3 Nephi 7

3 Nephi 7

3 Nephi 7:1

1 Now behold, I will show unto you that they did not establish a king over the land; but in this same year, yea, the thirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea, did murder the chief judge of the land.

Comments

There was no chapter division at this point in the 1830 edition, and beginning at this point separates the statement that “they did not establish a king” from the context that prompted it, which was the immediately preceding verse (3 Nephi 6:30) which said that the people who took over the government wanted to “establish a king over the land.”

There was an attempt to change the nature of the government of the Nephite people. What it accomplished instead was the destruction of the Nephite government, and therefore the dissolution of the Nephite people as a nation. This is Mormon’s ultimate message about the Gadiantons. They destroy nations. He has already declared that the secret combinations destroyed the Jaredites and tied those same secret combinations to the Gadiantons.

Although we will see that there will again be Nephites, Mormon tells us that before Christ appeared, they had been destroyed through the influence and actions of the Gadiantons. As a writer who believed in cycles of history, Mormon wants his audience to understand that just as the Gadiantons caused the destruction of the Nephites in the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges, that they will also cause the destruction of the Nephites in Mormon’s time. Mormon foreshadowed that lesson in Helaman 2:13–14:

And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi. Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written.

Nephite Government Dissolves and Tribes Remain

3 Nephi 7:2–4

2 And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land.

3 And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.

4 Now behold, there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends; therefore their tribes became exceedingly great.

Comments

When the government of the nation fell apart, the Nephites easily divided into tribes. The reason that they so easily fell into tribal organizations is probably because those divisions had never completely left the society. We hear of people of different tribes throughout the text, and they were probably representative of a principle of organization that operated on a more local level. Therefore, the collapse of the government that unified the tribes did not create anarchy, but simply removed a unifying layer of government.

Within the tribes, there had already been an organizational structure. Even if the person who eventually became the “chief or leader” over them had already been the figurative head of the tribe, there was probably a “voice of the people” to sustain them in the more direct ruling role.

Tribal rule did not mean that they were small, as indicated in verse 4, which states that “their tribes became exceedingly great.” As an organizational unit, the tribe held together smaller units, which might (in more modern terms) be called clans, and then families within the clans.

3 Nephi 7:5–8

5 Now all this was done, and there were no wars as yet among them; and all this iniquity had come upon the people because they did yield themselves unto the power of Satan.

6 And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.

7 And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.

8 And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

Comments

Verses 5 and 6 conclude the introduction to the conditions existing before the great destructions. The government was destroyed “because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets.” Even without writing the word Gadianton, Mormon clearly points to them with the indication that they operated through secret combinations, a phrase that also ties them to the Jaredites.

In verse 8 we have another place where Mormon will give a time, and then back up to describe events leading up to that time. Verse 13 of this chapter verifies that Mormon is still giving events of the thirtieth year.

The timing Mormon gives is also complicated because it does not easily fit into the declared dates in his text. The twenty-ninth year was when he indicated that they began to turn from righteousness. The six years Mormon mentions does not exactly fit in the timeframe he has given us. The Messiah will come to Bountiful late in the thirty-fourth year. He concludes the twenty-eighth year with peace and has the beginning of the twenty-ninth as when “there began to be some disputings” (3 Nephi 6:10).

A possible solution is simply that Mormon saw the interval differently that we do. In English, if today were Monday, the next Monday would be seven days from today. In many Spanish speaking countries, the week is calculated as “de hoy en ocho,” or literally, “eight days from today.” The meaning is precisely the same, but English does not count today, and Spanish does. Perhaps that explains Mormon’s six years when we see only five. It can also be understood by realizing that the clean divisions of events into years may not have been as clean as he writes them. Thus, the contentions might have been beginning in the end of the twenty-eighth years. The Savior appears in the end of the thirty-fourth year (see 3 Nephi 10:18, which occurs before the Savior’s appearance).

Jacob Becomes King of a Secret Combination

3 Nephi 7:9–11

9 Now this secret combination, which had brought so great iniquity upon the people, did gather themselves together, and did place at their head a man whom they did call Jacob;

10 And they did call him their king; therefore he became a king over this wicked band; and he was one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

11 And it came to pass that they were not so strong in number as the tribes of the people, who were united together save it were their leaders did establish their laws, every one according to his tribe; nevertheless they were enemies; notwithstanding they were not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.

Comments

The dissolution of the Nephite nation did not remove the Gadiantons from the land, nor those who had supported them. Their attempted takeover of the government simply caused so much division that the Nephite government, as an overarching layer over the various cities and lands (and tribes), was dissolved.

Those who had been favorable to the Gadiantons remained so, and gathered together in their own government. Over that reduced population, the Gadiantons declared a king. They had wanted a change to the government, and they made that change. They simply were not recognized by as many people.

