Comments on Mosiah 8 v1-4 After Limhi had spoken on the subject of 7:17-33 for some time, only a portion of which did Mormon include in this record, he goes on to tell the people concerning the Nephites in Zarahemla (v. 1). He then has Ammon stand up and tell them what has happened there since the splinter group left (v. 2). Ammon tells them about Benjamin's farewell speech and explains it to them as well (v. 3). After this the people are dismissed (v. 4). One would presume Ammon gave a detailed account of Benjamin's farewell speech, which dealt a great deal with Messianic ideas, because of their apparent acceptance of the doctrine of a condescending Lord, cf. 7:27. v5-21 After the public address Limhi and Ammon, apparently alone, talk about the records of Limhi's people. Ammon reads through them (v. 5) and then Limhi asks if he can interpret foreign languages, but he confesses he cannot (v. 6). Limhi then relates to him that he sent a group of out to go and find the Nephites from whom they left (v. 7), but they ended up getting lost and finding the remains of another people who had been utterly destroyed (v. 8). Among the ruins (v. 10-11) they found 24 gold plates in a foreign language (v. 9), and he is very eager to have them translated because they might explain why this mysterious nation was destroyed (v. 12). Ammon informs him that the king of the Nephites has a device from God which permits him to interpret all such things (v. 13- 15). The one who has this device is a "seer", a seer being both a prophet and a revelator, which is the most power God grants to man (v. 16). A seer is one who can know the past as well as the future, they can know all things that God reveals to man. God makes things know to man through these seers, otherwise man would be left in ignorance (v. 17). Thus, seers perform great service to his fellow men (v. 18). Limhi rejoices when he hears the king is able to translate such records because he is confident the records contain some great mystery to be revealed to men (v. 19). Limhi then praises the wisdom of the Lord while lamenting the blindness and stupidity of men because they reject wisdom (v. 20) and are as sheep who wander from the safety of the shepherd (v. 21). v15 appears to be an interjection by Limhi into the statements made by Ammon, wherein Limhi agrees that a seer is greater than a prophet. Limhi is referred to as "the king" in v. 6, 7, and 19. v18 The purpose of the elect is to be of service to mankind, cp. Moroni 7:31, 2 Tim. 1:9, D&C 46:9, D&C 93:46. Also cp. Matt. 5:13, 3 Ne. 12:13, D&C 101:39-40. v19 Limhi's considerable curiosity in the gold plates is probably a result of Abinadi's comments concerning such a record in 12:8, as Limhi was clearly familiar with Abinadi's preaching per 7:26-28. v20 "wisdom...she", in Semitic literature Wisdom is presented as a "she" whom the men of Israel are to befriend. The classic presentation of this is Prov. 1-9 wherein a father counsels his son to befriend Wisdom and reject the wanton harlots who would drag him down to hell. v21 Limhi appears to be paraphrasing Abinadi here, cp. 17:17. 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.