KnoWhy #118 - Why Would Zeezrom Attempt to Bribe Amulek? (Alma 11:22)

Alma and Amulek’s preaching in Ammonihah was interrupted by Mormon to give a description of the Nephite monetary system. Immediately afterward, Mormon reintroduced Zeezrom, who then attempted to bribe Amulek into denying the existence of God, perhaps as a means of taunting or distracting his opponent. By knowing the Nephite monetary system, readers would know that Zeezrom’s bribe was worth about 42 days of labor. As a derogatory name, the etymology of Zeezrom’s name adds irony to this story: It was Zeezrom, “he of the silver,” who attempted to bribe Amulek with silver. Mormon’s account of this encounter, complete with the helpful aside on the Nephite monetary system, was highly deliberate and masterfully executed.