One of the most common devices to which mankind often resorts, is to contrive an excuse which one may impose upon another's back, all responsibility for one's own misdeeds. Abinadi had accused Noah of great wrongdoing. Noah stood guilty in the eyes of his people. The prophet was vehement in the charges he made. With an increasing fury, Abinadi recalled the wickedness of King Noah. He had been everything but what the name King implied, a Father.
To prove to his people that Abinadi was wrong, King Noah contrived a stratagem. He thought if he offered Abinadi an excuse or a pretext whereby Abinadi could escape punishment for the crime of which the prophet had been declared guilty, and if he made it so tempting that Abinadi would accept it, he would then be relieved of all liability as to Abinadi's death. "Recant what you have said, or die." The choice was left to the prophet.
"I will not recall the words which I have spoken...for they are true, and if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall stand against you at the last day."
The king became faint. He had been eager to accept a trumped-up apology from Abinadi, which did not come. At length King Noah grew worried. He was about to release Abinadi "for he feared his word" and also, he feared "the judgments of God would come upon him."