Feast upon the Word - User contributions [en]

A of F

2013-08-10T17:45:55Z

Mjberkey: Are men punished for their own sins?

[[The Pearl of Great Price]] > [[The Articles of Faith]]
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== Questions ==
=== Verse 2 ===
*Is there a difference between a sin and a transgression? See also [[D&C 132:59|D&C 132:59-60]].
*Why is the punishment for sins not said to be conditional on a lack of repentance? Don't we believe that men will ''not'' be punished for their own sins if they repent? [[D&C 19:16]]

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
''Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis''

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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3 Ne 10:16-19

2012-05-07T20:09:05Z

Mjberkey: Lehi a descendant of Zenos and Zenock?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Third Nephi]] > [[Third Nephi 10|Chapter 10]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 16===
*So was Lehi a descendant of Zenos and Zenock?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
''Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis''

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 32:26-43

2012-05-04T13:18:47Z

Mjberkey: Swelling words

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 32|Chapter 32]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 28===
*What connections could be made between the swelling of ''the'' word here, and Korihor's "swelling words" in [[Alma 30:31]]?

===Verse 30===
* ''Strengthen your faith.'' How should strengthened faith be understood? Is it dormant in the sense of verse 34, or is it still growing in the sense of verses 36ff? How is strengthened faith related to the seemingly two different kinds of perfect knowledge described in verses 34 and 36, and the notions of enlightened understanding and expanded mind in verse 34?

== Lexical notes ==
===Verse 27===
* ''Particle.'' [http://65.66.134.201/cgi-bin/webster/webster.exe?search_for_texts_web1828=particle Webster's 1828 definition] for ''particle'' is, first, "A minute part or portion of matter; as a particle of sand, of lime or of light." It may be that the faith required to "give place for aportion of [Alma's] words" is small relative to the faith required to "nourish the word" as described in [[Alma 32:41|verse 41]]. Also, it may be that the subsequent discussion using the metaphor of a seed should be viewed as an elaboration of this initial idea of "a particle of faith." In particular, it seems that the description of initially planting the seed in verse 28 may be analagous to exercising a particle of faith.

===Verse 28===
* ''Acrostic.'' Verse 28 uses an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrostic acrostic]: In the English translation, Alma is speaking about a seed, and then spells out "seed" by using the verbs "swell," "enlarge," "enlighten" and "delicious." There is no way to know, of course, whether the acrostic was present in the original, although there are some examples of acrostic poetry in the Psalms.

* ''The word.'' For an explanation of what the word is see [[Alma 33:22|Alma 33:22-23]].

== Exegesis ==
=== Verse 27===
''Relation to v. 21 (hoping for what is true).'' The "particle of faith" mentioned in this verse seems to be equated to a "desire to believe" which results in giving a "place for a portion of [Alma's] words." This description is very interesting since it seems to be describing the beginnings of faith. A question that the modern reader may be tempted to ask, prompted particularly by [[Alma 32:21|verse 21]], is a chicken-or-egg type problem: how does one begin to exercise faith if faith requires that one already know what is true, and yet faith is required to learn if something is true or not? This verse seems to introduce a way to answer this question. (Although this does not seem to be a focus of Alma's sermon, the following discussion may be of interest to the modern reader wondering whether Alma's sermon relies on circular logic.)

One approach to this question is to view it in probabilistic terms. If I don't know whether X is true or not, I could be described as granting the possiblity (a probability) that X is true. Granting this possibility/probability may be a way to interpret Alma's phrase "give place for a portion of my words." However, this view seems to make the phrase "desire to believe" a tad awkward. On this probabilistic view, it would seem more natural to describe the desire as wanting to find out whether or not something is true, not desiring to believe (that something is true, presumably).

Another approach, one that seems closer to the context of the sermon, is to interpret "true" in terms of what is described in the subsequent portion of the sermon. In this latter portion of Alma's sermon, he describes what seems to be two processes: first is the process of learning whether the seed is good (vv. 26-35), second is the process of attaining (unqualified) perfect knowledge (vv. 35-43). It may be that the first process is effectively describing how to learn whether something is true or not, and the second process is describing how to excercise faith in something that is already known to be true. On this view, it may be that the initial "particle of faith" is simply a desire to believe that something is true, and one does not know whether faith is actually being excercised until ''after'' it is learned that the word is true (i.e. that the seed is good).

''"Even if ye can no more than."'' The first three verbal clauses in this verse seem to describe a rather active process that is required of faith: "awake and arouse your faculties"; "experiment upon my words"; "exercise a particle of faith." In comparison, the three remaining verbal clauses seem somewhat weaker in terms of what is required of the listener: "desire to believe"; "give place for a portion of my words"; "let this desire work in you." Separating these stronger and weaker verbal clauses is the conjoining phrase "even if ye can no more than . . . " which seems to emphasize this contrast. That this contrast immediately precedes an extended metaphor about the word as a seed suggests a framework for interpreting the purpose of the metaphor. In particular, it seems that Alma is trying to get his listeners either to believe that they are ''capable'' of developing genuine faith that will eventually grow into perfect knowledge, or to realize that the first step of faith does not require something extraordinary.

''"Even if ye can no more than desire to believe."'' The phrase begins with "even if ye can no more than" which tells us that Alma is giving us the minimum example of what is required in order to gain faith. And, as he explains, this minimum example is to start with a desire to believe. It is significant that this is a desire ''to believe'' instead of a desire to know the truth. This minimum case begins with a desire that the gospel is true--we have to start by wanting it to be so. The ''experiment'' Alma teaches us then, is no impartial experiment. Those for whom truth means only those things we can discover through impartial analysis, will find no way here to discover these truths. In their eyes Alma's begins the experiment by stacking the deck in his favor because the experiment only begins with those who want to believe that the gospel is true. We see here that God has setup this world up in such a way that the most important truths, e.g. God is a merciful god who wants to hear from all his children, rather than hearing only once a week, in a synagogue from the well-off, are revealed only to those who, at a minumum, want to believe in such. And, as we see in the surrounding chapters, those who want instead to believe in a God who elected just themselves to be holy "whilst all around [them] are elected to be cast by [God's] wrath down to hell," to such people, so long as their desires remain so, Alma has no way to give them faith.

===Verse 28===
''The word as a seed.'' In launching into this extended comparison with a seed, Alma interstingly says twice in this verse "the word" not "my words," even though he has said "my words" in verses 26-27. It may be that Alma is simply switching back to the singular form for ''word'' because it makes for a better comparison (''seed'' instead of ''seeds''). On the other hand, Alma may be subtly making a point that it is not ''his'' words that will grow, but ''the'' word that will grow if nourished by faith. Notice that in [[Alma 32:1|verse 1]] the phrase "the word of God" is first used in this chapter, and then, presumably, referred to simply as "the word" subsequently (cf. vv. 6, 14, 16).

''"If it be a true seed."'' The conditional clause here suggests the possibility of a seed ''not'' being true. The word ''true'' first appears in this sermon in [[Alma 32:21|verse 21]] in describing faith as a hope "for things which are not seen which are true." It seems the second usage of this term here can be taken as an explanation-by-comparison of how truth can be determined. If the word-as-seed is not true, it will not swell, enlarge the soul, enlighten the soul, or become delicious. The description of what constitutes a true seed seems key to understanding the process being described from this verse until [[Alma 32:35|verse 35]], coming to know that the seed (word) is good (true).

''Unbelief.'' In terms of coming to know whether the seed (word) is good (true), un/belief seems to play a critical role. In [[Alma 32:16|verse 16]], Alma mentions belief in the word of God in elaborating on what it means to humble oneself without being compelled. Here, in verse 28, Alma connects unbelief with resisting the Spirit. The implication seems to be that resisting the Spirit is closely connected to not being humble, and that in such an environment, the truth of the word of God will not be able to be known.

[[Alma 32:18|Verse 18]] also discusses belief and contrasts it with knowledge. In terms of the truth-discovery process that Alma is describing, this implies that belief does not entail knowledge about whether something is true or not. This seems to complement the idea expressed about belief in verse 27, that the important role for belief to play in developing faith is to actively grant the possibility that the word is true (perhaps; this assumes a rather modern reading of the phrase "give place for a portion of my words"). On this view, it is also interesting that [[Alma 32:22|verse 22]] says that "God is merciful unto all who believe on his name." What is described as commendable both here and there is belief. Although faith and baptism and other acts are discussed in connection with belief, it is belief itself that seems to be urged most directly, and belief does not presume any sort of knowledge, but rather a failure to resist the Spirit, a humbling of oneself sufficiently to simply grant the possibility (albeit in what seems a rather active sense—metaphorically nourishing the seed) that the word of God is true.

===Verse 29===
''Faith and the seed.'' This verse seems peculiar in that it talks about faith a manner that seems somewhat analogous to a seed, even though it is "the word" that is compared to a seed in verse 28. Although this kind of shift in comparison does not seem particularly unusual in, for example, the Old Testament [examples or citation needed here], the discussion of ''faith'' in terms that one might expect Alma to use to describe the ''word'', according to the comparison he begins in verse 28, is intriguing, particularly to the contemporary reader who is aware of the comparison of Christ to the Word in [[John 1:1]].

''Relation to 12:10.'' Alma's statement here about faith's possibiliy to "increase" and be "grown up" suggests an aspect of faith reminiscent somewhat of [[Alma 12:10]] where Alma says "he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full." In both passages, Alma is describing a process that increases up until a certain point. If this comparison is taken further, it seems that not hardening one's heart is analogous to giving a place for a portion of Alma's words and not casting the seed out with unbelief or resistance to the Spirit.

== Related links ==
=== Experiment on the word (vv. 27-43)===
* See [http://www.libertypages.com/clark/10908.html "On Alma 32"] by Clark at his ''Mormon Metaphysics'' blog.
* [[User:Travis Justin Kamper]] comments on these verses [[User:Travis Justin Kamper/Journal|here]].

=== Verses 27-28 ===
* Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "[http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-646-15,00.html The Power of a Personal Testimony]," ''Ensign'', Nov 2006, pp. 37–39. Elder Uchtdorf outlines the pattern for receiving a testimony: desire to believe; search the scriptures; keep the commandments; ponder, fast, and pray.
* See related quotes by Henry B. Eyring and Joseph B. Wirthlin [[User:Brettferre/Alma 32:26-30|here]].

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D&C 130:21-23

2012-04-03T01:54:57Z

Mjberkey: Laws, obedience, and conditional blessings

[[Doctrine & Covenants]] > [[Doctrine & Covenants 130|Section 130]]
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== Questions ==

===Verses 20-21===
* How might [[D&C 132:5]] inform the way we read these verses?

===Verse 22===
* "''flesh and bones.''" Do Old Testament scriptures such as [[Gen 2:23]], [[2 Sam 19:12]] and [[1 Chr 11:1]] suggest this description is not just about the composition of God's physical body, but also an expression of his kinship with humans?
* "''tangible.''" If one of the definitions of this word is "capable of being handled or touched or felt," then why does this verse depart from the Mormon tradition of privileging the visual sense when it comes to personally interacting with God (e.g., [[Job 19:26]] and [[1 Jn 3:2]])?
* Why do you think this verse emphasizes the tangibility of the Father's body rather than, perhaps, its visibility?
* "''dwell.''" Is this a poetic way of saying that the Holy Ghost can take up residence in our body if we treat it like a temple?

== Lexical notes ==
===Verse 22===
* ''"Personage."'' [http://65.66.134.201/cgi-bin/webster/webster.exe?search_for_texts_web1828=personage Webster's 1828 definition] for ''personage'' lists three definitions. The first one is "exterior appearance; stature; air." Based on this definition, we might think that the "exterior appearance" of a spirit is the shape and form that a spirit takes on when it "appears." So we might think of a spirit as having a material body, though of “a finer matter,” matter that can be seen by spiritual eyes. The other two definitions for ''personage'' in Webster's are "character assumed" and "character represented." The definition for "character" in Webster's 1828 Dictionary is given [http://65.66.134.201/cgi-bin/webster/webster.exe?search_for_texts_web1828=character here]. If character is taken to refer to qualities or properties that are being represent or assumed, then the Spirit in this verse might be thought in terms of representing or assuming the qualities of God.

== Exegesis ==
=== Verse 22 ===
Verse 22 is the only scriptural source that clearly teaches that the Holy Ghost is a personage. It also purports to give a reason why a member of the Godhead does not have a body of flesh and bones, so the the Holy Ghost can "dwell in us". However, the source of this teaching is not only not from a prophet, but actually contradicts the prophetic teaching that the rest of the scriptural passage is based on.

The source of this teaching is Joseph Smith's corrections to a talk by Elder Orson Hyde at a conference in Ramus, Illinois on April 2, 1843. In the morning, Elder Hyde had preached that "it is our privilege to have the father & son dwelling in our hearts." After the morning meeting, at Joseph's sister Sophronia's house for dinner, Joseph indicated that he would correct Elder Hyde, who indicated his willingness to accept correction. Joseph then taught what we have in [[D&C 130:1|D&C 130:1-3]], that "the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man's heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false."

When they returned for the evening session of the meeting, Joseph referred the congregation back to Elder Hyde's statement to give them the correction as well. This time he additionally taught (emphasis added):

<blockquote>The Father has a body of flesh & bones as tangible as mans the Son also, but the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. --''and a person cannot have the personage of the H G in his heart'' he may receive the gift of the holy Ghost. it may descend upon him but not to tarry with him (Joseph Smith diary as recorded by Willard Richards)</blockquote>

<blockquote>The Holy Ghost is a personage, ''and a person cannot have the personage of the Holy Ghost in his heart''. A man receive the gifts of the H. G., and the H. G. may descend upon a man but not to tarry with him. (William Clayton diary)</blockquote>

<blockquote>(Source for these documents is ''The Parallel Joseph''; see the April 2, 1843 link below, footnote 1.)</blockquote>

Joseph's teachings as recorded by Willard Richards and William Clayton that the personage of the Holy Ghost cannot dwell in us are changed in the Doctrine & Covenants to state that he is a personage of spirit precisely so that he can dwell in us. This came about as follows:

Orson Pratt was given the assignment to select teachings of Joseph Smith for inclusion in the 1876 edition of the Doctrine & Covenants (see the December 1984 Ensign article The Story of the Doctrine & Covenants). In doing so, he relied on the compilations of Joseph's diaries and teachings by church historians (see link below) for details on who these historians were and when they wrote). Joseph himself wrote very little of his diary; it was actually kept by various people assigned to do so. Church historians compiled these various accounts into a cohesive whole (changing the text to the first person to appear as though Joseph had written it) and it formed the basis of the volumes of History of Church eventually edited by B.H. Roberts -- the ones most of us are familiar with.

Leo Hawkins was the historian who compiled the account that includes this scriptural passage from D&C 130. He added the sentence in question about the Holy Ghost dwelling in us, which contradicts what Joseph taught as recorded contemporaneously by his secretary.

Further sources for this information:

Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith, p.341

George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, p. 97

The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph, compiled and edited by Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook [Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 1980], entries for 2 April 1843 (see particularly footnote 5)

== Related links ==
===Verse 22===
* ''[http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parallel/1843/2Apr43.html ''The Parallel Joseph'']
:* [http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parallel/1843/2Apr43.html April 2, 1943]

* [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1984.htm/ensign%20december%201984%20.htm/the%20story%20of%20the%20doctrine%20and%20covenants.htm The Story of the Doctrine & Covenants]

* [http://www.boap.org/LDS/History/HTMLHistory/v1c1history.html#N_1_ Historians and Joseph's diary]

* See RobertC's post [http://feastuponthewordblog.org/2007/03/16/what-is-a-personage-of-spirit "Can the Holy Ghost really dwell in us?"] at the Feast blog.

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4 Ne 1:11-15

2012-01-17T16:33:14Z

Mjberkey: Temple marriage in 4th Nephi?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Fourth Nephi]] > [[Fourth Nephi 1|Chapter 1]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 11===
*Would it be totally irresponsible and speculative to ask if the "multitude of the promises" carried a reference to temple marriage, in addition to the promise of prosperity?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
''Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis''

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Talk:Gen 14:16-20

2012-01-17T16:29:02Z

Mjberkey: Where is the JST

===Melchizedek in the JST===
Is there a place on the feast site for viewing and adding commentary/questions to the JST in the back of the Bible? --Mike Berkey 17:29, 17 January 2012 (CET)

Alma 14:1-5

2011-09-13T11:39:52Z

Mjberkey: /* Verse 1 */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* [[Alma 13:31]] informs us that "Alma spake many more words unto the people" than what is now to be found in chapters 12-13. Here in this verse Mormon makes an explicit reference to Alma's "ma[king] an end of speaking." How did Alma close his sermon?

* The response of the people is presented as being neatly divided between the "many" that believed and repented and the "more part" that desired to destroy Alma and Amulek. Might this be a simplification for the sake of telling the story, or was the response really so polarized? If so, how and why did the people split into believers and non-believers when the sermon concluded?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? What might this story teach us about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" (or "plainly") similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that while "plainness" is very often equated with "harshness" and so is often understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense (if one is not perfectly humble), it is not ''always'' used that way. On occasion, the word simply means "simple" or "clear," without any implications about subjective investment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5]]), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* The construction "to put away" is usually assumed, here, to mean "to put to death" (as in, the lawyers and judges sought to ''kill'' Alma and Amulek privily). This may be the case, but it should be noted that the phrase does not seem to mean this anywhere else in scripture. It appears around seventy-five times in scripture and only ''could'' (and likely does not) refer to execution in a couple of scattered instances ([[1 Sam 28:3]]; [[2 Sam 7:15]]; [[Ps 119:119]]; perhaps [[Mal 2:16]]). Most consistently, the phrase refers either to getting rid of idols/abominations/evil (most commonly in the Old Testament, of course) or to divorce (common in the Old Testament, almost universal in the New Testament, every reference apart from the current text in the Book of Mormon, and the only reference in the Doctrine and Covenants). In at least one instance ([[1 Cor 5:13]]), the phrase clearly refers to excommunication. In the text that most clearly resonates in the present text ([[Matt 1:19]]), the phrase refers to divorce.

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.
**Under the latter interpretation, the word "also" could be read as referring to the correspondence between the lawyers' and the peoples' cause for anger, i.e. plainness. Rather than just saying that the lawyers were angry too, the also could be emphasizing that what angered the people ''also'' angered the lawyers.

=== Verse 4 ===

* It is clear from [[Alma 14:23]] that the chief judge referred to here is the chief judge in charge only of the local jurisdiction ("the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah"). Though the Book of Mormon seldom makes reference to such local "chief judges," it does so consistently. (See also the references in [[Alma 30]].)

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====
First, it is worth noting that the people are not angry with Alma for treating Zeezrom harshly; rather it is the plainness or harshness of ''his words'' that offend them (see the lexical note above). Also, the people are not said to ''accuse'' Alma of speaking to Zeezrom with plainness, only that they are ''angered'' by his plainness. (By contrast, the next clause reports that "they also said that Amulek had lied," a clear accusation.) One might well wonder whether Mormon, in using the word "plainness," had [[2 Ne 33:5]] in mind, where Nephi claims that no one will be angered by the plainness of truth unless they are of the spirit of the devil (in [[Alma 12:4|Alma 12:4-6]] one finds Alma explicitly claiming that at least Zeezrom had been ensnared by the devil).

But what "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

The word "angry" has been analyzed within the larger Ammonihah narrative in the commentary on verse 2.

It is interesting that while the people draw a strong distinction between what angers them about Alma and what angers them about Amulek, the lawyers and judges here draw no such distinction: they are apparently angry with Alma and Amulek together ("because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness"). Whatever distinctions between Alma and Amulek concerned the people (Alma was an outsider, but Amulek was an Ammonihahite; Alma had been the chief judge, but Amulek had only social status; Alma had claimed that Zeezrom was an enemy of the people, while Amulek had only claimed that Zeezrom was his own enemy; Alma had preached theologically, but Amulek had directly addressed the law and local politics; etc.), they mean nothing to the lawyers and judges. Alma and Amulek function, for them, as a unit.

A couple of points may help to explain this. In [[Alma 11:25]], when Amulek accused Zeezrom of trying to "destroy" him, it seems he took Zeezrom's plan to be to show that Amulek was insincere in his testimony, that he had been bribed by Alma to offer his testimony as a second witness. In a word, it seems that Zeezrom's (the lawyers and judges') plan was to show that Amulek was simply Alma's tool. Thus, even from that relatively early point in the narrative, it would seem that the lawyers and judges wanted to reduce Alma and Amulek to a single unit, pinning trumped up crimes on just one of the two and rendering the other a mere (and perhaps unthinking) accomplice.

Interestingly, Alma and Amulek are still at this later point treated as a kind of unit, but there may be some evidence that the lawyers and judges now want to pin their trumped up charges on Amulek and treat Alma as a simple accomplice. At any rate, it is significant that the show trial of verse 5 consists of accusations that only could have been made against Amulek. From this one might gather that with the clear demonstration that Amulek was no unthinking accomplice to a machinating former chief judge, the lawyers and judges have determined that Amulek himself is a machinating figure: he sneaked an obviously disappointed Alma back into the city, opportunistically drawing on the prophet's dour message in order to stage a coup of sorts, claiming local power for himself.

At any rate, while the people see Alma and Amulek as quite different figures with intertwined agendas, it is clear that the lawyers and judges take them as working on a single cause, likely with Amulek in the lead.

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

There is, as has been mentioned above, a clear connection between the "plainly" of this phrase and the "plainness" of verse 2. Once it is clear that the "they" of this verse (along with the "their" of "their wickedness" here) refers to the lawyers and judges and not to the people more generally, it becomes clear that the plainness in the two verses is more or less identical. In the commentary for verse 2, it has been suggested that Alma's apparently offensive plainness to Zeezrom was a question of his explicitly stating that Zeezrom was at odds with or an enemy to the people. Here in verse 3, it is clear that the plainness referred to is the plainness of Alma's and Amulek's criticisms of the lawyers and judges specifically—"''their'' wickedness." It thus seems that the plainness spoken of in the two passages is the same: a too-straightforward identification of the fact that the lawyers and judges, in their wickedness, are trying to deceive—and ultimately to destroy—the people.

Perhaps it is worth asking about the relationship here between the words "testified" and "against." What is the difference between testifying ''of'' and testifying ''against''? And how did Alma and Amulek do the latter specifically?

With the meaning of this part of the verse clear, it must be asked what role it plays in the larger grammatical economy of the verse. As made clear in the lexical notes above, the "and" that precedes this clause in the current edition of the Book of Mormon should not be there. Without it, there are two distinct ways the verse can be read: the "because" clause might serve to explain the anger of the lawyers and judges (might be subordinate to the first independent clause); or the "because" clause might serve to explain the attempt to put Alma and Amulek away privily (might be subordinate to the second independent clause). Of course, in the end and ignoring the grammar, the first independent clause largely explains the second independent clause: it is clearly the anger of the lawyers and judges that ultimately leads them to seek to put Alma and Amulek away privily. But how does the grammar function here?

In the end, what makes this question so tortured is that the absence of the interpolated "and" leaves this verse sounded not-so-Book-of-Mormon-like. If the "because" clause is suspended from the first independent clause, the verse ends with what, for the Book of Mormon's style, is a far too abrupt independent clause: "They sought to put them away privily." If the "because" clause is suspended instead from the second independent clause, the subordinate clause opens the sentence of which it forms a part too abruptly for the Book of Mormon's style: "Because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily." However the "and" found its way into the text, it would seem that it was added in order to help this verse to sound more like the rest of the Book of Mormon—to maintain the standard "feel" of Book of Mormon prose. An "and" has to be inserted somewhere to retain the usual feel of Nephite scripture, but whether it should be inserted before "because," or whether it should be inserted after "wickedness," it is unclear.

In the end, the grammatical question is interpretively crucial, particularly for making sense of the first part of verse 4 (see the commentary there).

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma 1:12|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these lawyers and judges who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

=== Verse 4 ===

==== But ====

The strong contrastive that opens this verse announces in advance that the plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily did not come to fruition. There are, ultimately, two ways this "failure" can be interpreted. On the one hand, it might be that the initial plan of the lawyers and judges was somehow frustrated, apparently by some kind of external force (a higher power, the imposition of the people, an act of Providence, etc.). On the other hand, it might be simply that the lawyers and judges themselves changed their minds about how to go about achieving their desires; the plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily was superseded by what was regarded as a ''better'' plan, one that would involve a public trial.

==== it came to pass that ====

That the phrase "it came to pass that" appears between "But" and "they did not" is significant. Had Mormon (the presumed narrator) meant to show simply that the plans of the lawyers and judges were thwarted, a straightforward "But they did not" would have sufficed. (Indeed, the fact that Joseph Smith did not remove this "it came to pass" for the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon, when he removed five other "it came to passes" in this chapter, is significant. It seems it is crucial to the meaning of Mormon's intentions.) The implication, then, is that there was an event or a series of events (which "came to pass") that altered the decision made by the lawyers and judges. Whatever event(s) might have taken place, the text does not make clear, but it seems clear that something deterred the lawyers and judges from putting Alma and Amulek away privily: the course of events revealed to them either the preferability or the necessity of taking a different approach to the situation.

==== they did not ====

It is clear that the lawyers and judges did not go through with their initial plan, but it remains to be determined whether that was because they were forced to take a different approach, or because they determined to take a different approach of their own volition.

