Download the Mosiah BOM Summary PDF

Mosiah Book of Mormon Summary 

Ch1 – King Benjamin and People in Land of Zarahemla

• Land of Zarahemla filled with Nephites, Mulekites, etc. but called by Nephites
• Peace time in Land of Zarahemla
• Highly Favored people of the Lord
• King Benjamin Makes Mosiah King Over People
• King Benjamin passes on Plates of Brass, Liahona & Sword of Laban & Urim & Thummim to Mosiah

Ch2 – King Benjamin Gathers People to Speak to Them

• King gathers great number of people to hear the words of King Benjamin
• People offer sacrifices
• Erected tower so people could hear King
• Wrote words that he spoke so everyone could receive them
• King Benjamin speaks about service & following his example
  • “Unprofitable Servants”
  • Obey commands è prosper in land
  • Ch3 – King B saw an angel that taught him
  • “Lord will come in the flesh”
  • “Put off Natural Man”
  • “Become as a child…willing to submit to his father”
  • “Little children are blameless”
  • “My words will stand as a witness against you at last day”
  • Ch4 – Crowd cried for mercy & forgiveness
  • “Are we not all beggars?”
  • “We are ‘dust of the earth’”
  • Ch5 – “Be ye steadfast & immovable
  • “Remember & perish not”
• People converted to the Lord – hearts changed
• Took upon His name

Ch6 – People Enter into Covenant & King Benjamin Dies

• Everyone except children entered into a covenant to keep commandments
• Names of those that made covenant recorded
• Kingdom passed to Mosiah
• King Benjamin dies 3 years later
• Mosiah reigns for 3 years / no contention

Ch7 – Mosiah Sends Ammon to Find People in Lehi-Nephi

• Mosiah sends 16 Strong men and Ammon (Mulekite – Descendent of Zarahemla) to find out what happened to Zeniff and his people that went to find land of Lehi-Nephi
• 40 Days in wilderness looking for land
• Finds land of Nephi & Shilom
• Caught by King Limhi and Guards
• Put in Prison for 2 days
• Brought before King Limhi to answer questions
• Limhi, son of Noah, son of Zeniff came out of Zarahemla to inherit land of Lehi-Nephi
• Ammon told Limhi he’s from Zarahemla & came to find them
• Limhi rejoices & causes people to rejoice
• Limhi tells Ammon they are in bondage to the Lamanites and are taxed grievously 50% of all they have
• Desires to be salves to the Nephites instead of paying tribute to the Lamanites
• Next day gathered people & Limhi speaks to them –
  • The day has come to be freed from the Lamanites
  • We were brought into bondage because of our iniquities
  • King Laman has put us in bondage and slain our people
  • Recounts Abinadi & how Noah & people slew him
  • If we will repent we will be delivered

Ch8 – Ammon Teaches People of Limhi & Talks of a “Seer”

• Limhi let’s Ammon teach the people
  • Gives history
  • Recounts King Benjamin’s teachings
• Limhi brings their records to Ammon to read
• Asks if he can translate
• Recounts finding of 24 gold plates (Jaredites) while trying to find way back to Zarahemla
• Describes the desolation of bones they found in land
• Land populated by people with a number as the host of Israel
• Also found breastplates & swords
• Need someone to translate the records – want to know what happened
• Ammon explains a “Seer” (Mosiah)
• “Seer is greater than a prophet”
• “No greater gift, shorter than the power of God, which no man can possess”
• “Seer knows past & future”
• “Reveals things that could not be known otherwise”
• Mosiah is the Seer

Ch9 – Ch22 Record of Zeniff & People

• Zeniff & group leave Zarahemla to go inherit land of Lehi-Nephi
• Initially he went as a spy, but saw good side of Lamanites and decided he wanted to make treaty
• His people disagreed and wanted to kill King Laman & war
• Zeniff & his people fought and had a bloody battle
• Returned to Zarahemla to recount events
• Went back to land of Lehi-Nephi and made agreement with King Laman to inherit the land of Lehi-Nephi
• They took over land and multiplied and improved it
• King Laman was crafty and let them grow for 12 years
• King Laman fearful of them getting too strong and stirred up Lamanites against them
• Lamanites began to attack them and take from them
• Zeniff prepared people for battle and fights with God on his side
  • 3,043 Lamanites slain
  • Drove them out
  • 279 Nephites slain

Ch10 – 22 Years Peace – Zeniff Dies & Passes Kingdom to Noah

• Peace in land / prosper for 22 years
• King Laman dies – His son takes over and stirs up his people against them
• Lamanites came upon land of Shilom with shaved heads
• Nephite women/children hide in wilderness while men fight
• Lamanites motivated by what they were taught – that Laman was wronged by Nephi after leaving Jerusalem & crossing the sea
• Lamanite children taught to hate the Nephites & rob them
• Zeniff and Nephites won again and continued to till the ground and prosper
• Zeniff passes kingdom onto his son Noah & dies

