Mosiah begins by pointing out there is tremendous risk in being ruled by kings. He points out that historically they have had experience with both good and bad kings. He first mentions his father, King Benjamin:
“Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments of man are not always just. Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did for this people -- I say unto you, if this could always be the case then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to rule over you.”