Also, [[Alma 8:31]] foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

==== but they took them and bound them with strong cords ====

One ''might'' suggest, with reference to the contrastive "but" that opens this clause, that "they" here refers not to the lawyers and judges (as previously in this verse), but to the people. That is, one ''might'' suggest that this verse stages a kind of limitation on the power of the lawyers and judges: they ''sought'' to put Alma and Amulek away privily, but they could not do so, because the people (the mob?) instead took the two, bound them, and hauled them off to the chief judge. In the end, though, such a reading is tenuous at best. Though the Book of Mormon does on occasion change referents without changing pronouns, causing some confusion, the continuity here seems secure. Moreover, the fact that "the people" are reintroduced at the beginning of verse 5 seems to make clear that the referent of "they" has been constant through verses 3 and 4. Still more, if the meaning of the verse was that the people thwarted the lawyers and judges' attempt at putting Alma and Amulek away privily, one would suspect that the contrastive "but" would be replaced by a causal "for": "But it came to pass that they [the lawyers and judges] did not; for they [the people] took them and bound them," etc. That "but" appears instead of "for" seems to make clear that "they" continues to refer to the lawyers and judges.

This point of apparently pointless clarification is actually interpretively crucial. It has been made clear above that there are two ways of interpreting the "they did not" business at the beginning of this verse. On the one hand, the lawyers and judges' initial desire was frustrated, implicitly by some external force. On the other hand, the lawyers and judges simply changed their minds about how to accomplish their desires. The clarification of the meaning of the contrastive "but" here suggests that there are at least problems with the first interpretation of the "they did not." If "they" continues to refer to the lawyers and judges, and does not now refer to the people, at least the people were no external force that thwarted the lawyers and judges in their initial plan. (It remains a possibility, however, that some ''other'' external force thwarted their plans, but there is no mention of such force in the text.)

From all this, it seems best to interpret verse 4 as claiming that the lawyers and judges quickly abandoned their original plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily in favor of a public trial, and that they did so willingly. Why they would choose to do so, however, remains to be sorted out below.

==== and took them before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

==== And the people went forth and witnessed against them ====

==== testifying that they had reviled against the law ====

==== and their lawyers and judges of the land ====

==== and also all the people that were in the land ====

==== and also testified that there was but one God ====

==== and that he should send his Son among the people ====

==== but he should not save them ====

==== and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek ====

==== Now this was done before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses throughout the previous 6 chapters. (Feel free to edit.)

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Mosiah 7:1-5

2011-09-05T15:01:41Z

Mjberkey: Why was there interest in finding Zeniff's descendants?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Mosiah]] > [[Mosiah 7|Chapter 7]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 1===
* What does it mean to go "up"? Does that mean in elevation, northward, or what?
* Is there a difference between the "land" and the "city" of Lehi-Nephi.
* What does the word "teasings" mean here?
===Verse 2===
* Why would the king need to "grant" the men to go on the expedition to Lehi-Nephi?
* Is there a significance to the number 16, or does this just happen to be the number of men chosen to go?
===Verse 3===
* Who is this Ammon? Did King Mosiah name his own son after this "descendant of Zarahemla"? If so, why? Was Mosiah perhaps married to a high-ranking "descendant of Zarahemla" himself? Perhaps even a relative (daughter or sister) of Ammon? Why was a "descendant of Zarahemla" sent out as a leader of a Nephite expedition? Was he just the leader of this party, or did he have a leadership role within his own people, perhaps as a direct descendant of the previous Mulekite King Zarahemla?
* Why would this descendant of Zarahemla have so much interest in the lost group of Nephites who had left Zarahemla 80 years earlier?
* Why this renewed interest in finding out what had happened to a people who hadn't been heard from for 80 years?

===Verse 4===
* What is the significance of the men wandering 40 days? How and where else is the phrase "forty days" used in the scriptures? How often is this phrase associated with "wilderness" and mountains or hills?

* If the 40 days in the wilderness is meant to parallel Israel's forty years in the wilderness, then the symbolism is curiously reversed because Ammon and his party are not heading toward the promised land, but away from it. If anything the journey resembles a return to Egypt, rather than an Exodus from Egypt. If this is a fruitful interpretation, why is the symbolism reversed?

* In the interest of not biasing the interpretation toward Israel's wandering in the desert, what fruitful parallels might be drawn between Ammon's story and that of Moses's forty days on Mount Sinai? Jesus's forty days of fasting? Joshua and company's forty days exploring the promised land before they conquered it? Jonas's preaching that Nineve would be destroyed in forty days? The Philistine's forty days of challenging Israel before David arrived? The forty days of rain during Noah's flood? Elijah's forty day journey (apparently fasting) to get to Mount Horeb and speak with the Lord? Or perhaps even Jacob's being embalmed for forty days?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
''Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis''

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 14:1-5

2011-08-22T00:11:31Z

Mjberkey: /* Verse 2 */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* [[Alma 13:31]] informs us that "Alma spake many more words unto the people" than what is now to be found in chapters 12-13. Here in this verse Mormon makes an explicit reference to Alma's "ma[king] an end of speaking." How did Alma close his sermon?

* The response of the people is presented as being neatly divided between the "many" that believed and repented and the "more part" that desired to destroy Alma and Amulek. Might this be a simplification for the sake of telling the story, or was the response really so polarized? If so, how and why did the people split into believers and non-believers when the sermon concluded?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" (or "plainly") similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that while "plainness" is very often equated with "harshness" and so is often understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense (if one is not perfectly humble), it is not ''always'' used that way. On occasion, the word simply means "simple" or "clear," without any implications about subjective investment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5]]), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* The construction "to put away" is usually assumed, here, to mean "to put to death" (as in, the lawyers and judges sought to ''kill'' Alma and Amulek privily). This may be the case, but it should be noted that the phrase does not seem to mean this anywhere else in scripture. It appears around seventy-five times in scripture and only ''could'' (and likely does not) refer to execution in a couple of scattered instances ([[1 Sam 28:3]]; [[2 Sam 7:15]]; [[Ps 119:119]]; perhaps [[Mal 2:16]]). Most consistently, the phrase refers either to getting rid of idols/abominations/evil (most commonly in the Old Testament, of course) or to divorce (common in the Old Testament, almost universal in the New Testament, every reference apart from the current text in the Book of Mormon, and the only reference in the Doctrine and Covenants). In at least one instance ([[1 Cor 5:13]]), the phrase clearly refers to excommunication. In the text that most clearly resonates in the present text ([[Matt 1:19]]), the phrase refers to divorce.

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.
**Under the latter interpretation, the word "also" could be read as referring to the correspondence between the lawyers' and the peoples' cause for anger, i.e. plainness. Rather than just saying that the lawyers were angry too, the also could be emphasizing that what angered the people ''also'' angered the lawyers.

=== Verse 4 ===

* It is clear from [[Alma 14:23]] that the chief judge referred to here is the chief judge in charge only of the local jurisdiction ("the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah"). Though the Book of Mormon seldom makes reference to such local "chief judges," it does so consistently. (See also the references in [[Alma 30]].)

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====
First, it is worth noting that the people are not angry with Alma for treating Zeezrom harshly; rather it is the plainness or harshness of ''his words'' that offend them (see the lexical note above). Also, the people are not said to ''accuse'' Alma of speaking to Zeezrom with plainness, only that they are ''angered'' by his plainness. (By contrast, the next clause reports that "they also said that Amulek had lied," a clear accusation.) One might well wonder whether Mormon, in using the word "plainness," had [[2 Ne 33:5]] in mind, where Nephi claims that no one will be angered by the plainness of truth unless they are of the spirit of the devil (in [[Alma 12:4|Alma 12:4-6]] one finds Alma explicitly claiming that at least Zeezrom had been ensnared by the devil).

But what "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

The word "angry" has been analyzed within the larger Ammonihah narrative in the commentary on verse 2.

It is interesting that while the people draw a strong distinction between what angers them about Alma and what angers them about Amulek, the lawyers and judges here draw no such distinction: they are apparently angry with Alma and Amulek together ("because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness"). Whatever distinctions between Alma and Amulek concerned the people (Alma was an outsider, but Amulek was an Ammonihahite; Alma had been the chief judge, but Amulek had only social status; Alma had claimed that Zeezrom was an enemy of the people, while Amulek had only claimed that Zeezrom was his own enemy; Alma had preached theologically, but Amulek had directly addressed the law and local politics; etc.), they mean nothing to the lawyers and judges. Alma and Amulek function, for them, as a unit.

A couple of points may help to explain this. In [[Alma 11:25]], when Amulek accused Zeezrom of trying to "destroy" him, it seems he took Zeezrom's plan to be to show that Amulek was insincere in his testimony, that he had been bribed by Alma to offer his testimony as a second witness. In a word, it seems that Zeezrom's (the lawyers and judges') plan was to show that Amulek was simply Alma's tool. Thus, even from that relatively early point in the narrative, it would seem that the lawyers and judges wanted to reduce Alma and Amulek to a single unit, pinning trumped up crimes on just one of the two and rendering the other a mere (and perhaps unthinking) accomplice.

Interestingly, Alma and Amulek are still at this later point treated as a kind of unit, but there may be some evidence that the lawyers and judges now want to pin their trumped up charges on Amulek and treat Alma as a simple accomplice. At any rate, it is significant that the show trial of verse 5 consists of accusations that only could have been made against Amulek. From this one might gather that with the clear demonstration that Amulek was no unthinking accomplice to a machinating former chief judge, the lawyers and judges have determined that Amulek himself is a machinating figure: he sneaked an obviously disappointed Alma back into the city, opportunistically drawing on the prophet's dour message in order to stage a coup of sorts, claiming local power for himself.

At any rate, while the people see Alma and Amulek as quite different figures with intertwined agendas, it is clear that the lawyers and judges take them as working on a single cause, likely with Amulek in the lead.

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

There is, as has been mentioned above, a clear connection between the "plainly" of this phrase and the "plainness" of verse 2. Once it is clear that the "they" of this verse (along with the "their" of "their wickedness" here) refers to the lawyers and judges and not to the people more generally, it becomes clear that the plainness in the two verses is more or less identical. In the commentary for verse 2, it has been suggested that Alma's apparently offensive plainness to Zeezrom was a question of his explicitly stating that Zeezrom was at odds with or an enemy to the people. Here in verse 3, it is clear that the plainness referred to is the plainness of Alma's and Amulek's criticisms of the lawyers and judges specifically—"''their'' wickedness." It thus seems that the plainness spoken of in the two passages is the same: a too-straightforward identification of the fact that the lawyers and judges, in their wickedness, are trying to deceive—and ultimately to destroy—the people.

Perhaps it is worth asking about the relationship here between the words "testified" and "against." What is the difference between testifying ''of'' and testifying ''against''? And how did Alma and Amulek do the latter specifically?

With the meaning of this part of the verse clear, it must be asked what role it plays in the larger grammatical economy of the verse. As made clear in the lexical notes above, the "and" that precedes this clause in the current edition of the Book of Mormon should not be there. Without it, there are two distinct ways the verse can be read: the "because" clause might serve to explain the anger of the lawyers and judges (might be subordinate to the first independent clause); or the "because" clause might serve to explain the attempt to put Alma and Amulek away privily (might be subordinate to the second independent clause). Of course, in the end and ignoring the grammar, the first independent clause largely explains the second independent clause: it is clearly the anger of the lawyers and judges that ultimately leads them to seek to put Alma and Amulek away privily. But how does the grammar function here?

In the end, what makes this question so tortured is that the absence of the interpolated "and" leaves this verse sounded not-so-Book-of-Mormon-like. If the "because" clause is suspended from the first independent clause, the verse ends with what, for the Book of Mormon's style, is a far too abrupt independent clause: "They sought to put them away privily." If the "because" clause is suspended instead from the second independent clause, the subordinate clause opens the sentence of which it forms a part too abruptly for the Book of Mormon's style: "Because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily." However the "and" found its way into the text, it would seem that it was added in order to help this verse to sound more like the rest of the Book of Mormon—to maintain the standard "feel" of Book of Mormon prose. An "and" has to be inserted somewhere to retain the usual feel of Nephite scripture, but whether it should be inserted before "because," or whether it should be inserted after "wickedness," it is unclear.

In the end, the grammatical question is interpretively crucial, particularly for making sense of the first part of verse 4 (see the commentary there).

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma 1:12|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these lawyers and judges who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

=== Verse 4 ===

==== But ====

The strong contrastive that opens this verse announces in advance that the plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily did not come to fruition. There are, ultimately, two ways this "failure" can be interpreted. On the one hand, it might be that the initial plan of the lawyers and judges was somehow frustrated, apparently by some kind of external force (a higher power, the imposition of the people, an act of Providence, etc.). On the other hand, it might be simply that the lawyers and judges themselves changed their minds about how to go about achieving their desires; the plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily was superseded by what was regarded as a ''better'' plan, one that would involve a public trial.

==== it came to pass that ====

That the phrase "it came to pass that" appears between "But" and "they did not" is significant. Had Mormon (the presumed narrator) meant to show simply that the plans of the lawyers and judges were thwarted, a straightforward "But they did not" would have sufficed. (Indeed, the fact that Joseph Smith did not remove this "it came to pass" for the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon, when he removed five other "it came to passes" in this chapter, is significant. It seems it is crucial to the meaning of Mormon's intentions.) The implication, then, is that there was an event or a series of events (which "came to pass") that altered the decision made by the lawyers and judges. Whatever event(s) might have taken place, the text does not make clear, but it seems clear that something deterred the lawyers and judges from putting Alma and Amulek away privily: the course of events revealed to them either the preferability or the necessity of taking a different approach to the situation.

==== they did not ====

It is clear that the lawyers and judges did not go through with their initial plan, but it remains to be determined whether that was because they were forced to take a different approach, or because they determined to take a different approach of their own volition.

Also, [[Alma 8:31]] foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

==== but they took them and bound them with strong cords ====

One ''might'' suggest, with reference to the contrastive "but" that opens this clause, that "they" here refers not to the lawyers and judges (as previously in this verse), but to the people. That is, one ''might'' suggest that this verse stages a kind of limitation on the power of the lawyers and judges: they ''sought'' to put Alma and Amulek away privily, but they could not do so, because the people (the mob?) instead took the two, bound them, and hauled them off to the chief judge. In the end, though, such a reading is tenuous at best. Though the Book of Mormon does on occasion change referents without changing pronouns, causing some confusion, the continuity here seems secure. Moreover, the fact that "the people" are reintroduced at the beginning of verse 5 seems to make clear that the referent of "they" has been constant through verses 3 and 4. Still more, if the meaning of the verse was that the people thwarted the lawyers and judges' attempt at putting Alma and Amulek away privily, one would suspect that the contrastive "but" would be replaced by a causal "for": "But it came to pass that they [the lawyers and judges] did not; for they [the people] took them and bound them," etc. That "but" appears instead of "for" seems to make clear that "they" continues to refer to the lawyers and judges.

This point of apparently pointless clarification is actually interpretively crucial. It has been made clear above that there are two ways of interpreting the "they did not" business at the beginning of this verse. On the one hand, the lawyers and judges' initial desire was frustrated, implicitly by some external force. On the other hand, the lawyers and judges simply changed their minds about how to accomplish their desires. The clarification of the meaning of the contrastive "but" here suggests that there are at least problems with the first interpretation of the "they did not." If "they" continues to refer to the lawyers and judges, and does not now refer to the people, at least the people were no external force that thwarted the lawyers and judges in their initial plan. (It remains a possibility, however, that some ''other'' external force thwarted their plans, but there is no mention of such force in the text.)

From all this, it seems best to interpret verse 4 as claiming that the lawyers and judges quickly abandoned their original plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily in favor of a public trial, and that they did so willingly. Why they would choose to do so, however, remains to be sorted out below.

==== and took them before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

==== And the people went forth and witnessed against them ====

==== testifying that they had reviled against the law ====

==== and their lawyers and judges of the land ====

==== and also all the people that were in the land ====

==== and also testified that there was but one God ====

==== and that he should send his Son among the people ====

==== but he should not save them ====

==== and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek ====

==== Now this was done before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses throughout the previous 6 chapters. (Feel free to edit.)

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Talk:Alma 14:6-10

2011-08-22T00:11:09Z

Mjberkey: /* Connections between Alma 14 and Mosiah 17-19 */

==Re-posts from blog==
I think the wiki is a better place for this kind of discussion than the blog, so here's a re-post from the blog.
===Burning the believers===
There’s no mention of Alma or Amulek saying or doing anything in v1-9. This is mainly a picture of the people’s reaction to their preaching, and what a reaction! Those that repent immediately turn to the scriptures (but aren’t baptized, which I’m still wondering about). The reaction of the unrepentant is incoherent. They think about killing them, but change their mind and instead bring them to court. Zeezrom tries to defend them so they turn on him, kick him and the rest of the believing men out and burn the women and children. Like, where did that come from? I thought Alma and Amulek were on trial.

I’ve tried to develop a model in which this reaction might make a bit more sense. I’ve based it on Alma 8:17. In that scripture Alma has turned his back on Ammonihah, but an angel has sent him back with a specific mission to warn them that if they don’t repent they’ll be destroyed. But in v17 the angel kind of gives a reason why Ammonihah is in so much trouble. He says that even at this moment they’re plotting to destroy the liberty of the Nephites. This is the only justification I’ve found (before Alma 14 that is) for the Lord’s intent to destroy Ammonihah.

This is the situation in Ammonihah when Alma and Amulek are preaching. The people are on the verge of some kind of revolt to gain power over the rest of the Nephites. This would explain their focus on power that Kim has pointed out. Burning the believers and their records is a way of exerting their power over Alma and Amulek, putting them in their place. “Don’t tell us that we’ll be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone. Anyone you convert, we’ll cast into fire and brimstone. We’ll make you watch on, helpless and powerless to save them!” These guys have an intense desire for power and it’s kind of terrifying what it drives them to do.
===Connections between Alma 14 and Mosiah 17-19===
I’ve also found several connections between the Noah-Abinadi story and this story.

1) Accusation of reviling against the law/king

2) Putting the righteous to death specifically by fire

3) Alma the elder and Zeezrom are parallel characters. Both are introduced as, “one among them.” (Mosiah 17:2 and Alma 10:31) Alma “knew concerning the iniquity which Abinadi had testified.” Zeezrom “knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused” (Alma 14:6). Alma “began to plead with the king that he would not be angry with Abinadi.” Zeezrom “began to plead for them from that time forth.” King Noah “caused that Alma should be cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that they might slay him.” The Ammonihahites “cast [Zeezrom] out from among them… and sent men to cast stones at them.”

4) The official charge against Abinadi turns out to be that he taught that “God himself should come down among the children of men.” (Mosiah 17:8) The Ammonihahites testify in court that Alma and Amulek had taught that God “should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” (Alma 14:5)

5) Abinadi held in prison three days before being confronted again (Mosiah 17:6). Alma and Amulek are held in prison for three days before being confronted again (Alma 14:17-18).

6) After Noah is killed and his priests are scattered (as prophesied in Mosiah 17:16-19), the people of Noah meet the people of Gideon who tell them “all that had hapened to their wives and their children.” After Ammonihah is destroyed (as prophesied) Alma and Amulek tell the men who fled the city “all that had happened unto their wives and children.”

7) Alma Sr. establishes a church and baptize many who say it’s “the desire of our hearts.” (Mosiah 18:11) Alma Jr. establishes a church and baptizes many who are “desirous to be baptized.” (Alma 15:13)

8) Noah sees that the “lamanites were within the borders of the land.” Later the “began to slay them” and they take others captive.” (Mosiah 19:6-15) Alma 15 records that “the armies of the Lamanites had come… into the borders of the land… and began to slay the people…” and they took “others captive.”

--Mike Berkey 03:36, 28 June 2011 (CEST)

D&C 59:21-24

2011-08-05T16:47:01Z

Mjberkey: /* Questions */

[[Doctrine & Covenants]] > [[Doctrine & Covenants 59|Section 59]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 21===
* What does it mean to confess the Lord's hand in all things? Specifically what does it mean to confess the Lord's had in people's evil actions?
* How do the last couple of verses about not using the earth to excess or by extortion affect how we read this verse?

== Lexical notes ==
===Verse 21===
* ''hand'': This word points to the work of God, His activity in the world, His interruption of things by His ability to create, produce, etc. If this verse points at all to gratitude, it would seem that gratitude is a recognition of this interposition of the hand of God.

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 21===
It is certainly significant that the question of confessing God's hand in all things comes before man's obedience. The verse seems to put an emphasis on confessing before acting, before doing. If this emphasis is justifiably read into this verse, then it might be said that foundational to obedience is the work of confession--not of sins but of God's omnipotence. If obedience is an issue of agency--of one's ability to fulfill, or not to fulfill, a commission from God--then agency itself seems to be grounded on a confession that God's hand is "in all things," that before man's "agency" is God's acting, moving, doing, accomplishing, creating, etc.

This verse, as the foregoing suggests, might thus be read as a powerful clarification of the "doctrine" of agency. This doctrine cannot be understood as a universal ability, an absolute freedom, a correlate of man's "co-eternality" with God. Agency is dependent primarily on man's subservient relation to God.

===Verse 23===
The Lord promises us that if we're faithful we'll receive "his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come." The phrase "his reward" indicates that the two items following (peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come) are two parts of the same reward. One possibility is that peace in this world comes after we receive an assurance that we will receive eternal life in the next. (On this point, see the related link about President Romney below.)

== Related links ==
===Verse 21===
* See Jacob J.'s musings on this verse at the New Cool Thang blog [http://www.newcoolthang.com/index.php/2008/01/confessing-gods-hand-in-all-things/495/ here].

===Verse 23===
* President Marion G. Romney spoke about verse 24 in the 1949 October conference. He explains the different between the peace the world offers, and the peace the Savior offers. And he explains what it means to have your calling and election made sure. [[User:StevenRJensen/Romney on peace in this world|more]]

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Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-28T14:47:21Z

Mjberkey: Also in v3

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* [[Alma 13:31]] informs us that "Alma spake many more words unto the people" than what is now to be found in chapters 12-13. Here in this verse Mormon makes an explicit reference to Alma's "ma[king] an end of speaking." How did Alma close his sermon?

* The response of the people is presented as being neatly divided between the "many" that believed and repented and the "more part" that desired to destroy Alma and Amulek. Might this be a simplification for the sake of telling the story, or was the response really so polarized? If so, how and why did the people split into believers and non-believers when the sermon concluded?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" (or "plainly") similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that while "plainness" is very often equated with "harshness" and so is often understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense (if one is not perfectly humble), it is not ''always'' used that way. On occasion, the word simply means "simple" or "clear," without any implications about subjective investment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* The construction "to put away" is usually assumed, here, to mean "to put to death" (as in, the lawyers and judges sought to ''kill'' Alma and Amulek privily). This may be the case, but it should be noted that the phrase does not seem to mean this anywhere else in scripture. It appears around seventy-five times in scripture and only ''could'' (and likely does not) refer to execution in a couple of scattered instances ([[1 Sam 28:3]]; [[2 Sam 7:15]]; [[Ps 119:119]]; perhaps [[Mal 2:16]]). Most consistently, the phrase refers either to getting rid of idols/abominations/evil (most commonly in the Old Testament, of course) or to divorce (common in the Old Testament, almost universal in the New Testament, every reference apart from the current text in the Book of Mormon, and the only reference in the Doctrine and Covenants). In at least one instance ([[1 Cor 5:13]]), the phrase clearly refers to excommunication. In the text that most clearly resonates in the present text ([[Matt 1:19]]), the phrase refers to divorce.

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.
**Under the latter interpretation, the word "also" could be read as referring to the correspondence between the lawyers' and the peoples' cause for anger, i.e. plainness. Rather than just saying that the lawyers were angry too, the also could be emphasizing that what angered the people ''also'' angered the lawyers.

=== Verse 4 ===

* It is clear from [[Alma 14:23]] that the chief judge referred to here is the chief judge in charge only of the local jurisdiction ("the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah"). Though the Book of Mormon seldom makes reference to such local "chief judges," it does so consistently. (See also the references in [[Alma 30]].)

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====
First, it is worth noting that the people are not angry with Alma for treating Zeezrom harshly; rather it is the plainness or harshness of ''his words'' that offend them (see the lexical note above). Also, the people are not said to ''accuse'' Alma of speaking to Zeezrom with plainness, only that they are ''angered'' by his plainness. (By contrast, the next clause reports that "they also said that Amulek had lied," a clear accusation.) One might well wonder whether Mormon, in using the word "plainness," had [[2 Ne 33:5]] in mind, where Nephi claims that no one will be angered by the plainness of truth unless they are of the spirit of the devil (in [[Alma 12:4|Alma 12:4-6]] one finds Alma explicitly claiming that at least Zeezrom had been ensnared by the devil).

But what "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

The word "angry" has been analyzed within the larger Ammonihah narrative in the commentary on verse 2.

It is interesting that while the people draw a strong distinction between what angers them about Alma and what angers them about Amulek, the lawyers and judges here draw no such distinction: they are apparently angry with Alma and Amulek together ("because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness"). Whatever distinctions between Alma and Amulek concerned the people (Alma was an outsider, but Amulek was an Ammonihahite; Alma had been the chief judge, but Amulek had only social status; Alma had claimed that Zeezrom was an enemy of the people, while Amulek had only claimed that Zeezrom was his own enemy; Alma had preached theologically, but Amulek had directly addressed the law and local politics; etc.), they mean nothing to the lawyers and judges. Alma and Amulek function, for them, as a unit.

A couple of points may help to explain this. In [[Alma 11:25]], when Amulek accused Zeezrom of trying to "destroy" him, it seems he took Zeezrom's plan to be to show that Amulek was insincere in his testimony, that he had been bribed by Alma to offer his testimony as a second witness. In a word, it seems that Zeezrom's (the lawyers and judges') plan was to show that Amulek was simply Alma's tool. Thus, even from that relatively early point in the narrative, it would seem that the lawyers and judges wanted to reduce Alma and Amulek to a single unit, pinning trumped up crimes on just one of the two and rendering the other a mere (and perhaps unthinking) accomplice.

