Book of Mormon Evidence: Wordplay on Zerahemnah

A significant battle between the Nephites and Lamanites took place at the River Sidon during the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges (Alma 43–44). An earlier mission to the Zoramites led by the prophet Alma resulted in the conversion of many among the poor of that region. When the outcast converts joined the people of Ammon, who cared for them and provided for their needs, this angered the Zoramite leaders who united with the Lamanites and prepared for war (Alma 35:10–11). When they learned of these preparations, the Nephites relocated the people of Ammon to a more protected location and prepared to defend their people (Alma 43:4).

With this context established, it is notable that the coalition of Lamanites and Nephite dissidents was led by a man named Zerahemnah. This article proposes that at least two layers of wordplay seem to be present in connection with this leader and the Zoramites whom he led.

Seed of Faith

In order to set the stage to understand these puns, it will first be helpful to review Alma’s famous sermon on faith, recorded in Alma 32. When teaching the poor among the Zoramites, Alma compared the development of faith with the idea of planting the word of God in one’s heart, as if the word were a seed that needs to be nourished and cared for. Alma explained,

And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good. (Alma 32:30–33)

This conception of the seed’s goodness correlates well with the Nephite social identity, as the name of Nephi is believed to derive from an Egyptian term meaning “good.” Matthew Bowen has noted, “If the name Nephi can be translated ‘good, goodly, beautiful, fair,’ then the term Nephites might be substantively rendered ‘goodly ones’ or ‘fair ones.’”1 Years earlier, Abinadi had identified the seed of Christ as those who publish that which is good: “I say unto you that they are his seed. And these are they who have published peace, who have brought good tidings of good” (Mosiah 15:13–14).2 Thus, the “seed” of the Nephites were intended to be a righteous people, the seed of Christ, whose faith was ultimately grounded in the good word of God.

The connection between goodness and faithfulness is likewise emphasized in numerous other Book of Mormon passages, as seen in the following examples:

• “And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works” (Alma 7:24)
• “And now, may the peace of God rest upon you … according to your faith and good works” (Alma 7:27)
• “And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works” (Alma 13:3)
• “Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works … unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed” (Alma 26:22)
• “And this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good” (Alma 48:16)
• “And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing” (Moroni 7:21)

Alma’s mission to the Zoramites can therefore be seen as an effort to help them return to the faithfulness and goodness that was idealized in the socio-religious identity of the Nephite nation. In effect, he wanted them to become the true seed of Nephi by faithfully planting and nourishing the seed of the word of God in their hearts.

This was in response to the fact that they “had separated themselves from the Nephites and called themselves Zoramites” (Alma 30:59). Later, when Alma’s missionary efforts proved successful among the poorer class of the Zoramites, the wicked among them “began to mix with the Lamanites and to stir them up also to anger against them” (Alma 35:10). It thus becomes apparent that the story of the Zoramites is very much about the transformation of their cultural and religious identity.

Seed of Unbelief

The Zoramite social transition is especially significant in light of research conducted by Matthew Bowen, which shows that the faith and goodness which the Nephite prophets wanted their people to achieve is often contrasted with the pronounced unfaithfulness perpetuated by Lamanite culture and traditions (see Jacob 3:7; Mosiah 1:5; Alma 50:22).3 Bowen proposes that the Nephite conception of Lamanite apostasy was plausibly enhanced through a negative wordplay drawn from a passage in the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:20):

Rebellious Israelites are there characterized as “children in whom is no faith” [Hebrew bānim lōʾ-ʾēmun bām]. The phrase lōʾ-ʾēmun (unvoweled lʾ ʾmn) may have been the basis of, or catalyzed the formation of, a negative pun on the name “Laman” among the early Nephites. If so, this pun may have imbued the term “Lamanites” with the meaning of “unfaithful” or “unbelieving ones.”4

Bowen further shows how this association became pervasive in Nephite writings. By joining with the Lamanites, the Zoramites effectively became affiliated with the “unfaithful” or “unbelieving” ones. They forsook the faith traditions of their Nephite heritage and became the very opposite of what they should have been.

Wordplay on Zerahemnah

All of this sets the stage for the memorable battle recorded in Alma 43–44, in which the Nephites faced a coalition of Lamanites and Nephite dissidents, all of whom were led by a man named Zerahemnah. Leading up to this conflict, we learn not only that these groups joined forces but that the “Zoramites became Lamanites,” signaling the completeness of their social transformation (Alma 43:4).

