HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
- being warned by God, a righteous group of Nephites led by Mosiah left the land of Nephi and traveled to the land of Zarahemla
- took the record and sacred relics with them (Amalaki was the keeper)
- found the Mulekites living there—had no record and did not believe there was a God
- Mosiah became king over the land and had his language taught to the Mulekites
- had a large stone record of Coriantumr and the Jaredites
- don’t have much information about the first king Mosiah
- Benjamin, his son, became king and fought many wars with the
Lamanites on behalf of his people
- Amalaki gave small plates to Benjamin because he has no sons
(other plates and sacred relics had been handed down by the kings)
KING BENJAMIN
- Mormon called him a holy man
- reigned in righteousness
- was a warrior-king
- labored “with all the might of his whole soul” to establish
peace in the land
- taught his sons the language of his father and how to
search sacred records
- meek
- labored with his own hands for his own welfare
- lived and taught the Law of Moses
- served his people “with all the might, mind, and strength”
which the Lord granted him
- worried about the spiritual welfare of his people
KING BENJAMIN’S SPEECH
- given at the temple from a tower
- people gather by families and remain in tents
- speech is written and distributed because the crowd was so large they
couldn’t all hear his words
- accounting to this people of his reign and ministry
- people are given a name that cannot be blotted out except through
transgression
- much of it was revealed to him by an angel
- coronation of a new king—his son Mosiah
- entire speech is chiastic in form with the natural man scripture being center
(there are 2567 words prior to 3:19 and 2476 following)
- contains several excellent examples of chiasmus and other forms of Hebrew
parallelisms
- one of history’s greatest humanitarian discourses
- includes some of the clearest and most beautiful doctrine related to the
atonement found anywhere in scripture
- was given at a time of celebration of the autumn festival complex, the year of
sabbatical and the jubilee year
- makes covenants with his people and gives them a new name
- consecrates priests and teachers
CHIASMUS
“Chiasmus is the literary technique of creating double structures in which the second half of a composition mirrors and balances the first half, but in reverse order. In general, the device is useful for several literary purposes, especially for concentrating attention on the main point of the passage by placing it at the central turning point rather than in a topic sentence at the beginning of a paragraph, as is the trend with modern writers. King Benjamin was particularly effective in creating chiastic structures. Many of his chiasms have one clear central point, while others contain a focal point of two or more lines, forming a parallelism at the center of the chiasm. One may assume that chiasmus served Benjamin’s purposes in several ways, for it can aid memorization, teach by means of calculated repetition, and confer a sense of completeness or closure to a lengthy textual development. Chiastic structures can also convey the meaning of a passage in many ways beyond the meanings of isolated words and individual phrases.”
John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=13
OVERVIEW OF KING BENJAMIN’S SPEECH
A. All are indebted to God (2:9-28)
B. Consequences of obedience or disobedience (2:31-41)
C. The angel’s testimony of Christ’s deeds (3:2-10)
D. Sanctification by the atonement of Christ (3:11-27)
C’. Benjamin’s testimony of God’s goodness (4:4-12)
B’. Righteous behavior of the redeemed (94:13-30)
A’. The sons and daughters of God (5:6-15)
OVERVIEW OF KING BENJAMIN’S SPEECH (with interruptions)
Preparations (1:1-2:8)
A. All are indebted to God (2:9-28)
First interruption (2:29-30) Coronation proclamation
B. Consequences of obedience or disobedience (2:31-41)
Second interruption (2:41-3:1) Remember, remember—Benjamin calls again for attention
C. The angel’s testimony of Christ’s deeds (3:2-10)
D. Sanctification by the atonement of Christ (3:11-27)
Third interruption (3:27-4:4) The people fall to the ground and confess
C’. Benjamin’s testimony of God’s goodness (4:4-12)
B’. Righteous behavior of the redeemed (94:13-30)
Fourth interruption (4:30-5:6) Benjamin accepts their covenant
A’. The sons and daughters of God (5:6-15)
Final acts (6:1-3) Names recorded, Mosiah consecrated, priests appointed, people dismissed
https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/does-chiasmus-prove-anything- about-the-book-of-mormon
CHIASMUS
“My testimony to you tonight is that the gospel is infallibly true and that a variety of infallible proofs supporting that assertion will continue to come until Jesus descends as the ultimate infallible truth of all. Our testimonies aren’t dependent on evidence—we still need that spiritual confirmation in the heart of which we have spoken—but not to seek for and not to acknowledge intellectual, documentable support for our belief when it is available is to needlessly limit an otherwise incomparably strong theological position and deny us a unique, persuasive vocabulary in the latter-day arena of religious investigation and sectarian debate.Thus armed with so much evidence of the kind we have celebrated here tonight, we ought to be more assertive than we sometimes are in defending our testimony of truth.”