Interestingly, Alma and Amulek are still at this later point treated as a kind of unit, but there may be some evidence that the lawyers and judges now want to pin their trumped up charges on Amulek and treat Alma as a simple accomplice. At any rate, it is significant that the show trial of verse 5 consists of accusations that only could have been made against Amulek. From this one might gather that with the clear demonstration that Amulek was no unthinking accomplice to a machinating former chief judge, the lawyers and judges have determined that Amulek himself is a machinating figure: he sneaked an obviously disappointed Alma back into the city, opportunistically drawing on the prophet's dour message in order to stage a coup of sorts, claiming local power for himself.

At any rate, while the people see Alma and Amulek as quite different figures with intertwined agendas, it is clear that the lawyers and judges take them as working on a single cause, likely with Amulek in the lead.

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

There is, as has been mentioned above, a clear connection between the "plainly" of this phrase and the "plainness" of verse 2. Once it is clear that the "they" of this verse (along with the "their" of "their wickedness" here) refers to the lawyers and judges and not to the people more generally, it becomes clear that the plainness in the two verses is more or less identical. In the commentary for verse 2, it has been suggested that Alma's apparently offensive plainness to Zeezrom was a question of his explicitly stating that Zeezrom was at odds with or an enemy to the people. Here in verse 3, it is clear that the plainness referred to is the plainness of Alma's and Amulek's criticisms of the lawyers and judges specifically—"''their'' wickedness." It thus seems that the plainness spoken of in the two passages is the same: a too-straightforward identification of the fact that the lawyers and judges, in their wickedness, are trying to deceive—and ultimately to destroy—the people.

Perhaps it is worth asking about the relationship here between the words "testified" and "against." What is the difference between testifying ''of'' and testifying ''against''? And how did Alma and Amulek do the latter specifically?

With the meaning of this part of the verse clear, it must be asked what role it plays in the larger grammatical economy of the verse. As made clear in the lexical notes above, the "and" that precedes this clause in the current edition of the Book of Mormon should not be there. Without it, there are two distinct ways the verse can be read: the "because" clause might serve to explain the anger of the lawyers and judges (might be subordinate to the first independent clause); or the "because" clause might serve to explain the attempt to put Alma and Amulek away privily (might be subordinate to the second independent clause). Of course, in the end and ignoring the grammar, the first independent clause largely explains the second independent clause: it is clearly the anger of the lawyers and judges that ultimately leads them to seek to put Alma and Amulek away privily. But how does the grammar function here?

In the end, what makes this question so tortured is that the absence of the interpolated "and" leaves this verse sounded not-so-Book-of-Mormon-like. If the "because" clause is suspended from the first independent clause, the verse ends with what, for the Book of Mormon's style, is a far too abrupt independent clause: "They sought to put them away privily." If the "because" clause is suspended instead from the second independent clause, the subordinate clause opens the sentence of which it forms a part too abruptly for the Book of Mormon's style: "Because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily." However the "and" found its way into the text, it would seem that it was added in order to help this verse to sound more like the rest of the Book of Mormon—to maintain the standard "feel" of Book of Mormon prose. An "and" has to be inserted somewhere to retain the usual feel of Nephite scripture, but whether it should be inserted before "because," or whether it should be inserted after "wickedness," it is unclear.

In the end, the grammatical question is interpretively crucial, particularly for making sense of the first part of verse 4 (see the commentary there).

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma 1:12|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these lawyers and judges who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

=== Verse 4 ===

==== But ====

The strong contrastive that opens this verse announces in advance that the plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily did not come to fruition. There are, ultimately, two ways this "failure" can be interpreted. On the one hand, it might be that the initial plan of the lawyers and judges was somehow frustrated, apparently by some kind of external force (a higher power, the imposition of the people, an act of Providence, etc.). On the other hand, it might be simply that the lawyers and judges themselves changed their minds about how to go about achieving their desires; the plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily was superseded by what was regarded as a ''better'' plan, one that would involve a public trial.

==== it came to pass that ====

That the phrase "it came to pass that" appears between "But" and "they did not" is significant. Had Mormon (the presumed narrator) meant to show simply that the plans of the lawyers and judges were thwarted, a straightforward "But they did not" would have sufficed. (Indeed, the fact that Joseph Smith did not remove this "it came to pass" for the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon, when he removed five other "it came to passes" in this chapter, is significant. It seems it is crucial to the meaning of Mormon's intentions.) The implication, then, is that there was an event or a series of events (which "came to pass") that altered the decision made by the lawyers and judges. Whatever event(s) might have taken place, the text does not make clear, but it seems clear that something deterred the lawyers and judges from putting Alma and Amulek away privily: the course of events revealed to them either the preferability or the necessity of taking a different approach to the situation.

==== they did not ====

It is clear that the lawyers and judges did not go through with their initial plan, but it remains to be determined whether that was because they were forced to take a different approach, or because they determined to take a different approach of their own volition.

Also, [[Alma 8:31]] foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

==== but they took them and bound them with strong cords ====

One ''might'' suggest, with reference to the contrastive "but" that opens this clause, that "they" here refers not to the lawyers and judges (as previously in this verse), but to the people. That is, one ''might'' suggest that this verse stages a kind of limitation on the power of the lawyers and judges: they ''sought'' to put Alma and Amulek away privily, but they could not do so, because the people (the mob?) instead took the two, bound them, and hauled them off to the chief judge. In the end, though, such a reading is tenuous at best. Though the Book of Mormon does on occasion change referents without changing pronouns, causing some confusion, the continuity here seems secure. Moreover, the fact that "the people" are reintroduced at the beginning of verse 5 seems to make clear that the referent of "they" has been constant through verses 3 and 4. Still more, if the meaning of the verse was that the people thwarted the lawyers and judges' attempt at putting Alma and Amulek away privily, one would suspect that the contrastive "but" would be replaced by a causal "for": "But it came to pass that they [the lawyers and judges] did not; for they [the people] took them and bound them," etc. That "but" appears instead of "for" seems to make clear that "they" continues to refer to the lawyers and judges.

This point of apparently pointless clarification is actually interpretively crucial. It has been made clear above that there are two ways of interpreting the "they did not" business at the beginning of this verse. On the one hand, the lawyers and judges' initial desire was frustrated, implicitly by some external force. On the other hand, the lawyers and judges simply changed their minds about how to accomplish their desires. The clarification of the meaning of the contrastive "but" here suggests that there are at least problems with the first interpretation of the "they did not." If "they" continues to refer to the lawyers and judges, and does not now refer to the people, at least the people were no external force that thwarted the lawyers and judges in their initial plan. (It remains a possibility, however, that some ''other'' external force thwarted their plans, but there is no mention of such force in the text.)

From all this, it seems best to interpret verse 4 as claiming that the lawyers and judges quickly abandoned their original plan to put Alma and Amulek away privily in favor of a public trial, and that they did so willingly. Why they would choose to do so, however, remains to be sorted out below.

==== and took them before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

==== And the people went forth and witnessed against them ====

==== testifying that they had reviled against the law ====

==== and their lawyers and judges of the land ====

==== and also all the people that were in the land ====

==== and also testified that there was but one God ====

==== and that he should send his Son among the people ====

==== but he should not save them ====

==== and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek ====

==== Now this was done before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses throughout the previous 6 chapters. (Feel free to edit.)

----
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| [[Alma 13:26-31|Previous (Alma 13:26-31)]] ||             || [[Alma 14:6-10|Next (Alma 14:6-10)]]
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User talk:Mjberkey

2011-07-26T23:18:45Z

Mjberkey:

Hi Mjberkey, just wanted to thank you for your recent contributions. Was going to send you an e-mail to say this, but you have't set up an e-mail address.

Related to that, can you answer a question for me? On several help pages I have written that if you want to post without having to answer math problems you just have to setup an e-mail address. since my account does have a registered e-mail address, I'm not sure if that is really how it is working. Can you confirm for me... when you edit a page and you are logged in, do you have to answer a math question when you hit save page?

Thanks, --[[User:Matthewfaulconer|Matthew Faulconer]] 01:58, 9 July 2007 (CEST)

Hi, I messed around with the spam filters tonight trying to tighten things up. If all is well you shouldn't have to answer any math problems (because you have a confirmed e-mail address) but someone without one should have to answer a math problem to do anything. I'll check the behavior for a non-confirmed e-mail address user. Can you check that it works for you as a confirmed e-mail address user?

thanks. --[[User:Matthewfaulconer|Matthew Faulconer]] 04:58, 26 July 2011 (CEST)
* Everything works just like you said.--Mike Berkey 01:18, 27 July 2011 (CEST)

User talk:Mjberkey

2011-07-26T23:18:30Z

Mjberkey:

Help:Contents

2011-07-20T03:44:36Z

Mjberkey: How to put up a picture

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User:Mjberkey

2011-07-20T03:23:33Z

Mjberkey: Adding a picture

[[File:CGAF.png|250px|right]]
==Personal Profile==
I'm a 22 year old BYU student from Richland, WA. I'm currently studying civil engineering. I've been married to Kim, another user here at the wiki, since August 2010. I used to post here back in 2007 before going on a mission to Perth, Australia. Now I'm excited to get back into it with the Alma 14 project!

[[Mike's related links]] is a page I've created with my thoughts, quotes by others, or helpful links which aren't necessarily directly pertinent to the scripture I link them to, but may be helpful to anyone reading it.

File:CGAF.png

2011-07-20T03:18:21Z

Mjberkey:

Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-13T23:15:13Z

Mjberkey: Commentary on plainness

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
{|
| [[Alma 13:26-31|Previous (Alma 13:26-31)]] ||             || [[Alma 14:6-10|Next (Alma 14:6-10)]]
|}
== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

* How did Alma close his talk?

* The response of the people is presented as being neatly divided between the "many" that believed and repented and the "more part" that desired to destroy Alma & Amulek. Might this be a simplification for the sake of telling the story, or was the people's response really so polarized? If so, how and why did the people split into believers vs. non-believers when the sermon concluded?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that while "plainness" sometimes is understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense, it is not always used that way in the Book of Mormon. Often enough, it is used to mean something more like "simple" or "clear."

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 4 ===

* It is clear from [[Alma 14:23]] that the chief judge referred to here is the chief judge in charge only of the local jurisdiction ("the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah"). Though the Book of Mormon seldom makes reference to such local "chief judges," it does so consistently. (See also the references in [[Alma 30]].)

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====
First, it's worth noting that the people aren't angry with Alma for treating Zeezrom harshly, rather it's the plainness of his words themselves that offend them (see below as to why). Also, the people aren't said to accuse Alma of speaking to Zeezrom with plainness, only that they are angered by his plainness. By contrast, the next clause reports "they also said that Amulek had lied," a clear accusation. In v5 the people say Alma (and Amulek) had "reviled" their lawyers. This is a bit more of an accusation than accusing Alma of speaking with plainness, and it helps the people to feel justified in their anger. Indeed, it doesn't appear that the people ever used the word "plainness", but that the word was supplied by Mormon. By saying the people are angered by Alma's plainness, Mormon denies their justification for anger. In fact, by supplying the word "plainness" he may have [[2 Ne 33:5 | Nephi's condemnation]] in mind that no one will be angered by the plainness of truth unless they are of the spirit of the devil ([[Alma 10:25]] and [[Alma 12:4]]-6 both confirm that this is the case).

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

The word "angry" has been analyzed within the larger Ammonihah narrative in the commentary on verse 2.

It is interesting that while the people draw a strong distinction between what angers them about Alma and what angers them about Amulek, the lawyers and judges here draw no such distinction: they are apparently angry with Alma and Amulek together ("because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness"). Whatever distinctions between Alma and Amulek concerned the people (Alma was an outsider, but Amulek was an Ammonihahite; Alma had been the chief judge, but Amulek had only social status; Alma had claimed that Zeezrom was an enemy of the people, while Amulek had only claimed that Zeezrom was his own enemy; Alma had preached theologically, but Amulek had directly addressed the law and local politics; etc.), they mean nothing to the lawyers and judges. Alma and Amulek function, for them, as a unit.

A couple of points may help to explain this. In [[Alma 11:25]], when Amulek accused Zeezrom of trying to "destroy" him, it seems he took Zeezrom's plan to be to show that Amulek was insincere in his testimony, that he had been bribed by Alma to offer his testimony as a second witness. In a word, it seems that Zeezrom's (the lawyers and judges') plan was to show that Amulek was simply Alma's tool. Thus, even from that relatively early point in the narrative, it would seem that the lawyers and judges wanted to reduce Alma and Amulek to a single unit, pinning trumped up crimes on just one of the two and rendering the other a mere (and perhaps unthinking) accomplice.

Interestingly, Alma and Amulek are still at this later point treated as a kind of unit, but there may be some evidence that the lawyers and judges now want to pin their trumped up charges on Amulek and treat Alma as a simple accomplice. At any rate, it is significant that the show trial of verse 5 consists of accusations that only could have been made against Amulek. From this one might gather that with the clear demonstration that Amulek was no unthinking accomplice to a machinating former chief judge, the lawyers and judges have determined that Amulek himself is a machinating figure: he sneaked an obviously disappointed Alma back into the city, opportunistically drawing on the prophet's dour message in order to stage a coup of sorts, claiming local power for himself.

At any rate, while the people see Alma and Amulek as quite different figures with intertwined agendas, it is clear that the lawyers and judges take them as working on a single cause, likely with Amulek in the lead.

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

There is, as has been mentioned above, a clear connection between the "plainly" of this phrase and the "plainness" of verse 2. Once it is clear that the "they" of this verse (along with the "their" of "their wickedness" here) refers to the lawyers and judges and not to the people more generally, it becomes clear that the plainness in the two verses is more or less identical. In the commentary for verse 2, it has been suggested that Alma's apparently offensive plainness to Zeezrom was a question of his explicitly stating that Zeezrom was at odds with or an enemy to the people. Here in verse 3, it is clear that the plainness referred to is the plainness of Alma's and Amulek's criticisms of the lawyers and judges specifically—"''their'' wickedness." It thus seems that the plainness spoken of in the two passages is the same: a too-straightforward identification of the fact that the lawyers and judges, in their wickedness, are trying to deceive—and ultimately to destroy—the people.

Perhaps it is worth asking about the relationship here between the words "testified" and "against." What is the difference between testifying ''of'' and testifying ''against''? And how did Alma and Amulek do the latter specifically?

With the meaning of this part of the verse clear, it must be asked what role it plays in the larger grammatical economy of the verse. As made clear in the lexical notes above, the "and" that precedes this clause in the current edition of the Book of Mormon should not be there. Without it, there are two distinct ways the verse can be read: the "because" clause might serve to explain the anger of the lawyers and judges (might be subordinate to the first independent clause); or the "because" clause might serve to explain the attempt to put Alma and Amulek away privily (might be subordinate to the second independent clause). Of course, in the end and ignoring the grammar, the first independent clause largely explains the second independent clause: it is clearly the anger of the lawyers and judges that ultimately leads them to seek to put Alma and Amulek away privily. But how does the grammar function here?

In the end, what makes this question so tortured is that the absence of the interpolated "and" leaves this verse sounded not-so-Book-of-Mormon-like. If the "because" clause is suspended from the first independent clause, the verse ends with what, for the Book of Mormon's style, is a far too abrupt independent clause: "They sought to put them away privily." If the "because" clause is suspended instead from the second independent clause, the subordinate clause opens the sentence of which it forms a part too abruptly for the Book of Mormon's style: "Because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily." However the "and" found its way into the text, it would seem that it was added in order to help this verse to sound more like the rest of the Book of Mormon—to maintain the standard "feel" of Book of Mormon prose. An "and" has to be inserted somewhere to retain the usual feel of Nephite scripture, but whether it should be inserted before "because," or whether it should be inserted after "wickedness," it is unclear.

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma 1:12|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these lawyers and judges who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

=== Verse 4 ===

==== But it came to pass that they did not ====

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

==== but they took them and bound them with strong cords ====

==== and took them before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

==== And the people went forth and witnessed against them ====

==== testifying that they had reviled against the law ====

==== and their lawyers and judges of the land ====

==== and also all the people that were in the land ====

==== and also testified that there was but one God ====

==== and that he should send his Son among the people ====

==== but he should not save them ====

==== and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek ====

==== Now this was done before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses throughout the previous 6 chapters. (Feel free to edit.)

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Alma 14:1-5

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Mjberkey: /* Related links */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

* How did Alma close his talk?

* The response of the people is presented as being neatly divided between the "many" that believed and repented and the "more part" that desired to destroy Alma & Amulek. Might this be a simplification for the sake of telling the story, or was the people's response really so polarized? If so, how and why did the people split into believers vs. non-believers when the sermon concluded?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that while "plainness" sometimes is understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense, it is not always used that way in the Book of Mormon. Often enough, it is used to mean something more like "simple" or "clear."

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 4 ===

* It is clear from [[Alma 14:23]] that the chief judge referred to here is the chief judge in charge only of the local jurisdiction ("the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah"). Though the Book of Mormon seldom makes reference to such local "chief judges," it does so consistently. (See also the references in [[Alma 30]].)

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

The word "angry" has been analyzed within the larger Ammonihah narrative in the commentary on verse 2.

It is interesting that while the people draw a strong distinction between what angers them about Alma and what angers them about Amulek, the lawyers and judges here draw no such distinction: they are apparently angry with Alma and Amulek together ("because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness"). Whatever distinctions between Alma and Amulek concerned the people (Alma was an outsider, but Amulek was an Ammonihahite; Alma had been the chief judge, but Amulek had only social status; Alma had claimed that Zeezrom was an enemy of the people, while Amulek had only claimed that Zeezrom was his own enemy; Alma had preached theologically, but Amulek had directly addressed the law and local politics; etc.), they mean nothing to the lawyers and judges. Alma and Amulek function, for them, as a unit.

A couple of points may help to explain this. In [[Alma 11:25]], when Amulek accused Zeezrom of trying to "destroy" him, it seems he took Zeezrom's plan to be to show that Amulek was insincere in his testimony, that he had been bribed by Alma to offer his testimony as a second witness. In a word, it seems that Zeezrom's (the lawyers and judges') plan was to show that Amulek was simply Alma's tool. Thus, even from that relatively early point in the narrative, it would seem that the lawyers and judges wanted to reduce Alma and Amulek to a single unit, pinning trumped up crimes on just one of the two and rendering the other a mere (and perhaps unthinking) accomplice.

Interestingly, Alma and Amulek are still at this later point treated as a kind of unit, but there may be some evidence that the lawyers and judges now want to pin their trumped up charges on Amulek and treat Alma as a simple accomplice. At any rate, it is significant that the show trial of verse 5 consists of accusations that only could have been made against Amulek. From this one might gather that with the clear demonstration that Amulek was no unthinking accomplice to a machinating former chief judge, the lawyers and judges have determined that Amulek himself is a machinating figure: he sneaked an obviously disappointed Alma back into the city, opportunistically drawing on the prophet's dour message in order to stage a coup of sorts, claiming local power for himself.

At any rate, while the people see Alma and Amulek as quite different figures with intertwined agendas, it is clear that the lawyers and judges take them as working on a single cause, likely with Amulek in the lead.

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

There is, as has been mentioned above, a clear connection between the "plainly" of this phrase and the "plainness" of verse 2. Once it is clear that the "they" of this verse (along with the "their" of "their wickedness" here) refers to the lawyers and judges and not to the people more generally, it becomes clear that the plainness in the two verses is more or less identical. In the commentary for verse 2, it has been suggested that Alma's apparently offensive plainness to Zeezrom was a question of his explicitly stating that Zeezrom was at odds with or an enemy to the people. Here in verse 3, it is clear that the plainness referred to is the plainness of Alma's and Amulek's criticisms of the lawyers and judges specifically—"''their'' wickedness." It thus seems that the plainness spoken of in the two passages is the same: a too-straightforward identification of the fact that the lawyers and judges, in their wickedness, are trying to deceive—and ultimately to destroy—the people.

Perhaps it is worth asking about the relationship here between the words "testified" and "against." What is the difference between testifying ''of'' and testifying ''against''? And how did Alma and Amulek do the latter specifically?

With the meaning of this part of the verse clear, it must be asked what role it plays in the larger grammatical economy of the verse. As made clear in the lexical notes above, the "and" that precedes this clause in the current edition of the Book of Mormon should not be there. Without it, there are two distinct ways the verse can be read: the "because" clause might serve to explain the anger of the lawyers and judges (might be subordinate to the first independent clause); or the "because" clause might serve to explain the attempt to put Alma and Amulek away privily (might be subordinate to the second independent clause). Of course, in the end and ignoring the grammar, the first independent clause largely explains the second independent clause: it is clearly the anger of the lawyers and judges that ultimately leads them to seek to put Alma and Amulek away privily. But how does the grammar function here?

In the end, what makes this question so tortured is that the absence of the interpolated "and" leaves this verse sounded not-so-Book-of-Mormon-like. If the "because" clause is suspended from the first independent clause, the verse ends with what, for the Book of Mormon's style, is a far too abrupt independent clause: "They sought to put them away privily." If the "because" clause is suspended instead from the second independent clause, the subordinate clause opens the sentence of which it forms a part too abruptly for the Book of Mormon's style: "Because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily." However the "and" found its way into the text, it would seem that it was added in order to help this verse to sound more like the rest of the Book of Mormon—to maintain the standard "feel" of Book of Mormon prose. An "and" has to be inserted somewhere to retain the usual feel of Nephite scripture, but whether it should be inserted before "because," or whether it should be inserted after "wickedness," it is unclear.

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma 1:12|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these lawyers and judges who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

=== Verse 4 ===

==== But it came to pass that they did not ====

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

==== but they took them and bound them with strong cords ====

==== and took them before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

==== And the people went forth and witnessed against them ====

==== testifying that they had reviled against the law ====

==== and their lawyers and judges of the land ====

==== and also all the people that were in the land ====

==== and also testified that there was but one God ====

==== and that he should send his Son among the people ====

==== but he should not save them ====

==== and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek ====

==== Now this was done before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses throughout the previous 6 chapters. (Feel free to edit.)

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{|
| [[Alma 13:26-31|Previous (Alma 13:26-31)]] ||             || [[Alma 14:6-10|Next (Alma 14:6-10)]]
|}

Talk:Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-13T19:50:28Z

Mjberkey: /* References for "Plainness" */

==References for "Plainness"==
Here’s what I see in the small-plate references.
* 1 Nephi 13 – Plainness associated with the “plain and precious things” which were “plain unto the understanding”.
* 2 Nephi 9 – Plainness indicates harshness against sin, but this doesn’t lead to offense.
* 2 Nephi 25 – Plainness makes prophesies clear
* 2 Nephi 31 – Plainness gives light to understanding
* 2 Nephi 32 – Great knowledge is given in plainness, even as plain as word can be.
* 2 Nephi 33 – Plainness of truth is harsh against sin and offends no one except they have the spirit of the devil.
* Jacob 2 – Jacob’s meaning is a little ambiguous, but the context is that he’s about to speak harshly against sin, and so plainly that it’ll be a little bit uncomfortable with the wives and children sitting there. Verse 9 could be read as plainness leading to offense, though not in the usual sense.
* Jacob 4 – “Despised the words of plainness” could be interpreted as offense, especially in connection with killing the prophets. But here “plainness” is twice put in opposition to “things which they cannot understand” so that its meaning is primarily to indicate clarity of the prophets’ message.
* Enos 1 – Plainness associated with harshness, but rather than leading to offense it keeps the people continually in the fear of the Lord.
The word is used nine places in the small plates. Five times it’s associated with harshness against sin, but only once is it explicitly understood to lead to offense. Arguably in every case it’s associated with making ''revelation'' clear. --Mike Berkey 21:50, 13 July 2011 (CEST)

==Did believe on his words==
Joe you call for a closer look at the roles of Alma and Amulek, and I think [[Alma 8:24|Alma 8:24-25,29]] might be a good place to start. What I'm seeing there is that in v24 Alma speaks of his initial and more general commission to preach "among all this people" which he then remarks that he came to "this land" to do that as well. But in v25 he speaks of his more specific command to "prophesy unto this people... and to testify against them." In v29 Amulek receives the second command, but not the first.--Mike Berkey 15:22, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Material from Verse 4==

I nixed the following from the exegesis:

"In verse two, the people attempt to use a political argument against Alma and Amulek. They accuse the two of reviling “against their law” and “against their lawyers and judges.” However, these same people revile against the very government that they are claiming to support. In order to put Alma and Amulek away “privily” they must undoubtedly break their own laws. Either the lawyers and judges would have to ignore their actions or this group of people would have to find a way to do this without anyone knowing.

"Perhaps the people "sought" the lawyers and the judges, but could not convince them of their dishonest plan. Thus, the people chose to actually prosecute Alma and Amulek, rather than illegally execute them. Either way, it seems the people are acting in an ultimately hypocritical way. They are using the law as an excuse to push their own political (and perhaps spiritual) agenda. They call on the law for support only when it is to their own benefit. It seems, then, that the people are not really respecting their own laws. This duplicity, then, might be understood as symptomatic of the kind of "hardening of hearts" (cf. [[Alma 12:9|Alma 12:9ff]]) that the people are exhibiting."

My reasoning: given the exegetical comments now clarifying the relationship between verses 2 and 3, this interpretation doesn't make any sense. And I'm having a hard time trying to turn it into something meaningful. At this point, I suspect it's simply unworkable.

