KnoWhy #146 - Did Alma Counsel His Sons During the Passover? (Alma 38:5)

After their ministry among the Zoramites, Alma gathered together his sons to “give unto them every one his charge.” Alma’s exhortation to his sons may be linked to an ancient Jewish practice associated with the Passover. According to some Jewish customs, the sons often played different roles: there was a wise son (Helaman), a wicked son (Corianton), and an uninformed son (Shiblon). Although it is uncertain if Alma’s exhortation to his sons directly coincided with the Nephite observance of the Passover, the method and content of his instruction is certainly reminiscent of its themes. The way that Alma’s sermons tie into the ancient traditions of the Jewish Passover highlights his adherence to the righteous “traditions of [his] fathers.”