As for Zerahemnah, there is some uncertainty about the meaning of this name. Its close resemblance to the name Zarahemla (which is believed to mean “seed of compassion”) has led some to wonder if there was a mistake or confusion in pronunciation, yet textual evidence does not support that theory.5 Several Latter-day Saint scholars instead suggest that Zerahemnah may mean “seed/progeny of the chosen (one)” or “seed/progeny of appointment/measurement.”6

The first association is especially striking when one considers that the Zoramites, whom Zerahemnah was leading into battle, were known to pray with this very type of self-aggrandizing pride. Upon the Rameumptum, which stood “high above the head,” they would declare to God: “we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy children; … And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a holy people. … Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the tradition of their brethren” (Alma 31:13–22).7 In other words, as a group they effectively saw themselves as Zerahemnah—“seed of the chosen.” The fact that their military leader bore such a name is thus quite telling.8

At the same time, however, the name’s homophonic elements would have provided Moroni with an opportunity to teach an important lesson on faith to his audience—both to his Zoramite-Lamanite opponents as well as his fellow Nephites. Specifically, the name element -hemnah resembles the Hebrew term ʾemuna (denoting “faith” or “faithfulness”).9 Thus, when combined with the Hebrew element Zera- (meaning “seed”), the full name of Zerahemnah would likely have sounded very much like “seed of faith” or “seed of faithfulness.” With this in mind, notice the significant concentration of faith-related terms in Moroni’s dialogue with Zerahemnah:

Behold, Zerahemnah [“seed of faith”] …. Ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that ye should understand that this is done because of our religion and our faith [ʾemuna] in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot destroy this our faith [ʾemuna]. Now ye see that this is the true faith [ʾemuna] of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve  us, so long as we are faithful [neʾĕmānîm] unto him, and unto our faith [ʾemuna], and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we should be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith [ʾemuna]. And now, Zerahemnah [“seed of faith”], I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith [ʾemuna] …. That ye deliver up your weapons of war. (Alma 44:1, 3–6)

Ironically, the cornered Zerahemnah responded by insisting, “Behold, we are not of your faith [ʾemuna]; we do not believe that it is God that has delivered us into your hand, but we believe that it is your cunning that has preserved you from our swords” (Alma 44:9). In an ancient worldview, however, the results of this trial by combat would have affirmed the Nephite conclusion that their faith was justified and that the dissenter’s trust in a naturalistic counter-explanation of Nephite success was not grounded in reality.10

It must also be remembered that there were likely a number of Zoramite converts who had joined Moroni’s forces to defend themselves. In light of Alma’s prior discourse on faith that had led to their conversion, they would have taken Moroni’s words as a strong affirmation that their newfound faith in Christ had not been in vain. Their miraculous deliverance would have affirmed that they chose to align themselves with the correct socio-religious identity—the faithful Nephites over the unfaithful Lamanites. In ironic contrast, Zerahemnah—likely denoting “seed of the chosen one” and connoting “seed of faith”—ultimately abandoned his faith and led himself and his followers to defeat in battle.11

This story—which contrasts groups of Nephites who either succeed or fail to retain their faith, religious traditions, and cultural identity—thematically sets up a prophecy given by Alma to his son Helaman in the very next chapter:

Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief. Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct—Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come. And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered among the people of Nephi. But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and shall become like unto them. (Alma 45:10–13)

Conclusion

From a strictly etymological perspective, the name of Zerahemnah most likely means “seed/progeny of the chosen (one).” Since Zerahemnah is introduced as a leader of the Zoramites in a conflict that the Zoramites instigated, and since they arrogantly viewed themselves as a divinely chosen people, this name appears to constitute an intentional wordplay. After all, other than Zoram himself (after whom the Zoramites were named, as recorded in Alma 30:59), Zerahemnah is the only named figure closely connected to the Zoramites. The fact that this singular military leader bears such a conspicuously appropriate name provides persuasive evidence that a pun is intended, especially since the name of Zoram appears to invoke a related pun connected to Zoramite pride.12 These names seem to work together to emphasize a key theme in these chapters.

At the same time, it appears that a separate pun involving the sound of Zerahemnah’s name—evoking the meaning “seed of faith”—is also at play. It is not just that faith (a common scriptural term and concept) arises in this story. It is the way that faith is used in such a concentrated and intentional way to demarcate the Nephites from apostate social groups—right at the most critical point of the narrative and in immediate and ironic connection to a name that very plausibly evokes this crucial theme.

Assuming they are valid, these proposed layers of paronomasia are not what the reader would expect from an author like Joseph Smith, who had limited education and literary experience in 1829.13 Yet they do make sense if the text is really what it claims to be—a record of prophets who preserved the literary and religious traditions of their Hebrew ancestors.