Jeffery R. Holland
https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/transcript-elder-holland-speaks- book-of-mormon-chiasmus-conference-2017
KING BENJAMIN’S SPEECH
- given at the temple from a tower
- people gather by families and remain in tents
- speech is written and distributed because the crowd was so large
they couldn’t all hear his words
- much of it was revealed to him by an angel
- coronation of a new king—his son Mosiah
- entire speech is chiastic in form with the natural man scripture
being center (there are 2567 words prior to 3:19 and 2476
following)
- contains several excellent examples of chiasmus
- one of history’s greatest humanitarian discourses
- includes some of the clearest and most beautiful doctrine related
to the atonement found anywhere in scripture
- was given at a time of celebration of the autumn festival complex,
the year of sabbatical and the jubilee year
- makes covenants with his people and gives them a new name
- consecrates priests and teachers
HOLY DAYS
“Under the law of Moses, Israelites were required to observe three main holy days each year.The first was the well-known spring festival of Pesach (Passover), which began the Feast of Unleavened Bread.The second was Shavuot (Pentecost), occurring fifty days after Passover. The third was an autumn festival complex that later developed into the composite two-or-three-week-long observance of the three related celebrations of Rosh ha-Shanah (New Year and Day of Judgment),Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).
These holy days held enormous religious, political, and family significance, especially since God had commanded their observance. Accordingly, no person could claim to keep the law of Moses and not observe these special holy days, which would have been kept at least as intently as the strictly observed regular weekly sabbaths.
As guided by the Lord and his prophets, Lehi and his people diligently kept the law of Moses.”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=8
HOLY DAYS
“In spite of these challenges and uncertainties, attempting to identify the possible ancient Israelite holy days or festival season on which or during which a Book of Mormon speech or event may have taken place is significant and rewarding for several reasons: First, finding evidence of such observances tends to confirm the internal consistency of the Book of Mormon by showing that its peoples kept the law of Moses as they claimed. Second, knowing something of the potential background or context of a passage from the Book of Mormon promotes a better understanding of the possible meanings of its words and phrases.Third, because much of the information about ancient Israelite or Jewish festivals pertinent to King Benjamin’s speech was simply unknown by and—as far as we can discover— unknowable to Joseph Smith in 1829, such accuracy supports the claim that the Book of Mormon was translated from an ancient Israelite record, as Joseph Smith explained.”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=8
ROSH HA-SHANAH
(New Year and Day of Judgment)
- Sacrifice—(2:3)
Judgment—(2:37-38, 3:17-18, 3:21, 3:24-25, 3:28) Remembrance—(1:3,6,7,1:17,2:40,2:41,4:11,4:30, 5:11-12,6:3)
- King—“The king himself is frequently associated with NewYear festivals. This was apparently the preferred time for the coronation of the king and the renewal of the people’s covenant to obey him and God. According to John Eaton, at such great Israelite assemblies, the king served in several ways: he would “exhort men in God’s way,” and admonish them to worship God (compare Mosiah 2:18–19); he would “[testify] to the marvels of Yahweh’s salvation and [assert] his superiority to other gods” (compare Mosiah 2:40–41; 3:5, 17; and many others); and he would be God’s witness, appearing “as an evidential sign, an abiding token and reminder of God’s work in the midst of the nations” (compare Mosiah 2:24, 27, 29; 4:5–9)”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=8
YOM KIPPUR
(Day of Atonement)
- Preparations—Special preparations were in order for such a great day, particularly for those in charge. Sacrifice and blood purifications (3:12, 3:18).
