Mosiah, son of Benjamin, was apparently the oldest son, his being named first of the king’s three sons (see v. 2 above). His selection as king suggests the kingship followed a patriarchal order. However, at the end of Mosiah’s reign, he asked the people for “their will concerning who should be king” and they desired Aaron, Mosiah’s son (Mosiah 29:1–2). Four of Mosiah’s sons were named in Mosiah 27:34, and Aaron is named second, but their order of birth is not mentioned. Nor does the context limit Mosiah’s sons to these four. After Aaron refuses to be king, Mosiah son of Benjamin informs the people “that he to whom the kingdom doth rightly belong has declined” (Mosiah 29:3, 6). The text suggests it was rightfully Aaron’s because of “the voice of the people” (Mosiah 29:2). However, it may have been because of his being the first born and the sons were not listed according to age. Therefore, we cannot definitely say it was a patriarchal kingship.
The name King Mosiah informs the people he would give unto them (Mosiah 1:11) was “the name of Christ” (Mosiah 5:8), and will be commented upon further in chapter 7. The conditions placed upon their name by Mosiah son of Benjamin are both mortal and eternal promises. The “name shall never be blotted out, except it be through transgression” (Mosiah 1:12); and if any “highly favored people of the Lord should fall into transgression, and become a wicked and adulterous people” they will become weak and no more preserved by the Lord” (v. 13). The example of their fathers falling “into the hands of the Lamanites” because of their wickedness will be verified time and time again with other peoples when the true history of the world is made known.