“That His People Might Be Convinced”

Brant Gardner

Textual: Note the very last comments in this verse: “that his people might be convinced concerning the wicked traditions of their fathers, and that they might be convinced that they were all brethren, and that they ought not to murder, nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to commit any manner of wickedness.” It is unquestionable that these are not the words of the king of the Lamanite. Regardless of his conversion and his willingness to have the gospel preached, it is doubtful that he would describe his people in such negative terms. This is Mormon speaking, and Mormon is repeating themes we have seen from him in other editorial comments. Mormon’s association between the Lamanites and such things as murder and plunder were so engrained that he could only see the gospel as changing them from those practices.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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