Olavarria Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) Amulon “Enfeebled”Mormon gives the following description of Amulon’s greatest act of valor during the Lamanite entrance into Helam: “And it came to pass that Amulon did plead with the Lamanites; and he also sent forth their wives, who were the daughters of the Lamanites, to plead with their brethren, that they should not destroy their husbands”(Mosiah 23:33). Amulon gained favor in the eyes of the Lamanite king as was allowed to be a king, under Lamanite authority. During his reign, Amulon forced Alma and his people to heavy labor while Amulon and his priests remained idle (Mosiah 24:9-14). For this reason, I read Amulon as the passive qatul form of ʹāmal(אמל), meaning “feeble; weak” ( Ezekiel 16:30), with the terminal -on as a typical name-formative or hypocoristic diminutive.Amulon may be an example of dysphemism in the Book of Mormon; other possible examples of metonymy may exist and keeping such considerations in mind may lead to a further illumination of this sacred record. Edited November 14, 2011 by Pedro A. Olavarria 1
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