Why did King Benjamin desire to give his followers a new name?

Thomas R. Valletta

“Not only was the new name, found in Mosiah 3:8, uniquely and distinctively given for these particular people and for this specific occasion, but, even more importantly, this designation was given to the people, not just to the new king. In traditional Israelite coronations only the king entered into the covenant with God and thereby became his son (see Psalm 2:7). In Benjamin’s kingdom, however, every person was allowed to enter into a covenant in connection with Mosiah’s coronation (see Mosiah 5:1–5), and thereby they all became God’s ‘sons, and his daughters’ (Mosiah 5:7)” (Welch, “King Benjamin’s Speech,” 57.)

The Book of Mormon Study Guide: Start to Finish

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