“Men Should Till the Ground”

Brant Gardner

Textual: These verses (4-6) are a structural parallel to Mosiah 9:9-12. As with the earlier verses, Zeniff sets up the actions of the Lamanites by describing the economic activities of his people. The only explanation for the dual reference to tilling the ground is that it is a code-statement for Zeniffite prosperity, which prosperity would serve to ignite Lamanite greed, both in Mosiah 9:9-12 and in these verses (4-6).

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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