Jun 410 min read

“They Were Steadfast and Immovable”

Mosiah 29–Alma 4

Videos, Podcasts, & Weekly Lesson Material

Media	Lesson Extension
Scripture Central	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Scripture Study Insights Insights with Taylor and Tyler: Revisited Scripture Insights
Follow Him	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Part 1 Part 2 Transcripts
Line Upon Line	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 The End of Kings
Teaching with Power	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Teaching Bundle for Book of Mormon, available on Etsy.
Don't Miss This	Mosiah 29–Alma 4
Book of Mormon Matters with John W Welch and Lynne Hilton Wilson	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 John W. Welch Notes
Unshaken	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Conversion of Alma the Younger
The Interpreter Foundation	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Commentary by John Claybaugh
Teaching Helps with John Hilton	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 The Book of Mormon, A Master Class The Church of God The One Rock
Scripture Gems	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Book of Mormon Map
Come Follow Up	Mosiah 29–Alma 4
The Scriptures Are Real	Mosiah 25–28 Hidden Religious Politics
Latter Day Kids	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 The Boy Who Got Stuck Being Angry
Scripture Explorers	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Battle with the Amlicites
Gospel for Kids	Gideon, Alma, and Nehor
Talking Scripture	Mosiah 29–Alma 4 Show Notes
Book of Mormon Minute, Brant A. Gardner Vol. 2 Volume 3: Alma	Mosiah 29 Alma 1 Alma 2 Alma 3 Alma 4
Saving Talents: Devotionals & FHE for Children	Mosiah 29–Alma 4
Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class, Book of Mormon	Week 16: Conversion of Alma & the Sons of Mosiah; Commencement of the Reign of the Judges; Nehor & the Amlicites Video Notes Slides

Resources and Insights for this Week's Lesson

The Book of Mormon: A Cultural and Religious Dialogue

The Significance of Timekeeping in Ancient Nephite History

This week's lesson materials cover a very significant period of Nephite history, highlighting the transition from kingship to judges. This change was so momentous that the Nephites altered their calendar system, shifting from a timeline based on Lehi's departure from Jerusalem to one based on the beginning of the reign of the judges. This shift reflects how the ancient Israelites marked time based on significant events. For example, in the Jewish calendar, we are currently in the year 5784, a count that began from the traditional date of the Exodus.

In this article, we will explore the timekeeping methods of the ancient Israelites, how they changed following the Babylonian invasion, and why this is significant to the Book of Mormon. Before this invasion, the Israelites, like the Nephites, used a numerical system to count the lunar months in the year. However, post-invasion, the system changed, and the Jews adopted Babylonian names for each month. These Babylonian names are found in the Bible today, demonstrating that our version of the Old Testament canon was compiled following the exiles’ return to Jerusalem, sometime during or after the period of Ezra and Nehemiah. These changes for the names of the month are detailed in an article from Chabad.org: ["Why Babylonian Names for Jewish Months?"]

These details are not only interesting, but they are significant to members of the Church because they help to validate the authenticity of the Book of Mormon as an ancient record that includes sections that even predate those found in the Biblical Cannon, reflecting a culture that was protected and isolated from the Babylonian invasion and influence. This detail might even offer valuable insight into the differences in tone and interpretation between the two records, shedding additional light on key concepts, language, and cultural traditions that are more indicative of the first Temple period. In this way, the Book of Mormon serves as another witness to the Bible, offering its own unique perspective from a community that also strived to faithfully live according to the covenant, while facing their own unique trials and triumphs.

Timekeeping Methods in Ancient Israelite and Nephite Cultures

Pre-Babylonian Invasion

Before the Babylonian exile, the ancient Israelites used a numerical system to mark their months. Each month (yerach יֶרַח or c ḥōḏešh חֹדֶשׁ) was counted in relation to the numerical order of the lunar cycle. This is where we get the basic English concept for the word "month." Although the English name was derived from a Proto-Germanic translation and adaptation of the word "moon," (associated with a Norse deity, The Sun & the Moon in Norse Mythology).

