Occasionally I see interesting things in the Book of Mormon which make me wish I had advanced degrees in ancient languages so I could do a more rigorous investigation.
I posted last year about how Ammon's joyful boasting in God's strength seems to play on Hebrew roots, as outlined in this Interpreter paper.
It seems something similar is afoot in King Benjamin's sermon.
Stisa has already pointed out how King Benjamin's sermon seems to contain allusions to the creation, based on this paper. Stisa notes that the likely Hebrew equivalent of the word "serve" is abad, which can also mean to tend or dress, as Adam and Eve were commanded in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2:15.
That verse contains two commandments -- they were to abad and shamar the garden. I've written about shamar before, here and here. I'll give an overview from NIDOTTE on each root below. After each one, I'll give examples of how King Benjamin seems to be playing around with these roots on purpose in the opening part of his farewell sermon. It's as if he's sending a message to his people about how he has tried to fulfill his duty to abad and shamar the righteous branch of Israel he was given charge over.
In his opening remarks, he says:
11 But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power, to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto me.
Notice three elements colored above in this verse, each one attributed to God. Each of these The rest of this post will outline the significance and additional references to abad and shamar. A follow-up post will outline the significance of the phrase in purple, which as best I can tell relates to the Hebrew root "nathan" (נָתַן): to give, put, set (source).
Abad
עָבַד (ʿābad), q. work, perform, serve, worship, carry out, honor; ni. to be tilled, worked; pu. to be worked; hi. enslave, make work, make serve; ho. be caused/influenced to serve, be led to worship (#6268); מַעֲבָד (maʿabād), nom. deed(s), act(s) (#5042); עֶבֶד (ʿebed I), nom. slave, servant, subordinate (#6269); עֲבָד (ʿabād), work, labor (#6271); עֲבֹדָה (ʿabōdâ), nom. service, work, labor; worship (#6275); עֲבֻדָּה (ʿabuddâ), nom. servants, workforce (#6276); עַבְדֻת (ʿabdut), nom. servitude, bondage (#6285)(Source: NIDOTTE Vol. 3, p. 304)
serve (Genesis 15:14; Genesis 25:23; Genesis 27:29) -
- "that I might serve you" (2:14)
- "I had spent my days in your service" (2:16)
- "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (2:17)
- "if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?" (2:18)
- "if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants." (2:21)
work/labor (Exodus 1:13; Exodus 5:18) -
- "And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands" (2:14)
- "if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?" (2:18)
enslave/subordinate/come into bondage (Genesis 49:15; Exodus 6:5) -
- "if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants." (2:21)
- ? - "he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him." (2:23)
- ? - "And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever;" (2:24)
Shamar
שָׁמַר (šāmar), q. watch, guard; ni. watch one’s self, be careful; pi. revere; hitp. be on one’s guard, be careful (#9068); עַשְׁמוּרָה / עַשְׁמֹרֶת (אַשְׁמוּרָה / עַשְׁמֹרֶת), nightwatch (#874); מִשְׁמָהר (mišmār I), prison, guard (#5464); מִשְׁמֶרֶת (mišmeret), a guarding, responsibility (#5466); שָׁמְרָה (šomrâ), guard, watch (#9072); שִׁמֻּרִים (šimmurîm), nightwatch, vigil (#9081). (Source: NIDOTTE Vol. 4, p. 182)
"Keep" -
- This post outlines how King Benjamin teaches his sons in Mosiah 1 about the importance of keeping the commandments as found in the scriptures, which have been "kept and preserved" by the hand of God (see Mosiah 1:5).
- In Mosiah 2:31, Benjamin instructs his people to keep the commandments of his son Mosiah. He also instructs them to "keep the commandments of God" several times (see Mosiah 2:4, 13, 22 (x3), 41).
"Beware" -
- In verse 32 the people are warned to beware of contention.
"Kept and preserved" -
- According to the terms of the covenant as outlined in the scriptures (which have been "kept and preserved" according to his words to his sons), King Benjamin opens his sermon by declaring to them that he has been "kept and preserved" by God's "matchless power" in order to serve (abad) his people "with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord hath granted unto [him]."
- The people are reminded three times in chapter 2 that they have been "kept and preserved" by the Lord (see verses 11, 20, and 36).
- In verse 31 he promises them the same blessings they enjoyed under his father's reign and his reign if they continue to faithfully follow his son: "I would that ye should do as ye have hitherto done. As ye have kept my commandments, and also the commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land, and your enemies shall have no power over you."
Conclusion
- Benjamin has faithfully discharged his divinely-appointed duties to his people. He wishes to "answer a clear conscience before God" (Mosiah 2:15).
- He frames his duties using using the same terms given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He was tasked with serving and preserving his people.
- In fulfilling his role as righteous king, Benjamin acts as an intermediary between God and the people. He serves the people and thereby serves God. The blessings and responsibilities flow in both directions.
- He has been "kept and preserved" in order to watch over his people, so that they keep the commandments found in the scriptures (which have been "kept and preserved") so that they may be "kept and preserved" as a covenant people.