Rhetoric: Abinadi is about to get very personal. While we might read these verses simply as describing the resurrection, in the context of Abinadi’s discourse, this passage is a direct accusation against the priests. Abinadi’s entire discourse has turned the priests’ accusations back on them. From this point to the end of our chapter 16 is Abinadi’s final prophetic condemnation of the priests.
Scripture: Abinadi first uses the Messiah’s resurrection as the beginning point for the resurrection of all of humanity. Isaiah’s text allows only for the resurrection of the Messiah, so Abinadi is relying here on other teachings, such as those of Lehi (2 Ne. 2:8) and Jacob (2 Ne. 9:6). Since Abinadi does not argue the point, he must assume that the priests of Noah understand that the resurrection is for all, and not just of the Messiah.
While resurrection is for all, it nevertheless has a component in it that divides the righteous from the unrighteous. Both the righteous and the unrighteous are resurrected, but the nature of the resurrection differentiates between the righteous and the unrighteous. The first resurrection is for the righteous and the second for the unrighteous. True, Abinadi does not make it clear that the resurrection requires Yahweh’s final judgment, but that point is implied.