Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Mosiah 1:6 - 1:10

Mosiah 1:6 O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings are true, and also that these records are true. And behold, also the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them before our eyes.

King Benjamin admonishes his sons to keep these things in their mind concerning the records kept by previous prophets. They contain all the events that have taken place since Lehi left Jerusalem.

Mosiah 1:7 And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our fathers.

King Benjamin wants his sons to become scriptural scholars and know them intimately. He wants them to keep all the commandments that they would prosper in the land as Lehi and his descendents were promised if they kept the commandments.

Mosiah 1:8 And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which are not written in this book.

Many more things were related to his sons that are not recorded here.
[Mormon only picks out what we should have for our day. The admonitions that are not included must have been personal items or that which had been covered in other writings.]

Mosiah 1:9 And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end of teaching his sons, that he waxed old, and he saw that he must very soon go the way of all the earth; therefore, he thought it expedient that he should confer the kingdom upon one of his sons.

After these talks to his sons (I wonder did king Benjamin write them down in his journal or did his sons record them?) he continued his reigning until he could see that his life would soon be over and that he would need to chose a successor from among his sons.

Mosiah 1:10 Therefore, he had Mosiah brought before him; and these are the words which he spake unto him, saying: My son, I would that ye should make a proclamation throughout all this land among all this people, or the people of Zarahemla, and the people of Mosiah who dwell in the land, that thereby they may be gathered together; for on the morrow I shall proclaim unto this my people out of mine own mouth that thou art a king and a ruler over this people, whom the Lord our God hath given us.

He chose Mosiah and commanded him thusly. He was to gather all the people in a general conference the next day where he would proclaim him as his successor. If the all the people heard it from his own mouth there would be no argument as to who was to rule after king Benjamin’s death.
[This gathering all of the people from all over I’m sure could not have happened over night. They must have already been gathered for some festival or other. I think is was one of the Jewish festivals like Passover or Hanukah. The people were living the law of Moses in which they were to gather at least a couple of times a year. I think this gathering was Hanukah which is in the fall after the harvest. It is new year and a great time to proclaim a new king. The people would start a new year and have a new king in place.]

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