- Confession—naturally connected with repentance was the process of confession (4:2, 4:5, 2:21, 26). According to one source, forgiveness is granted to all on this day who confess and repent (6:2).
- Giving to the poor and repaying debts (4:26). Joy (4:11, 4:12, 4:6).
Blessings (2:22, 2:31, 2:41).
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=8
SUKKOT
(The Feast of the Tabernacles)
- Pilgrimage—day of assembly (1:10, 18, 2:5, 6, 9, 27)
- Booths/tents—the ancient Israelites sat in booths or huts made from branches and vines.The purpose was to remind the children of Israel that they had been “made to dwell in booths” when they were brought out of Egypt.To the Nephites, their festival use of tents may have symbolized the time when Lehi and his family had “dwelt in a tent.” Sacrifice
Earthly king
Heavenly King
Thanksgiving and praise
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/? pub=1087&index=8
SABBATICAL YEAR
“In addition to perhaps scheduling his speech during the fall festival, Benjamin seems to have timed this great assembly to occur in connection with the conclusion of a sabbatical year, which came once every seven years. Four of the major themes of the sabbatical year can be found embedded in biblical legislation concerning land, debt, slaves (also servants or service), and the public reading of the law.”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/? pub=1087&index=8
SABBATICAL YEAR
“If Benjamin’s speech came at the end of a sabbatical year, this would explain why King Mosiah, at the end of his coronation, “did cause his people that they should till the earth” (Mosiah 6:7).This royal act would seem to mark specifically the end of the sabbatical year and the ceremonial beginning of a new agricultural period, for it would be odd for a king to command his people to begin tilling the ground unless there had been some reason to cease, or some need to commence this common activity anew. It would also give new significance to the fact that Benjamin affirms that he has not allowed his people to “make slaves of one another” (Mosiah 2:13) and insists that all people belong to God by virtue of his having created them (see Mosiah 2:24). Furthermore, in the context of a sabbatical year celebration it makes good sense for Benjamin to speak so extensively about service, giving to the poor, and the realization that all people are beggars (see Mosiah 4:15–23). In addition, Benjamin commanded his people to settle their debts with their neighbors and not remain borrowers (see Mosiah 4:28).”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=8
THE JUBILEE
“Religious grounds are given for these measures: the land cannot be sold absolutely, for it belongs to God.” On a jubilee year, one could expect a king to comment on this extraordinary time of return, as Benjamin indeed does:“Whosoever among you borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin also” (Mosiah 4:28). Benjamin’s concern, under one possible reading of this text, is that the very thing that has been transferred should be returned. Substituted property of equivalent value, or money, was apparently not acceptable to Benjamin on this occasion. One wonders why not—perhaps because during a jubilee year the people had to “return every man unto his possession.” Furthermore, Benjamin expresses concern that the lender might commit sin as well as the borrower. Are we to imagine that Benjamin fears that the lender might commit sin by somehow injuring the delinquent debtor in anger? Or is this more a reflection of the public nature of the obligation to fulfill the requirements of the jubilee wherein the possession of specific property itself had to be relinquished, and both parties were required to participate or else “commit sin”?
Underlying the jubilee laws was the idea that the land and all the world belongs to God. Private ownership of land in Israel was effectively limited, at least in theory, by the jubilee redemption and fallow laws.A similar concept is also expressly recognized by King Benjamin, who declares concerning the dust of the earth:“behold, it belongeth to him who created you” (Mosiah 2:25).The recognition of God’s ownership of the earth would have been as powerfully felt on a jubilee year as at any time on the ancient Israelite calendar.”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=8
THE JUBILEE
“These relatively specific parallels, coupled with similarities in the overall tone and concerns of the jubilee texts and Benjamin’s speech, indicate Benjamin’s intense feelings about helping the poor, establishing God’s covenant among his people, being conscientious in walking in the paths of righteousness, and realizing man’s utter dependence on God for life and sustenance.These may well be attributable to the heightened sense of these principles felt by the ancient Israelites during the jubilee season.”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/? pub=1087&index=8
THE JUBILEE
“The setting for King Benjamin’s speech was profoundly religious. On this occasion Benjamin disclosed sacred knowledge to his people about the true nature of divine kingship, the atonement of Christ, and the judgments of God. In addition, Benjamin performed the coronation of his son Mosiah and conducted his covenant renewal celebration—the most important ceremonial day of his life. It appears that he deliberately held this sacred assembly at the holy time of the year when such events were typically performed in ancient Israel, and possibly during a sabbatical or jubilee year. Just as the Israelite traditions shed considerable light on Benjamin’s words, his speech represents a Nephite version of the ancient Israelite fall celebration, and as such it may add to our understanding of preexilic Israelite religion.
