And I seal up these records after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you.

Moronai 10, verse 2.

Hey listeners, this is Neil from Book of Mormon Central, and today's podcast addresses the question,

why did Maroni conclude with so many exhortations?

As Maroni prepared to seal up the record that he and his father had worked so diligently

to compile, abridge, and preserve his father had worked so diligently to compile,

abridge, and preserve, he thought it was important to add some final words by way of exhortation

to future generations of Lamanites and ultimately to all the world. He then proceeded to use

the word exhort eight times, each time offering a specific exhortation. As James Faulkner has explained,

To exhort is to urge strongly, to make an urgent appeal, often including warning and advice.

Thus, Maroni concludes his work with an urgent appeal, with advice and warnings, to his brothers,

who are also his enemies, and to the rest of the world.

These eight exhortations can profitably be grouped into four pairs of related exhortations,

which are best studied when coupled together. In that way, as John W. Welch pointed out,

each exhortation given by Moronai may be usefully studied by following their themes as they run through the

Book of Mormon.

The insights of this pair of commentators, Faulkner and Welch, both professors at Brigham

Young University, dovetail snugly in elucidating how and why Maroni composed his farewell

chapter around these eight exhortations. Moronai's first two exhortations are also his most famous.

First, he wrote, I would exhort you that when you shall read these things,

that you would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men,

and ponder it in your hearts.

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