Difference between revisions of "Omni 1:1-30"

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The Book of Mormon > Omni

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Summary

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The relationship of the book of Omni to the rest of the Book of Mormon is discussed at The Book of Mormon.

Historical setting

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Discussion

This heading is for more detailed discussions of all or part of a passage. Discussion may include the meaning of a particular word, how a doctrinal point is developed throughout the passage, insights to be developed in the future, and other items. Contributions may range from polished paragraphs down to a single bullet point. The focus, however, should always be on understanding the scriptural text consistent with LDS doctrine. Click the link above and to the right to edit or add content to this heading. →

Verse 15

Note that the Mulekites left Jersualem just after Lehi and his family. See 1 Ne 1:4.

Verse 17

Unlike the people of Nephi, the people of Zarahemla didn't have any records. Compare Mosiah 1:3-5 where King Benjamin tells Mosiah that were it not for the records that the Nephites had, their people too would have dwindled in unbelief. It may be that King Benjamin was thinking of the people of Zarahemla when he says this.

Verse 28: Strong and Mighty

What does it mean to be a "strong and mighty" man? The following men are described in the Book of Mormon as large, strong, or mighty men:

• Brother of Jared (large and mighty) Ether 1:34
• Old Testament king Nimrod (mighty hunter) Ether 2:1
• Jaredite Shule (strong...and mighty as to the strength of a man) Ether 7:8
• Unnamed Jaredite usurper (mighty) Ether 11:15
• Second unnamed usurper, descendant of Brother of Jared (mighty) Ether 11:17.
• Jaredite warriors (large and mighty as to the strength of men) Ether 12:26
• Laban (mighty) 1 Ne 3:31.
• Nephi (large in stature, and also having received much strength) 1 Ne 4:31
• Nephite kings and leaders (mighty men in the faith of the Lord) Jarom 1:7
• The leader of this exploration party to the Land of Nephi (strong and mighty) Omni 1:28.
• Ammon, royal Mulekite descendant of Zarahemla (strong and mighty) Mosiah 7:3
• Gideon (strong man) Mosiah 19:4
• Nehor (large and noted for his much strength) Alma 1:2
• Amalickiah (a large and a strong man) Alma 46:3
• Captain Moroni (strong and mighty) Alma 48:11
• Coriantumr, a descendant of Zarahemla and defector from the Nephites (large and mighty) Hel 1:15
• Mormon (large in stature) Morm 2:1

These terms are used most often to describe Jaredite or Mulekite military leaders. When the ancestry of a person so described is not mentioned (eg. Nehor, Amalickiah, leader of expedition in Ommi--perhaps the terms indicate that they share Jaredite or Mulekite ancestry (an exception being Captain Moroni?). Perhaps these phrases pass beyond mere description, to serve as military titles. Interestingly, "strong and mighty" is first used in the Nephite record here in Omni after Mosiah has translated the brief record of the Jaredites and the Nephites have integrated with the Mulekites.

Points to ponder

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• I find it interesting that in a book filled with inspired words from inspired prophets we have Omni a clearly wicked man. He openly admits to have not followed the commandments of God. Why do you think the Lord would allow someone who was clearly not inspired to write his words in a book filled with inspiration? I think we can learn a lot from the little that Omni gives us. I think by his wording you can tell that he regrets what he has done by saying that he hasn't kept the commandments as he "ought to have done". I definitely don't want to look back on my life and have it be filled with regret for the things I ought to have done. We only get one shot at this life and if we don't find out ourselves now and what we stand for we'll look back and think of the years wasted in sin and misery. For it is true misery never was happiness.

I have a question

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Verse 12

• If the Nephite kings were all named Nephi, is there any reason to think that Mosiah was the king in the Land of Nephi before fleeing to Zarahemla.

• What happened to the Nephites that didn't flee with Mosiah? Are they destroyed or absorbed into the Lamanites, who apparently rule the area when Zeniff and his people return there a few years later?

• Who is this Amaleki, and is there a connection between him and the later Amaleki, brother of Ammon and descendant (grandson?) of Zarahemla? Why would a Nephite royal priest (Abinadom) and a royal Mulekite of the following generation both name their sons Amaleki? What are we to make of these parallel Amalekis, one who did not go to the Land of Nephi with his brother, and the later Amaleki who did go to the Land of Nephi with his brothers?

Verse 13

• What does it mean to be led by the power of God's arm?

• Why don't we have the "many preachings and prophesyings" of Mosiah's journey?

• How does Mosiah's journey compare with the Exodus of Moses?

Verse 14

• Why would the people of Zarahemla "rejoice exceedingly" over the plates of brass?

Verse 15

• What is the possibility that the story Zarahemla told about descending from the last King of Judah was actually a political fiction created by Zarahemla after learning Mosiah's language and history, and used to either a) fit into a narrative accepted by the people of Mosiah or b) to create a royal lineage for himself in order to assert the right to rule the people?

Verse 19

• Since the Mulekites were always more numerous than the people of Mosiah, how is it that Mosiah "was appointed" to be king?

Verse 21

• Was Coriantumr found by the "people of Zarahemla" during the reign of Zarahemla, or does this refer to something that happened among his ancestors?

Verse 26

• Do we find this idea of offering our souls as an offering to God anywhere else in previous scripture? In subsequent scripture, it seems a similar idea is expressed in 3 Ne 9:19-20, where the Nephites are told to offer a broken heart and contrite spirit to God instead of sacrifices and burnt offerings--this seems to be referring to animal sacrifices and offerings, possibly including vegetable offerings (see John Dunnill's article in The Journal of Religion, V. 81.1, pp. 79-93), but apparently not "soul offerings" as Omni is talking about here. In this sense, is it justifiable to trace a progression of thought from Jacob's teaching that the law of Moses points "our souls to [Christ]" (Jacob 4:5) to what Amaleki is saying here?

• How can this verse help us understand the significance of the altar in temple ceremonies, both in the endowment and in sealings? How might the the altar in modern temple ordinances affect the way we read this verse?

Verse 27

• Why might these people have been "desirous to possess the land of their inheritance" when they or their parents had been told to flee from there? Didn't these people now have a new land of inheritance in the land of Zarahemla? Why would they consider the land of Nephi to be their "land of inheritance"?

• Is there any evidence that the Nephites were anxious to reclaim the temple that they had abandoned upon fleeing the Land of Nephi?

Relation to other scriptures

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Related scriptures

The relationship of Omni to the rest of the Book of Mormon is discussed at Book of Mormon: Unities.

Parallel passages

Previous editions

Resources

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Cited references

1830 edition of the Book of Mormon: Omni

Other resources

Notes

Footnotes are not required but are encouraged for factual assertions that average readers cannot easily evaluate for themselves, such as the date of King Solomon’s death or the nuanced definition of a Greek word. In contrast, insights rarely benefit from footnoting, and the focus of this page should always remain on the scriptures themselves rather than what someone has said about them. Links are actively encouraged on all sections of this page, and links to authoritative sources are preferable to footnotes.

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