Comments on Mosiah 21 This chapter continues the theme introduced in 20:21 in v. 1-12 and then shows their repentance and deliverance in v. 15-36. Verses 1-12 are largely framed against various predictions, warnings, and curses by Abinadi (e.g., cp. v. 4 with 12:5, cp. v. 5 with 11:23, cp. v. 7 with 12:2, and then cp. v. 15 with 11:24 and v. 16 with 12:4). It is very likely Mormon deliberately did so to emphasize the fulfilment as stated in v. 4. v1-5 Limhi and his people return to their land and have peace for some time (v. 1), but after awhile the Lamanites start oppressing and abusing them (v. 2-3). It was just as Abinadi predicted (v. 4), there was nothing they could do to deliver themselves from their enemies (v. 5) except humble themselves and rely on the Lord. v2-3 After some time where they enjoy relative peace, the Lamanites turn on them and begin persecuting them. Why? We are not informed as to why in the present text, but we learn the probably answer in ch. 24. We are informed in 24:1 the Lamanites have taken possession of the land Shilom, which is the present land, and then in 24:4-5 we are told the former priests of wicked king Noah have achieved a position of authority among the Lamanites. These are the same priests that fled Shilom when threatened with execution even as Noah was executed, cf. 19:21. Now these same priests are returned to a position of authority over those at Shilom and they are persecuting them just as they persecute Alma's followers in the land of Helam. Compare the language in v. 3 with that in 24:8-9. v2 "after many days", Mormon explicitly identifies a time of "two years" in the preceding interval of peace (cf. 19:29), but here it is "many days". Was "many days" less than two years? Or, did Mormon use the ambiguous "many days" when it was not clear to him from the material he was abridging what the period of time was? v4 If the assumption the persecution on the Nephites was caused by the former priests of Noah (see my comments on v. 2-3 above), then it is quite ironic that these priests fulfil Abinidi's prophecy. These are the same priests who rejected Abinidi's words and now they are fulfilling them. v6-12 Limhi's people tire of the oppression and abuse of the Lamanites (v. 6), so they gird up for war and attack (v. 7). They are defeated twice, suffering heavy casualties both times and leaving many widows among them (v. 8-12). While Mormon sees their condition plainly and comments on it in v. 5, they themselves do not see it until after suffering two humiliating defeats at the hands of the Lamanites. Another tangential issue is that the Nephites always lose the battle when they go on the offensive (cp. Hela. 11:27-31, Mormon 4:1-2), and are counseled against going on the offensive whenever counsel is given (cf. 3 Ne. 3:20-21, Alma 43:46-47, Alma 48:14, Mormon 3:10-11). This is one of those consistent themes of the BofM, that the Lord generally endorses defense and generally rejects offense (cf. 1 Sam. 13:1-4, D&C 98:23-48). v13-17 The oppression and then the defeat and slaughter at the hands of the Lamanites finally brings the people to humble themselves before the Lord and to cry out to Him (v. 13-14). But, the Lord is slow to hear their cries because they are slow to repent of their sins, but as they do repent the Lord does lighten their afflictions (v. 15) and prospers them little by little (v. 16). The people not only turn their hearts to the Lord, but also to their neighbors as well (v. 17). v17 Caring for widows and orphans is one of the fundamental points of the Law of Moses and epitomizes the commandment "Thou shalt love thy neighbor", cp. Deut. 10:18, Deut. 24:19-21, Deut. 26:12-13. v18-21 Some details concerning their present situation are given to establish the context of Limhi's reaction when he meets Ammon. Limhi and his people generally keep themselves and their things inside the city wall (v. 18) because they fear the Lamanites (v. 19) and because the priests of Noah have been stealing things from them (v. 20-21). The result is they're very much on the defensive. v22-24 There is peace between Limhi's people and the Lamanites for some time (v. 22). Then Ammon shows up and while he is initially misidentified (v. 23, cp. 7:11-12), they discover he is from the land of Zarahemla (v. 24), which they themselves have been trying to find. v25-28 These verses recap the subject of ch. 8 for historical continuity. v26 The expedition and ultimately Limhi assumed the Jaredite ruins were in fact the ruins of Zarahemla so they gave up hope of some kind of deliverance from the Nephites because they thought they were extinct. v28 "king Mosiah", the 1st Edition BofM had "king Benjamin". For discussion of this change in the text see my general comments on ch. 7-8 in LDS Seminar vol. 4, no. 17. v29-31 While Limhi and his people are generally pleased about Ammon's arrival and the good news that the Nephites are in fact not extinct, Ammon and his men are generally upset about what has happened to the splinter group and how bad things have gone for them. v32-36 Limhi and his people have repented and wish to formally covenant with the Lord (v. 32, 35) and organize themselves religiously, but there is no authority present to do so (v. 33- 34). So, their thoughts naturally turn to delivering themselves from their present servitude to the Lamanites (v. 35). v33 "there was none in the land that had authority from God", this indicates plainly the Nephites understood the Priesthood was sacerdotal. As none of the Nephites were of the tribe of Levi the standard Law of Moses provisions for the administration of the Priesthood must have been altered when the Lehites landed in the New World. What exactly those provisions were we are left to speculate at. Copyright © 2001 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.