Alma 32 is often read and thought of as a unit, in and of itself a single composition. In fact, the report of Alma’s words on that occasion embrace both chapters 32 and 33. No break was intended between these two chapters. And then Amulek continues speaking to the poor Zoramites, standing as a second witness to what Alma has said. So, clearly, these chapters should be read together. And, in fact, in the first edition of the Book of Mormon, all of six chapters, Alma 30–35, were treated together as one long chapter, Chapter XVI (pp. 304–323).
Obviously, it is helpful for readers today to have all of this material broken into smaller chapters, but one should not forget that all of these six chapters together embrace what happened in the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges (about 74 BC). That year was marked by the splitting off of the Zoramites, by the problems created by Korihor that were narrowly averted, followed by Korihor’s demise among the Zoramites, and then confronted by the great doctrinal teachings of Alma and his strong contingent of companions trying to reconvert the Zoramites and to prevent them from entering into a dreaded alliance with the Lamanites. In spite of the brilliant words of both Alma and Amulek, that effort failed, and the Zoramite leaders went on to become the commanders of the armies that will be at war against the Nephites for the remaining years of the book of Alma.
Alma’s words in Alma 32–33 teach the following five main points:
Amulek’s second witness recapitulates and enhances these same points in the opposite order:
5. Admonishing them to "plant the word in your hearts" (34:4),
4. Believing in Christ, the Son of God, as testified by Zenos, Zenoch, and Moses (34:5–7), and how faith in Christ’s infinite atonement affords repentance and salvation (34:8–16),
3. The proper content of prayer, crying unto God in the wilderness and closet (34:17–26), as well as not turning away the needy (34:2–29),
2. Bringing forth fruit unto repentance and righteousness (34:30–36), and
1. Humbling yourself, worshipping God patiently in whatever place you may be (34:38), even if you are afflicted and cast out (34:39–41).
The intertextual dynamic of these two mutually reinforcing texts is marvelously and deeply impressive. Vast treatises could be written on the content and messages of these three chapters alone. Their axioms deal with the conditions of spirituality, the problems of evil and suffering, and responses to social injustice and poverty. Their instructions chart out the steps of nurturing faith, obtaining knowledge, worshipping, praying, and bringing forth the fruits of repentance. By planting their “word,” one understands the Atonement of the Son of God and the essence of the plan of salvation and redemption. Of all that could be said, only a relative few thoughts will be included in these notes, which I hope will be found helpful as sidebars to the words of Alma and Amulek themselves. Nothing replaces those words, just as the words of Alma and Amulek do not replace “the Word” which must ultimately be planted in our hearts as readers of these three chapters.