Dear Reader,
Today I came across a Hebrew phase “The King is in the Field.” This intrigued me since much of the chapter of Mosiah in the Book of Morman relates to the teachings of King Benjamin. So, I pursued the Hebrew phase through AI, the Old Testament and Mosiah in the book of Morman. Below is a message based on my comparison.
King Benjamin and "The King is in the Field."
In Jewish tradition, the month of Elul is a time of preparation for the High Holy Days. It is a month of self-examination, repentance, and turning our hearts back to God. Chassidic teaching uses a beautiful parable to describe this season: “The King is in the field.” Normally, a king is hidden away in his palace, approached only with great ceremony. But in Elul, God — the King — comes into the field, among His people, and receives them with kindness and a welcoming face. It is a time when the barriers are lowered and when anyone, no matter their station, may draw close.
When I read of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon, I hear a striking echo of these same themes. In Mosiah 2–5, King Benjamin gathers his people at the temple. They come in humility, pitching their tents toward the sanctuary. Instead of remaining in a palace apart, Benjamin speaks directly to his people, reminding them of their nothingness before God, and pointing them to the true King, Jesus Christ, who will come among His people.
The parallels are rich:
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Elul prepares Israel for renewal of the covenant; King Benjamin prepares his people to enter into a covenant with God.
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In Elul, the King walks in the field, accessible to all; in Mosiah, the king is among his people, teaching them face to face.
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Elul is a month of teshuvah — repentance and return; Benjamin’s people cry out for mercy, pleading that the atoning blood of Christ be applied to their souls.
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Elul culminates in Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, with covenant reaffirmation; Benjamin’s people covenant to take upon themselves the name of Christ and live as His children.
It is also important to remember that King Benjamin’s citizens were descendants of Israel — the people of Nephi who had brought with them the Brass Plates containing the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets. The Book of Mormon records that the Nephites “observed to keep the law of Moses” (2 Nephi 5:10; Jarom 1:5). In fact, at Benjamin’s great address they “took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the law of Moses” (Mosiah 2:3).
This means the Nephites preserved not only the commandments but also the covenantal rhythms of Israelite worship — including the annual cycle of repentance and renewal found in the Hebrew calendar. While the Book of Mormon does not name months like Elul or Tishrei, King Benjamin’s assembly reads as a parallel to those sacred seasons: a gathering of the people, sacrifice, humility, repentance, and the renewal of covenant. Just as Elul prepares for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Benjamin’s discourse prepared his people to bind themselves afresh to God, this time through the name and atoning blood of Christ.
In both traditions, the message is clear: God is not distant. He draws near. He meets us in the “field” of our ordinary lives and in the moments of our deepest humility. He does not ask us to scale the palace walls — instead, He comes toward us, inviting us into repentance, mercy, and covenant renewal.
As the people of Benjamin discovered, when we turn to God with broken hearts, we are met with joy and forgiveness: “The Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience” (Mosiah 4:3).
Elul and King Benjamin’s sermon remind us that the King comes to meet His people — not to frighten them, but to welcome them into His presence with open arms. Our task is to go out into the field, to listen, to repent, and to take upon ourselves the covenant life He offers.
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