Thus it may be reasonably asserted that the ancient Israelite traditions connected with these festivals provided much of the fabric from which Benjamin fashioned his presentation of many of his revealed and revealing Christian expectations.This address ranks as one of the most spiritual and humanitarian sermons ever recorded in holy books the world over. Benjamin’s speech contains numerous elements pertinent to the New Year holy day, the Day of Atonement observances, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the sabbatical or jubilee year.These elements account for the vast majority of themes or topics found in Benjamin’s speech.
Benjamin’s speech addresses many fundamental religious principles, and none of these topics can be considered out of place in a speech delivered by a king to a group of observant Nephites during their fall festival season.When viewed in light of the holy setting of this speech, its penetrating and revealing themes shine through especially bright and clear. King Benjamin’s carefully chosen words and the angel’s marvelously articulated messages could hardly have been more timely.”
Terrance L. Szink, John W.Welch,
https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1087&index=8
HE DOTH IMMEDIATELY BLESS YOU
“The problem is that when we read Benjamin’s words we usually think of blessings such as “men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25), to “prosper in the land” (2 Nephi 4:4), or to “run and not be weary” (D&C 89:20) and are confused.Wasn’t Job “perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil”? (Job 1:1).And yet he lost everything and suffered greatly. If we identify prosperity, joy, or health as the blessing for obedience, Job was not immediately blessed. In addition, throughout scripture we read of mighty prophets who suffered all manner of afflictions.We also have neighbors, friends, and family who live the commandments and do not receive health, prosperity, or joy. So what was King Benjamin talking about?
Many who have gained a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ have struggled with this issue and come to realize that there is a process of trial and testing that often comes before the reception of the promised blessings. However, the promises are still fulfilled. Job eventually received the blessings, as will every righteous person, but they will be given the blessings according to the Lord’s timing. These blessings, therefore, are not the immediate blessing King Benjamin speaks of. So what is?
The answer is found in the lives of the prophets.They suffered.They endured hardships.They were sometimes weary and sometimes did not prosper materially, but what empowered them to endure these trials was their great faith—faith that was given to them because they used their moral agency to obey God.
The immediate blessings of obedience are spiritual gifts, and paramount among these spiritual gifts is faith. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explains, “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present and the greater the measure of obedience to God’s laws the greater will be the endowment of faith.”
Elder Henry B. Eyring explains,“First comes obedience, and then come the confirming assurances, the revelation of truth, and the blessing of light.”
Sherry Mills Johnson,
https://rsc.byu.edu/sites/default/files/pubs/pdf/chaps/Sperry%202003.pdf
THE NATURAL MAN
A. except they humble themselves
B. and become as little children, and believe that
C. salvation was, and is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ, the Lord
Omnipotent.
D. For the natural man
E. is an enemy to God,
F. and has been from the fall of Adam,
F.’ and will be, forever and ever,
E’. unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit,
D’. and putteth off the natural man
C’. and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,
B’. and becometh as a child,
A'. submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things
THE NATURAL MAN
“As we progress in the journey of mortality from bad to good to
better, as we put off the natural man or woman in each of us, and as we strive to become saints and have our very natures changed, then the attributes detailed in this verse increasingly should describe the type of person you and I are becoming.We will become more childlike, more submissive, more patient, and more willing to submit.”
Elder David A. Bednar, BYU 2001,
https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/david-a-bednar_strength-lord/
