“I Know That It Is the Great Spirit”

Brant Gardner

King Lamoni accepts the evidence as presented by the servants, and draws the same conclusion as they did. Ammon cannot be a mere human, therefore he is a manifestation of the Great Spirit. King Lamoni gives the statement that Ammon must have come to save the lives of the servants. Above this was noted as a possible explanation of Lamoni's fear of the charge of murder. However, see in the context of his response to the servants, this entire response appears to be a recasting of his opinion.

Where he was at first fearful of Ammon, he now accepts him as a friend. Where Ammon's purpose in coming was at first a punishment, it is now salvific for the servants. Coming as it does among statements that indicate that the king is restructuring his opinion of Ammon, it is quite probable that this statement is also a part of the restructuring, and not a veiled reference to any guilt the king might have harbored over the death of previous servants.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

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