Words of Mormon

Last updated

The Words of Mormon is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon, a text that is held sacred in the Latter Day Saint movement. It consists of a single chapter of eighteen verses and is the only book in the text which is not titled as a "book." [1] According to the text, it is a comment inserted by the prophet Mormon while compiling the records which became the Book of Mormon.

Contents

Textually, Words of Mormon serves to link the Small Plates of Nephi, which precede it in the current printed version, but which would have been placed after Mormon's full record in the golden plates, with the rest of the Book of Mormon.

Narrative

Mormon explains that, while abridging the history of the Nephites, he came across the Small Plates of Nephi and decided to make them an appendix to his finished work. [2] He then briefly summarises the reign of King Benjamin, the last king named in the Small Plates.

Mormon writes that King Benjamin, wielding the sword of Laban, stood against the Lamanites. With his efforts, and wisdom, and the help of the prophets, King Benjamin established peace in the land. Mormon also talks about how false Christs went among the people and were confounded. [3]

Structure [4]
TopicVerses
Future of the Nephite people1-2
The small plates2-8
King Benjamin12-14
False Christs; peace restored15-18

Interpretation

Suggested purposes

Words of Mormon verses 12–18 have continuity with the first part of Mosiah; Jack M. Lyon and Kent R. Minson hypothesize it was originally dictated as part of a now missing portion of the Book of Mosiah. [5] Brant Gardner suggests that Joseph Smith wrote verses 12–18 as a summary or bridge back into the large plates and that these verses were not part of the original dictation. [6] In another perspective, religious studies scholar Grant Hardy states that that Mormon's mention of King Benjamin links the Book of Omni with the Book of Mosiah. [7]

Mormon narrates that he doesn't know why he is including the small plates with the large. Latter-day Saints believe that the inclusion serves as a replacement for the 116 pages that were lost during translation of the Book of Mormon. [8] Author Benjamin Keogh suggests that Mormon's explanation indicates that he views the inclusion of the small plates as an appendix to the larger record. Keogh further suggests that, for the small plates, Words of Mormon may serve a similar purpose as the title page of the Book of Mormon. [9]

Style

Donald W. Parry broke up the Book of Mormon into its chiastic and other poetic patterns. In Words of Mormon he identified two instances of chiasmus: The first appears in verses 3-11 with an “ABcbcacababCDEFFEDCBabcA” pattern; the second is in verses 15-16 with an “abcabc” pattern. [10]

In an article about the Words of Mormon, Benjamin Keogh searches for meaning in Mormon's frequent use of "these." Mormon, he suggests, may be referencing prophets, holy men, or the plates themselves. [11]

Suggested prejudice

Authors Fatimah Salleh and Margaret Hemming claim that throughout the narrative of the Book of Mormon the Nephites are prejudiced toward the Lamanites. They point out that in Words of Mormon the author calls the Lamanites the brethren of his people and avoids calling them his own brethren. This, Salleh and Hemming claim, is connected to Nephite prejudice. [12]

Related Research Articles

The Book of Enos is the fourth book in the Book of Mormon and is a portion of the small plates of Nephi. According to the text it was written by Enos, a Nephite prophet. According to the Book of Mormon, Enos was the son of Jacob and nephew of Nephi.

The Book of Jarom is the fifth book in the Book of Mormon. According to the text it was written by Jarom, who was the son of Enos and a descendant of Jacob, the brother of the prophet Nephi.

The Book of Mosiah is one of the books which make up the Book of Mormon. The title refers to Mosiah II, a king of the Nephites at Zarahemla. The book covers the time period between ca 130 BC and 91 BC, except for when the book has a flashback into the Record of Zeniff, which starts at ca 200 BC, according to footnotes. Aside from stating that it was abridged by Mormon, the text says nothing about its authorship. Mosiah is twenty-nine chapters long.

The Book of Omni is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon, a text that the Latter Day Saint movement regards as scripture. The book is written as the combined composition of several authors, the first of whom, Omni, provides the name of the book. According to the narrative, the book covers more than two centuries of Nephite history within one chapter of text. It refers to wars between the Nephites and Lamanites, the reign of Kings Mosiah and Benjamin, and their participation in the wars and journeys through the wilderness.

