About the Kings of the Lamanites - Mosiah 9 - Alma 22

This post concerns the kings of the Lamanite nation, from Zeniff's time (about 200 B.C.) to Alma's escape from Helam (about 120 B.C.) and then to the missionary days of the sons of Mosiah's (90-77 B.C.).

In my last post I referred to the Lamanite king of Ammon and Aaron's time as king Laman because the narrative didn't identify the king's actual name.   I've gone back to Mosiah 9 - 24 (subbing for a gospel doctrine teacher) where I read in Mosiah chapter 9 and in Mosiah chapter 24 that the Lamanite king of Zeniff's time and of Alma's time were both called Laman.  This made me think about the king's of the Lamanites as they pertain to Zeniff,  Noah,  Limhi, Alma and the missionary sons of Mosiah.  Here is my proposition:  The Lamanite king that Aaron converted (and Ammon fought and subdued) is the direct descendant of the Lamanite king that Zeniff negotiated with 110 to 120 years earlier.  Come along with me,  or at least humor me, in an exercise of logic, guessing, assumptions,  and total speculation...

Let's first document the Lamanite kings we know about in these chapters of the Book of Mormon:

• Lamanite king A (LK-A):  First appears in Mosiah 9:10. The narrative tells us that his name is Laman.  He was the king that Zeniff negotiated with to inhabit Lehi-Nephi and Shilom.  Chapter 9 heading gives the time as 200 - 187 B.C. but if Zeniff's story starts in 200 B.C. and if it took Zeniff a couple of years to recruit,  plan,  organize, prepare and travel to Lehi-Nephi, we can assume the date is about 198 B.C. when king Laman meets Zeniff.  King Laman's death is remarked in Mosiah 10:6 after 22 years of peace which came after a couple years of turmoil.
• Lamanite king B (LK-B):  He is the son of king Laman (KL-A).  He is introduced in Mosiah 10:6, but his name is not given.  According to the record that was kept, he was a enemy to Zeniff's people and stirred up the Lamanites against them.
• Lamanite king C (LK-C):  This king is referenced in Mosiah 19:15 when Limhi was forced to pay tribute money as a condition of the truce between Limhi's people and the Lamanites.  King LK-C broke the truce and led his army against Limhi's people to punish them for stealing the Lamanite daughters (Mosiah 20).  He was left for dead by his retreating army,  was found by Limhi's people and nursed to health.  When he was convinced by Limhi that the Nephites had not abducted the Lamanite girls, he pled with his army to spare the Nephite people.
• Lamanite king D (LK-D):  We first hear of this king in Mosiah 23:29, about 122 - 120 B.C. in connection with Alma the elder.  Mosiah 24 tells us that his name is Laman.  I am making the assumption that he was the king who sent his armies after Limhi's people and was also the king who authorized Amulon (king Noah's former priest) to rule over Alma's people.
• Lamanite king E (LK-E): This is the king over the Lamanite nation of Ammon and Aaron's time.   We learn of him in Alma 20:8.  He was king Lamoni's father; Ammon fought with and subdued him when he angrily drew his sword to kill Lamoni for refusing to slay Ammon.  Afterward, being impressed with Ammon's love for Lamoni and touched by Ammon's words, he was thoroughly converted by Aaron's teachings.

Here's a table of time frames extrapolated from what we know (T.L.1):

King	Dates	Remarkable Events
LK-A	~ 200 B.C. – 176 B.C.	His name is Laman.  He allowed Zeniff’s people to live in Lehi-Nephi and Shilom.  Sent armies to battle with Zeniff’s people, followed by 22 years of peace.
LK-B	176 B.C. – 152 B.C.*	Son of king Laman (LK-A).  Stirred up Lamanites against Zeniff’s people and sent Lamanite armies against them.
LK-C	152 .B.C.* - 129 B.C. *	Limhi was a tributary monarch to this king.  LK-C led his armies against Limhi’s people,  and was left for dead on the battlefield.  Later he pled with his armies to spare Limhi’s Nephites.
LK-D	129 B.C.* - 106 B.C.*	His name is Laman.  His armies pursued Limhi’s people as they escaped.  He granted Amulon  lordship over Alma’s people in Helam.
LK-E	106 B.C.* - 82 B.C.*	Lamoni’s father; was converted by Ammon’s example and by Aaron’s teachings.  He declared religious freedom throughout his realm.

