During Abinadi’s first mission Yahweh had him call the people to repentance. This mission is different. Abinadi does not deliver a prophetic if but rather a prophetic will. Abinadi now foretells their bondage and suffering. The people have made their decision, and Yahweh has made his. Abinadi simply describes the imminent future of the unrepentant population. These fearsome calamities will all too soon become the reality of their lives.
Text: Mormon appears to be quoting Abinadi’s speech. However, internal evidence shows that there was no single record of this speech (vv. 10–12), which is logical, since he delivered this discourse to an audience that was not expecting him. It would have been highly improbable for a trained scribe to be on the spot with writing materials at that exact moment. Hence, Mormon is using Noah’s official record, which must be based on the memories of those in the crowd. The inevitable discrepancies between witnesses explain the slightly different versions of what he said.