Abinadi prophesies in the name of the Lord to the people of Noah that "I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon their backs; and they shall be driven before like a dumb ass" (Mosiah 12:5). What might be problematic here is the possible lack of "asses" on the American continent at this time period. Yet from another perspective this prophecy might be understood from the scriptures. Additionally, iff this is like other prophecies Abinadi foretold of king Noah and his people, then it mirror what Noah and his people would do to Abinadi.
Whether or not such was the case might not be answered so easily, however, it might be interesting to see if the people's understanding of the phrase "driven before like a dumb ass" could have been scriptural. In Numbers 22:1-38 we have an account of a man named Balaam traveling with an ass against the commandment of the Lord. An angel appeared in front of the ass to halt this behavior, but the light of this angel was only visible to the ass. Thus, Balaam kept beating or driving the ass forward, but the ass would not go. Finally the ass spoke to Balaam, saying, "What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? . . . Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day?
It is possible that Abinadi might have been likening the people's disobedient attitude toward the Lord's commandments to the story of Balaam. The reader should note that the term "dumb" means unable to speak. The ass would have been considered "dumb" before he spoke to Balaam. Abinadi had been away from the people for two years without speaking to them. Thus he could have been considered "dumb" or unable to speak. The reader should also note that after Abinadi had appeared to them in the name of the Lord they did not repent of their evil doings and sought to take away his life (Mosiah 11:26-29), possibly beating him in hopes that he might move in the disobedient directions that they wanted him to go.
Now I understand that we have always understood that the fulfillment of Abinadi's prophecy of being "driven before like a dumb ass" will come to Limhi and his people just before the coming of Ammon as they are oppressed by the Lamanites, and it will come to Alma and his followers in the land of Helam as they are oppressed by the wicked priests of Noah. However, I find it appropriate here to consider some expanded possibilities. [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]