Amaleki(1)’s brother

Amaleki(1) mentions that his brother went into the wilderness with a group led by a man named Zeniff (Omni 1:30). This group was a small group of colonizers who left the land of Zarahemla to try and reclaim the land of Nephi, which had been overtaken by the Lamanites.

There is a suggestion that Amaleki(1)’s brother may have been the prophet Abinadi, who later preached to the people of Zeniff’s colony in the land of Lehi-Nephi around 150 BC. There are a few reasons this is plausible:

1. The timing matches up – Abinadi began preaching around 150 BC, which is around the time Zeniff’s group would have left Zarahemla based on Amaleki(1)’s account.
2. Abinadi’s teachings show similarities to those of King Benjamin, suggesting he may have learned them from the same records that Amaleki(1) later gave to Benjamin. This could indicate Abinadi was part of the group that left with Zeniff.
3. Abinadi’s name is similar to Amaleki(1)’s father Abinadom, hinting at a possible familial connection.

However, the text does not explicitly state that Amaleki(1)’s brother was Abinadi. It’s also possible his brother was simply part of Zeniff’s group and met an unknown fate, as Amaleki(1) says he has “not since known concerning” his brother (Omni 1:30).

In the end, while the evidence suggests Amaleki(1)’s brother may have been the prophet Abinadi, we cannot say for certain. The text leaves his identity and ultimate fate ambiguous. But Amaleki(1)’s brief mention of his brother going with Zeniff’s group provides an intriguing connection to the later events described in the Book of Mormon.

Learn more:

1. The Testimony of Amaleki | Religious Studies Center
2. Who Was Amaleki? | ScriptureCentral
3. The Crooks in the Lot: The Brother of Amaleki1