In ancient Israelite tradition, the numerical names for the months were similar to the names used for the days of the week in modern Jewish tradition. These names are based on their numerical order, reflecting the creation account in Genesis 1. Unlike many modern calendars that use names derived from various sources, primarily pagan deities, the Hebrew names for the days of the week are straightforward and preserve their ties to the creation narrative.

Days of the Week in Hebrew:

The names for the days of the Week according to account given in Genesis. Yom means Day
N	Hebrew	Transliteration	English	Use in Biblical Creation account
1st	אי	יום רִאשון	Yom Rishon	Sunday	Head, beginning, the first. Ehad
2nd	בי	יןם שֵנִי	Yom Sheni	Monday	Two or second
3rd	גי	יום שְלישִי	Yom Shlishi	Tuesday	Third
4th	די	יום רְבִיעי	Yom Revi'i	Wednesday	Fourth, derived from Arba, meaning four
5th	הי	יום חֲמִישִי	Yom Chamishi	Thursday	Fifth
6th	וי	יום שִשִּי	Yom Shishi	Friday	Sixth
7th	זי	יומ שָבַת	Yom Shabbat	Saturday	Seventh

This method of timekeeping for the days of the week is consistent with the Nephites' practice of timekeeping described in the Book of Mormon—a system that was simple, straightforward, and numerical. However, in Jerusalem, while the names for the days of the week remained consistent, the names for the days of the month shifted after the Babylonian invasion.

Post-Babylonian Invasion

Following the Babylonian invasion, the Jewish people adopted the Babylonian names for their months. This was a significant shift from their previous numerical system, and it started to muddy the waters, as it began to complicate the simplicity and structure of the numerical design with the names of Babylonian deities. The Babylonian exile had a profound influence on Jewish culture in many ways, including their calendar system. The adoption of Babylonian month names reflects the integration of Babylonian culture and practices into Jewish life during and after the exile.

The Nephite Calendar System

The Nephites’ method of timekeeping, as described in the Book of Mormon, aligns more closely with the pre-Babylonian Israelite system. This alignment is evident in the accounts studied this week, where we observe a significant change in their calendar system. This shift was marked by memorializing the beginning of the reign of the judges as a new starting point for identifying the year. This change reflected a new beginning, and a notable cultural and governmental change within the Nephite community. This adjustment, from counting years based on Lehi’s departure to counting from the establishment of the judges’ reign, reflects how major events were used among the Nephites to anchor their sense of time, and we will observe a few more shifts as time goes on.

Understanding the timekeeping methods of ancient cultures helps us appreciate how societies structure their historical narratives and cultural identities. The Nephite system, as depicted in the Book of Mormon, provides valuable insights into pre-Babylonian Israelite practices, offering a glimpse into how these ancient people related to time and significant events. This comparison underscores the Nephites’ connection to their Israelite heritage and the significance they placed on their own pivotal historical moments.

Authenticity of the Book of Mormon

The detailed alignment of Nephite timekeeping with pre-Babylonian Israelite practices adds validity to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. These are the types of details that would have been very obscure to a young boy from upstate New York with only a fourth-grade education and little exposure to Jewish culture. Many Jews today don't even know about these ancient Babylonian influences, some of these details have only begun to be discovered and understood in recent years through archeological discovery and a wider access to ancient language, texts, and documents. Yet, the precision with which these ancient practices are depicted in the Book of Mormon suggests a depth of historical and cultural knowledge that far surpasses what Joseph Smith could have possibly understood, supporting its claim of being an authentic ancient record.

By exploring these timekeeping methods and their significance, we gain a deeper understanding of the Nephite people and their connection to their Israelite roots, further enriching our study of the Book of Mormon.

Overview

Mosiah 29

Mosiah 29 outlines the transition of government among the Nephites from a monarchy to a system of judges. King Mosiah II, recognizing the potential for corruption and abuse of power in a monarchy, proposes a new system where judges are elected by the voice of the people. This chapter emphasizes themes of leadership, the dangers of concentrated power, and the importance of accountability and civic responsibility.