Mosiah 9 The Record of
Zeniff
Mormon inserts this history
of the people of Zeniff. It comprises about 70 years and three kings, Zeniff,
Noah, and Limhi. It is important to remember that chronologically this is a
flashback—to tell us what happened to these people and give background for the
state of affairs with Limhi’s people. This record includes chapters 9-22 and is
taken from the plates spoken of in Mosiah 8:5.
Mosiah 9:1 I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the
Nephites
A few points deserve
mention. First, one can’t help but notice the similarities between the
introduction of Zeniff and that of Nephi who said, I,
Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in
all the learning of my father…having had a great knowledge…(1 Ne 1:1).
Second, Zeniff says all the language of the
Nephites because there was more
than one language. They spoke a form of Hebrew, wrote in reformed Egyptian, and
joined with the Mulekites who spoke an entirely different language. Third, it
is interesting that chapters 9 and 10 are written in the first person. This
means that Mormon wrote the story of Zeniff verbatim without abridgement or
editorializing. As soon as his son Noah takes charge, Mormon begins to abridge
the record and the rest of the story is told in third person.
Mosiah 9:1 I saw that which was good among them
The righteous Nephites
always had a soft spot in their hearts for their brethren the Lamanites. Zeniff
was quick to acknowledge the good qualities of Lamanite society. In this
respect, he was like Jacob who noted, the
Lamanites…are more righteous than you…their husbands love their wives, and
their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their
children (Jacob 3:5,7).
Mosiah 9:9 What are neas
and sheum?
Nobody knows exactly what
crop or grain is represented by these words. That Joseph Smith would not be
able to describe in 1829 English every word or term used by the Nephites is
evidence for the authenticity of the Book of Mormon:
“Together
with ‘neas and sheum’ of Mosiah 9:9 and ‘cureloms and cumoms’ of Ether 9:19, we
have some very convincing examples of what are technically known as hapax
legomena. Linguistically, such terms are a part of almost all ancient
records. Indeed they become a check on their age. Hapax legomena are
terms which cannot be translated, only transliterated-that is, put into the
sounds of a language.” (Richard H. Cracoft, Neal E. Lambert, A Believing
People: Literature of the Latter-Day Saints, p. 143)
Mosiah 9:11 Laman began to grow uneasy, lest…my people should wax
strong in the land
Like the early Mormon
settlers of Missouri and Illinois, the people of Zeniff grew strong enough to
threaten the political and social security of their Lamanite neighbors. An
understandable source of conflict, this eventually led to multiple battles with
and bondage to the Lamanites. Of course, they would not have fallen into
bondage to the Lamanites if they had not turned from the Lord.
When the Nephites went to
battle in the strength of the Lord (v. 17),
they were not destroyed. In the first battle between Zeniff’s people and
Laman’s armies, Laman lost 3043 while Zeniff lost only 279 (v. 18-19).
Mosiah 9:14 Lamanites…began to slay them, and to take off their flocks
Stealing the flocks of
others soon became a way of life for some Lamanites. This is evidence in the
story of Ammon who was protecting the flocks of king Lamoni. In this instance,
the Lamanite pillagers were stealing from their fellow brethren, Now it was the practice of these Lamanites to stand by the
waters of Sebus to scatter the flocks of the people, that thereby they might
drive away many that were scattered unto their own land, it being a practice of
plunder among them (Alma 18:7).