescued by the shedding of much blood; for father fought against father, and brother against brother, until the greater number of our army was destroyed in the wilderness; and we returned, those of us that were spared, to the land of Zarahemla, to relate that tale to their wives and their children.

Mosiah 9:1-2 (Emphasis mine)

Mormon begins the tale by quoting directly from Zeniff's record.  We learn that Zeniff was a spy for the Nephites.  As he got to know the Lamanites, he found them to be a good people.  He didn't want to see them destroyed.

Not surprisingly, when the guy in charge ("our ruler" - v2) wanted the Lamanites killed, most of the people with Zeniff also wanted them killed.  His recommendations were not well accepted and this led to a fight.

The fight was bad.  Apparently the majority of the Nephite army died in the battle.  Once the dust had settled, they went back home, to Zarahemla.

As Zeniff begins his record, he tells us that he was "taught in all the language of the Nephites."  I find it interesting that he chose to make this point.  Why would he?  I would think for two reasons.

• We are now 400 years from the time Lehi and his family began their journey to the Americas.  Over 400 years, the traditional language of the Nephites would have undergone changes.  Compare the language of today with the writings of William Shakespeare.  The language is basically the same, but there are many words and phrases unknown to us today.  From the records, it appears that there were two languages - an everyday language and a formal written language for the plates.  Zeniff would have had to learn both languages in order to use the written language.
• I believe this is an example where we see that there were other people in the Americas when Lehi and family arrived.  These locals had their own languages.  It would not be surprising in the least to learn that the original language had changed over the centuries as the language of the locals became incorporated into everyday speech.  

3  And yet, I being over–zealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.
4  Nevertheless, after many days' wandering in the wilderness we pitched our tents in the place where our brethren were slain, which was near to the land of our fathers.
5  And it came to pass that I went again with four of my men into the city, in unto the king, that I might know of the disposition of the king, and that I might know if I might go in with my people and possess the land in peace.
6  And I went in unto the king, and he covenanted with me that I might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi, and the land of Shilom.
7  And he also commanded that his people should depart out of the land, and I and my people went into the land that we might possess it.
8  And we began to build buildings, and to repair the walls of the city, yea, even the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the city of Shilom.
9  And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land.
10  Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we might possess it.

Mosiah 9:3-10 (Emphasis mine)

Zeniff had a great desire to return to the land of Nephi, where everything began.  It appears that many others felt the same way.  He organized a group of settles and left Zarahemla to return to the first home. 

Things didn't go well for them.  Zeniff records that they were "slow to remember the Lord."  They suffered as they traveled.

This is a common theme we will see in Mormon's abridgement.  He emphasizes the cyclical nature of Nephite society.  When things are going good, they people forget who was responsible for their prosperity and they become a wicked people, slow to remember the Lord (if they do at all).  When the people fall away, something happens.  The Lord might send a drought that results in a famine.  The Lamanites may attack and, when in the past they were able to defeat these mighty armies, they would suffer major defeats because the Lord was no longer with them. 

The pain and suffering would humble the people and they would return to the Lord.  As they became a righteous people, they once again prospered.  Then, they turned away from the Lord.  This pattern occurs throughout Nephite history until the society ultimate collapses and is no more.

It is important to Mormon to emphasize consequences.  The consequence of bring righteous is prosperity.  The consequence of evil is suffering.  The Lord sends prophets to the Nephites during their wicked times, calling them to repentance and to return to the Lord.  The prophets warn them that, if they don't, they would suffer many pains and sorrow.  Even after being warned, the people seldom heeded the words of the prophets. 

Mormon gave us this history as a warning to us.  Remember, as he was abridging the many plates, he was watching his society collapse and coming to an end.  He was seeing the ultimate consequences of wickedness.  He hoped that we would learn from the Nephite failure and avoid the consequences of wickedness. 

Back to the record.

The people finally arrived in the land of Lehi-Nephi.  Zeniff went to the King and asked him to give them that land as well as some other land.  King Laman readily agreed to give them the land.  He even went so far as to remove and relocate the Lamanite people already living in there.  Zeniff and his people entered an empty land.

They went to work building their society.  They built new buildings.  They planted crops.  (Here we learn of two Nephite words - neas and sheum.  Don't know what they were!) 

They had apparently returned to the Lord, because they began to prosper in the land.  But all was not well.

King Laman had an ulterior motive.  He wanted the land for the Lamanites.  He wanted to make the Nephites slaves.  He was waiting for the Nephites to make something of the land and he planned to break his agreement and retake the land.

This is setting up events that will continue the entire time they Nephites remain in the land of Lehi-Nephi.