The Second Book of Nephi, usually referred to as Second Nephi or 2 Nephi, is the second book of the Book of Mormon, the primary religious text of the Latter-day Saint Movement. Narrated by Nephi, son of Lehi, unlike the first Book of Nephi, 2 Nephi contains little history of the Nephite people and focuses predominately on visions and prophecies of Nephi himself and other prophets, particularly Isaiah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Book of Mormon (Mormon's record)</span> Book of the Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon is the name of a book, or subdivision, of the larger Book of Mormon. This "inner" book has nine chapters. According to the text, the first seven chapters were abridged by the prophet Mormon and the last two by his son Moroni.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamanites</span> People mentioned in the Book of Mormon

The Lamanites are one of the four peoples described as having settled in the ancient Americas in the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement. The Lamanites also play a role in the prophecies and revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants, another sacred text in the Latter Day Saint movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nephi, son of Lehi</span> Book of Mormon prophet

Nephi is one of the central figures described in the Book of Mormon. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he is described as the son of Lehi, a prophet, and the founder of the Nephite people. He is also the author of the first two books of the Book of Mormon, First and Second Nephi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Noah</span>

King Noah is a Nephite king in the Book of Mormon who appears in the Book of Mosiah. Noah rules over a Nephite colony who came from Zarahemla and settled in the land of Lehi-Nephi, succeeding his father, Zeniff. In the Book of Mosiah, King Noah breaks away from his father's righteous teachings, committing "all manner of wickedness." Noah and his priests sentence the prophet Abinadi, who prophesied of his kingdom's downfall if they did not repent, to death by fire. During a Lamanite invasion, Noah and some of his people flee the land, and those who remain are subjected to Lamanite control. Noah attempts to forbid his men from returning to their families, and they burn him at the stake. Noah is succeeded by his son, Limhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zeniff</span> Nephite king in the Book of Mormon

Zeniff is a king in the Book of Mormon whose personal account is recorded in the Book of Mosiah. He is the father of King Noah and the grandfather of King Limhi. Zeniff is the first king of Nephite colonists who come from Zarahemla and settle in the land of Lehi-Nephi. The Nephites believe this land to be rightfully theirs by inheritance, even attempting to reclaim the land by force. In an expedition in which he spies for the Nephites, Zeniff claims to see good in the Lamanite inhabitants. He argues against a militaristic approach and causes an internal battle among the Nephite army. Zeniff later leads a group of Nephites back to Lehi-Nephi and establishes a peace treaty with the Lamanite king whose people inhabit the land. Zeniff’s people prosper with him as king, but the Lamanite king betrays their treaty and attempts to exploit them. Zeniff and his people successfully fight off the Lamanites’ multiple aggressions, and Zeniff's reign lasts about forty years, after which he passes the kingship to one of his sons, Noah. Scholarly interpretations have highlighted Zeniff's shifting perceptions of Lamanites, such as how his opinion changes when his people contends with the Lamanites and the role that Zeniff's narration plays in racializing Lamanites in the Book of Mormon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plates of Nephi</span>

According to the Book of Mormon, the plates of Nephi, consisting of the large plates of Nephi and the small plates of Nephi, are a portion of the collection of inscribed metal plates which make up the record of the Nephites. This record was later abridged by Mormon and inscribed onto gold plates from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon after an angel revealed to him the location where the plates were buried on a hill called Cumorah near the town of Palmyra, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amaleki</span> Book of Mormon record keeper

According to the Book of Mormon, Amaleki was one of several Nephite record keepers who maintained records on metal plates known as the plates of Nephi. The Book of Mormon refers to the small plates of Nephi and the large plates of Nephi. Nephi began writing on the small plates about 570 BC. Nephi's brother Jacob and his descendants began keeping records of sacred and religious matters on the small plates around 544 BC. Seven of Jacob's descendants, including Amaleki, wrote on the plates. Amaleki recorded his account on the plates about 130 BC. He states at the end of his writings that the plates are full. He received the plates of Nephi from his father Abinadom and penned 18 verses in the Book of Omni. He was the last person to write in the small plates of Nephi. Having no descendants, Amaleki gave the small plates to King Benjamin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammoron</span>