--[[User:Joe Spencer|Joe Spencer]] 15:09, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 3 Questions==
''What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this a reference to a secret assassination plot, the first instance of a secret combination in Nephite history? Or might it refer, as in Matt 1:19, to a lawful but discreet process?''
*The connection with Matt 1:19 is interesting, but personally I'd guess it's nothing more than coincidence. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're speculating some particular legal process which would have been referred to by the Nephites as "putting away privily". The way I read v3-4 it sounds like Mormon expects the meaning of this phrase to be immediately obvious to his reader. With that in mind and the fact that Mormon conscientiously writing for a modern audience ([[Alma 8:7]] as an example of Mormon explaining Nephite customs to the modern reader) I think Mormon would have explained a bit more if there was a more subtle meaning here. --Mike Berkey 02:23, 25 June 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 5 exegesis==
===Power Structures===

Kim, clearly you're right that there's a reaction to protect the established power structure, but I don't know if that explains the extreme vitriol. For example, when Jesus threatened the Jewish and Roman power structures, they tried him privately and had him dead in less than a day, and they didn't really go after the rest of the disciples (until later in Acts). If this were only a matter of preserving power, wouldn't you expect them to follow the same sort of pattern, that is, knock off the head of the movement by putting Alma and Amulek away privily. Instead they drive the men out of town and stone them, they make Alma and Amulek watch as they burn not only the women and children, but also their scriptures. In fact, for some reason they decide ''not'' to kill Alma and Amulek, but to keep them in prison, bound and naked, and torture them, trying to get them to renounce their preaching. It seems their accusations about reviling against the law are just rationalization of actions that are really motivated by truly irrational hatred. It's this irrational hatred that interests me. What motivates it? --Mjberkey 19:11, 22 June 2011 (CEST)
:But then, in Mosiah 17:12 it's the accusation that Abinadi had reviled against the king that got Noah to change his mind from releasing Abinadi to burning him. In Helaman 8:2 the judges use the same accusation against Nephi to try to incite the people. So, I guess this accusation has intense emotional connotations. --Mjberkey 19:35, 22 June 2011 (CEST)

::Interesting question, Mike, for precisely the following reason: the tension between verses 3 and 4. Also, please continue to use the word "vitriol" regularly. I think their decision to take Alma and Amulek before the chief judge may be the key move. The chief judge is the one exercising the most "vitriol" against them, not the people. In fact, in the case of Abinadi, I think it's telling that the response came because of the offense caused to a figure with a LOT of authority, as the chief judge would be. --Kim Berkey 1:57 pm (MST)

:::You say it's the judges more than the people, but I don't know, everything up through verse 9 feels a lot more like mob violence than organized governmental oppression. The chief judge doesn't say or do anything until verse 14. While he condones the burning, there's no indication that he ordered it. And I feel like the "tension between verses 3 and 4" indicates that those in power ''were'' seeking to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, but the mob preempted them. At least, that's how I'm reading verse 4 right now.--Mjberkey 02:53, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

::Besides, once you already have a religious movement at work, causing people to believe and search the scriptures (v. 1) or even speak out vocally as Zeezrom did, simply letting Alma and Amulek quietly disappear wouldn't do the trick anymore. The religious movement has already started. --Kim Berkey 1:59 pm (MST)

Alma 8:12 definitely supports your reading that their focus is on power.
:''And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief judge over us.''

So does Alma 8:17
:''For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which he has given unto his people.''

It sounds like some people in Ammonihah want to rule over all the Nephites.--Mjberkey 16:29, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

Talk:Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-13T19:50:06Z

Mjberkey: /* References for "Plainness" */

==References for "Plainness"==
Here’s what I see in the small-plate references.
* 1 Nephi 13 – Plainness associated with the “plain and precious things” which were “plain unto the understanding”.
* 2 Nephi 9 – Plainness indicates harshness against sin, but this doesn’t lead to offense.
* 2 Nephi 25 – Plainness makes prophesies clear
* 2 Nephi 31 – Plainness gives light to understanding
* 2 Nephi 32 – Great knowledge is given in plainness, even as plain as word can be.
* 2 Nephi 33 – Plainness of truth is harsh against sin and offends no one except they have the spirit of the devil.
* Jacob 2 – Jacob’s meaning is a little ambiguous, but the context is that he’s about to speak harshly against sin, and so plainly that it’ll be a little bit uncomfortable with the wives and children sitting there. Verse 9 could be read as plainness leading to offense, though not in the usual sense.
* Jacob 4 – “Despised the words of plainness” could be interpreted as offense, especially in connection with killing the prophets. But here “plainness” is twice put in opposition to “things which they cannot understand” so that its meaning is primarily to indicate clarity of the prophets’ message.
* Enos 1 – Plainness associated with harshness, but rather than leading to offense it keeps the people continually in the fear of the Lord.
The word is used nine places in the small plates. Five times it’s associated with harshness against sin, but only once is it explicitly understood to lead to offense. Arguably in every case it’s associated with making ''revelation'' clear.

==Did believe on his words==
Joe you call for a closer look at the roles of Alma and Amulek, and I think [[Alma 8:24|Alma 8:24-25,29]] might be a good place to start. What I'm seeing there is that in v24 Alma speaks of his initial and more general commission to preach "among all this people" which he then remarks that he came to "this land" to do that as well. But in v25 he speaks of his more specific command to "prophesy unto this people... and to testify against them." In v29 Amulek receives the second command, but not the first.--Mike Berkey 15:22, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Material from Verse 4==

I nixed the following from the exegesis:

"In verse two, the people attempt to use a political argument against Alma and Amulek. They accuse the two of reviling “against their law” and “against their lawyers and judges.” However, these same people revile against the very government that they are claiming to support. In order to put Alma and Amulek away “privily” they must undoubtedly break their own laws. Either the lawyers and judges would have to ignore their actions or this group of people would have to find a way to do this without anyone knowing.

"Perhaps the people "sought" the lawyers and the judges, but could not convince them of their dishonest plan. Thus, the people chose to actually prosecute Alma and Amulek, rather than illegally execute them. Either way, it seems the people are acting in an ultimately hypocritical way. They are using the law as an excuse to push their own political (and perhaps spiritual) agenda. They call on the law for support only when it is to their own benefit. It seems, then, that the people are not really respecting their own laws. This duplicity, then, might be understood as symptomatic of the kind of "hardening of hearts" (cf. [[Alma 12:9|Alma 12:9ff]]) that the people are exhibiting."

My reasoning: given the exegetical comments now clarifying the relationship between verses 2 and 3, this interpretation doesn't make any sense. And I'm having a hard time trying to turn it into something meaningful. At this point, I suspect it's simply unworkable.

--[[User:Joe Spencer|Joe Spencer]] 15:09, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 3 Questions==
''What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this a reference to a secret assassination plot, the first instance of a secret combination in Nephite history? Or might it refer, as in Matt 1:19, to a lawful but discreet process?''
*The connection with Matt 1:19 is interesting, but personally I'd guess it's nothing more than coincidence. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're speculating some particular legal process which would have been referred to by the Nephites as "putting away privily". The way I read v3-4 it sounds like Mormon expects the meaning of this phrase to be immediately obvious to his reader. With that in mind and the fact that Mormon conscientiously writing for a modern audience ([[Alma 8:7]] as an example of Mormon explaining Nephite customs to the modern reader) I think Mormon would have explained a bit more if there was a more subtle meaning here. --Mike Berkey 02:23, 25 June 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 5 exegesis==
===Power Structures===

Kim, clearly you're right that there's a reaction to protect the established power structure, but I don't know if that explains the extreme vitriol. For example, when Jesus threatened the Jewish and Roman power structures, they tried him privately and had him dead in less than a day, and they didn't really go after the rest of the disciples (until later in Acts). If this were only a matter of preserving power, wouldn't you expect them to follow the same sort of pattern, that is, knock off the head of the movement by putting Alma and Amulek away privily. Instead they drive the men out of town and stone them, they make Alma and Amulek watch as they burn not only the women and children, but also their scriptures. In fact, for some reason they decide ''not'' to kill Alma and Amulek, but to keep them in prison, bound and naked, and torture them, trying to get them to renounce their preaching. It seems their accusations about reviling against the law are just rationalization of actions that are really motivated by truly irrational hatred. It's this irrational hatred that interests me. What motivates it? --Mjberkey 19:11, 22 June 2011 (CEST)
:But then, in Mosiah 17:12 it's the accusation that Abinadi had reviled against the king that got Noah to change his mind from releasing Abinadi to burning him. In Helaman 8:2 the judges use the same accusation against Nephi to try to incite the people. So, I guess this accusation has intense emotional connotations. --Mjberkey 19:35, 22 June 2011 (CEST)

::Interesting question, Mike, for precisely the following reason: the tension between verses 3 and 4. Also, please continue to use the word "vitriol" regularly. I think their decision to take Alma and Amulek before the chief judge may be the key move. The chief judge is the one exercising the most "vitriol" against them, not the people. In fact, in the case of Abinadi, I think it's telling that the response came because of the offense caused to a figure with a LOT of authority, as the chief judge would be. --Kim Berkey 1:57 pm (MST)

:::You say it's the judges more than the people, but I don't know, everything up through verse 9 feels a lot more like mob violence than organized governmental oppression. The chief judge doesn't say or do anything until verse 14. While he condones the burning, there's no indication that he ordered it. And I feel like the "tension between verses 3 and 4" indicates that those in power ''were'' seeking to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, but the mob preempted them. At least, that's how I'm reading verse 4 right now.--Mjberkey 02:53, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

::Besides, once you already have a religious movement at work, causing people to believe and search the scriptures (v. 1) or even speak out vocally as Zeezrom did, simply letting Alma and Amulek quietly disappear wouldn't do the trick anymore. The religious movement has already started. --Kim Berkey 1:59 pm (MST)

Alma 8:12 definitely supports your reading that their focus is on power.
:''And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief judge over us.''

So does Alma 8:17
:''For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which he has given unto his people.''

It sounds like some people in Ammonihah want to rule over all the Nephites.--Mjberkey 16:29, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

Talk:Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-13T19:49:23Z

Mjberkey: BoM References for "Plainness"

==References for "Plainness"==
Here’s what I see in the references.
* 1 Nephi 13 – Plainness associated with the “plain and precious things” which were “plain unto the understanding”.
* 2 Nephi 9 – Plainness indicates harshness against sin, but this doesn’t lead to offense.
* 2 Nephi 25 – Plainness makes prophesies clear
* 2 Nephi 31 – Plainness gives light to understanding
* 2 Nephi 32 – Great knowledge is given in plainness, even as plain as word can be.
* 2 Nephi 33 – Plainness of truth is harsh against sin and offends no one except they have the spirit of the devil.
* Jacob 2 – Jacob’s meaning is a little ambiguous, but the context is that he’s about to speak harshly against sin, and so plainly that it’ll be a little bit uncomfortable with the wives and children sitting there. Verse 9 could be read as plainness leading to offense, though not in the usual sense.
* Jacob 4 – “Despised the words of plainness” could be interpreted as offense, especially in connection with killing the prophets. But here “plainness” is twice put in opposition to “things which they cannot understand” so that its meaning is primarily to indicate clarity of the prophets’ message.
* Enos 1 – Plainness associated with harshness, but rather than leading to offense it keeps the people continually in the fear of the Lord.
The word is used nine places in the small plates. Five times it’s associated with harshness against sin, but only once is it explicitly understood to lead to offense. Arguably in every case it’s associated with making ‘’revelation’’ clear.

==Did believe on his words==
Joe you call for a closer look at the roles of Alma and Amulek, and I think [[Alma 8:24|Alma 8:24-25,29]] might be a good place to start. What I'm seeing there is that in v24 Alma speaks of his initial and more general commission to preach "among all this people" which he then remarks that he came to "this land" to do that as well. But in v25 he speaks of his more specific command to "prophesy unto this people... and to testify against them." In v29 Amulek receives the second command, but not the first.--Mike Berkey 15:22, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Material from Verse 4==

I nixed the following from the exegesis:

"In verse two, the people attempt to use a political argument against Alma and Amulek. They accuse the two of reviling “against their law” and “against their lawyers and judges.” However, these same people revile against the very government that they are claiming to support. In order to put Alma and Amulek away “privily” they must undoubtedly break their own laws. Either the lawyers and judges would have to ignore their actions or this group of people would have to find a way to do this without anyone knowing.

"Perhaps the people "sought" the lawyers and the judges, but could not convince them of their dishonest plan. Thus, the people chose to actually prosecute Alma and Amulek, rather than illegally execute them. Either way, it seems the people are acting in an ultimately hypocritical way. They are using the law as an excuse to push their own political (and perhaps spiritual) agenda. They call on the law for support only when it is to their own benefit. It seems, then, that the people are not really respecting their own laws. This duplicity, then, might be understood as symptomatic of the kind of "hardening of hearts" (cf. [[Alma 12:9|Alma 12:9ff]]) that the people are exhibiting."

My reasoning: given the exegetical comments now clarifying the relationship between verses 2 and 3, this interpretation doesn't make any sense. And I'm having a hard time trying to turn it into something meaningful. At this point, I suspect it's simply unworkable.

--[[User:Joe Spencer|Joe Spencer]] 15:09, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 3 Questions==
''What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this a reference to a secret assassination plot, the first instance of a secret combination in Nephite history? Or might it refer, as in Matt 1:19, to a lawful but discreet process?''
*The connection with Matt 1:19 is interesting, but personally I'd guess it's nothing more than coincidence. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're speculating some particular legal process which would have been referred to by the Nephites as "putting away privily". The way I read v3-4 it sounds like Mormon expects the meaning of this phrase to be immediately obvious to his reader. With that in mind and the fact that Mormon conscientiously writing for a modern audience ([[Alma 8:7]] as an example of Mormon explaining Nephite customs to the modern reader) I think Mormon would have explained a bit more if there was a more subtle meaning here. --Mike Berkey 02:23, 25 June 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 5 exegesis==
===Power Structures===

Kim, clearly you're right that there's a reaction to protect the established power structure, but I don't know if that explains the extreme vitriol. For example, when Jesus threatened the Jewish and Roman power structures, they tried him privately and had him dead in less than a day, and they didn't really go after the rest of the disciples (until later in Acts). If this were only a matter of preserving power, wouldn't you expect them to follow the same sort of pattern, that is, knock off the head of the movement by putting Alma and Amulek away privily. Instead they drive the men out of town and stone them, they make Alma and Amulek watch as they burn not only the women and children, but also their scriptures. In fact, for some reason they decide ''not'' to kill Alma and Amulek, but to keep them in prison, bound and naked, and torture them, trying to get them to renounce their preaching. It seems their accusations about reviling against the law are just rationalization of actions that are really motivated by truly irrational hatred. It's this irrational hatred that interests me. What motivates it? --Mjberkey 19:11, 22 June 2011 (CEST)
:But then, in Mosiah 17:12 it's the accusation that Abinadi had reviled against the king that got Noah to change his mind from releasing Abinadi to burning him. In Helaman 8:2 the judges use the same accusation against Nephi to try to incite the people. So, I guess this accusation has intense emotional connotations. --Mjberkey 19:35, 22 June 2011 (CEST)

::Interesting question, Mike, for precisely the following reason: the tension between verses 3 and 4. Also, please continue to use the word "vitriol" regularly. I think their decision to take Alma and Amulek before the chief judge may be the key move. The chief judge is the one exercising the most "vitriol" against them, not the people. In fact, in the case of Abinadi, I think it's telling that the response came because of the offense caused to a figure with a LOT of authority, as the chief judge would be. --Kim Berkey 1:57 pm (MST)

:::You say it's the judges more than the people, but I don't know, everything up through verse 9 feels a lot more like mob violence than organized governmental oppression. The chief judge doesn't say or do anything until verse 14. While he condones the burning, there's no indication that he ordered it. And I feel like the "tension between verses 3 and 4" indicates that those in power ''were'' seeking to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, but the mob preempted them. At least, that's how I'm reading verse 4 right now.--Mjberkey 02:53, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

::Besides, once you already have a religious movement at work, causing people to believe and search the scriptures (v. 1) or even speak out vocally as Zeezrom did, simply letting Alma and Amulek quietly disappear wouldn't do the trick anymore. The religious movement has already started. --Kim Berkey 1:59 pm (MST)

Alma 8:12 definitely supports your reading that their focus is on power.
:''And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief judge over us.''

So does Alma 8:17
:''For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which he has given unto his people.''

It sounds like some people in Ammonihah want to rule over all the Nephites.--Mjberkey 16:29, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-13T18:13:48Z

Mjberkey: Polarization of the people's response

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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|}
== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

* How did Alma close his talk?

* The response of the people is presented as being neatly divided between the "many" that believed and repented and the "more part" that desired to destroy Alma & Amulek. Might this be a simplification for the sake of telling the story, or was the people's response really so polarized? If so, how and why did the people split into believers vs. non-believers when the sermon concluded?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that while "plainness" sometimes is understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense, it is not always used that way in the Book of Mormon. Often enough, it is used to mean something more like "simple" or "clear."

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 4 ===

* It is clear from [[Alma 14:23]] that the chief judge referred to here is the chief judge in charge only of the local jurisdiction ("the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah"). Though the Book of Mormon seldom makes reference to such local "chief judges," it does so consistently. (See also the references in [[Alma 30]].)

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

The word "angry" has been analyzed within the larger Ammonihah narrative in the commentary on verse 2.

It is interesting that while the people draw a strong distinction between what angers them about Alma and what angers them about Amulek, the lawyers and judges here draw no such distinction: they are apparently angry with Alma and Amulek together ("because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness"). Whatever distinctions between Alma and Amulek concerned the people (Alma was an outsider, but Amulek was an Ammonihahite; Alma had been the chief judge, but Amulek had only social status; Alma had claimed that Zeezrom was an enemy of the people, while Amulek had only claimed that Zeezrom was his own enemy; Alma had preached theologically, but Amulek had directly addressed the law and local politics; etc.), they mean nothing to the lawyers and judges. Alma and Amulek function, for them, as a unit.

A couple of points may help to explain this. In [[Alma 11:25]], when Amulek accused Zeezrom of trying to "destroy" him, it seems he took Zeezrom's plan to be to show that Amulek was insincere in his testimony, that he had been bribed by Alma to offer his testimony as a second witness. In a word, it seems that Zeezrom's (the lawyers and judges') plan was to show that Amulek was simply Alma's tool. Thus, even from that relatively early point in the narrative, it would seem that the lawyers and judges wanted to reduce Alma and Amulek to a single unit, pinning trumped up crimes on just one of the two and rendering the other a mere (and perhaps unthinking) accomplice.

Interestingly, Alma and Amulek are still at this later point treated as a kind of unit, but there may be some evidence that the lawyers and judges now want to pin their trumped up charges on Amulek and treat Alma as a simple accomplice. At any rate, it is significant that the show trial of verse 5 consists of accusations that only could have been made against Amulek. From this one might gather that with the clear demonstration that Amulek was no unthinking accomplice to a machinating former chief judge, the lawyers and judges have determined that Amulek himself is a machinating figure: he sneaked an obviously disappointed Alma back into the city, opportunistically drawing on the prophet's dour message in order to stage a coup of sorts, claiming local power for himself.

At any rate, while the people see Alma and Amulek as quite different figures with intertwined agendas, it is clear that the lawyers and judges take them as working on a single cause, likely with Amulek in the lead.

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

There is, as has been mentioned above, a clear connection between the "plainly" of this phrase and the "plainness" of verse 2. Once it is clear that the "they" of this verse (along with the "their" of "their wickedness" here) refers to the lawyers and judges and not to the people more generally, it becomes clear that the plainness in the two verses is more or less identical. In the commentary for verse 2, it has been suggested that Alma's apparently offensive plainness to Zeezrom was a question of his explicitly stating that Zeezrom was at odds with or an enemy to the people. Here in verse 3, it is clear that the plainness referred to is the plainness of Alma's and Amulek's criticisms of the lawyers and judges specifically—"''their'' wickedness." It thus seems that the plainness spoken of in the two passages is the same: a too-straightforward identification of the fact that the lawyers and judges, in their wickedness, are trying to deceive—and ultimately to destroy—the people.

Perhaps it is worth asking about the relationship here between the words "testified" and "against." What is the difference between testifying ''of'' and testifying ''against''? And how did Alma and Amulek do the latter specifically?

With the meaning of this part of the verse clear, it must be asked what role it plays in the larger grammatical economy of the verse. As made clear in the lexical notes above, the "and" that precedes this clause in the current edition of the Book of Mormon should not be there. Without it, there are two distinct ways the verse can be read: the "because" clause might serve to explain the anger of the lawyers and judges (might be subordinate to the first independent clause); or the "because" clause might serve to explain the attempt to put Alma and Amulek away privily (might be subordinate to the second independent clause). Of course, in the end and ignoring the grammar, the first independent clause largely explains the second independent clause: it is clearly the anger of the lawyers and judges that ultimately leads them to seek to put Alma and Amulek away privily. But how does the grammar function here?

In the end, what makes this question so tortured is that the absence of the interpolated "and" leaves this verse sounded not-so-Book-of-Mormon-like. If the "because" clause is suspended from the first independent clause, the verse ends with what, for the Book of Mormon's style, is a far too abrupt independent clause: "They sought to put them away privily." If the "because" clause is suspended instead from the second independent clause, the subordinate clause opens the sentence of which it forms a part too abruptly for the Book of Mormon's style: "Because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily." However the "and" found its way into the text, it would seem that it was added in order to help this verse to sound more like the rest of the Book of Mormon—to maintain the standard "feel" of Book of Mormon prose. An "and" has to be inserted somewhere to retain the usual feel of Nephite scripture, but whether it should be inserted before "because," or whether it should be inserted after "wickedness," it is unclear.

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma 1:12|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these lawyers and judges who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

=== Verse 4 ===

==== But it came to pass that they did not ====

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

==== but they took them and bound them with strong cords ====

==== and took them before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

==== And the people went forth and witnessed against them ====

==== testifying that they had reviled against the law ====

==== and their lawyers and judges of the land ====

==== and also all the people that were in the land ====

==== and also testified that there was but one God ====

==== and that he should send his Son among the people ====

==== but he should not save them ====

==== and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek ====

==== Now this was done before the chief judge of the land ====

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

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Hel 3:1-5

2011-07-13T13:12:17Z

Mjberkey: Previous inhabitants used all the timber?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Helaman]] > [[Helaman 3|Chapter 3]]
{|
| [[Hel 2:11-14|Previous (Hel 2:11-14)]] ||             || [[Hel 3:6-10|Next (Hel 3:6-10)]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 5===
* Are we to understand that there had been timber in the desolate lands before the "many inhabitants" used it all up?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
''Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis''

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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| [[Hel 2:11-14|Previous (Hel 2:11-14)]] ||             || [[Hel 3:6-10|Next (Hel 3:6-10)]]
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Hel 7:1-5

2011-07-13T13:08:11Z

Mjberkey: /* Exegesis */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Helaman]] > [[Helaman 7|Chapter 7]]
{|
| [[Hel 6:36-41|Previous (Hel 6:36-41)]] ||             || [[Hel 7:6-10|Next (Hel 7:6-10)]]
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== Questions ==
* Why couldn't Nephi find any righteous people in the Land Northward?
* What happened to all the Sons of Helaman and their families who had gone northward 20 years earlier? Why might they have fallen away, rather than remained as righteous as their parents?
* While we often celebrate the Sons of Helaman for their war exploits, could we be missing the bigger story, that unlike their parents who were willing to be killed rather than kill others, the willingness of these warriors to join the war tradition of the Nephites led to their ultimate downfall and their children's loss of faith?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
* The apostate state of the Nephites was growing worse as time went on. The government was corrupt and it seems that there were fewer and fewer righteous individuals.

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-12T16:39:44Z

Mjberkey: "Plainness" doesn't usually lead to offense in the Book of Mormon

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
{|
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that while "plainness" is commonly thought to lead to offense, it isn't usually used that way in the Book of Mormon. More often it is used in the context of making revelation easy to understand.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

==== Personal and public offenses and remedies ====

The motives in verse 2 and the accusations in verse 5 seem to be a response to Alma's public form of address, the things Amulek said about their public institutions, doctrines proclaimed openly to the populace, and so forth. Here in verse 3, though, they are angry because Alma and Amulek have condemned their morals; the injury is thus perhaps felt in a personal way, calling for a covert response. Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma_1:11-15|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these people who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

===Verse 4===

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

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Jacob 4:11-15

2011-07-12T15:57:08Z

Mjberkey: /* Exegesis */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Jacob]] > [[Jacob 4|Chapter 4]]
{|
| [[Jacob 4:6-10|Previous (Jacob 4:6-10)]] ||             || [[Jacob 4:16-18|Next (Jacob 4:16-18)]]
|}
== Questions ==
===Verse 14===
* ''Mark.'' What is the "mark" that the Jews looked beyond?
* ''Words of plainness.'' What does it mean to despise words of plainness? What are examples of this?
* ''Many things they cannot understand.'' What does "many things they cannot understand" refer to here? Could this be related to difficult passages in Isaiah (cf. [[2 Ne 25:4]]-7)? details and naunces in the Mosaic law? What else might it refer to?
* ''Looking beyond the mark.'' What does "looking beyond the mark" mean? How did the Jews, and how do we today, look beyond the mark?

== Lexical notes ==
===Verse 14===
* ''The mark.'' The mark in verse 14 may be the same "mark" mentioned by the contemporary temple priest Ezekiel ([[Ezek 9:4|Ezek 9:4-6]])—an anointing of the forehead with a diagonal cross, the Hebrew letter ''tau'', which was placed upon a high priest in the temple as the sign of God's Name. (See Christiansen's article below for more on this.)

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 14===
''Despised plainness.''
* This verse suggests a way to resolve an apparent difficulty in [[Mark 4:12]] where Christ seems to say that he speaks in parables so that those not included in his inner circle would not be converted. Here, Jacob seems to be saying that the parables (and the words of Isaiah, cf. [[Isa 6:9]]-10) were given because the Jews "despised the words of plainness." That is, rather than ''causing'' blindness, the parables (and perhaps the words of Isaiah) were given ''as a result'' of the people's blindness.

