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Book of Mormon Commentary
Alma Chapter 18
ALMA BLESSES AND COUNSELS HIS SON, SHIBLON VER. l-18
Alma 18:2 And now my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and
your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth, to look to the Lord your God,
even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments: for blessed is he that endureth to
the end.
After Alma had blessed Helaman, he called his second son and spoke to him in a similar manner
as to his oldest san. His prosperity was to be conditioned on a life of righteousness. Should he fail
to "keep the commandments of God, ye shall be cast off from his presence" (1).
He was still a young man, though the date of his birth is not given. He went with his father and his
brother, Corianton, on :the Zoramite mission 75 B.C. (16:84). Alma commended him because of
his faithfulness, diligence, and patience already shown on that mission (Alma 18:3).
The father recalled that Shiblon had been in bonds and that he "was stoned far the ward's sake"
(4). He admonished him to trust God and by the Holy Spirit promised, "Ye shall be delivered out
of your trials. ..and ye shall be lifted up at the last day" (5).
Alma 18:8 Yea, and I have seen an angel face to face; and he spake with me, and his voice was as
thunder, and it shook the whole earth.
Alma again rehearses the events of his conversion as related to Helaman (17:5-18); however, he
adds a personal touch to his testimony this time. He "saw the angel face to face." Such experiences
are rare. Some find it difficult to believe that another can have an experience which they have not
had or one which is uncommon to man. Doubtless Shiblon had heard of this before, but his father
wished to impress this wonderful event on his son's mind as he neared the time of his departure
from earth life:
Alma 18:11 And now my son, I have told you this, that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me
that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ.
Alma follows this by affirming, "He is the life and light of the world" (12).
He closes his ministry to Shiblon by charging him to be diligent, temperate, and to guard against
pride, boasting, and overbearance. "See that ye bridle all your passions, ...[and] refrain from
idleness" (15). "Teach the word unto this people. Be sober" (18). All this was excellent counsel,
and is good for men to heed today.