According to the Book of Mormon, Ammoron was a Nephite traitor. A descendant of Zoram, he succeeded his brother Amalickiah as the king of the Lamanites. Amalickiah, as king, started a major war with the Nephites, which the Nephites had hoped would end with his death. However, Ammoron seized power and continued the war. Eventually his armies were defeated after he was assassinated by Teancum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amalickiah</span> Usurper of Lamanite throne in Book of Mormon

In the Book of Mormon, Amalickiah was a Nephite dissenter. His first appearance in the text is as a political dissident with aspirations to re-establish a monarchy. Later, after seizing the Lamanite throne, Amalickiah led a war to enslave the Nephites. After his death he was succeeded by his brother Ammoron. The story appears in the latter half of the Book of Alma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zeezrom</span> Character in The Book of Mormon

In the Book of Mormon, Zeezrom is a Nephite lawyer who, through deceit and money, seeks to gain power among the Nephites through his vocation. Alma the Younger and his missionary companion Amulek teach Zeezrom in Ammonihah. At first he resists, but is ultimately converted to the Nephite religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Mosiah II</span> Book of Mormon character

In the Book of Mormon, Mosiah, King Benjamin's son and Mosiah I's grandson, is king of the Nephite nation from about 124 BC to 91 BC. The Book of Mosiah is named after Mosiah. Mosiah is also a prophet and is described by Ammon as a "seer" who can translate records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amalekites (Book of Mormon)</span>

The Amalekites, in the Book of Mormon, are a group of dissenters from the Nephites around 90 B.C. They are after the order of Nehor and therefore believe that there will not be a Messiah and repentance is unnecessary, so when Nephite missionaries come preach to them, only one Amalekite coverts. They also press the Lamanites to war against the Nephites multiple times and participate in the destruction of Ammonihah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amlicites</span>

According to the Book of Mormon, the Amlicites were a break-off group of Nephites in the Book of Alma, around 87 B.C. Their leader, Amlici, is not chosen by the people as king, so he and the Amlicites leave the Nephites and join the Lamanites. The Nephites win both of their battles with the Amlicites and Alma kills Amlici in the second battle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ammon (Book of Mormon explorer)</span>

In the Book of Mormon, Ammon is a Mulekite descendant and leader of a Nephite expedition from Zarahemla, sent to discover the fate of Zeniff and his people. Zeniff and his followers left Zarahemla and travelled to Nephi, their ancestral home, which was then in the possession of the Lamanites. This may have contributed to his expedition, not knowing the actual route to Nephi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coriantumr (Nephite dissenter)</span> Nephite dissenter and captain of Lamanite armies (Helaman 1)

According to the Book of Mormon, Coriantumr (/ˌkɒriˈæntəmər/) was a Nephite dissenter and Lamanite captain. Coriantumr led the Lamanite armies against the Nephites in an attempt to conquer the land. He was countered by Moronihah and Lehi, eventually dying in battle.

References

  1. "Title Page".
  2. Hardy 2023, pp. 213, 215.
  3. Hardy 2023, p. 216.
  4. Thomas 2016, p. 67.
  5. See Jack M. Lyon and Kent R. Minson, "When Pages Collide: Dissecting the Words of Mormon," BYU Studies Quarterly 51, no. 4 (2012): 120–136
  6. See Brant A. Gardner, "When Hypotheses Collide: Responding to Lyon and Minson's 'When Pages Collide'," Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 5 (2013): 105–119.
  7. Hardy 2023, pp. 213, 216.
  8. Hardy 2023 , p. 215; Thomas in Largey 2003 , p. 793
  9. Keogh 2018, pp. 302–303.
  10. Parry 2007, pp. 156–157.
  11. Keogh 2018, pp. 298–303.
  12. Salleh & Hemming 2020, p. 152.

Works cited

Words of Mormon
Contribution of Mormon
Preceded by Book of Mormon Succeeded by