* Here and elsewhere in the small plates, "plainness" is presented as a manifestation of God's grace, that is, God is gracious to give us his mysteries in plainness making it easy for us to understand. Because the Jews despise this gift, God takes it away and gives them what they desire - confusion.

''Looking beyond the mark.'' If the "mark" is meant to represent Christ, then looking beyond Christ could mean a number of things. It could imply that one is looking to be saved by actions, ordinances, or even associations with other people, rather than looking to the atonement of Jesus Christ for salvation. One reason it may be easy to look beyond the mark in this sense is that it is easier to gain an assurance of our salvation through a tangible feeling or action rather than a quiet voice or a small feeling that takes time to understand.

''The mark.'' By being anointed with the sign of a diagonal cross (the Hebrew letter ''tau'') on his forehead, Jewish high priests literally take upon themselves the Name of the Messiah (Christ, or "The Anointed"). see Christiansen's article below for more on this.

== Related links ==
===Verse 14: The mark===
* ''Christiansen.'' See a discussion of the mark in Kevin Christiansen's The Deuteronomist De-Christianizing of the Old Testament ([http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?table=review&id=547&mp=T]).

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Jacob 4:11-15

2011-07-12T15:55:32Z

Mjberkey: Plainness is a gift from God

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Jacob]] > [[Jacob 4|Chapter 4]]
{|
| [[Jacob 4:6-10|Previous (Jacob 4:6-10)]] ||             || [[Jacob 4:16-18|Next (Jacob 4:16-18)]]
|}
== Questions ==
===Verse 14===
* ''Mark.'' What is the "mark" that the Jews looked beyond?
* ''Words of plainness.'' What does it mean to despise words of plainness? What are examples of this?
* ''Many things they cannot understand.'' What does "many things they cannot understand" refer to here? Could this be related to difficult passages in Isaiah (cf. [[2 Ne 25:4]]-7)? details and naunces in the Mosaic law? What else might it refer to?
* ''Looking beyond the mark.'' What does "looking beyond the mark" mean? How did the Jews, and how do we today, look beyond the mark?

== Lexical notes ==
===Verse 14===
* ''The mark.'' The mark in verse 14 may be the same "mark" mentioned by the contemporary temple priest Ezekiel ([[Ezek 9:4|Ezek 9:4-6]])—an anointing of the forehead with a diagonal cross, the Hebrew letter ''tau'', which was placed upon a high priest in the temple as the sign of God's Name. (See Christiansen's article below for more on this.)

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 14===
''Despised plainness.''
* This verse suggests a way to resolve an apparent difficulty in [[Mark 4:12]] where Christ seems to say that he speaks in parables so that those not included in his inner circle would not be converted. Here, Jacob seems to be saying that the parables (and the words of Isaiah, cf. [[Isa 6:9]]-10) were given because the Jews "despised the words of plainness." That is, rather than ''causing'' blindness, the parables (and perhaps the words of Isaiah) were given ''as a result'' of the people's blindness. Here

* Here and elsewhere in the small plates, "plainness" is presented as a manifestation of God's grace, that is, God is gracious to give us his mysteries in plainness making it easy for us to understand. Because the Jews despise this gift, God takes it away and gives them what they desire - confusion.

''Looking beyond the mark.'' If the "mark" is meant to represent Christ, then looking beyond Christ could mean a number of things. It could imply that one is looking to be saved by actions, ordinances, or even associations with other people, rather than looking to the atonement of Jesus Christ for salvation. One reason it may be easy to look beyond the mark in this sense is that it is easier to gain an assurance of our salvation through a tangible feeling or action rather than a quiet voice or a small feeling that takes time to understand.

''The mark.'' By being anointed with the sign of a diagonal cross (the Hebrew letter ''tau'') on his forehead, Jewish high priests literally take upon themselves the Name of the Messiah (Christ, or "The Anointed"). see Christiansen's article below for more on this.

== Related links ==
===Verse 14: The mark===
* ''Christiansen.'' See a discussion of the mark in Kevin Christiansen's The Deuteronomist De-Christianizing of the Old Testament ([http://farms.byu.edu/display.php?table=review&id=547&mp=T]).

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{|
| [[Jacob 4:6-10|Previous (Jacob 4:6-10)]] ||             || [[Jacob 4:16-18|Next (Jacob 4:16-18)]]
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Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-12T14:44:16Z

Mjberkey: /* Verse 1 */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
{|
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. The printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that "plainness" is often implicitly understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

==== Personal and public offenses and remedies ====

The motives in verse 2 and the accusations in verse 5 seem to be a response to Alma's public form of address, the things Amulek said about their public institutions, doctrines proclaimed openly to the populace, and so forth. Here in verse 3, though, they are angry because Alma and Amulek have condemned their morals; the injury is thus perhaps felt in a personal way, calling for a covert response. Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma_1:11-15|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these people who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

===Verse 4===

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

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Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-12T14:36:42Z

Mjberkey: /* Verse 4 */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* Did the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek, or are there different groups involved in v2-4? What are these groups?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. Thehe printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that "plainness" is often implicitly understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

==== Personal and public offenses and remedies ====

The motives in verse 2 and the accusations in verse 5 seem to be a response to Alma's public form of address, the things Amulek said about their public institutions, doctrines proclaimed openly to the populace, and so forth. Here in verse 3, though, they are angry because Alma and Amulek have condemned their morals; the injury is thus perhaps felt in a personal way, calling for a covert response. Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma_1:11-15|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these people who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

===Verse 4===

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

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Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-12T14:30:57Z

Mjberkey: /* Verse 2 */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people are angry with Alma because he spoke to Zeezrom in "plainness," but they're angry with Amulek because he "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* What made the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. Thehe printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that "plainness" is often implicitly understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

==== Personal and public offenses and remedies ====

The motives in verse 2 and the accusations in verse 5 seem to be a response to Alma's public form of address, the things Amulek said about their public institutions, doctrines proclaimed openly to the populace, and so forth. Here in verse 3, though, they are angry because Alma and Amulek have condemned their morals; the injury is thus perhaps felt in a personal way, calling for a covert response. Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma_1:11-15|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these people who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

===Verse 4===

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

----
{|
| [[Alma 13:26-31|Previous (Alma 13:26-31)]] ||             || [[Alma 14:6-10|Next (Alma 14:6-10)]]
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Mike's related links

2011-07-12T14:29:08Z

Mjberkey: /* Accusations in Alma 14:1-5 */

==Accusations in Alma 14:1-5==
Having counted 6 accusations in these verses, I went back through Alma 8-13 to collect what I intend to be a complete list of possible justifications (in the text) for these accusations. Here are the actual verses with summaries. Accusations 3-5 kind of run together, but I've differentiated them a bit, as you'll see. I mainly did this to help me (and anyone who this might be helpful to) see all the accusations at once, to better participate in the discussion of accusations on the Alma 14:1-5 page.

'''V2 Alma speaks plainly to Zeezrom'''
* Alma 12:3-5
** Zeezrom caught in lying and craftiness
** Zeezrom lied to men and God.
** Zeezrom's plan was subtle like the Devil, to deceive the people and set them against Alma & Amulek so they'd revile them and cast them out.

'''V2 Amulek lied'''
* Alma 10:7
**Amulek claims to have seen an angel.
* Alma 10:26
** Amulek says he hasn't spoken against their law, even though they think he just did.

The people [[Alma 10:27|react]] immediately to the second statement, saying he just lied to them, so it's plain Alma 14:2 is referring to this second statement.

'''V2 Amulek reviles law, lawyers, and judges'''
* Alma 10:17-23,27
** Lawyers are a wicked and perverse generation.
** They're hypocrites because they lay the foundations of the devil, i.e. traps/snares to catch Alma & Amulek.
** They plan to pervert the ways of the righteous, which would bring down God's wrath on their heads to the destruction of the people.
** They are the wicked majority Mosiah warned about.
** The Lord judges their iniquities and calls them to repent.
** God will come down with equity and justice.
** Prayers of the rigtheous are the only thing between them and utter destruction.
** Foundation of destruction of the people is laid by unrighteousness of lawyers and judges

Much of this diatribe sounds more directed at the people generally than the lawyers specifically, but [[Alma 10:24|v24]] is the actual moment when the people begin to accuse him of reviling their law and lawyers. What I can't find is what they mean by an attack on their law.

* Alma 11:23-25,36
** Zeezrom called a child of hell and accused of of tempting Amulek.
** Zeezrom loves lucre more than God.
** Zeezrom accused of lying about not believing in God and about intending to give Amulek money and trick him into denying God so he could destroy him.
** "For this great evil thous shalt have thy reward."
** Zeezrom lies about Amulek trying to command God.

'''V3 Alma & Amulek testify plainly against Lawyers' wickedness'''
Since we've chosen to interpret v3 to be from the lawyer's perspective, I'll save Alma's harsh words to the people generally for the v5 accusation. However, I can't find any instance of Alma speaking harshly against the lawyers, except for what's already been mentioned against Zeezrom. Amulek's harsh words are already listed above.

'''V5 Alma and Amulek revile the people'''
* Alma 9:8,12,15,18-19,23-24,30
** Wicked, perverse generation. They've forgotten the tradition of their fathers and God's commandments
** Repent or be destroyed by the Lamanites
** Lamanites are better off than Ammonihahites because of their sins.
** Ammonihahites accused of destroying God's people.
** More threats of destruction
** Their hearts grossly hardened against God's word and they are a lost and fallen people.
With this last remark the people are outraged and interrupt Alma and try to lay hands on him.
* Alma 10:5,25
** It's a mystery they haven't been destroyed yet.
** Wicked and perverse generation. Satan has great hold on their hearts.
* Alma 12:6,16-18,36
** Ammonihahites have fallen into Satan's snare and are being led into destruction.
** The wicked (Ammonihahites by implication) will be tormented in a lake of fire and brimstone.
The chief judge had this in mind in [[Alma 14:14]]
* Alma 13:13-14,20-21,27,30
** Humble yourselves and repent.
** Destruction threatened if they wrest the scriptures.
** More exhortations to repent and warnings against destruction and the second death.

'''V5 Alma and Amulek teach that there's only one God, who will send his Son among the people, but won't save them.'''
This accusation feels a bit convoluted. Certainly they seem upset by the teaching that Christ won't save the people, but are they also upset about there being only one God? And/or that he will send his Son? For now I've dealt only with the first accusation.
* Alma 9:26-27
** Son of God will redeem anyone who is baptized unto repentance.
* Alma 11:32-34,36-37,40
** Christ won't save his people in their sins.
** Christ will only save the believers.

==Problem of Evil==
Alma 14 raises the problem of evil (I think that may actually be why we decided to study this chapter), and I think C.S. Lewis has an interesting response to the question, "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?", as he noticeably does in Alma 14. I think Lewis's answer is not the same as [Alma 14:11] and I also think his answer is a bit more subtle than just, "God has to let us have free will," but that is essentially his point. Anyway, here's the quote...
:''We can, perhaps, conceive of a world in which God corrected the results of this abuse of free will by His creatures at every moment: so that a wooden beam became soft as grass when it was used as a weapon, and the air refused to obey me if I attempted to set up in it the sound-waves that carry lies or insults. But such a world would be one in which wrong actions were impossible, and in which, therefore, freedom of the will would be void; nay, if the principle were carried out to its logical conclusion, evil thoughts would be impossible, for the cerebral matter which we use in thinking would refuse its task when we attempted to frame them. All matter in the neighbourhood of a wicked man would be liable to undergo unpredictable alterations. That God can and does, on occasions, modify the behaviour of matter and produce what we call miracles, is part of Christian faith; but the very conception of a common, and therefore stable, world, demands that these occasions should be extremely rare. In a game of chess you can make certain arbitrary concessions to your opponent, which stand to the ordinary rules of the game as miracles stand to the laws of nature. You can deprive yourself of a castle, or allow the other man sometimes to take back a move made inadvertently. But if you conceded everything that at any moment happened to suit him—if all his moves were revocable and if all your pieces disappeared whenever their position on the board was not to his liking—then you could not have a game at all. So it is with the life of souls in a world; fixed laws, consequences unfolding by causal necessity, the whole natural order, are at once limits within which their common life is confined and also the sole condition under which any such life is possible. Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself. - C.S. Lewis''

===Links===
* http://www.gospeldoctrine.com/Alma14.htm
* http://scriptoriumblogorium.blogspot.com/2010/12/observations-on-alma-14-and-results-of.html
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
* http://lds.org/ensign/2009/08/the-path-to-martyrdom-the-ultimate-witness?lang=eng&query=%22Alma+14%22
* http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/22053/Alma-Amulek-showed-true-commitment.html

Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-12T14:27:11Z

Mjberkey: Amulek claims to have seen an angel?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
{|
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people thought Alma had spoken to Zeezrom in "plainness," while they thought Amulek had "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

* Given that the people wouldn't have believed that Amulek had seen an angel, is it possible that they have his testimony that he did see an angel in mind when they accuse him of lying?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* What made the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. Thehe printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that "plainness" is often implicitly understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

==== Personal and public offenses and remedies ====

The motives in verse 2 and the accusations in verse 5 seem to be a response to Alma's public form of address, the things Amulek said about their public institutions, doctrines proclaimed openly to the populace, and so forth. Here in verse 3, though, they are angry because Alma and Amulek have condemned their morals; the injury is thus perhaps felt in a personal way, calling for a covert response. Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma_1:11-15|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these people who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

===Verse 4===

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

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Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-12T14:11:40Z

Mjberkey: Not sure how Alma 12:3 makes this clear

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* This verse asserts a strong relationship between repentance and reading scripture. What is the relationship between repentance and reading scripture? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' look?

===Verse 2===
* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people thought Alma had spoken to Zeezrom in "plainness," while they thought Amulek had "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 9:31]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

===Verse 3===
* While the people in verse 2 have distinct reasons for their anger with Alma and Amulek respectively, the lawyers and judges in verse 3 seem to draw no distinction between their two enemies. What is behind this?

* Given that the "and" that appears before "because" in this verse is not original to the text (note the textual variant in the lexical notes), to which independent clause does the dependent "because" clause attach? In other words, should verse 3 be read as claiming that "they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness," or should it be read as claiming that "because they [Alma and Amulek] had testified so plainly against their [the lawyers and priests'] wickedness, they sought to put them away privily"? The added "and" predisposes us to the latter reading, but is it to be preferred over the former reading?

* There is an implicit link between the people's concern about Alma's "plainness" to Zeezrom and the lawyers and priests' concern about Alma and Amulek's testifying "plainly" against their wickedness. What should be said about this link? What, first, should be said about the link between the two related words, "plainness" and "plainly"? And what, second, should be said about the fact that Zeezrom is one of the lawyers, and so that the accusations seem to be linked?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this, as perhaps seems obvious, a reference to a secret assassination plot (in a gesture not unlike what will become that of the secret combination)? Or might it possibly refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* What made the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

=== Verse 1 ===

* The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning.

* Interestingly, Joseph replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" in preparation for the 1837 edition. Thehe printer of the 1837 edition, however, missed the change in the manuscript, and so it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

* The word [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,destroy "destroy"] appears in the Book of Mormon with remarkable frequency (some 408 times!). It is particularly frequent in the Ammonihah story (see [[Alma 8:16|Alma 8:16-17]]; [[Alma 9:4|9:4]], [[Alma 9:10|10]], [[Alma 9:12|12]], [[Alma 9:18|18-19]], [[Alma 9:22|22, 24-25]]; [[Alma 10:14|10:14]], [[Alma 10:18|18-19]], [[Alma 10:22|22]], [[Alma 10:27|27]]; [[Alma 11:21|11:21, 25]]; [[Alma 12:1|12:1]], [[Alma 12:6|6]], [[Alma 12:11|11]], [[Alma 12:17|17]], [[Alma 12:32|32]], [[Alma 12:36|36]]; [[Alma 13:20|13:20]]; [[Alma 14:8|14:8-9]], [[Alma 14:24|24]], [[Alma 14:26|26]]; [[Alma 15:17|15:17]]; [[Alma 16:2|16:2-3]], [[Alma 16:9|9]], [[Alma 16:17|17]]). In these references, many different kinds of things are described as being (or potentially being) destroyed: a whole people, liberty, a city, a people's fathers, "that which was good," (everlasting) souls, "the works of justice," (physical copies of) scripture, collected women and children—but quite frequently, individual persons. Curiously, several possible meanings occur when the thing being destroyed is a person or persons. In some cases, to destroy a person may be to destroy his/her reputation; in other cases, it is clearly to annihilate his/her physical body; in still other cases, it is clearly to cause his/her spirit torment.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that "plainness" is often implicitly understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense.

* Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." This word (in its various forms) appears far more frequently in the Book of Mormon than in other scripture, appearing some twenty-five times. Importantly, it often is connected in the Book of Mormon with fighting against something with clearly superior authority: to revile against a political or religious leader, against the truth, against goodness, etc. It, moreover, significantly appears several times in the larger Ammonihah story. In addition to those texts where the same accusation of Amulek appears (see [[Alma 10:24]], [[Alma 10:29|29]]; [[Alma 14:5|14:5), see [[Alma 8:13]]; [[Alma 12:4|12:4]]; [[Alma 14:7|14:7]].

=== Verse 3 ===

* [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. (It is the adverbial opposite of "publicly.") The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a crucial, close biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]]. The appearance of the word here also links the present story with that of the Zoramite mission (see [[Alma 35:5]]).

* The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as a later insertion. It is ''possible'' that Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter) so that the later insertion is actually a correction. On the other hand (and perhaps more likely), it could be that Oliver added "and" to the printer's manuscript at some point before the Book of Mormon was printed simply to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If this was the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading: ''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily.'' As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. The difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

=== Verse 5 ===

* It has been suggested that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to below to find the full justification for this suggestion.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

* The word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people in Ammonihah. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

* The words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition (see verses [[Alma 14:7|7, 10]], [[Alma 14:18|18]]). It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant in the original.

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it should be noted that it appears with relative infrequence in the preceding chapters (which are devoted mostly to discursive material). That it returns here—and with a vengeance (it appears many, many times in the original of the present chapter)—marks the return to straight narrative.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a general ''process'' of change.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transitional "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

It would seem that although the majority of the people is against Alma and Amulek, that majority may be slim, given that—according to verse 1—there were ''many'' who believed the preachers. At the same time, it would seem to require a nearly overwhelming majority to accomplish the kind of genocide described later in this chapter. Ultimately, it is difficult to decide exactly what is signified by "the more part of them."

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "were," banal as it usually seems, deserves attention here. It should be noted that the construction is a bit awkward: the text could have been rendered "desired to destroy Alma and Amulek," rather than "were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek." But that very awkwardness may be important. For one, it places the "more part" of the people in a passive position, while verse 1 places the "many" believers in a clearly active position: while the believing "''did'' believe," the unbelieving "''were'' desirous." Further, the complex structure allows for the insertion of the word "might" into the phrase here: what the people are described as desiring is not destruction itself, but ''the possibility of'' destruction. It would seem, in other words, that the unbelieving are prone to ''fantasy'', rather than to action.

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction ([[Mosiah 29:27]]). Moreover, "desire" appears two additional times in the Ammonihah story. First, back in [[Alma 9:20]], Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of that very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]], Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret (and similarly fantasy-oriented) desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. Moreover, these covert workings of (frustrated?) desire stand in clear contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (and in verse 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

As for the word "destroy" here, it seems it should be read carefully. In light of the lexical note above, it should be noted that it does not necessarily mean "kill Alma and Amulek" or "have Alma and Amulek killed," though that of course remains a possibility. At any rate, it should be balanced carefully with verse 3: the people desire to ''destroy'' Alma and Amulek, but the lawyers and judges seek to ''put'' them ''away''. Whatever the difference between those two actions are, it seems important.

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

The word "angry" (and "anger") plays a significant role in the larger Ammonihah story. Not only does it describe the lawyers and judges also in the next verse, it appears with some frequency in earlier chapters. Significantly, the first several appearance of the word are references not to the people's anger but to God's (potential) anger: in [[Alma 8:29]]; [[Alma 9:12|9:12]], [[Alma 9:18|18]], the message to Ammonihah is described as a warning about destruction that will come "according to the fierce anger" of God (see also [[Alma 10:23|10:23]]). By the end of Alma's sermon in chapter 9, however, the text begins to speak of ''the people's'' anger: "because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me," Alma says ([[Alma 9:32|9:32]]). The people similarly respond with anger to Amulek in [[Alma 10:24|10:24]]: "the people were more angry with Amulek." By chapter 14, there is no more talk of the anger of the Lord, which seems to have been swallowed up in the anger of the crowd.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. This is clear from the confusion that follows from the first interpretation: if both verse 2 and verse 3 are speaking of the people, then one has difficulty making sense of a number of details. Strengthening the second interpretation above all, however, is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== were also angry with Alma and Amulek ====

==== because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness ====

==== they sought to put them away privily ====

==== Personal and public offenses and remedies ====

The motives in verse 2 and the accusations in verse 5 seem to be a response to Alma's public form of address, the things Amulek said about their public institutions, doctrines proclaimed openly to the populace, and so forth. Here in verse 3, though, they are angry because Alma and Amulek have condemned their morals; the injury is thus perhaps felt in a personal way, calling for a covert response. Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma_1:11-15|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these people who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

===Verse 4===

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

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{|
| [[Alma 13:26-31|Previous (Alma 13:26-31)]] ||             || [[Alma 14:6-10|Next (Alma 14:6-10)]]
|}

Mike's related links

2011-07-12T14:10:19Z

Mjberkey: /* Accusations in Alma 14:1-5 */

==Accusations in Alma 14:1-5==
Having counted 6 accusations in these verses, I went back through Alma 8-13 to collect what I intend to be a complete list of possible justifications (in the text) for these accusations. Here are the actual verses with summaries. Accusations 3-5 kind of run together, but I've differentiated them a bit, as you'll see. I mainly did this to help me (and anyone who this might be helpful to) see all the accusations at once, to better participate in the discussion of accusations on the Alma 14:1-5 page.

'''V2 Alma speaks plainly to Zeezrom'''
* Alma 12:3-5
** Zeezrom caught in lying and craftiness
** Zeezrom lied to men and God.
** Zeezrom's plan was subtle like the Devil, to deceive the people and set them against Alma & Amulek so they'd revile them and cast them out.

'''V2 Amulek lied'''
* Alma 10:7
**Amulek claims to have seen an angel.
* Alma 10:26
** Amulek says he hasn't spoken against their law, even though they think he just did.

The people [[Alma 10:27|react]] immediately to the second statement, saying he just lied to them, so it's plain Alma 14:2 is referring to this second statement.

'''V2 Amulek reviles law, lawyers, and judges'''
* Alma 10:17-23,27
** Lawyers are a wicked and perverse generation.
** They're hypocrites because they lay the foundations of the devil, i.e. traps/snares to catch Alma & Amulek.
** They plan to pervert the ways of the righteous, which would bring down God's wrath on their heads to the destruction of the people.
** They are the wicked majority Mosiah warned about.
** The Lord judges their iniquities and calls them to repent.
** God will come down with equity and justice.
** Prayers of the rigtheous are the only thing between them and utter destruction.
** Foundation of destruction of the people is laid by unrighteousness of lawyers and judges

Much of this diatribe sounds more directed at the people generally than the lawyers specifically, but [[Alma 10:24|v24]] is the actual moment when the people begin to accuse him of reviling their law and lawyers. What I can't find is what they mean by an attack on their law.

* Alma 11:23-25,36
** Zeezrom called a child of hell and accused of of tempting Amulek.
** Zeezrom loves lucre more than God.
** Zeezrom accused of lying about not believing in God and about intending to give Amulek money and trick him into denying God so he could destroy him.
** "For this great evil thous shalt have thy reward."
** Zeezrom lies about Amulek trying to command God.

'''V3 Alma & Amulek testify plainly against Lawyers' wickedness'''
Since we've chosen to interpret v3 to be from the lawyer's perspective, I'll save Alma's harsh words to the people generally for the v5 accusation. However, I can't find any instance of Alma speaking harshly against the lawyers, except for what's already been mentioned against Zeezrom. Amulek's harsh words are already listed above.

'''V5 Alma and Amulek revile the people'''
There's quite a bit for this, so I'll just leave the references for now.
* Alma 9:8,12,15,18-19,23-24,30
** Wicked, perverse generation. They've forgotten the tradition of their fathers and God's commandments
** Repent or be destroyed by the Lamanites
** Lamanites are better off than Ammonihahites because of their sins.
** Ammonihahites accused of destroying God's people.
** More threats of destruction
** Their hearts grossly hardened against God's word and they are a lost and fallen people.
With this last remark the people are outraged and interrupt Alma and try to lay hands on him.
* Alma 10:5,25
** It's a mystery they haven't been destroyed yet.
** Wicked and perverse generation. Satan has great hold on their hearts.
* Alma 12:6,16-18,36
** Ammonihahites have fallen into Satan's snare and are being led into destruction.
** The wicked (Ammonihahites by implication) will be tormented in a lake of fire and brimstone.
The chief judge had this in mind in [[Alma 14:14]]
* Alma 13:13-14,20-21,27,30
** Humble yourselves and repent.
** Destruction threatened if they wrest the scriptures.
** More exhortations to repent and warnings against destruction and the second death.

'''V5 Alma and Amulek teach that there's only one God, who will send his Son among the people, but won't save them.'''
This accusation feels a bit convoluted. Certainly they seem upset by the teaching that Christ won't save the people, but are they also upset about there being only one God? And/or that he will send his Son? For now I've dealt only with the first accusation.
* Alma 9:26-27
** Son of God will redeem anyone who is baptized unto repentance.
* Alma 11:32-34,36-37,40
** Christ won't save his people in their sins.
** Christ will only save the believers.

