Difference between revisions of "Book of Omni"
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| − | The '''Book of Omni''' is | + | The '''Book of Omni''' is the sixth section, or book, within the collective works of the [[Book of Mormon]]. The final part of the [[Small Plates of Nephi]], the book follows the descendants of [[Jacob]], [[Nephi|Nephi's]] brother, as the plates are handed from father to son or from brother to brother. The book is essentially broken down into two sections: the brief records of the Jacob's descendants and secondly, the ending to the small plates. |
==Descendant Records== | ==Descendant Records== | ||
| − | + | Unlike prior sections of the Book of Mormon, the Book of Omni sees the historical record change numerous hands within a single chapter. These changes are as follows: | |
| − | 1. [[Jarom]] to his son Omni | + | 1. [[Jarom]] to his son Omni |
2. [[Omni]] to his son Amaron | 2. [[Omni]] to his son Amaron | ||
3. [[Amaron]] to his brother Chemish | 3. [[Amaron]] to his brother Chemish | ||
4. [[Chemish]] to his son Abinadom | 4. [[Chemish]] to his son Abinadom | ||
| − | 5. [[Abinadom]] to his son Amaleki | + | 5. [[Abinadom]] to his son [[Amaleki]] |
| + | |||
| + | ==Synopsis== | ||
| + | Omni, for whom this section is named, explains that his father Jarom had tasked him with keeping the plates that had been passed down the family. Beyond this, he was supposed to contribute to the writings, in at least some part to preserve their genealogy. Omni provides little information about his own life, and while he likely kept the plates for at least a few decades, he contributes only three verses to the record.<ref>Omni 1:1-3 [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng&id=1-3#p1]</ref> The record is then passed along to Omni's son Amaron, who offers nearly the same amount of brevity as his father. Amaron notes that three hundred and twenty years since [[Lehi|Lehi's]] departure from [[Jerusalem]] have passed, marking the year as 279 B.C. He also explains that numerous [[Nephite|Nephites]] who had succumbed to wickedness had been subsequently destroyed. Conversely, the more righteous part of the Nephites had been spared during this same time. Amaron closes his contributions by stating his intent to pass the plates along to his brother Chemish.<ref>Omni 1:4-8 [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng&id=4-8#p4]</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Chemish adds only a single verse to the Book of Omni, simply stating that he had seen what Amaron had written "with his own hand" and corroborating the record. He does not directly mention who he passed the responsibility of record keeping unto, but in the next verse Chemish's son Abinadom continues the record. Abinadom, who was a warrior who had participated in many battles with the [[Lamanites]], indicates that while the [[Large Plates of Nephi]] contained many words pertaining to historical information, he had nothing of spiritual note to add to the Small Plates of Nephi. Like his father, Abinadom concludes his words without informing us of the record's next recipient.<ref>Omni 1:9-11 [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng&id=9-11#p9]</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | The final author of the Book of Omni—Abinadom's son Amaleki—picks up the record in this instance and provides more information to the goings on of the Nephites than the other four contributors to this section combined. He states that a man named [[Mosiah I|Mosiah]] had been warned by the Lord that he should flee out of the [[Land of Nephi|land of Nephi]]. Many people follow Mosiah, including Amaleki himself or potentially one of his ancestors, to a land called [[Zarahemla]]. A group of people had been living in the region for centuries, and were neither Nephites nor Lamanites. Their language had been corrupted over so many years without any written records, and so Mosiah helped to instruct these "Zarahemlan" people in the Nephites' language.<ref>Omni 1:12-18 [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/omni/1?lang=eng&id=12-18#p12]</ref> | ||
==The End of the Small Plates of Nephi== | ==The End of the Small Plates of Nephi== | ||
Revision as of 13:56, 28 April 2024
The Book of Omni is the sixth section, or book, within the collective works of the Book of Mormon. The final part of the Small Plates of Nephi, the book follows the descendants of Jacob, Nephi's brother, as the plates are handed from father to son or from brother to brother. The book is essentially broken down into two sections: the brief records of the Jacob's descendants and secondly, the ending to the small plates.
Descendant Records
Unlike prior sections of the Book of Mormon, the Book of Omni sees the historical record change numerous hands within a single chapter. These changes are as follows: 1. Jarom to his son Omni 2. Omni to his son Amaron 3. Amaron to his brother Chemish 4. Chemish to his son Abinadom 5. Abinadom to his son Amaleki
Synopsis
Omni, for whom this section is named, explains that his father Jarom had tasked him with keeping the plates that had been passed down the family. Beyond this, he was supposed to contribute to the writings, in at least some part to preserve their genealogy. Omni provides little information about his own life, and while he likely kept the plates for at least a few decades, he contributes only three verses to the record.[1] The record is then passed along to Omni's son Amaron, who offers nearly the same amount of brevity as his father. Amaron notes that three hundred and twenty years since Lehi's departure from Jerusalem have passed, marking the year as 279 B.C. He also explains that numerous Nephites who had succumbed to wickedness had been subsequently destroyed. Conversely, the more righteous part of the Nephites had been spared during this same time. Amaron closes his contributions by stating his intent to pass the plates along to his brother Chemish.[2]
Chemish adds only a single verse to the Book of Omni, simply stating that he had seen what Amaron had written "with his own hand" and corroborating the record. He does not directly mention who he passed the responsibility of record keeping unto, but in the next verse Chemish's son Abinadom continues the record. Abinadom, who was a warrior who had participated in many battles with the Lamanites, indicates that while the Large Plates of Nephi contained many words pertaining to historical information, he had nothing of spiritual note to add to the Small Plates of Nephi. Like his father, Abinadom concludes his words without informing us of the record's next recipient.[3]
The final author of the Book of Omni—Abinadom's son Amaleki—picks up the record in this instance and provides more information to the goings on of the Nephites than the other four contributors to this section combined. He states that a man named Mosiah had been warned by the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi. Many people follow Mosiah, including Amaleki himself or potentially one of his ancestors, to a land called Zarahemla. A group of people had been living in the region for centuries, and were neither Nephites nor Lamanites. Their language had been corrupted over so many years without any written records, and so Mosiah helped to instruct these "Zarahemlan" people in the Nephites' language.[4]
The End of the Small Plates of Nephi
Amaleki takes over the record and changes the pattern of the book by addressing the major events of his time. In this part of the book, Amaleki tells of how King Mosiah was told by the Lord to lead the Nephites out of the land and into the Land of Zarahemla. There, they encountered the people of Zarahemla, known as the Mulekites, who joined with the Nephites that followed King Mosiah in sustaining him as their king. The book then addresses the sole connection between the Nephites and the Jaredites, Coriantumr. Having been given a stone with engravings on it, King Mosiah translated it by the gift and power of god. The engravings told the story of the Jaredites and also of Coriantumr. Having survived a civil war that ended in the extermination of this people, Coriantumr dwelt among the Mulekites until he died nine months later.
Lastly, the book describes a group of Nephites who wanted to return to the land that they had fled with Mosiah. After an unsuccessful attempt, the group disappears on their second attempt, with no one knowing where they went. With his brother having disappeared with the group, and having no heirs himself, Amaleki is left with no natural relative to give the plates to. He then closes the record of the entire group of small plates and then confers the records on King Benjamin, Mosiah's son, for safe keeping.