Alma begins his teachings with a reminder of the many ways God has been faithful to the Nephites. Note that King Noah, mentioned in verse 4, is not the same Noah readers may be familiar with from the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. In contrast to that Noah, who endured censure in order to follow God’s commandments and saved a righteous remnant from the Great Flood, the Book of Mormon’s King Noah nearly brought his small colony of Nephites to ruin through “whoredoms,” corrupt priests, excessive taxation, and self-indulgence. He was eventually burned to death by his own people.