==Problem of Evil==
Alma 14 raises the problem of evil (I think that may actually be why we decided to study this chapter), and I think C.S. Lewis has an interesting response to the question, "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?", as he noticeably does in Alma 14. I think Lewis's answer is not the same as [Alma 14:11] and I also think his answer is a bit more subtle than just, "God has to let us have free will," but that is essentially his point. Anyway, here's the quote...
:''We can, perhaps, conceive of a world in which God corrected the results of this abuse of free will by His creatures at every moment: so that a wooden beam became soft as grass when it was used as a weapon, and the air refused to obey me if I attempted to set up in it the sound-waves that carry lies or insults. But such a world would be one in which wrong actions were impossible, and in which, therefore, freedom of the will would be void; nay, if the principle were carried out to its logical conclusion, evil thoughts would be impossible, for the cerebral matter which we use in thinking would refuse its task when we attempted to frame them. All matter in the neighbourhood of a wicked man would be liable to undergo unpredictable alterations. That God can and does, on occasions, modify the behaviour of matter and produce what we call miracles, is part of Christian faith; but the very conception of a common, and therefore stable, world, demands that these occasions should be extremely rare. In a game of chess you can make certain arbitrary concessions to your opponent, which stand to the ordinary rules of the game as miracles stand to the laws of nature. You can deprive yourself of a castle, or allow the other man sometimes to take back a move made inadvertently. But if you conceded everything that at any moment happened to suit him—if all his moves were revocable and if all your pieces disappeared whenever their position on the board was not to his liking—then you could not have a game at all. So it is with the life of souls in a world; fixed laws, consequences unfolding by causal necessity, the whole natural order, are at once limits within which their common life is confined and also the sole condition under which any such life is possible. Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself. - C.S. Lewis''

===Links===
* http://www.gospeldoctrine.com/Alma14.htm
* http://scriptoriumblogorium.blogspot.com/2010/12/observations-on-alma-14-and-results-of.html
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
* http://lds.org/ensign/2009/08/the-path-to-martyrdom-the-ultimate-witness?lang=eng&query=%22Alma+14%22
* http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/22053/Alma-Amulek-showed-true-commitment.html

Mike's related links

2011-07-09T13:43:43Z

Mjberkey: My purpose for this page

==Accusations in Alma 14:1-5==
Having counted 6 accusations in these verses, I went back through Alma 8-13 to collect what I intend to be a complete list of possible justifications (in the text) for these accusations. Here are the actual verses with summaries. Accusations 3-5 kind of run together, but I've differentiated them a bit, as you'll see. I mainly did this to help me (and anyone who this might be helpful to) see all the accusations at once, to better participate in the discussion of accusations on the Alma 14:1-5 page.

'''V2 Alma speaks plainly to Zeezrom'''
* Alma 12:3-5
** Zeezrom caught in lying and craftiness
** Zeezrom lied to men and God.
** Zeezrom's plan was subtle like the Devil, to deceive the people and set them against Alma & Amulek so they'd revile them and cast them out.

'''V2 Amulek lied'''
* Alma 10:7
**Amulek claims to have seen an angel.
* Alma 10:26
** Amulek says he hasn't spoken against their law, even though they think he just did.

The people [[Alma 10:27|react]] immediately to the second statement, saying he just lied to them, so it's plain Alma 14:2 is referring to this second statement.

'''V2 Amulek reviles law, lawyers, and judges'''
* Alma 10:17-23,27
** Lawyers are a wicked and perverse generation.
** They're hypocrites because they lay the foundations of the devil, i.e. traps/snares to catch Alma & Amulek.
** They plan to pervert the ways of the righteous, which would bring down God's wrath on their heads to the destruction of the people.
** They are the wicked majority Mosiah warned about.
** The Lord judges their iniquities and calls them to repent.
** God will come down with equity and justice.
** Prayers of the rigtheous are the only thing between them and utter destruction.
** Foundation of destruction of the people is laid by unrighteousness of lawyers and judges

Much of this diatribe sounds more directed at the people generally than the lawyers specifically, but [[Alma 10:24|v24]] is the actual moment when the people begin to accuse him of reviling their law and lawyers. What I can't find is what they mean by an attack on their law.

* Alma 11:23-25,36
** Zeezrom called a child of hell and accused of of tempting Amulek.
** Zeezrom loves lucre more than God.
** Zeezrom accused of lying about not believing in God and about intending to give Amulek money and trick him into denying God so he could destroy him.
** "For this great evil thous shalt have thy reward."
** Zeezrom lies about Amulek trying to command God.

'''V3 Alma & Amulek testify plainly against Lawyers' wickedness'''
Since we've chosen to interpret v3 to be from the lawyer's perspective, I'll save Alma's harsh words to the people generally for the v5 accusation. However, I can't find any instance of Alma speaking harshly against the lawyers, except for what already been mentioned against Zeezrom. Amulek's harsh words are already listed above.

'''V5 Alma and Amulek revile the people'''
There's quite a bit for this, so I'll just leave the references for now.
* Alma 10:5,17-23,25,36-37
* Alma 12:36
* Alma 9:8,12,15,18-19,23-24,30
* Alma 12:6,16-18
* Alma 13:13-14,20-21,,27,30

'''V5 Alma and Amulek teach that there's only one God, who will send his Son among the people, but won't save them.'''
This accusation feels a bit convoluted. Certainly they seem upset by the teaching that Christ won't save the people, but are they also upset about there being only one God? And/or that he will send his Son? For now I've dealt only with the first accusation.
* Alma 9:26-27
** Son of God will redeem anyone who is baptized unto repentance.
* Alma 11:32-34,36-37,40
** Christ won't save his people in their sins.
** Christ will only save the believers.

==Problem of Evil==
Alma 14 raises the problem of evil (I think that may actually be why we decided to study this chapter), and I think C.S. Lewis has an interesting response to the question, "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?", as he noticeably does in Alma 14. I think Lewis's answer is not the same as [Alma 14:11] and I also think his answer is a bit more subtle than just, "God has to let us have free will," but that is essentially his point. Anyway, here's the quote...
:''We can, perhaps, conceive of a world in which God corrected the results of this abuse of free will by His creatures at every moment: so that a wooden beam became soft as grass when it was used as a weapon, and the air refused to obey me if I attempted to set up in it the sound-waves that carry lies or insults. But such a world would be one in which wrong actions were impossible, and in which, therefore, freedom of the will would be void; nay, if the principle were carried out to its logical conclusion, evil thoughts would be impossible, for the cerebral matter which we use in thinking would refuse its task when we attempted to frame them. All matter in the neighbourhood of a wicked man would be liable to undergo unpredictable alterations. That God can and does, on occasions, modify the behaviour of matter and produce what we call miracles, is part of Christian faith; but the very conception of a common, and therefore stable, world, demands that these occasions should be extremely rare. In a game of chess you can make certain arbitrary concessions to your opponent, which stand to the ordinary rules of the game as miracles stand to the laws of nature. You can deprive yourself of a castle, or allow the other man sometimes to take back a move made inadvertently. But if you conceded everything that at any moment happened to suit him—if all his moves were revocable and if all your pieces disappeared whenever their position on the board was not to his liking—then you could not have a game at all. So it is with the life of souls in a world; fixed laws, consequences unfolding by causal necessity, the whole natural order, are at once limits within which their common life is confined and also the sole condition under which any such life is possible. Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself. - C.S. Lewis''

===Links===
* http://www.gospeldoctrine.com/Alma14.htm
* http://scriptoriumblogorium.blogspot.com/2010/12/observations-on-alma-14-and-results-of.html
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
* http://lds.org/ensign/2009/08/the-path-to-martyrdom-the-ultimate-witness?lang=eng&query=%22Alma+14%22
* http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/22053/Alma-Amulek-showed-true-commitment.html

Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-09T13:39:15Z

Mjberkey: A detailed look at accusations.

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 1===
* Is it safe to assume that Mormon is the narrator here?

* Is there something ''specific'' the people referred to repented of, or does repentance mean something more ''general'' here?

* Do other texts place faith, repentance, ''and scripture study'' together like this?

* How accessible would scripture have been to the people? And what did they contain? Would Alma's listeners have been acquainted only with the brass plates, or would they also have had access to writings of Lehi, Nephi, King Benjamin or other Nephite prophets?

*What physical form did scripture take ([[Alma 14:8|verse 8]] implies that they can be burned)? Is carbon-based material (paper, parchment, or other similar materials) evident elsewhere in the Book of Mormon? Were scriptures bound, rolled, kept on animal skins, printed on textiles?

* Most of what Alma and Amulek preach in [[Alma 9:1|Alma 9-13]] is more theological than hortatory. Why did this motivate repentance? What does this tell us about preaching?

* The people, it seems, were led to the scriptures through repentance. What is the relationship between repentance and scripture? Does one usually lead to the other? Does this story tell us something about how that relationship ''should'' unfold?

* Today, Latter-day Saints would understand "searching the scriptures" to mean not only close study but use of extra-textual resources like cross-referencing and historical contextualization. What might it have meant for the people of Nephi to "search the scriptures"?

* Why are only ''Alma's'' "words" mentioned in this verse? Is the implication that it was Alma in particular who had a real impact on the receptive listeners, that Amulek's intervention ultimately had little converting power?

===Verse 2===
* The phrase "the more part of them" clearly refers to a majority, but how large a majority? Is it an overwhelming majority (as the power to bring about a genocide would seem to suggest)? Or is it a slim majority (as the "many of them" of verse 1 would seem to suggest)?

* Why does the narrative use the word "destroy" instead of something more specific? Did the people hope to kill Alma and Amulek? Or did they hope only to destroy their influence? Or did they only hope to be rid of them? Is "destroy" too strong a word, since verses 3-4 would seem to suggest that it was only the lawyers and judges who were particularly keen on actually having Alma and Amulek killed?

* If this verse is meant to compare the "many" who believed and the "more part" who did not, is it significant that the first group "''did'' believe" while the second group "''were'' desirous"? Why is the earlier group presented as active and dynamic, the later group as passive and static?

* What should be read into the complex grammar of "were desirous that they might destroy"? Why did Mormon not write (or Joseph not translate) something simpler, like "desired to destroy"? Is there something significant about the ''state'' of ''being desirous''? Is there something important the ''possibility'' bound up with the "might" of "might destroy"?

* The people—unlike the lawyers and judges in verse 3—draw a distinction between what motivates their anger against Alma and what motivates their anger against Amulek. Why this distinction?

* The text says that the people thought Alma had spoken to Zeezrom in "plainness," while they thought Amulek had "lied" to them. What should be thought about the difference between these two accusations, plainness and deception?

* [[Alma 12:3]] makes clear that the people were already angry with Alma before he rebuked Zeezrom. Why would the text here root their anger solely in what Alma said to Zeezrom specifically?

* Why should the people generally be upset about what Alma had said ''to Zeezrom''? Is the implication that they are offended by Alma's willingness to question someone of such social importance? Why should the people feel so defensive about a lawyer?

* How does this verse tie to other Book of Mormon scriptures that use the word "plainness"? (See, for example, [[1 Ne 13:29]]; [[2 Ne 9:47]]; [[2 Ne 25:4|25:4]], [[2 Ne 25:7|7]]; [[2 Ne 31:2|31:2-3]]; [[2 Ne 32:7|32:7]]; [[2 Ne 33:5|33:5]]-[[2 Ne 33:6|6]]; [[Jacob 2:11]]; [[Jacob 4:14|4:14]]; [[Enos 1:23]].) Is it significant that this verse marks the only instance of "plainness" outside of the small plates?

* Is it best to assume that the fixation on Amulek's supposed criticism of the law was only a ruse? If so, what ''really'' lay behind the people's anger?

* How exactly do the words of Amulek revile against their ''law''?

* What is the difference between Amulek's alleged ''reviling'' against lawyers and Alma's ''plain-speaking'' to one lawyer in particular? It seems that the people are generally concerned about what has been said to and about lawyers, but this marks the difference between Alma and Amulek. What is that difference worth?

===Verse 3===
* Since we are told in v2 that the people were angry with Alma and angry with Amulek, why are we told here that they were "also angry with Alma and Amulek"? Is there a way to punctuate this verse to make it more clear?

* What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this a reference to a secret assassination plot, the first instance of a secret combination in Nephite history? Or might it refer, as in [[Matt 1:19]], to a lawful but discreet process?

===Verse 4===

* What made the people change their minds about killing Alma and Amulek?

* Where did the people who "bound" Alma and Amulek get their authority? Is this an organized police force, or is this more akin to an angry mob? Can we infer that the Chief Judge does not seem to object about the way Alma and Amulek are brought before him?

===Verse 5===

* What does it mean to revile "against the law" or against the lawyers and judges?

* What does the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" refer to? Does it refer to the lawyers and judges being over all the people, or does it refer to Alma and Amulek reviling against all the people?

* Which of the following doctrines do the people take issue with theologically: There is but one God, the Son of God will come among the people, or “he” should not save them? Do the people disagree with only the result of not being saved, or do they disagree with the gospel of Alma and Amulek altogether?

* The people claim that Alma and Amulek said that God will “send his Son among the people, but he should not save them.” Who is the “he” being spoken of here, God or his Son? If the answer is the Son, then are the people taking issue with God having a son that had the power of granting salvation? If the answer is God, then are these people claiming they are a “chosen people?” Thus, God must save them.

== Lexical notes ==

* Verse 1: The word "scriptures" appears rather frequently in the Book of Mormon. Its earliest appearances (in [[1 Ne 19:23]] and [[2 Ne 4:15]]) clearly understand the term to refer to the brass plates, but later references are often less determinate. Already in the Book of Jacob (see [[Jacob 2:23]]; [[Jacob 4:16|4:16]]; [[Jacob 7:10|7:10]], [[Jacob 7:19|19]], [[Jacob 7:23|23]]), the word seems to refer more vaguely to holy writ. In the present narrative, though, the word seems to refer more specifically to the brass plates, since all scriptures referenced in the course of the exchange between Alma and the people are to be found in the Book of Genesis.

* Verse 2: Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Plainness "plainness"] as "openness; rough, blunt or unrefined frankness." This seems to work with Book of Mormon usage of "plainness" (and especially of "plain"), but not always. It is perhaps particularly important that the word "plainness" appears only here in the Book of Mormon outside of the small plates (where it appears often), while the word "plain" similarly appears frequently in the small plates and only a few scattered times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. At any rate, it should be noted that "plainness" is often implicitly understood in the Book of Mormon to lead to offense.

* Verse 2: Webster's 1828 dictionary defines [http://www.webster1828.com/websters1828/definition.aspx?word=Revile "revile"] as "to reproach; to treat with opprobrious and contemptuous language." Random House Dictionary 2011 defines it as "to assail with contemptuous or opprobrious language; address or speak of abusively."

* Verse 3: [http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,privily Privily] means privately or secretly. The phrasing "to put ... away privily" has a biblical antecedent in [[Matt 1:19]].

== Exegesis ==

=== Chapter Breaks ===

Alma 14 was part of a much larger "unit" in the original (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon. The story of Alma's preaching at Ammonihah was broken up into the following chapter breaks in that edition:

1830 [http://www.inephi.com/243.htm Chapter VI] -- 1981 [[Alma 8:1|8:1-32]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/245.htm Chapter VII] -- 1981 [[Alma 9:1|9:1-34]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/249.htm Chapter VIII] -- 1981 [[Alma 10:1|10:1-11:46]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/255.htm Chapter IX] -- 1981 [[Alma 12:1|12:1-13:9]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/259.htm Chapter X] -- 1981 [[Alma 13:1|13:10-15:19]]
1830 [http://www.inephi.com/267.htm Chapter XI] -- 1981 [[Alma 16:1|16:1-21]]

It might be noted that what is now chapter 14 fell within the largest "chunk" of the Ammonihah story, stretching—somewhat awkwardly—from halfway through Alma's sermon about the high priesthood ([[Alma 13:10|13:10]]) to Alma and Amulek's settling again in Zarahemla ([[Alma 15:18|15:18-19]]). Keeping this in mind, chapter 14 should be read with a close eye on the twenty-two verses that precede it and the whole chapter that follows it. At least two effects of the chapter's being caught up in a larger "unit" deserve mention. First, the narrative reporting the responses of the people in Ammonihah (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the last part of Alma's speech in which he discusses Melchizedek and makes his final exhortations (13:10-31 now). Second, the harrowing narrative bringing the action in Ammonihah itself to a close (chapter 14 now) cannot be separated from the narrative that reports the aftermath in Sidom (chapter 15 now).

=== A Preliminary Note on Verses 1-3 ===

Verses 1-3 work systematically through the responses of three distinct groups to Alma's and Amulek's preaching. Verse 1 clearly deals with those who were favorable to Alma's words (note that Amulek is not mentioned in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 1 below). Verse 2 clearly deals with the majority of the Ammonihahites, those who did not believe in Alma and Amulek (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, separated in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 2 below). Finally, verse 3 deals—perhaps somewhat less clearly but no less definitely—specifically with the lawyers and judges in Ammonihah (note that Alma and Amulek are, as it were, lumped together into a single entity in connection with this group; see the commentary for verse 3 below). It is crucial to keep these three groups distinct through the whole narrative of this chapter.

=== Verse 1 ===

==== And it came to pass ====

Generally, this phrase needs no comment, but it is worth noting that it appears here for the first time since [[Alma 10:30]]. [Actually, that needs to be checked on in Skousen's ''Earliest Version''.] It thus marks the return, after so much discursive material, of narrative. And it returns, moreover, with a vengeance, appearing many times in the present chapter.

==== after he had made an end of speaking unto the people ====

The locution "made an end of speaking" is actually quite common in the Book of Mormon, appearing twenty-four times. Though there seems to be little theological significance in the phrase, it is worth noting that its use here is formulaic, linking the sermon-followed-by-a-narrative-report-about-the-people's-response structure of this story up with a whole series of texts elsewhere in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps two such parallel texts deserve specific mention because they bear on the meaning of the present text.

One is to be found in [[Alma 12:19]], where it marks the conclusion of the second of Alma's recorded speeches in Ammonihah (that stretching from [[Alma 12:3]] to [[Alma 12:18]]). There, as in the present text, the formula marks the transition from a completed (if not fully reported) sermon to a narrative report of the response of the listeners. These two instances (the present verse and Alma 12:19) in turn stand over against the clear indication of disruption that follows Alma's first recorded speech in Ammonihah: "Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me . . . and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison" ([[Alma 9:31|Alma 9:31-32]]). In ''this'' text, the absence of the formula marks the violent disruption of Alma's sermon. (It may also be of significance that the formula appears in those passages where Mormon is clearly the narrator, but not does not appear in the passage where Alma himself is the narrator and Mormon simply copies over Alma's words.)

The other relevant instance of the formula is to be found in [[Alma 6:1]], where it marks the transition from Alma's sermon in Zarahemla to the narrative concerning the response of his hearers there. This instance is relevant because it forms, with the present verse, a kind of set of bookends for the larger narrative of Alma's preaching circuit (from Alma 5 through Alma 14).

==== many of them ====

Though "many" sounds hopeful, it should be noted that verse 2 will speak of "the more part" of the people as rejecting the word. From this it is clear that "many" does not mean anything like "a majority of," but something more like "a not insignificant number of."

==== did believe on his words ====

It is specifically "on his [''Alma's''] words" that the people who believe believe; Amulek, it would seem, is simply left out of account. It is perhaps this passage before others that raises the question concerning the distinct roles that Alma and Amulek play in Ammonihah. Alma, it would seem, is the one who spurs repentance and change, whose words lead to conversion. But Alma's words seem to have had no such effect until Amulek intervened as a second witness, even if his own words had no real converting power. There is reason, at any rate, to look more closely at the respective roles of the two witnesses against Ammonihah.

==== and began to repent ====

That repentance followed belief is not surprising, but perhaps the verb "began" deserves close attention. Interestingly, the phrase "began to repent" appears several times in the Book of Mormon, but always with a rather distinct sense. In every other instance (see [[Morm 2:10]]; [[Ether 9:34]]; [[Ether 11:8|11:8]]; [[Ether 15:3|15:3]]), it describes the not-entirely-genuine turn to repentance that follows after major destruction in war settings. Here, of course, it refers to no such thing, which seems to make clear that the emphasis is less on either the awful circumstances that lead to repentance or the somewhat disingenuous nature of the repentance undertaken, and more on the fact that the turn to repentance among the believing listeners is a ''process'' of some kind.

One way of making sense of this would be to suggest that "began" here is the first of a series of hints in verses 1-8 that the events therein recorded took place over a longer period of time. While it is perhaps somewhat natural to read these verses as describing a kind of immediate reaction to Alma's sermon (several personal responses, a quick but failed plot, and a trial that—within a day's time—results in holocaust and imprisonment), such hints may suggest that there is a longer sequence of conversion, a slow development of underhanded plots, and only eventually a trial and associated violence.

On this point, it should be noted that this story, quite uniquely in the Book of Mormon, actually gives us an exact measure of the total time the narrative takes to unfold. In [[Alma 10:6]], Amulek gives the exact date of Alma's return to Ammonihah: "the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." In [[Alma 14:23]], subsequently, the narrator (presumably Mormon) provides the exact date of the prison's collapse and the escape of Alma and Amulek: "it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges." From Alma's return to the city to his departure with Amulek took three months and eight days, in all about seventy days (assuming that months were about thirty days for the Nephites). Of course, those seventy days include the "many days" of Alma's stay with Amulek before preaching (see [[Alma 8:27]]) and the "many days" of Alma's and Amulek's time in prison (see [[Alma 14:22]]), in addition to whatever time would have passed between Alma's last sermon and the martyrdom of [[Alma 14:8]]. But it is certainly possible that the time between sermon and martyrdom was even as long as several weeks, perhaps even longer.

If these speculations are not entirely amiss, it may be that the "began" of "began to repent" marks a rather slow process, a development that is long in coming for those who believed in Alma's words. But these speculations may be confirmed or perhaps complicated by the fact that repentance is described but not baptism.

It has been noted above that "made an end of speaking" here echoes [[Alma 6:1]]. Mention here of repentance furthers that echo. [[Alma 6:2]] describes the response of Alma's hearers on the occasion of his ''first'' sermon: "And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance, and were received into the church." The pairing in Alma 6 of repentance and baptism is quite common in the Book of Mormon (see, for instance, [[2 Ne 9:23|2 Ne 9:23-24]]; [[2 Ne 31:11|31:11]]; [[Alma 7:14]]; [[Alma 48:19|48:19]]; [[Alma 62:45|62:45]]; [[Hel 16:5]]; [[3 Ne 7:25]]; [[3 Ne 11:37|11:37-38]]; [[3 Ne 18:11|18:11]], [[3 Ne 18:16|16]]; [[3 Ne 21:6|21:6]]; [[3 Ne 27:20|27:20]]; [[3 Ne 30:2|30:2]]; [[4 Ne 1:1]]; [[Morm 3:2]]; [[Morm 7:8|7:8]]; [[Ether 4:18]]; [[Moro 7:34]]; [[Moro 8:10|8:10]]). In the present text, however, there is no mention of baptism whatsoever. This is all the more curious given that Alma is described, at the beginning of his work in Ammonihah, as "wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that . . . he might baptize them unto repentance" ([[Alma 8:10]]). If Alma's sole desire was to baptize, one might wonder why there is no mention of baptism here, why none of Alma's listeners—even among those who believed and repented—were baptized.

One obvious answer would be that there was no time between Alma's sermon and the martyrdom of a few verses later to be baptized. This may be confirmed in that Zeezrom—undoubtedly among Alma's most important converts in Ammonihah—is only baptized later in Sidom (as reported in [[Alma 15:12]]). (Curiously, though, there is no specific report of other survivors being baptized in Sidom, although one might suggest that they are referred to implicitly in [[Alma 15:13]].)

If this most obvious interpretation is correct, two interpretive options concerning the word "began" present themselves. On the one hand, the apparent lack of time for baptism might suggest, over against the hints that the events described in verses 1-8 took place over a significant stretch of time, that these events actually made up only a short sequence in a longer stretch of time. (Perhaps Alma and Amulek spent the vast majority of the several months of the Ammonihah experience in prison, for example.) On the other hand, it may be that the events in verses 1-8 did indeed take somewhat longer, but the significance of the word "began" is clarified: ''beginning'' to repent is itself a longer process, and it did not have the time to come to fruition in baptism in a longer but nonetheless relatively short time.

==== and to search the scriptures ====

The indication that those favorable to the message of Alma and Amulek not only began "to repent," but also began "to search the scriptures" is certainly significant. (Indeed, it is possible to suggest that the turn to scripture was itself the form or shape of their repentance.) First, turning to the scriptures as a sign of conversion is directly reported only twice in the Book of Mormon—here and in [[Jacob 7:23]] (though possibly referred to in the case of the Sons of Mosiah as well [[Alma 17:2]]). The two stories (that of the preaching in Ammonihah and that of Jacob's encounter with Sherem) might perhaps be set side by side for closer comparison. Second, the fact that the response of the persuaded is to turn to scripture makes clear that the larger narrative of the experience in Ammonihah should be read with an eye to what is said about (and done with) scripture.

In light of this last point, it should be noted that in [[Alma 13:20]] (a passage found within the same chapter as the present text in the original version of the Book of Mormon), Alma tells his listeners: "Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction." One might explore the possibility that Alma's warning had much to do with the response of his hearers: having heard Alma warn about the dangers of wresting scripture, those persuaded by his teachings were convinced of the necessity of searching the scriptures more carefully.

