“Korihor,” Friend, July 1993, 20
Korihor
A man named Korihor came to Zarahemla. He did not believe in Jesus Christ and preached that what the prophets had said about the Savior was not true. Alma 30:6, 12–14
Korihor told the people that they were foolish to believe that Jesus would come and suffer for their sins. Alma 30:16–17
He said that men would not be punished for their sins, because there was no life after death. Many people believed Korihor. They became wicked. Alma 30:18
Korihor also preached to the people of Ammon, but they were wise and bound him and took him to Ammon, who had him carried out of Jershon. Alma 30:19–20
When Korihor went to the land of Gideon, the people there would not listen to him, either. The high priest and chief judge had him taken to Alma, in Zarahemla. Alma 30:21, 29
Alma asked Korihor if he believed in God, and Korihor said no. Alma told him, “I know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.” Alma 30:37–39
Korihor wanted Alma to perform a miracle to prove that there is a God. Korihor said that if he saw a sign of God’s power, he would believe in Him. Alma 30:43
Alma told Korihor that he had already seen many signs of God’s power. He had the scriptures and the testimonies of all the prophets. Alma 30:44
Alma told Korihor that the earth and everything on it, and the movement of the planets in the sky, are all signs that there is a God. Alma 30:44
Korihor still refused to believe in God. Alma felt sorry about Korihor’s wickedness and warned him that his soul might be destroyed. Alma 30:45–46
Korihor still wanted a sign to prove that there is a God. Alma said that the sign from God would be that Korihor would be struck dumb. Alma 30:48–49
After Alma had said this, Korihor could not speak. Alma 30:50
Korihor wrote that he knew that this sign was from God and that he had always known that there was a God. He asked Alma to pray to remove the curse. Alma 30:52, 54
Alma, knowing that Korihor would again lie to the people, said that the Lord would decide if Korihor would speak again. Alma 30:55
The Lord did not restore Korihor’s speech. He had to go from house to house, begging for food. Alma 30:56
The chief judge sent word throughout the land of what had happened to Korihor. He told those who had believed Korihor to repent. Alma 30:57
The people repented, and Korihor went to live with the Zoramites. As he went about begging, he was trampled upon and killed. Alma 30:58–59
Illustrated by Jerry Thompson