Korihor expands his accusation of priestcraft, claiming that the people “durst not make use of that which is their own,” instead giving up their possessions to support the priests. Such behavior is foolish, Korihor charges, because there is no God to be offended. The people’s sacrifice brings nothing of value in return.
For this accusation to have any merit, Nephite society must have become sufficiently complex that some leadership positions had become full-time, not allowing their occupants to fully follow the Nephite ideal of working with their own hands. Based on Alma’s argument in verse 32 below, this division had emerged between the civil position of chief judge and the religious one of high priest. In cases where the same man was both judge and priest, pay received for the civil position would be hard to distinguish from the religious position. This fuzziness appears to be the basis for Alma’s response (v. 32).