Ch11 – Noah’s Wicked Reign as King

• Noah lives wickedly and has many wives & concubines
• Caused his people to sin
• Taxed people 1/5^th to support him and his Priests and their wives/concubines
• People labored to support them and became idol worshippers
• Noah built palace with find workmanship
• Built tower near temple to overlook land toward Lamanites
• Land of Shilom had been a resort for Nephites
• Priests had harlots and were wine bibbers
• Lamanites began again to come in and slay Nephites and drive their flocks away
• Noah’s army drover Lamanites back and were prideful and boasted of their strength
• The people delighted in shedding the blood of the Lamanites
• Abinadi told by the Lord to preach repentance to Nephites
• If they would not repent they will be in bondage
• Noah sought to have Abinadi killed

Ch12 – Abinadi Teaches Against King Noah’s Wickedness

• Abinadi (after 2 years) comes in disguised to preach to the people
• Prophesies they will be brought into bondage & devoured
• Noah will be burned and people smitten
• Their iniquity causes pestilence, burdens, insects
• People take Abinadi bound to King Noah and told him of his words
• Abinadi put in prison while King Noah counsels with Priests
• Abinadi brought before Noah & Priests so they can question him

Ch13 – Abinadi Delivers Message to Noah & Priests

• Abinadi confounds Noah & Priests
• They want to slay him but he says “Touch Me Not” and delivers message
• His face shined and he spoke with power & authority
• Preached to them about their iniquities
• Taught about the law of Moses & coming of Christ

Ch14-16 Abinadi Continues Preaching

Ch17 – Alma Believes Abinadi and is Cast Out

• Alma believes Abinadi
• Alma pleads with Noah to let him go
• Alma is cast out and flees and writes the words of Abinadi
• Abinadi condemned to death and commanded to recant words
• He prophesies that what they do to him will be a type of what’s to come
• Noah fears and wants to release him but Priests push him
• Abinadi burned to death and prophesies “Ye shall suffer like punishment”

Ch18 – Alma Repents and Begins to Preach & Baptize in Mormon

• Alma repents
• Goes privately to people and teaches words of Abinadi
• Many believe him and follow him
• Alma gathers believers in Mormon in borders of land
• Alma baptizes Helam and others in waters of Mormon
• People covenant to “Mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort”
• 204 believers baptized
• Church of God established
• Alma had authority of God and taught nothing but repentance and faith from scriptures
• He ordained priests to serve
• They lived like united order
• King Noah discovers movement and sends army to destroy them
• People of God departed into the wilderness (450 people)

Ch19 – Noah’s People are Divided and Limhi Becomes King

• Noah’s people are divided and fight one with another
• Gideon fought with Noah and would destroy him
• Noah sees Lamanites coming to attack & Gideon spares him
• Many Nephites flee into wilderness including Noah & Priests
• Those who stayed put forth their daughters to calm Lamanites
• Lamanites stopped and took them
• Lamanites allow Nephites to stay but took 50% of all they produce
• Limhi, son of Noah, becomes King
• Nephites sent out to find King Noah & Gideon
• Some of them find Noah and burn him to death
• Limhi establishes peace and they live peaceably for 2 years

Ch20 – Lamanite Daughters Taken by Priests so Lamanites Attack

• 24 Daughters of Lamanites taken by Priests of Noah in wilderness
• King of Lamanites thought it was Nephites & begins attack
• Limhi’s people see Lamanites coming and prepare to battle
• Not ½ as many Nephites as Lamanites, but they fought like dragons to protect their families
• Nephites capture King Laman injured
• Limhi questions him as to why he broke his oath of peace and attacked
• Laman indicates his anger from Nephites stealing daughters of Lamanites
• Limhi orders search of Nephites to find Lamanite daughters
• Gideon convinces Limhi that they did not do it, but it’s Noah’s Priests
• Limhi tells King Lama and he is pacified
• Lamanites about to attack again
• King Laman and Limhi’s people meet them unarmed and Laman stops attack

