Mosiah 6
People in this chapter
Benjamin's sermon is over, and Mosiah 6 shows what came after it. The king writes down the names of everyone who made the covenant. He finds that there was not one soul, except it were little children, who had not taken upon them the name of Christ (v. 2). Then he consecrates his son, appoints priests to keep the people remembering, and sends every family home.
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Mosiah 6:1-3They Had Taken upon Them the Name of Christ
1And now, king Benjamin thought it was expedient, after having finished speaking to the people, that he should take the names of all those who had entered into a covenant with God to keep his commandments.
Benjamin writes down the name of everyone who made the covenant. A covenant is personal, and each person's name mattered.
2And it came to pass that there was not one soul, except it were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and had taken upon them the name of Christ.
Everyone made the covenant except the little children, who were too young. Years later, some of those children did not believe (Mosiah 26:1-4).
3And again, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of all these things, and had consecrated his son Mosiah to be a ruler and a king over his people, and had given him all the charges concerning the kingdom, and also had appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made, he dismissed the multitude, and they returned, every one, according to their families, to their own houses.
Benjamin made Mosiah king and appointed priests to teach the people and help them remember the promise they had made.
After the gathering, every family went home. The covenant would be kept or lost there.
Mosiah 6:4-5Mosiah Began to Reign in His Father's Stead
4And Mosiah began to reign in his father's stead. And he began to reign in the thirtieth year of his age, making in the whole, about four hundred and seventy-six years from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem. 5And king Benjamin lived three years and he died.
Mosiah becomes king at thirty. Benjamin lives three more years and dies, having seen his son reign well.
Mosiah 6:6-7That He Might Not Become Burdensome to His People
6And it came to pass that king Mosiah did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe his judgments and his statutes, and did keep his commandments in all things whatsoever he commanded him. 7And king Mosiah did cause his people that they should till the earth. And he also, himself, did till the earth, that thereby he might not become burdensome to his people, that he might do according to that which his father had done in all things. And there was no contention among all his people for the space of three years.
Mosiah kept God's commandments in all things. The new king started out faithful.
Mosiah farmed his own land so his people would not have to support him, as his father had done. The result was three years of peace.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- Mosiah, Son of BenjaminThe scriptural outline of the life of the king who begins to reign in verse 4, from his father's example to his work as a seer and translator.
- CovenantScriptures on covenants between God and His people, the kind of promise Benjamin's people made and he recorded in verse 1.
- ChristiansPassages about bearing the name of Christ, including Benjamin's teaching that the covenant people are called the children of Christ (Mosiah 5:7).
- SacramentThe ordinance in which Latter-day Saints witness each week that they are willing to take upon them the name of Christ, the covenant of verse 2.
Where this echoes in Scripture
They Had Taken upon Them the Name of Christ
- Mosiah 5:8There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ.
- Acts 4:12There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
- Moroni 6:4Their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God.The same practice in the Church of Christ, centuries later.
- Mosiah 26:1Many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake.
- D&C 20:77That they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments.The sacrament prayer renews the covenant of verse 2.
Mosiah Began to Reign in His Father's Stead
- Mosiah 1:10On the morrow I shall proclaim unto this my people out of mine own mouth that thou art a king and a ruler over this people.
- 1 Kings 2:2-3Be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; and keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways.David's charge to Solomon as the kingdom passes.
- Words of Mormon 1:17-18King Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness.
- Mosiah 29:46Mosiah died also, in the thirty and third year of his reign, being sixty and three years old.
That He Might Not Become Burdensome to His People
- Mosiah 2:14I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes.
- Acts 20:34Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
- 2 Corinthians 12:14I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you.
- Mosiah 29:40They did not look upon him as a tyrant who was seeking for gain… but he had established peace in the land.How Mosiah's people remembered him at the end of his reign.