There are, however, some problems with this first interpretation. Alma issued his warning about the misuse of scripture specifically in connection with his discussion of Melchizedek. And the way that he issued the warning seems to indicate that he saw the texts concerning Melchizedek as rather straightforward, such that his listeners could only wrest the text by departing from its rather obvious meaning. Given the content and setting of what Alma says about wresting scripture, it seems somewhat unlikely that his listeners would have taken his words as reason to do sustained, careful work on scripture.

Another possible approach to the text presents itself. When the narrative turns from Amulek to Alma (in the transition from what is now chapter 11 to what is now chapter 12), Mormon as the narrator explains that Alma began "to explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that which Amulek had done" ([[Alma 12:1]]). This narrative passage, penned, it would seem, by the same narrator who reports the turn to scripture at the beginning of chapter 14, perhaps suggests that it was Alma's profound engagement with scripture in the course of his teachings that drew the attention of his listeners to the scriptures after their conversion.

On this second interpretation, what would seem to have driven Alma's converts to the scriptures would be his careful, detailed, and deeply theological interpretations of scriptural texts—perhaps best embodied in his ruminations on [[Gen 3:24]], the verse quoted to him by [[Alma 12:21|Antionah]]. Here, the emphasis would be less on the danger of misinterpreting texts through neglect than on the rich possibilities of close, theological engagement with texts.

At any rate, there seems to be some indication in this text that part of the Ammonihahites' conversion was a turn to close readings of scriptural texts. Repentance—a turning around or a change of mind—seems to have been for them in part a question of turn to or changing their minds about scripture.

Mormon's passing note about the turn to scripture is also narratively significant in another way. When the converts who are here reported as "search[ing] the scriptures" are subsequently "cast . . . into the fire," Mormon carefully notes that the wicked in Ammonihah "brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also" ([[Alma 14:8]]). Both because Mormon carefully notes these details, and because scripture seems to have been closely intertwined with the very experience of conversion in Ammonihah, it would seem that the murder of the converts in Ammonihah was motivated in part precisely by the ''danger'' of scriptural texts. Where texts can be read and interpreted freely, independently of dominant or dominating ideologies, current structures of power are under threat. It would seem that the "book burning" in Ammonihah was in part a question of such a situation.

==== A (Minor) Textual Variant (Or Two) ====

This verse originally read "And it came to pass ''that'' after he had made an end of speaking . . . ." Joseph Smith himself removed the word "that" when preparing the 1837 edition. The change makes relatively little difference in meaning. Interestingly, Joseph also replaced "he" (in "after he had made an end of speaking") with "Alma" at the same time, but the printer of the 1837 edition missed the change, and it has never appeared in a printed edition of the Book of Mormon.

=== Verse 2 ===

==== But the more part of them ====

The transition "but" that opens this verse marks the comparison that is being made between the "many" of verse 1 and the "more part" of verse 2.

==== were desirous that they might destroy Alma and Amulek ====

The word "desirous" deserves attention as well. It would seem to echo—ironically—what King Mosiah said ten years earlier when replacing the monarchy with judges: "it is not common that the voice of the people ''desireth'' anything contrary to that which is right" ([[Mosiah 29:26]]). The majority ("the more part") of Ammonihah is complicit in ''desiring'' sin, and Mosiah prophesied that God would visit such peoples with great destruction. It should be noted that "desire" appears two additional times in the Alma 9-14 textual unit. First, in [[Alma 9:20]] Alma makes a general statement about "all things [being] made known unto [the Nephites], according to their ''desires''." This theme of things being made known, or being revealed, is clearly related to the discussion in [[Alma 12:9|12:9ff]] where those who harden their hearts against the word are warned that they will eventually "know nothing concerning [God's] mysteries" ([[Alma 9:11]]). The account given here in chapter 14 could, then, be read as a fulfillment of this very warning. Second, in [[Alma 11:25]] Amulek chastises Zeezrom for trying to trap him: "it was only thy ''desire'' that I should deny the true and living God." This secret desire of Zeezrom's, working as a sort of covert plan against Amulek, can be related to the desire to put Alma and Amulek away "privily" in verse 3 here. These covert workings of (frustrated?) desire thus stand in contrast to the "plainness" of Alma's words mentioned here in verse 2 (cf. v. 3: "because [Alma and Amulek] had testified so ''plainly''").

==== for they were angry with Alma ====

Regarding Zeezrom: they were angry with Alma because he had confounded one of their own, perhaps even one whom they had covenanted to uphold by wicked secret combination.

==== because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom ====

What "plainness" did Alma use with Zeezrom? At first, it is tempting to assume that Alma's plainness is a question of the actual ''doctrinal content'' of his sermon in [[Alma 12]]. After all, as Nephi had taught centuries earlier, "the guilty take the truth to be hard because it cutteth them to the very center" ([[1 Ne 16:2]]). A closer look at the story, however, suggests that there is something different at work in the text than just that.

Zeezrom first comes into the story in [[Alma 11:21|Alma 11]] (though note that he is mentioned first in [[Alma 10:31]]). Throughout that chapter, though, he engages with ''Amulek'', while the people here in chapter 14 are described as being upset with ''Alma's'' relationship to Zeezrom. How does Amulek handle Zeezrom, and how is it different from Alma's handling of him?

In chapter 11, Zeezrom offers Amulek money if he will deny the existence of God. Amulek, however, reveals that there was a deceptive plot behind the offer: Zeezrom was, according to Amulek, desirous only to find "cause to destroy me [Amulek]" ([[Alma 11:25]]). This leads to a theological exchange between the two, at the conclusion of which—apparently in response to the power of Amulek's teachings—Zeezrom “began to tremble” ([[Alma 11:46]]). At that point, Alma jumps in and begins himself to contend with Zeezrom (see [[Alma 12:1]]).

At the beginning of his own intervention, Alma comes back to Zeezrom's “subtle plan,” but he glosses it differently. Whereas Amulek had accused Zeezrom of lying ''to him'' (that is, to Amulek) and so of seeking to destroy ''him'' (again, Amulek), Alma says that Zeezrom's plan was to "lie and to deceive ''this people''" ([[Alma 12:4]]). Alma, in other words, casts the attempted deception in terms of ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people''. He thereby suggests both (1) that Zeezrom betrays his people by deceiving them, and (2) that the people are foolish enough to be taken in.

(Significantly, Alma further says: “this was a snare of the adversary, which he has laid to catch this people.” With this further word, Alma suggests that it is the devil himself who works through the city's star lawyer to deceive the whole people. It would not be surprising if the people do not take too kindly to this idea.)

In sum, particularly because nothing in the remainder of Alma 12 mentions any particular rage on the part of the people, it seems best to interpret the accusation of "plainness" here to refer not to Alma's ''doctrine'', but to his way of explaining ''Zeezrom's relationship to the people'' (whether as a deceiver of the people, or whether as a simple puppet of the devil in deceiving the people).

==== and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them ====

The people of course accused Amulek of lying in [[Alma 10:28]], and the accusation there was that he lied about not reviling against Ammonihahite law. (Interestingly, the people did not accuse him of lying when he claimed that their lawyers and judges were laying snares. That they only called "reviling.") Why did the people claim that Amulek was speaking against the law, and why did Amulek claim that he was not?

In his own accusation, Amulek pointed back to Mosiah's setting up of the system of Nephite judges (recorded for us in [[Mosiah 29]]). Though Amulek directly quoted only Mosiah's warning in [[Mosiah 29:27]] about the majority coming to choose evil (see [[Alma 10:19]]), it is crucial—in order to make sense of the situation—to look at the whole of [[Mosiah 29:25|Mosiah 29:25-29]]. Mosiah's proposed system of judges was meant to insure against the corruption of the law through recourse to the usually conservative "voice of the people," as well as through a balance of powers between lower and higher judges. The system, Mosiah anticipated, could only go wrong when the collective voice of the people desired wickedness, backed by corrupt judges at every level.

The implication is that everything that was taking place in Ammonihah was actually ''legal'', but nonetheless ''corrupt''. Amulek's accusations against the city and what was taking place there could thus be interpreted as a criticism not of the corruption of the people, but of the actual system of Mosiah, which technically validated (rendered "just"; see [[Alma 10:24]]) the laws passed in Ammonihah. Thus the people could accuse Amulek of having reviled against the law, and Amulek could defend himself by the—perhaps somewhat tenuous—claim that he had spoken "in favor of [their] law, to [their] condemnation" ([[Alma 10:26]]). It is not difficult to see how the Ammonihahites would have seen Amulek's restatement of his position as a prevarication, and the accusation that he was lying would have followed quickly.

This situation is not unlike what happens later with [[Alma 30|Korihor]]. There again it is the actual organization of the law itself that seems to generate the trouble, and Alma finds himself with the task of deciding what to do where the system established by Mosiah, for all its promise, is not enough to curb the problems it is meant to foreclose.

==== and had reviled against their law ====

This accusation comes first in [[Alma 10:24]] and is repeated in [[Alma 10:28|10:28]]. That it is repeated here, in addition to the accusation that Amulek had "lied unto them," perhaps suggests that there is an emphasis on the word "had": "they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and ''had'' reviled against their law," that is, despite what Amulek himself had said.

==== and also against their lawyers and judges ====

This accusation also came originally in [[Alma 10:24]]. A lexical note above explains that “to revile” can mean to be verbally abusive. If one is already inclined towards the lawyers and judges, assuming—however problematically—that they were defenders of the system established by Mosiah, then Amulek's words in [[Alma 10:17]] would certainly sound abusive: “O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites.” Still sharper was Amulek's claim that "the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges" ([[Alma 10:27]]). Importantly, Amulek nowhere denies the accusation that he had reviled against the Ammonihahite lawyers and judges.

It is worth noting that in all these references in chapter 10, it is ''the people'' and not ''the lawyers and judges'' who accuse Amulek, precisely as here in Alma 14. (In chapter 10, the lawyers only "put it into their [the people's] hearts that they should remember these things against him [Amulek]." See [[Alma 10:30]].)

=== Verse 3 ===

==== And they ====

To whom does the initial "they" of verse 3 refer? There are two obvious ways it can be read. First, it might refer, with the "they's" of the preceding verse, back to "the more part of [the people]" mentioned at the beginning of verse 2. On this reading, both verses 2 and 3 serve to explain the motivations of "the more part of [the people]'s" anger at Alma and Amulek, though verse 2 individualizes or categorizes those motivations (isolating in turn the people's concerns about Alma and their concerns about Amulek), while verse 3 collectivizes those motivations (describing what concerned the people generally about Alma ''and'' Amulek). Second, though, verse 3's initial "they" can be read as referring—perhaps with a bit of emphasis—immediately back to "their lawyers and judges," mentioned at the end of verse 2. On this reading, verses 2 and 3 describe two distinct groups and their distinct motivations for anger at Alma and Amulek: verse 2 describes the motivations "the more part of [the people]" had for being angry—which the text curious divides into the motivations associated with Alma and the motivations associated with Amulek—and verse 3 describes the motivations the "lawyers and judges" had for their anger at Alma and Amulek.

In the end, it seems clear that the second of these interpretations is the best. Strengthening it above all is the way it makes much of verse 3 quite specific: "their wickedness" would refer specifically to the wickedness of the lawyers and judges (to which Amulek had explicitly referred in [[Alma 10:27]]); and the "they" who "sought to put [Alma and Amulek] away privily" would be (as it obviously would ''have'' to be anyway) the lawyers and judges specifically. From all this, it is clear that while verse 2 lays out ''the people's'' grievances, verse 3 lays out ''the lawyers' and judges' ''grievances, as well as the corrupt and violent way that this particular group proceeds.

==== Textual Variant ====

The word "and" positioned before "because" in this verse appears in the printer's manuscript of the Book of Mormon only as an insertion after the fact. It is possible Oliver Cowdery originally miscopied this verse from the original manuscript (the original is no longer extant for this chapter), or it could be that Oliver added "and" to make better sense of the grammar of the verse. If the latter is the case, it should be noted that Oliver could just as well have added the "and" before the last clause of the verse to make better sense of the grammar. The verse might then have a different meaning, reading:

''And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, and they sought to put them away privily''

As the verse reads now, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek serves to explain the desire to "put them away privily." Had the "and" been inserted before the final clause of the verse, the painfully plain testimony of Alma and Amulek would have served to explain first and foremost the emotion (anger) experienced by the Ammonihahites. This difference is slight, but perhaps significant.

''Personal and public offenses and remedies''

The motives in verse 2 and the accusations in verse 5 seem to be a response to Alma's public form of address, the things Amulek said about their public institutions, doctrines proclaimed openly to the populace, and so forth. Here in verse 3, though, they are angry because Alma and Amulek have condemned their morals; the injury is thus perhaps felt in a personal way, calling for a covert response. Even if the Nephite law provides some public process for such personal injuries (and perhaps it does not; see also Alma's legal reasoning in [[Alma_1:11-15|Alma 1:12-13]]), they cannot seek redress without conceding the point: Alma and Amulek have stung their conscience. It wouldn't have hurt if it weren't true. "To put them away privily" may have felt like the only option for these people who felt personally injured (whether "put them away" means "persuade them to keep quiet" or something more violent), until a suitably public charge could be drummed up (verse 5).

===Verse 4===

"...they did not" probably means they did not put Alma and Amulek away privily. The rest of the verse sounds less like an organized conspiracy and more like a mob. The "they" (v.3) that was seeking to put them away is different from the "they" (v.4) that bound them and took them to the judge. So maybe what's happening here is that the organized conspiracy was undermined by the more immediate action of the mob. Also, Alma 8:31 foretells that it wouldn't be possible for any man to slay them. Perhaps, we're meant to understand that the secret plans in verse 3 were thwarted by God.

=== Verse 5 ===

When the attempt fails to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, they attempt to self-righteously find justification for punishing them with death and even invoke what they interpret as a contradiction of their beliefs: "that [God]...should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them". They seem to think that they are actually in the right!

A couple of significant textual variants appear in verse 5.

First, it has been suggested (see links below) that the word "the" appeared before "judges" in the original manuscript, which is no longer extant. (See the book linked to to find the full justification for this idea.) If the proposed emendation is correct, then it is only the lawyers who are qualified as ''theirs'', ''the people's'', while the judges are the judges ''of the land''.

Second, the word "of" in the phrase "and also of all the people that were in the land" was not originally in the text. It seems to have been (perhaps accidentally) added by the printer of the 1837 edition, without any direction from Joseph Smith. Significantly, it changes the meaning of the text. Without the "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, (3) the judges of the land, and (4) all the people there. With the unwarranted "of," the passage explains that Alma and Amulek were accused of reviling against (1) the law, (2) the people's lawyers, and (3) the judges, who are described, awkwardly, as being both "of the land" and "of all the people that were in the land." (Note that both of these description assume the proposed emendation from above.) It seems clear that the "of" should never have been inserted.

Third, the words "Now this" in the last sentence of the verse originally appeared as "And it came to pass that it," the change being made by Joseph Smith himself in preparation for the 1837 edition. This was, it should be noted, one of several "it came to passes" that Joseph removed from this chapter for the 1837 edition. It is worth noting these deletions because the phrase, despite being removed for good reasons, may be narratively significant.

=== Power Structures ===

In verses 2 and 5, Alma and Amulek are accused specifically with "revil[ing] against their law and also against their lawyers and judges." In verse 2, the people single out Amulek with concern that he "had lied" unto them, and the word "testify" (with its variants) is repeated four times in vv. 3-5, with the word "witness" being repeated another four times in the verses that follow (vv. 5-11). There are a number of clues in this text to suggest that the key issue at hand is a confrontation between power structures. Later in the chapter, Alma and Amulek are interrogated by members of the social, educated elite, "many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers" (v. 18), and are again accused of "condemn[ing] our law."

In conjunction with other key phrases throughout the rest of the chapter (see below), the picture that emerges may be something like this: Alma and Amulek begin preaching, which the wicked immediately perceive as a threat to their established power structure. It is telling, as ever, that it is precisely the lawyers who react most vehemently to their sermon. The lawyers react violently and incite the elite to believe that Alma and Amulek are directly attacking the established power structure, and the upper class rallies to bully the two itinerant preachers into submission.

== Related links ==
* Regarding textual variants, see Royal Skousen's [http://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Textual-Variants-Book-Mormon/dp/093489311X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1308749213&sr=8-4 ''Analysis of Textual Variants''], ISBN 093489311X/978-0934893114.

* For Hugh Nibley's comments on the importance of the turn to scripture in verse 1, see [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/publications/books/?bookid=117&chapid=1369 his lecture on Alma 12-14]. (They are to be found between two-thirds and three-fourths of the way down the page, beginning with the paragraph that begins, "Then he told them to search the scriptures . . . .")

* This probably needs revising, but [[Mike's related links|here is a look]] at the accusation in these 5 verses in the previous 6 chapters. Feel free to edit this page.

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Mike's related links

2011-07-09T13:28:55Z

Mjberkey: Accusations in Alma 14:1-5

==Accusations in Alma 14:1-5==
Having counted 6 accusations in these verses, I went back through Alma 8-13 to collect what I intend to be a complete list of possible justifications (in the text) for these accusations. Here are the actual verses with summaries. Accusations 3-5 kind of run together, but I've differentiated them a bit, as you'll see.

'''V2 Alma speaks plainly to Zeezrom'''
* Alma 12:3-5
** Zeezrom caught in lying and craftiness
** Zeezrom lied to men and God.
** Zeezrom's plan was subtle like the Devil, to deceive the people and set them against Alma & Amulek so they'd revile them and cast them out.

'''V2 Amulek lied'''
* Alma 10:7
**Amulek claims to have seen an angel.
* Alma 10:26
** Amulek says he hasn't spoken against their law, even though they think he just did.

The people [[Alma 10:27|react]] immediately to the second statement, saying he just lied to them, so it's plain Alma 14:2 is referring to this second statement.

'''V2 Amulek reviles law, lawyers, and judges'''
* Alma 10:17-23,27
** Lawyers are a wicked and perverse generation.
** They're hypocrites because they lay the foundations of the devil, i.e. traps/snares to catch Alma & Amulek.
** They plan to pervert the ways of the righteous, which would bring down God's wrath on their heads to the destruction of the people.
** They are the wicked majority Mosiah warned about.
** The Lord judges their iniquities and calls them to repent.
** God will come down with equity and justice.
** Prayers of the rigtheous are the only thing between them and utter destruction.
** Foundation of destruction of the people is laid by unrighteousness of lawyers and judges

Much of this diatribe sounds more directed at the people generally than the lawyers specifically, but [[Alma 10:24|v24]] is the actual moment when the people begin to accuse him of reviling their law and lawyers. What I can't find is what they mean by an attack on their law.

* Alma 11:23-25,36
** Zeezrom called a child of hell and accused of of tempting Amulek.
** Zeezrom loves lucre more than God.
** Zeezrom accused of lying about not believing in God and about intending to give Amulek money and trick him into denying God so he could destroy him.
** "For this great evil thous shalt have thy reward."
** Zeezrom lies about Amulek trying to command God.

'''V3 Alma & Amulek testify plainly against Lawyers' wickedness'''
Since we've chosen to interpret v3 to be from the lawyer's perspective, I'll save Alma's harsh words to the people generally for the v5 accusation. However, I can't find any instance of Alma speaking harshly against the lawyers, except for what already been mentioned against Zeezrom. Amulek's harsh words are already listed above.

'''V5 Alma and Amulek revile the people'''
There's quite a bit for this, so I'll just leave the references for now.
* Alma 10:5,17-23,25,36-37
* Alma 12:36
* Alma 9:8,12,15,18-19,23-24,30
* Alma 12:6,16-18
* Alma 13:13-14,20-21,,27,30

'''V5 Alma and Amulek teach that there's only one God, who will send his Son among the people, but won't save them.'''
This accusation feels a bit convoluted. Certainly they seem upset by the teaching that Christ won't save the people, but are they also upset about there being only one God? And/or that he will send his Son? For now I've dealt only with the first accusation.
* Alma 9:26-27
** Son of God will redeem anyone who is baptized unto repentance.
* Alma 11:32-34,36-37,40
** Christ won't save his people in their sins.
** Christ will only save the believers.

==Problem of Evil==
Alma 14 raises the problem of evil (I think that may actually be why we decided to study this chapter), and I think C.S. Lewis has an interesting response to the question, "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?", as he noticeably does in Alma 14. I think Lewis's answer is not the same as [Alma 14:11] and I also think his answer is a bit more subtle than just, "God has to let us have free will," but that is essentially his point. Anyway, here's the quote...
:''We can, perhaps, conceive of a world in which God corrected the results of this abuse of free will by His creatures at every moment: so that a wooden beam became soft as grass when it was used as a weapon, and the air refused to obey me if I attempted to set up in it the sound-waves that carry lies or insults. But such a world would be one in which wrong actions were impossible, and in which, therefore, freedom of the will would be void; nay, if the principle were carried out to its logical conclusion, evil thoughts would be impossible, for the cerebral matter which we use in thinking would refuse its task when we attempted to frame them. All matter in the neighbourhood of a wicked man would be liable to undergo unpredictable alterations. That God can and does, on occasions, modify the behaviour of matter and produce what we call miracles, is part of Christian faith; but the very conception of a common, and therefore stable, world, demands that these occasions should be extremely rare. In a game of chess you can make certain arbitrary concessions to your opponent, which stand to the ordinary rules of the game as miracles stand to the laws of nature. You can deprive yourself of a castle, or allow the other man sometimes to take back a move made inadvertently. But if you conceded everything that at any moment happened to suit him—if all his moves were revocable and if all your pieces disappeared whenever their position on the board was not to his liking—then you could not have a game at all. So it is with the life of souls in a world; fixed laws, consequences unfolding by causal necessity, the whole natural order, are at once limits within which their common life is confined and also the sole condition under which any such life is possible. Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself. - C.S. Lewis''

===Links===
* http://www.gospeldoctrine.com/Alma14.htm
* http://scriptoriumblogorium.blogspot.com/2010/12/observations-on-alma-14-and-results-of.html
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_of_evil
* http://lds.org/ensign/2009/08/the-path-to-martyrdom-the-ultimate-witness?lang=eng&query=%22Alma+14%22
* http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/22053/Alma-Amulek-showed-true-commitment.html

Mike's related links

2011-07-09T02:22:05Z

Mjberkey: I'll have to finish this later...

Alma 13:16-20

2011-07-09T01:57:33Z

Mjberkey: Why a 20 verse tangent about Melchizedek?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 13|Chapter 13]]
{|
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== Questions ==
===Verse 20===
* Alma finishes this 20 verse tangent about the Melchizedek Priesthood by saying, "I don't need to tell you about this, you have the scriptures." The same could have been said for the previous 19 verses. Why does he go on this tangent? It seems to come out of nowhere and it lacks a pertinent conclusion. He briefly makes a connection to his audience in v13-14, but not one that would justify the amount of detail about the ancient Priesthood that he gives. His transition in v21 is abrupt. Why did Alma speak about the ancient order at all?

* Why does he warn them about wresting the scriptures?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 16===
This verse may be misplaced: Rather than following from the discussion of Melchizedek, Abraham and tithing in verses 14 and 15, it seems to fit quite naturally into the discussion of the ordinance of ordination to the priesthood, and the relationship of that ordinance to the Atonement, in verses 8-12. In fact, verse 16 follows quite naturally from verse 12, which speaks about how those who were ordained enter into the Lord's rest, and leads quite well into verse 13, which exhorts the hearer to prepare personally to enter into the Lord's rest, by describing how the ordinance served as a sign to the people of the direction to look to in order to enter into the Lord's rest.

== Related links ==
=== Verse 16 ===
* Craig A. Cardon, "[http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-646-34,00.html Moving Closer to Him]," ''Ensign'', Nov 2006, pp. 94–96. Elder Cardon states: "When a man is ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood, he enters into an 'order' by which he may be refined through service to others, especially his own family, and blessed by the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost."

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Alma 11:31-35

2011-07-09T01:25:09Z

Mjberkey: Amulek's idea of salvation

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 11|Chapter 11]]
{|
| [[Alma 11:26-30|Previous (Alma 11:26-30)]] ||             || [[Alma 11:36-40|Next (Alma 11:36-40)]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 34===
* What does Zeezrom have in mind with this question? Does he perhaps have [[Alma 9:27]] in mind, where Alma says only those that are baptized unto repentance (through faith in Christ) will be redeemed?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 34===
Helaman [[Hel 5:10| comments ]] directly on this verse, interpreting Amulek to mean that God wouldn't save his people in their sins because it is their very sins they are to be saved from. Zeezrom's question and Amulek's answer show that they don't initially have this kind of salvation in mind. It seems clear from v37 that for Amulek salvation amounts to inheriting the kingdom of heaven, but there's a hint of Helaman's interpretation in v40 when he says Christ shall take upon him the transgressions of believers.

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 10:21-25

2011-07-09T01:20:42Z

Mjberkey: Laws and lawyers

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 10|Chapter 10]]
{|
| [[Alma 10:16-20|Previous (Alma 10:16-20)]] ||             || [[Alma 10:26-32|Next (Alma 10:26-32)]]
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== Questions ==
* v. 22 - Why does Amulek feel the need to distinguish the threatened destruction from the method of Noah's day?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 24===
* It's clear that the people are particularly incensed at Amulek's attack on the realm of law and its officers, betraying a focus on the political. (See also [[Alma 8:12]], [[Alma 10:13]], and [[Alma 10:19|Alma 10:19-20]].)

* It's interesting to see that they feel their laws and lawyers are beyond criticism, and the reasons they give for it, namely, their laws are ''just'' and their lawyers are selected by the people. Quite a contrast with today's world. Laws and lawyers are readily criticized, and we don't put as high a value on the justice of our laws.