Ch21 – Lamanites Persecute Nephites – Lord Softens Their Hearts

• After some time Lamanites again begin to afflict & persecute Nephites
• Nephites complain to Limhi
• Nephites try 3 times to fight but are beaten
• They humble themselves and pray for help
• Lord is slow to hear them because of iniquity
• Then the Lord comes to their aid and softens the hearts of the Lamanites
• Nephites begin to prosper again
• Peace again between Nephites & Lamanites
• Ammon & others find land of Lehi-Nephi and are captured by Limhi’s guards
• Limhi tells Ammon of band of people finding land of Jaredites and records
• They thought it was land of Zarahemla destroyed
• Brought records back and wanted to learn what happened to them
• Limhi’s people wanted to be baptized by Ammon, but he did not consider himself worthy
• Focused on how to deliver Nephites out of Lamanite hands

Ch22 – Nephites Escape From Lamanites

• Nephites gather to figure out way to escape
• Lamanites too numerous to fight
• Gideon presents idea of escape by getting guards drunk
• Nephites escape by night and make it back to Zarahemla

Ch23 – Account of Alma and His People in Wilderness

• Alma warned of the Lord to flee from King Noah
• They found a secret land and settled there
• The people wanted Alma to be King – he declined
• Taught them to trust no minister or teacher among them unless he walks with God
• Alma and his people prospered – called the land Helam
• Lamanites came to borders of Helam
• Alma surrendered and Lamanites took possession of Helam
• Amulon (Priest of Noah who took daughters of Lamanites) at Helam
• Lamanites made deal with Alma to show them the way back to land of Nephi and they would release them
• Lamanites broke their promise

Ch24 – Alma & People Escape Helam & Return to Zarahemla

• Amulon gained favor of the Lamanites & began to persecute Alma
• Amulon prevented Alma & others from praying
• Lord promised Alma they would be delivered
• Alma & people’s burdens made light
• They were blessed with patience and cheerfulness
• Lord told Alma to lead them out of city
• Lamanites in “profound sleep” – Alma leads people out
• Alma arrives at Zarahemla – Mosiah receives them with joy

Ch25 – Records of Zeniff & Alma – People Establish Church

• More decedents of Mulek than Nephites in Zarahemla
• More Lamanites than Mulekites
• Mosiah reads all the records of Zeniff and Alma
• Alma preaches to people of Zarahemla
• He baptizes Limhi and his people
• They establish the Church among them – 7 Churches in Zarahemla
• They are blessed and prosper

Ch26 – Rising Generation Turns Wicked

• Children at time of King Benjamin’s “covenant” (too small to remember) turn wicked
• They did not know or believe the Church
• Brought before Mosiah to be judged
• Mosiah didn’t want to judge them – told Alma to do it
• Alma’s calling & election made sure
• Alma sent forth to preach to the people – received revelation from God
• Alma becomes judge of the people
• Excommunicates unrepentant people

Ch27 – Alma Jr. and Sons of Mosiah Persecute – Then Converted

• Unbelievers begin to persecute the Church
• Mosiah makes proclamation to NOT persecute anyone
• Please grow & spread rapidly
• Alma the younger and Sons of Mosiah are unbelievers and persecute Church
• They lead many people astray
• Angel appears to Alma & Sons of Mosiah
• Alma told to remember the captivity of his fathers in Helam & Nephi
• Alma is astonished, struck dumb and couldn’t move hands
• Alma the Elder rejoiced & called people to assemble
• Priest joined in fast for Alma – 2 days
• Alma gains strength and is born of the Spirit
• He immediately begins to preach to the people
• Converted / changed heart
• Sons of Mosiah (Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Himnon) confess publicly of their sins
• They become missionaries for the Church

Ch28 – Sons of Mosiah 1^st Missionary Trip to Land of Nephi

• Sons of Mosiah want to preach gospel to Lamanites in land of Nephi
• Mosiah prays and let’s them go
• Mosiah translates gold plates of Jaredites by the Urim & Thummim
• Learned about Jaredite history
• Mosiah passes down all records, interpreters, etc. to Alma the Younger

Ch29 – Mosiah Institutes the Reign of the Judges – No King

• Mosiah asks people who they want for King
• They want Aaron – he wants to preach gospel & declines
• Mosiah proposes Judges instead of Kings to replace him
• They are righteous judges
• Mosiah teaches about Kings and how they MUST be righteous
• Kings will eventually be wicked
• “You cannot dethrone an iniquitous king without much bloodshed
• Tells people to choose Judges
• Explains that the voice of the people usually sides with what’s right (majority)
• If the time comes that the voice of the people choose iniquity they will be ripe for destruction
• They do business by the voice of the people
• Lower Judges & Higher Judges Court
• Called the “Land of Liberty”
• People LOVED Mosiah – He was a great righteous King
• Alma was the 1^st Chief Judge
• He was also the High Priest (conferred by his father)
• Alma dies @ age 63
• Reign of the Judges will go 509 since Jerusalem
• End of the Kings

End of the Book of Mosiah Book of Mormon Summary