3 Nephi 7:12–13

12 Therefore, Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters, (for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people; and they did so.

13 And so speedy was their march that it could not be impeded until they had gone forth out of the reach of the people. And thus ended the thirtieth year; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi.

Comments

After toppling the Nephite government and establishing their own king over a much smaller people, Jacob, the new king, decides that they have to go north. When they were strong enough to survive harassment on the journey, they leave the land and continue north, “out of the reach of the people.” For all we can tell, those tribes who had previously been Nephite, remained in the land of Zarahemla.

Even though Mormon doesn’t tell much of this Gadianton king, or what they did, he makes certain to explain that the Gadiantons head north. Conceptually, he is tying the Gadiantons (those who destroyed the Nephites just before the Messiah appeared) to the north, where the Gadiantons, who destroyed the Nephites of Mormon’s days, came from.

Nephi Preaches and Performs Miracles

3 Nephi 7:14

14 And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that they were divided into tribes, every man according to his family, kindred and friends; nevertheless they had come to an agreement that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they were established according to the minds of those who were their chiefs and their leaders. But they did establish very strict laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless, their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.

Comments

In the last two verses, Mormon finished the story of the Gadiantons. The flight into the north certainly took place after the thirty-first year, but in verse 14, we return again to that earlier year. Mormon is telling multiple stories, and he does so by finishing a story, and then backing up to the common point of departure. We see this clearly here, but he also used that technique to tell the stories of Zeniff’s people and the missionary efforts of the sons of Mosiah₂.

The story for these tribes is that they may not have been Gadiantons, but they were still not correctly following the Nephite religion. “Their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.” That information sets up the next story in the following verse.

3 Nephi 7:15–20

15 And it came to pass that Nephi—having been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their wickedness and abominations;

16 Therefore, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds—went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

17 And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice, therefore they are not written in this book. And Nephi did minister with power and with great authority.

18 And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.

19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

20 And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry with him because of his power; and he did also do many more miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

Comments

Mormon has painted a very bleak picture of the Nephites. Of course, it was not all bleak, for there were some righteous Nephites remaining. For them, the focal point was Nephi₃, who had “been visited by angels and also the voice of the Lord.” It is important that Mormon should make Nephi₃’s spiritual qualifications clear, for it will be Nephi₃’s eyewitness account of the Savior’s appearance upon which Mormon will base his account.

Nephi₃ is righteous and blessed with communication with the heavens. This is in contrast to the majority of the people, who had hard hearts and blind minds. Nephi₃ does what a prophet should do. He goes among them to preach, and he preaches with power. Mormon writes: “[He] did minister many things unto them; and all of them cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice.” Mormon’s task was to abridge, or to make a more concise record. Apparently, he felt that he could not abridge what Nephi₃ had done and decided not to include all of it. What he will include are the most important events that Nephi₃ witnessed and recorded.

Nevertheless, Mormon gives the very briefest of summaries in verses 18–20.

3 Nephi 7:21–23

21 And it came to pass that the thirty and first year did pass away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord; but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.

22 And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and did do some miracles among the people.

23 Thus passed away the thirty and second year also. And Nephi did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission of sins.

Comments

Mormon has told three separate stories that all occurred simultaneously: the dissolution of the Nephite nation into tribes, the Gadiantons seating a king and then fleeing north, and now Nephi₃’s preaching efforts. Mormon confirms that they were simultaneous by repeating that they occurred in the thirty-first year.

3 Nephi 7:24–26

24 Now I would have you to remember also, that there were none who were brought unto repentance who were not baptized with water.

25 Therefore, there were ordained of Nephi, men unto this ministry, that all such as should come unto them should be baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a remission of their sins.

26 And there were many in the commencement of this year that were baptized unto repentance; and thus the more part of the year did pass away.

Comments

After the sad news that the majority of the people had rejected both the Nephite nation and the Nephite religion, Mormon ends with recognizing that there were still some who believed, and that there was a continuation of the mission of the gospel. People who repented were baptized; leaders and teachers were appointed. The Nephite nation may have been dissolved, but many remained who continued to believe in the Nephite gospel.

Mormon does not tell us where these people were. With the difficulties of travel in the ancient world, and the animosity that Mormon indicated was endemic to the separated tribes, it would appear to be reasonable that these believers would also desire to be together as a community rather than mixed in with people who would persecute them. A movement of this people into the land Bountiful may explain why that was the location mentioned where the resurrected Savior appeared.

Mormon ends a chapter at this point. The nature of the text to this point suggests that Mormon intermingled information from the large plates (represented by the annalistic listing of the years) as well as Nephi₃’s personal record (represented by the favorable recording of Nephi₃’s actions). In the next chapter, however, that shift will be complete. Thus, Mormon creates a chapter break between these chapters and the next, which will begin the crucial story of the Book of Mormon.