In these central chapters of the book of Mosiah, readers encounter several names and events that are not very well known. The primary theme, however, should be quite familiar. These four chapters deal mainly with what it takes to be delivered from bondage of any kind in our lives. Although the types of bondage we face today may be quite different from those faced by the people in these narratives, the primary message about how we overcome such challenges is just as important now as it was then.
The following summary may be helpful as a guide to this complicated series of accounts and these amazingly interconnected records. If this history seems hard to follow as you read through these chapters, imagine how much more difficult it would have been for King Mosiah or an assistant such as Alma or Mormon as the abridger to assemble the underlying, interlocking records that stand behind the final form of the book of Mosiah. In addition, notice how precisely the details in these chapters fit together, and then appreciate Joseph Smith keeping all of this straight as he translated and dictated this record, line upon line, to Oliver Cowdery in mid-April, 1829.
- Ammon, a Mulekite descendant of King Zarahemla. Ammon was allowed to lead a group of 16 men to go from Zarahemla back up to the City of Nephi, to find out how the Nephites were doing who had returned there to repossess "the land of their inheritance" (Omni 1:27). Amaleki, the last writer on the Small Plates of Nephi, had a brother who had previously gone back up with that group early in the reign of King Benjamin (Omni 1:30). When King Mosiah began to rule, people in Zarahemla were curious to find out what had become of those people, and Mosiah allowed this group to go and see. Ammon’s words are quoted or summarized in 7:12–13, 8:2–3, and 8:13–17.
- Amaleki, one of Ammon’s brethren (7:6), has the same name as the last descendant of Jacob to write on the Small Plates, so there may have been a personal family interest in wanting to reconnect with long-lost relatives. People in Zarahemla had rightly suspected that things were not going very well for their relatives, since they had not heard from them for about forty years.
- Limhi was the Nephite king in the land of Nephi when Ammon arrived (7:9). He was the son of King Noah, who was the son of King Zeniff. Limhi’s words are quoted or summarized in 7:9–11, 14–15, 18–33. Limhi does not mention his father Noah by name. Apparently he was ashamed that Noah’s people had killed a prophet of God (7:26), named Abinadi (11:20). Limhi reports the reasons why Abinadi was killed (7:27–28; see later 17:8), for which the people of Limhi had ended up in bondage under the Lamanites (7:15).
- Two generations earlier, Zeniff, who was Limhi’s grandfather, had been made king over his small group of Nephites who had returned to the city of Nephi, but Zeniff had been tricked into entering into a treaty with King Laman, the Lamanite King (7:21). This was bondage 1. Zeniff’s own first-hand record of the events during his lifetime is found in two full chapters (9:1–10:22). Zeniff had led his people in fighting off an attack by a host of Laman’s soldiers (9:16–19). This was Lamanite invasion 1. After Laman had died (10:6), Zeniff in his old age (10:10) needed to rally his men once again. They contended "face to face" with the invading Lamanites, driving them back out of the land of Nephi and killing many of them (10:6–10, 19–20). This was Lamanite invasion 2. The Nephites won because they trusted in the strength of the Lord (10:10–11, 19).
- Laman was the cunning and crafty ruler who had deceived Zeniff by his enticing promises (7:21; 9:10; 10:18). He had oppressed the Nephite resettlers for twelve years (9:11). King Laman and his son, who succeeded him, believed that their ancestors had been wronged by the Nephites, who robbed them of their records and rights (10:12–18).
- Laman’s son continued pressing his father’s grievances. But during the time of the reign of King Noah (who was Zeniff’s son), the Lamanites mounted no further attack. Noah had built watch towers (11:12) and presumably other fortifications. The Lamanites did not invade again until after the death of Abinadi (17:13–20) and divisions had arisen among Noah’s people (18:3; 19:2, 6).
- Although Noah’s name is skipped over in these chapters, Limhi’s words tell how the Lamanites attacked again (20:9). This was Lamanite invasion 3. Limhi and his people had thus come to find themselves in bondage after Noah’s death, paying heavy tribute yet again to the Lamanites (7:15; 21:2–21). This was bondage 2. It paved the way for Limhi’s offer to Ammon to flee back to the Land of Zarahemla and become, if necessary, "slaves to the Nephites" (7:15). Having heard the words of King Benjamin’s speech (8:3), Limhi’s people entered into a covenant with God and were desirous to be baptized (21:31–33). Under the leadership of Limhi, who listened to the wise counsel of Gideon, the people made their escape and eventually found their way to Zarahemla (Mosiah 22).
Many lessons can be learned from these chapters about bondage and deliverance, as the Nephites came into bondage for various reasons and were delivered by watching, preparing, and trusting in the Lord. In this compilation of texts and materials, plenty of hints can be found to help us figure out the spiritual and allegorical implications. The captivity experienced by these Book of Mormon peoples can meaningfully function as an allegory for our own spiritual captivity. The story is about physical bondage, but the Book of Mormon contains these stories to tell us something about our spiritual bondage, including guidance on how we can get out of spiritual captivity. Believers in Christ may not be following the path of wicked King Noah or heading for destruction. But are we modern Ammons? or Zeniffs? Or Limhis? Are we like Alma, or Gideon?
Further Reading
Monte S. Nyman, "Bondage and Deliverance: Mosiah 7–8, 19–24," in Book of Mormon, Part 1: 1 Nephi–Alma 29, Studies in Scripture: Volume 7, ed. Kent P. Jackson (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1987), 260–269.
Clyde J. Williams, "Deliverance from Bondage" in Mosiah, Salvation Only Through Christ, Book of Mormon Symposium Series, Volume 5, ed. Monte S. Nyman and Charles D. Tate, Jr. (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1991).