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 11:31-35

2011-07-09T00:02:16Z

Mjberkey: /* Questions */

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 11|Chapter 11]]
{|
| [[Alma 11:26-30|Previous (Alma 11:26-30)]] ||             || [[Alma 11:36-40|Next (Alma 11:36-40)]]
|}
== Questions ==
===Verse 34===
* What does Zeezrom have in mind with this question? Does he perhaps have [[Alma 9:27]] in mind, where Alma says only those that are baptized unto repentance (through faith in Christ) will be redeemed?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 34===
Helaman [[Hel 5:10| comments ]] directly on this verse, interpreting Amulek to mean that God wouldn't save his people in their sins because it is their very sins they are to be saved from. Zeezrom's question and Amulek's answer show that they don't have this kind of salvation in mind. It seems clear from v37 that for Amulek salvation amounts to inheriting the kingdom of heaven. What Zeezrom meant by the question in the first place isn't clear.

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 11:31-35

2011-07-08T23:50:05Z

Mjberkey: What did Zeezrom mean by his question?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 11|Chapter 11]]
{|
| [[Alma 11:26-30|Previous (Alma 11:26-30)]] ||             || [[Alma 11:36-40|Next (Alma 11:36-40)]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 34===
* What does Zeezrom have in mind with this question? Does he perhaps have [Alma 9:27] in mind, where Alma says only those that are baptized unto repentance (through faith in Christ) will be redeemed?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 34===
Helaman [[Hel 5:10| comments ]] directly on this verse, interpreting Amulek to mean that God wouldn't save his people in their sins because it is their very sins they are to be saved from. Zeezrom's question and Amulek's answer show that they don't have this kind of salvation in mind. It seems clear from v37 that for Amulek salvation amounts to inheriting the kingdom of heaven. What Zeezrom meant by the question in the first place isn't clear.

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 11:31-35

2011-07-08T03:18:11Z

Mjberkey: Question belonged in commentary

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 11|Chapter 11]]
{|
| [[Alma 11:26-30|Previous (Alma 11:26-30)]] ||             || [[Alma 11:36-40|Next (Alma 11:36-40)]]
|}
== Questions ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add questions''

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
===Verse 34===
Helaman [[Hel 5:10| comments ]] directly on this verse, interpreting Amulek to mean that God wouldn't save his people in their sins because it is their very sins they are to be saved from. Zeezrom's question and Amulek's answer show that they don't have this kind of salvation in mind. It seems clear from v37 that for Amulek salvation amounts to inheriting the kingdom of heaven. What Zeezrom meant by the question in the first place isn't clear.

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 11:31-35

2011-07-08T03:14:37Z

Mjberkey: /* Questions */

Alma 11:31-35

2011-07-08T03:09:11Z

Mjberkey: Salvation from what, if not sin?

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 11|Chapter 11]]
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== Questions ==
===Verse 34===
Helaman [[Hel 5:10 comments ]] directly on this verse, interpreting Amulek to mean that God wouldn't save his people in their sins because it is their very sins they are to be saved from. Zeezrom's question and even Amulek's answer imply that they don't have this kind of salvation in mind. When they speak of Christ saving his people, what are they (especially Zeezrom) imagining he needs to save them from, if not sin?

== Lexical notes ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes''

== Exegesis ==
''Click the edit link above and to the right to add exegesis''

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

----
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Alma 14:6-10

2011-07-06T16:26:08Z

Mjberkey: Minor edit

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
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== Questions ==

===Verse 6===

*Was Zeezrom "astonished at the words which had been spoken" by "the people" in v5 or by Alma and Amulek in the previous chapters?

*Zeezrom caused the people to have "blindness of the mind" due to his lying words. Does this mean that the people were weakminded, or does it mean something else?

*What are the pains of hell?

===Verse 7===

*What is it in Zeezrom's confession/testimony in v7 that may have provoked the people to cast out or burn the believers?

*When Zeezrom declares himself as guilty is he volunteering to take the punishment for the “crimes” committed by Alma and Amulek?

*Is there a religious significance to the casting of stones in this verse?

*What is the connection between what the people do to Zeezrom here (revile, spit, cast out) and what they did to Alma when he first went to Ammonihah? (revile, spit, cast out: see [[Alma 8:13]]) Is this a ritual in their city?

===Verse 8===

* Verse 7 records that Zeezrom and '''all those who believed in the words which had been spoken''' were exiled from Ammonihah, yet v8 says their wives and children were rounded up to be burned. Is this second group more extensive, because it contained "whosoever had been taught to believe in the word of God," or was it less extensive, because other believers had already been cast out or stoned?

*How plentiful were copies of the “holy scriptures”?

===Verse 9===

*Both v8 and v9 suggest that both the location and means of execution may have been previously established in Ammonihah: for example, use of "the fire" without any description of fire-building or site selection, and reference to "the place of martyrdom" as if this was well known. Did the actual place bear this designation, "the place of martyrdom", and if so, was it already so designated before v8, or did the place only take on this designation historically because of this event?

*Why it is important to the people of Ammonihah that Alma and Amulek "witness the destruction"? More generally, why is it important that we become witnesses to suffering, injustice, and the pains of others? Does their use of "witness" as a verb rather than a noun make a difference here?

*How does the use of "fire" in this verse compare with other uses of the word in scripture? How do these burnings compare with [[Mosiah 17:13]], [[Mosiah 19:20]], [[Alma 25:11]], or even perhaps [[Hel 5:23]]?

*What affect might watching this gruesome scene have had on Alma and Amulek? Are the people trying to break down Alma and Amulek psychologically? How might this experience influence the their future preaching?

===Verse 10===

*Why is Amulek only seeing woman and children being burned in the fire? Verse 8 states that “whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they cause that they should be cast into the fire.” Are Alma and Amulek standing next to other men while they watch this scene, or were all the men driven out in v7 and only women and children cast into the fire?

== Lexical notes ==
* Verse 6: Regarding Zeezrom's soul being ''harrowed up'': ''harrowing'' as an agricultural term is quite distinct from plowing, which digs a single deep trough. A harrow is a long, multi-tined instrument that disrupts the top layers of the soil, breaking up clumps and rendering the surface ready for planting.
http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,harrow

See also Christian beliefs about Christ's "Harrowing of Hell" (Greek: ''Anastasis'') between his death and resurrection.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell

== Exegesis ==

===Zeezrom's Conversion===

Zeezrom's change of heart begins when people testify falsely against Alma and Amulek. His range of emotions begins with "astonishment" at the "blindness of the minds," which leads to a sense of his own complicity and guilt about the collective unwillingness to acccept truth, and then to being "harrowed up" and "encircled by pains of hell," and finally: public confession.

===Burning the believers===
The reaction of the wicked to burn the believers is entirely shocking. Indeed, it may be the most extreme reaction by the wicked to preaching recorded in scripture. It is surprising for a couple reasons.
* ''It seems to come out of nowhere.'' In the preceding verses and chapters, the wickedness of Ammonihah seems to be pretty typical of all wicked cities. No particular mention of their sins is made (besides [[Alma 8:17]]) except to say that they're wicked and they reject Alma's teachings. By contrast, [[Mosiah 11]] gives specific attention to the wickedness of King Noah, making a case against them, before introducing Abinadi. Ammonihah feels like your run-of-the-mill prideful city, until you get to v8 and realize just how awful these guys are.
* ''It's unprecedented.'' Typically in situations like this, those in power (the king, the chief judge, the governor, etc.) act primarily in the interest of preserving their power and will seek to knock off the head of the movement (e.g. the prophet) that is disturbing the balance of power. There may be some persecution against the believers as well, but not typically this extreme. That seems to be the pattern this story was following until v5. In v5, Alma and Amulek are on trial, suggesting they prefer to keep up a facade of legality and justice. But what is the outcome of the hearing? To burn the believers! But they weren't on trial so what was the point of holding one? It makes no sense. A possible explanation for this sudden turn may be the interposed testimony of Zeezrom.
* ''It's blatantly illegal.'' Ammonihah is still accountable to the broader laws of the land, and they must expect some kind of retribution for the execution of women and children who weren’t even on trial in v5. These burnings don’t just represent a rejection of Alma’s preaching, but a rejection of association with the rest of the Nephites. Between this verse and [[Alma 8:17]], it’s clear that these people were already planning some kind of rebellion when Alma came to Ammonihah in ch8, though it isn’t revealed in their actions until this moment.

=== Power Structures ===

The significance of burning the believers' ''records'' may possibly be explained in terms of the power structures discussed above. Because records are a crucial part of any power structure, especially those that are elite/educated (courts and religions and education, constituted of judges, laywers, priests, and teachers), it may be that these scriptural records were recognized as the binding and unifying force for this upstart religious group. Burning the records, then, especially in such a way as to warrant such strong language ("that they might be burned ''and'' destroyed by fire") might be aimed at cutting down this threatening power structure at its very roots.

Further evidence that this chapter is steeped in the language of judicial procedure comes in Zeezrom's introspective statement. As Zeezrom realizes his own error and watches the court-room drama unfolding between God and the people of Ammonihah, he exclaims, "Behold, '''I am guilty, and these men are spotless.''' He frames his repentant statement in terms of guilt vs. innocence. Immediately after proclaiming his own guilt, he is eliminated from the system, "reviled" and "cast . . . out from among them" in company with the other believers (v. 7).

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

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Alma 14:6-10

2011-07-06T16:15:36Z

Mjberkey: Minor edit

[[The Book of Mormon]] > [[Alma]] > [[Alma 14|Chapter 14]]
{|
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== Questions ==

===Verse 6===

*Was Zeezrom "astonished at the words which had been spoken" by "the people" in v5 or by Alma and Amulek in the previous chapters?

*Zeezrom caused the people to have "blindness of the mind" due to his lying words. Does this mean that the people were weakminded, or does it mean something else?

*What are the pains of hell?

===Verse 7===

*What is it in Zeezrom's confession/testimony in v7 that may have provoked the people to cast out or burn the believers?

*When Zeezrom declares himself as guilty is he volunteering to take the punishment for the “crimes” committed by Alma and Amulek?

*Is there a religious significance to the casting of stones in this verse?

*What is the connection between what the people do to Zeezrom here (revile, spit, cast out) and what they did to Alma when he first went to Ammonihah? (revile, spit, cast out: see [[Alma 8:13]]) Is this a ritual in their city?

===Verse 8===

* Verse 7 records that Zeezrom and '''all those who believed in the words which had been spoken''' were exiled from Ammonihah, yet v8 says their wives and children were rounded up to be burned. Is this second group more extensive, because it contained "whosoever had been taught to believe in the word of God," or was it less extensive, because other believers had already been cast out or stoned?

*How plentiful were copies of the “holy scriptures”?

===Verse 9===

*Both v8 and v9 suggest that both the location and means of execution may have been previously established in Ammonihah: for example, use of "the fire" without any description of fire-building or site selection, and reference to "the place of martyrdom" as if this was well known. Did the actual place bear this designation, "the place of martyrdom", and if so, was it already so designated before v8, or did the place only take on this designation historically because of this event?

*Why it is important to the people of Ammonihah that Alma and Amulek "witness the destruction"? More generally, why is it important that we become witnesses to suffering, injustice, and the pains of others? Does their use of "witness" as a verb rather than a noun make a difference here?

*How does the use of "fire" in this verse compare with other uses of the word in scripture? How do these burnings compare with [[Mosiah 17:13]], [[Mosiah 19:20]], [[Alma 25:11]], or even perhaps [[Hel 5:23]]?

*What affect might watching this gruesome scene have had on Alma and Amulek? Are the people trying to break down Alma and Amulek psychologically? How might this experience influence the their future preaching?

===Verse 10===

*Why is Amulek only seeing woman and children being burned in the fire? Verse 8 states that “whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they cause that they should be cast into the fire.” Are Alma and Amulek standing next to other men while they watch this scene, or were all the men driven out in v7 and only women and children cast into the fire?

== Lexical notes ==
* Verse 6: Regarding Zeezrom's soul being ''harrowed up'': ''harrowing'' as an agricultural term is quite distinct from plowing, which digs a single deep trough. A harrow is a long, multi-tined instrument that disrupts the top layers of the soil, breaking up clumps and rendering the surface ready for planting.
http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,harrow

See also Christian beliefs about Christ's "Harrowing of Hell" (Greek: ''Anastasis'') between his death and resurrection.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell

== Exegesis ==

===Zeezrom's Conversion===

Zeezrom's change of heart begins when people testify falsely against Alma and Amulek. His range of emotions begins with "astonishment" at the "blindness of the minds," which leads to a sense of his own complicity and guilt about the collective unwillingness to acccept truth, and then to being "harrowed up" and "encircled by pains of hell," and finally: public confession.

===Burning the believers===
The reaction of the wicked to burn the believers is entirely shocking. Indeed, it may be the most extreme reaction by the wicked to preaching recorded in scripture. It is surprising for a couple reasons.
* ''It seems to come out of nowhere.'' In the preceding verses and chapters, the wickedness of Ammonihah seems to be pretty typical of all wicked cities. No particular mention of their sins is made (besides [[Alma 8:17]]) except to say that they're wicked and they reject Alma's teachings. By contrast, [[Mosiah 11]] gives specific attention to the wickedness of King Noah, making a case against them, before introducing Abinadi. Ammonihah feels like your run-of-the-mill prideful city, until you get to v8 and realize just how awful these guys are.
* ''It's unprecedented.'' Typically in situations like this, those in power (the king, the chief judge, the governor, etc.) act primarily in the interest of preserving their power and will seek to knock off the head of the movement (e.g. the prophet) that is disturbing the balance of power. There may be some persecution against the believers as well, but not typically this extreme. That seems to be the pattern this story was following until v5. In v5, Alma and Amulek are on trial, suggesting they prefer to keep up a facade of legality and justice. But what is the outcome of the hearing? To burn the believers! But they weren't on trial so what was the point of holding one? It makes no sense. A possible explanation for this sudden turn may be the interposed testimony of Zeezrom.
* ''It's blatantly illegal.'' Ammonihah is still accountable to the broader laws of the land, and they must expect some kind of retribution for the execution of women and children who weren’t even on trial in v5. These burnings don’t just represent a rejection of Alma’s preaching, but a rejection of association with the rest of the Nephites. Between this verse and [[Alma 8:17]], it’s clear that these people were already planning some kind of rebellion when Alma came to Ammonihah in ch8, though it isn’t revealed until this moment.

=== Power Structures ===

The significance of burning the believers' ''records'' may possibly be explained in terms of the power structures discussed above. Because records are a crucial part of any power structure, especially those that are elite/educated (courts and religions and education, constituted of judges, laywers, priests, and teachers), it may be that these scriptural records were recognized as the binding and unifying force for this upstart religious group. Burning the records, then, especially in such a way as to warrant such strong language ("that they might be burned ''and'' destroyed by fire") might be aimed at cutting down this threatening power structure at its very roots.

Further evidence that this chapter is steeped in the language of judicial procedure comes in Zeezrom's introspective statement. As Zeezrom realizes his own error and watches the court-room drama unfolding between God and the people of Ammonihah, he exclaims, "Behold, '''I am guilty, and these men are spotless.''' He frames his repentant statement in terms of guilt vs. innocence. Immediately after proclaiming his own guilt, he is eliminated from the system, "reviled" and "cast . . . out from among them" in company with the other believers (v. 7).

== Related links ==
* ''Click the edit link above and to the right to add related links''

----
{|
| [[Alma 14:1-5|Previous (Alma 14:1-5)]] ||             || [[Alma 14:11-15|Next (Alma 14:11-15)]]
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Talk:Alma 14:1-5

2011-07-06T16:12:29Z

Mjberkey: Minor edit

===Did believe on his words===
Joe you call for a closer look at the roles of Alma and Amulek, and I think [[Alma 8:24|Alma 8:24-25,29]] might be a good place to start. What I'm seeing there is that in v24 Alma speaks of his initial and more general commission to preach "among all this people" which he then remarks that he came to "this land" to do that as well. But in v25 he speaks of his more specific command to "prophesy unto this people... and to testify against them." In v29 Amulek receives the second command, but not the first.--Mike Berkey 15:22, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Material from Verse 4==

I nixed the following from the exegesis:

"In verse two, the people attempt to use a political argument against Alma and Amulek. They accuse the two of reviling “against their law” and “against their lawyers and judges.” However, these same people revile against the very government that they are claiming to support. In order to put Alma and Amulek away “privily” they must undoubtedly break their own laws. Either the lawyers and judges would have to ignore their actions or this group of people would have to find a way to do this without anyone knowing.

"Perhaps the people "sought" the lawyers and the judges, but could not convince them of their dishonest plan. Thus, the people chose to actually prosecute Alma and Amulek, rather than illegally execute them. Either way, it seems the people are acting in an ultimately hypocritical way. They are using the law as an excuse to push their own political (and perhaps spiritual) agenda. They call on the law for support only when it is to their own benefit. It seems, then, that the people are not really respecting their own laws. This duplicity, then, might be understood as symptomatic of the kind of "hardening of hearts" (cf. [[Alma 12:9|Alma 12:9ff]]) that the people are exhibiting."

My reasoning: given the exegetical comments now clarifying the relationship between verses 2 and 3, this interpretation doesn't make any sense. And I'm having a hard time trying to turn it into something meaningful. At this point, I suspect it's simply unworkable.

--[[User:Joe Spencer|Joe Spencer]] 15:09, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 1 Commentary==
I'm removing the following from the commentary on verse 1 for the moment, mostly because I'm not sure what to do with it. The possible tie with the Greek word for repentance is interesting, but could be repeated whenever the Book of Mormon mentions repentance, and so it seems to me a bit excessive. This can probably be worked up into something more productive, but I'm not sure what to do with it for the moment. Little help?

"Perhaps in accordance with the Greek word, [http://emp.byui.edu/SATTERFIELDB/Rel211/Metanoeo.htm''metanoeo''], which means a change of mind or feelings and is often translated as repentance in the New Testament, some of the people are moved to repent and search the scriptures to understand the new point of view that they have adopted in response to Alma's words."

--[[User:Joe Spencer|Joe Spencer]] 15:12, 3 July 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 3 Questions==
''What does "put them away privily" refer to? Is this a reference to a secret assassination plot, the first instance of a secret combination in Nephite history? Or might it refer, as in Matt 1:19, to a lawful but discreet process?''
*The connection with Matt 1:19 is interesting, but personally I'd guess it's nothing more than coincidence. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're speculating some particular legal process which would have been referred to by the Nephites as "putting away privily". The way I read v3-4 it sounds like Mormon expects the meaning of this phrase to be immediately obvious to his reader. With that in mind and the fact that Mormon conscientiously writing for a modern audience ([[Alma 8:7]] as an example of Mormon explaining Nephite customs to the modern reader) I think Mormon would have explained a bit more if there was a more subtle meaning here. --Mike Berkey 02:23, 25 June 2011 (CEST)

==Verse 5 exegesis==
===Power Structures===

Kim, clearly you're right that there's a reaction to protect the established power structure, but I don't know if that explains the extreme vitriol. For example, when Jesus threatened the Jewish and Roman power structures, they tried him privately and had him dead in less than a day, and they didn't really go after the rest of the disciples (until later in Acts). If this were only a matter of preserving power, wouldn't you expect them to follow the same sort of pattern, that is, knock off the head of the movement by putting Alma and Amulek away privily. Instead they drive the men out of town and stone them, they make Alma and Amulek watch as they burn not only the women and children, but also their scriptures. In fact, for some reason they decide ''not'' to kill Alma and Amulek, but to keep them in prison, bound and naked, and torture them, trying to get them to renounce their preaching. It seems their accusations about reviling against the law are just rationalization of actions that are really motivated by truly irrational hatred. It's this irrational hatred that interests me. What motivates it? --Mjberkey 19:11, 22 June 2011 (CEST)
:But then, in Mosiah 17:12 it's the accusation that Abinadi had reviled against the king that got Noah to change his mind from releasing Abinadi to burning him. In Helaman 8:2 the judges use the same accusation against Nephi to try to incite the people. So, I guess this accusation has intense emotional connotations. --Mjberkey 19:35, 22 June 2011 (CEST)

::Interesting question, Mike, for precisely the following reason: the tension between verses 3 and 4. Also, please continue to use the word "vitriol" regularly. I think their decision to take Alma and Amulek before the chief judge may be the key move. The chief judge is the one exercising the most "vitriol" against them, not the people. In fact, in the case of Abinadi, I think it's telling that the response came because of the offense caused to a figure with a LOT of authority, as the chief judge would be. --Kim Berkey 1:57 pm (MST)

:::You say it's the judges more than the people, but I don't know, everything up through verse 9 feels a lot more like mob violence than organized governmental oppression. The chief judge doesn't say or do anything until verse 14. While he condones the burning, there's no indication that he ordered it. And I feel like the "tension between verses 3 and 4" indicates that those in power ''were'' seeking to simply put Alma and Amulek away privily, but the mob preempted them. At least, that's how I'm reading verse 4 right now.--Mjberkey 02:53, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

::Besides, once you already have a religious movement at work, causing people to believe and search the scriptures (v. 1) or even speak out vocally as Zeezrom did, simply letting Alma and Amulek quietly disappear wouldn't do the trick anymore. The religious movement has already started. --Kim Berkey 1:59 pm (MST)

Alma 8:12 definitely supports your reading that their focus is on power.
:''And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief judge over us.''

So does Alma 8:17
:''For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which he has given unto his people.''

It sounds like some people in Ammonihah want to rule over all the Nephites.--Mjberkey 16:29, 23 June 2011 (CEST)

==Stuff from the Blog==

Here are comments from the [http://feastuponthewordblog.org/2011/06/25/alma-14/ blog] that may prove to be of use on the commentary page. I thought I would place them here so that they can be drawn on:

Mike said:

:''There’s no mention of Alma or Amulek saying or doing anything in v1-9. This is mainly a picture of the people’s reaction to their preaching, and what a reaction! Those that repent immediately turn to the scriptures (but aren’t baptized, which I’m still wondering about). The reaction of the unrepentant is incoherent. They think about killing them, but change their mind and instead bring them to court. Zeezrom tries to defend them so they turn on him, kick him and the rest of the believing men out and burn the women and children. Like, where did that come from? I thought Alma and Amulek were on trial.''

:''I’ve tried to develop a model in which this reaction might make a bit more sense. I’ve based it on Alma 8:17. In that scripture Alma has turned his back on Ammonihah, but an angel has sent him back with a specific mission to warn them that if they don’t repent they’ll be destroyed. But in v17 the angel kind of gives a reason why Ammonihah is in so much trouble. He says that even at this moment they’re plotting to destroy the liberty of the Nephites. This is the only justification I’ve found (before Alma 14 that is) for the Lord’s intent to destroy Ammonihah.''

:''This is the situation in Ammonihah when Alma and Amulek are preaching. The people are on the verge of some kind of revolt to gain power over the rest of the Nephites. This would explain their focus on power that Kim has pointed out. Burning the believers and their records is a way of exerting their power over Alma and Amulek, putting them in their place. “Don’t tell us that we’ll be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone. Anyone you convert, we’ll cast into fire and brimstone. We’ll make you watch on, helpless and powerless to save them!” These guys have an intense desire for power and it’s kind of terrifying what it drives them to do.''

And then Robert responded:

:''I think the “incoherent” reaction by the unrepentant that Mike mentions is very important to figure out. That is, I think there’s a pretty common psychological phenomenon at work here. And I think Alma 12:9ff offers a pretty good way for understanding this.''

:''If you’ve read Terry Warner’s Bonds That Make Us Free, he nicely outlines the way that resistance to a certain idea can quickly escalate (and that is consistent with the teaching of Alma 12:9ff, that resisting the truth can lead to a kind of “captivity” as 12:11 puts it, or “bondage” in Warner’s language).''

:''Obviously, this effect has reached a kind of extreme stage among the people of Ammonihah, and it’s occurred at a group level in a way that seems to go beyond what Alma 12:9ff and Warner focus on. However, I still think that the mechanism at work (which can also be conceived as a kind of Girardian mimetic rivalry, where the rivalry is initiated by differing reactions to a given word/teaching) is a very common, even mundane one. And this, I think, is crucial to recognize. --[[User:Joe Spencer|Joe Spencer]] 23:11, 3 July 2011 (CEST)''

::Okay, time to respond to all this. First, as I think the developing commentary has made clear, there is no particular incoherence about the people's reaction, since there seems to be a kind of disagreement between the people generally and the lawyers and judges more specifically. (That disagreement may actually be entirely imagined, in the heads just of the lawyers and judges, but that remains to be addressed.)

::That said, I do think it is worth thinking carefully about 8:17. At the same time, I'm not sure what relevance that verse or any interpretation of it ultimately has for the interpretation of the present text. Why is God's apparent motivation helpful for making sense of things here? I see why it might be if the people's response were indeed incoherent, but I think that's clearly not the case.

::In the end, then, I'm thinking now that the only thing in this exchange between Mike and Robert that ultimately bears on the present text is the first line from Mike's intervention: it is certainly interesting and significant and Alma and Amulek are entirely passive characters through the whole of verses 1-9.

::So let me propose to make a note of that point in the commentary and then—if no one objects in the next day or two—to delete this exchange from the talk page so that we can focus on other questions. Thoughts? --[[User:Joe Spencer|Joe Spencer]] 15:26, 6 July 2011 (CEST)

I feel that what's been cleared up is that the narrative itself isn't incoherent, although confusing. I think the people's reaction here in v2-9 is extreme, irrational, and unexpected (See [http://feastupontheword.org/Alma_14:6-10#Burning_the_believers ''Burning the believers'']). I still hope that Alma 8:17 can shed light on this reaction.

That being said, I think v6-10 might be a better place for this discussion. I actually copied what I wrote on the blog into that discussion page.--Mike Berkey 18:11, 6 July 2011 (CEST)