I also have prepared an alternate time line table (T.L.2):

King	Alternative Dates	Remarkable Events
LK-A	~ 200 B.C. – 174 B.C.	His name is Laman.  He allowed Zeniff’s people to live in Lehi-Nephi and Shilom.  Sent armies to battle with Zeniff’s people, followed by 22 years of peace.
LK-B	174 B.C. – 145 B.C.*	Son of king Laman (LK-A).  Stirred up Lamanites against Zeniff’s people and sent Lamanite armies against them.
LK-C	145 .B.C.* - 112 B.C. *	(In this timeline, LK-C and LK-D are the same person – king Laman.  Limhi was a tributary monarch to this king.  Laman led his armies against Limhi’s people,  and was left for dead on the battlefield.  Later he pled with his armies to spare Limhi’s Nephites.  Years later, his armies pursued Limhi’s people as they escaped.  He granted Amulon  lordship over Alma’s people in Helam.
LK-D
LK-E	112 B.C.* - 82 B.C.*	Lamoni’s father; was converted by Ammon’s example and by Aaron’s teachings.  He declared religious freedom throughout his realm.

* Note that these dates, where not corroborated in the scripture, are guestimates.  I have made the supposition that a king was old enough to rule properly when assuming the monarchy.  Some kings probably lasted longer than others, so my dates reflect this assumption as well.

Zeniff's record began in 200 B.C., so I assumed that the first failed attempt to inhabit Lehi-Nephi, Zeniff's return to Zarahemla, co-opting the resources to try again, the journey back to Lehi-Nephi and the negotiations with king Laman took 2 years, putting us at year 198 B.C.  King Laman ruled for at least 22 more years,  which takes us to 176 B.C. (174 B.C. in T.L.2)

King LK-B, son of Laman (LK-A) assumed the monarchy after his father died,  about 176 - 174 B.C.  My guess is that he probably was king for 24 - 30 years, which takes us to about 152 B.C. (145 B.C. in T.L.2).

King LK-C, son of LK-B, became king in 152 B.C. (145 B.C. T.L.2).  He led his armies against the Nephites of king Limhi to punish them for the disappearance of their daughters in about 142 B.C.and continued to rule until about 129 B.C.

King Laman, LK-D, ruled from 129 B.C. to about 106 B.C.  He was the king who granted Amulon, king Noah's former priest, the right to rule over Alma the elder and his people at Helam.  In time line 2 (T.L.2), This king and LK-C are the same person, who ruled until 112 B.C.

Finally,  king LK-E, Lamoni's father, ruled from about 106 B.C. (112 B.C. T.L.2) to about 82 B.C. We read in Alma 24 that this king named his son the new king and later that year passed away, which happened,  in my guess, by about 82 B.C.

In thinking about the first timeline (and in discussions with my trusted advisor, you know who you are) I came up with the second time line which has LK-C and LK-D being the same person.  This tme line has kings ruling for a little longer than the first time line...  It also has LK-E (Lamoni's father) being a little older than in the first time line.

Honestly, I think either time line is possible.  Of course, none of this is scientific and apart from date ranges given in the chapter headings,  as well as a few dates dropped here and there, the time lines are only speculation.

My original proposition, that king LK-E, whom Aaron converted, is the direct descendant of the king Laman (LK-A), whom Zeniff dealt with110 to 120 years earlier, seems to pan out,  at least in my thinking.   It appears to me that LK-E is LK-A's great grandson or great-great grandson.

What is the point in all this?  Can we learn or gain anything from wondering and speculating about things we read in the scriptures?  Here is what I got out of this exercise: at times I have wondered if people can change and become a better person.  This shows me that it is possible to improve yourself;  king LK-E did.  In spite of his upbringing,  traditions, customs, culture,  inheritance or personal actions,  he changed his life.  He not only changed to a righteous person,  he sacrificed his kingdom and inheritance,  which had existed for generations,  to embrace the gospel.   He also made it possible for thousands of his people to do likewise and change their lives forever.   Can people change?   Oh, yes... A resounding yes.

I also found that by wondering and pondering about things I read in the Book of Mormon and other scriptures I become more invested in it...  I love it all the more,  it becomes more understandable and more believable.   My testimony of the scriptures grows.  I hope you get something out of this too.
Don