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CHAPTER 22Plans are made for the people to escape from Lamanite bondage—The Lamanites are made drunk—The people escape, return to Zarahemla, and become subject to King Mosiah. [About 121 B.C.] |
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1 AND now it came to pass that Ammon and
king Limhi began to consult with the people how they should
adeliver themselves out of bondage; and even they did
cause that all the people should gather themselves
togethera; and this they did that
they might have the voice of the people concerning the matter.
2 And it came to pass that they could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous, it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them, thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.
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1a they did cause that all the people should gather themselves together Here one must consider what time of year and events would be such that a gathering of all a people under bondage and under guard would not cause suspicions concerning just why it is that they are gathering, for certainly such a gathering movement among the people would be observed and noticed by the guards of the land. And where would they be gathered to? In Jerusalem there were times and season for such populous gatherings. And they would gather to the temple. Thus this first gathering of the people for discussion concerning the matter of deliverance might be in conjunction with one such common event among them. |
1a
Mosiah 7:18
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3 Now it came to pass that aGideon went forth and
stood before the king, and said unto him: Now O king, thou hast hitherto
hearkened unto my words many times when we have been contending with our
brethren, the Lamanites.
4 And now O king, if thou hast not found me to be an unprofitable servant, or if thou hast hitherto listened to my words in any degree, and they have been of service to thee, even so I desire that thou wouldst listen to my words at this time, and I will be thy servant and deliver this people out of bondagea.
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4a I will be thy servant and deliver this people out of bondage Now Gideon care much for the people and did not care unto himself and his own pride. Certainly when he had raised up against Noah, one would well consider that Noah's son might consider him a threat to him also. But this was not Gideon's nature. He was a righteous and just person. And it is his wisdom and plan which will deliver the Nephites of Limhi from their bondage. But rather than taking charge and usruping authority from Limhi, he in his humility states himself to be a servant unto the king, meaning more truly that he was but a servant unto his people. This degree of righteousness and humble leadership latter will show in the establishment of an entire city by the name of Gideon, likely of those more righteous followers of the people of Limhi who sought after Gideon and his associate under their new found freedom in the land of Zarahemla. Indeed Gideon is worth an entire study in and of himself, though he is being presented but a 'sub-character' in the abridged record of Mormon. |
3a
Mosiah 20:17;
Alma 1:8-9
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5 And the king granted unto him that he might speak. And Gideon
said unto him:
6 Behold the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side of the citya. The Lamanites, or the aguards of the Lamanites, by night are bdrunken; therefore let us send a proclamation among all this people that they gather together their flocks and herdsb, that they may drive them into the wilderness by night.
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6a Behold the back pass, through the back
wall, on the back side of the city Now which side of the city
would be the back side? Certainly it would not be that side which would face
the Lamanites to the west, thus it is not the westside. That westside would
also be the 'ocean side' the side facing the ocean and the plains on down to
the sea through the land of the Lamanites. Nor can one consider that the north
side to be the 'backside' as it did face the land of Shilom to the north, the
other once city of the people of Limhi which was would now be determinable to
have gone into the hands of the Lamanites for the Nephites has gathered
themselves into one body for security against the Lamanites rather than being
spread between the two cities. Now the south side could have been the 'back
side' but for two reasons the east side is favored. First it was the opposite
side in contrast to the lands of the Lamanites to the west. Also the east side
would have been the 'mountain' or wilderness side into which the people could
depart and not be easily detected or followed. What the exact 'round-about'
route was, passing the land of Shilom, it would certaining be in the hill or
mountain lands of the east and NOT the land west which was near unto the
Lamanites and with far less protective environment in which to concel
themselves. Thus a conclusion is made that the east side of he city was the
back side and the 'gate' in that wall which traveled by way of the 'back pass'
which likely might be a 'mountain passage' known well by the Nephites but not
as well by the Lamanites.
6b that they gather together their flocks and herds Again, such an obvious gather of all such flocks and herds of the people to one location would be of a suspicious nature, except upon certain regular occasions, which we may presume. One a year the Nephites of king Limhi were to gather their flocks and heards and various other commodities upon the assessment and payment of the tax upon the people. In this situation it would not be suspicious at all for both the people and all of the heards to be gathered together from off the face of the land unto one place. |
6a
Mosiah 19:28;
Mosiah 21:5 b Alma 55:14 (8-17)
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7 And I will go according to thy command and pay the last
atribute of wine to the
Lamanitesa, and they will be
bdrunken; and we will pass through the secret pass on the
left of their camp when they are drunken and asleep.
8 Thus we will depart with our women and our children, our flocks, and our herds into the wilderness; and we will travel around the land of aShilom.
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7a pay the last tribute of wine to the Lamanites Here would seem the confirmation as to why the people gathering and the gathering of the flocks and herds to one location would not become suspicious. For it was indeed the time of taxation and tribute. The last of the tribute wine was to be paid just prior to the planned escape. |
7a
Mosiah 19:26 b TG Drunkenness 8a Mosiah 7:7 (5-16)
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9 And it came to pass that the king hearkened unto the words of
Gideon.
10 And king Limhi caused that his people should gather their flocks together; and he sent the tribute of wine to the Lamanites; and he also sent more wine, as a present unto thema; and they did drink freely of the wine which king Limhi did send unto them.
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10a he sent the tribute of wine to the Lamanites; and he also sent more wine, as a present unto them This extra 'present' was not to be sent on to the King of the Lamanites as would the rest of the tribute wine. But this present wine was specifically given to the captain of the gaurds and his men. And it would have likely have been a very strong wine for the intent of purpose was to bring the guards of the land into a state of drunkenness that night that the Nephites might effect their escape undetected. |
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11 And it came to pass that the people of king Limhi did
adepart by night into the wilderness with their flocks and
their herds, and they went round about the land of
bShilom in the wilderness, and bent their course towards the
land of Zarahemlaa, being led by
Ammon and his brethren.
12 And they had taken all their gold, and silver, and their precious things, which they could carry, and also their provisions with them, into the wilderness; and they pursued their journey.
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11a they went round about the land of
Shilom in the wilderness, and bent their course toward the land of
Zarahemla Now the people of Limhi had left the city of Lehi-Nephi
by way of 'the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side of the
city' (verse 5). With the local orientation being toward the ocean on the
west with the downward sloping plains of the Lamanite land of Shemlon 'before'
them to the west, the 'back side' would have been the 'moutain side' to the
east. And while the Lamanites had surrounded the land on all sides, it would
be to the east that they would find their way most readily into the
wilderness. The land and city of Shilom was to their immediate north, but
travel through that land would not go undetected for it had not the cover of
the wilderness which was upon the mountain side to the east.
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11a
Mosiah 25:8 b Mosiah 11:12-13; Alma 23:12
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13 And after being many days in the wilderness they
aarrived in the land of Zarahemla, and joined Mosiah's
people, and became his subjects.
14 And it came to pass that Mosiah areceived them with joy; and he also received their brecords, and also the crecords which had been found by the people of Limhi.
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13a
Mosiah 25:5 14a Mosiah 24:25 b Mosiah 8:5; Mosiah 9:1 c Mosiah 8:9
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15 And now it came to pass when the Lamanites had found that the
people of Limhi had departed out of the land by night, that they sent an
aarmy into the wilderness to pursue them;
16 And after they had pursued them two days, they could no longer follow their tracks; therefore they were lost in the wilderness.
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15a
Mosiah 23:30-39
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