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Book of Mormon Commentary
Alma Chapter 11
this connection the following from Funk and Wagnails New Standard Bible Dictionary (p. 870) is
interesting.
That an institution of such importance in the history of Judaism as the synagog should be invested
by Jewish tradition with great age is not surprising. The fact is, however, that we are quite in the
dark as to its beginnings. These beginnings were, doubtless, in the time of the Captivity, when the
loss of the Temple worship and the conditions of exile emphasized the need of worship and
instruction.
"After the manner of the Jews" refers to all three assembly places mentioned. There is no definite
architecture for a synagogue. It may be a simple building or room, or an elaborate structure. A
second colony left eleven years after Lehi under the leadership of Mulek. The conditions leading
to the Exile were some time in culminating, and it is quite possible some synagogues were already
functioning in 600 B.C. Then, as Brother C. A. Davies said, a descriptive term meaning a place of
assembly is so general that the translator may have used it instead of the longer descriptive terms
on the plates.
Alma 11:24 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who had been chosen for the
work, to preach the word throughout all the land.
That the Lord called not just others but "many more" into the mission field speaks volumes. We
can see why and how "the establishment of the church became general throughout the land" (25).
"There was no inequality among them, for the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the
land, to prepare their hearts to receive the word" (26).
Unless the Saints are blessed with God's Spirit, they will not impart of their substance and thus
raise the standard of living for the poor, sick, and handicapped.
The priests preached against lyings, deceivings, envyings, strifes, malice, revilings, stealing,
robbing, plundering, murdering, adultery , and lasciviousness (29), "the Lord pouring out his
blessings upon the people; thus ended the fourteenth year of the reign of the Judges” (32, 33).