Helaman 10

Helaman 10

Helaman 10:1–3

1 And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them.

2 And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him.

3 And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying:

Comments

In the original 1830 edition, there was no chapter break at this point. Indeed, verses 1 and 2 are the conclusion to the events of Nephi₂’s trial that occupied the ending of Helaman 9. The end of verse 2 and verse 3 are the transition into the next story that Mormon wants to tell.

At this point, the emotionally powerful and potentially deadly events of the trial are over, and Nephi₂ “went his way towards his own house.” He is then thinking about the previous events. In particular, he thinks about the “secret works of darkness, and . . . murderings, etc.” Those are phrases that Mormon uses to designate the Gadianton robbers, even when he doesn’t use the name. Thus, Nephi₂ is pondering on those judges who had accused him, and the fact that the Gadiantons have so completely taken over the Nephite government, and much of the religious life.

Helaman 10:4–6

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.

Comments

The voice of the Lord comes to Nephi. The first declaration is a typical, yet important, beginning. Nephi₂ is told that he has done well. That is important, for it would be easy for Nephi₂ to feel that he had been a failure. He had remarkable success among the Lamanites, only to be ineffective in the north, and now unable to change his own people (who Mormon implies are affected by the north, or the north-connected-Gadiantons). Thus, the blessing would come as a comfort for a Nephi₂ who could easily have become discouraged.

Next comes the important statement: “Thou are Nephi, and I am God.” This sounds like so much truism that we could miss that the impact of the statement is an echo of Leviticus 26:12: “I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.” Yahweh is reiterating that covenant with Nephi₂, in a very real, and very personal, sense.

The next reason for the declaration that it is Yahweh who is speaking is to declare that he has the power to control the earth. Yahweh can “smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.” More importantly, Yahweh grants that power to Nephi: “Ye shall have power over this people.” Nephi₂ is given the power to do the miracles that Yahweh himself would.

Helaman 10:7–10

7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.

8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done.

9 And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.

10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.

Comments

Yahweh grants Nephi₂ the power to command the elements and to have them obey. That is a fundamental definition of the power of God. Thus, he can “say unto this temple it shall be rent twain, it shall be done. And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done.” These are powers far beyond human capacity, but within the power of the God of the earth.

Verse 7 also speaks of sealing and loosening. Many might have authority to seal or loosen on earth. That depends only upon an authority granted by man. Nephi₂’s authority can extend beyond mortality, and he can seal or loose in heaven as well. Nephi₂ has the ability to tap into the powers of heaven.

Modern saints understand this sealing power in the context of ordinances that may be performed on earth but continue to have validity in the heavens. That is true doctrine but might not have been fully revealed to Nephi. The context of what Nephi₂ will seal is more part of nature. He will give the command to seal on earth, and the heavens will accomplish that command. Note that Yahweh tells Nephi: “If ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass.” Nephi₂ can initiate and promise, but it is Yahweh who acts. Nephi₂ can say that a mountain should be cast down, but Yahweh will do it.

Helaman 10:11–14

11 And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.

12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent.

13 Now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge, they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord.

14 Therefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying: Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be smitten even unto destruction.

Comments

Verses 11 and 14 bracket the middle verses with Yahweh’s command that Nephi₂ declare that the people will be smitten unless they repent, and the actual declaration to the people by Nephi₂.

In between, Mormon tells us that Nephi₂ went out preaching, and “declare[d] unto them the word of the Lord, concerning their destruction if they did not repent.” In other words, he did just what the Lord told him to do. Verse 13 tells us that even though there had been a miracle to which many could attest, “they did harden their hearts.”

When verse 14 repeats the information that Nephi₂ declared the word of God to them, it was as a final declaration that the penalty was to be imposed. They had had an opportunity to repent and did not.

Helaman 10:15–19

15 And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared unto them the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts and would not hearken unto his words; therefore they did revile against him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him that they might cast him into prison.

16 But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and conveyed away out of the midst of them.

17 And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people.

18 And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword.

19 And thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Comments

Another miracle occurs, and Nephi₂ cannot be thrown into prison. It still is not sufficient to change the hearts of the majority. There were, of course, some who did believe, and the contention between those two types of people led to violence: “[They] began to slay one another with the sword.” Rather than repent and return to prosperity, the people allow themselves to descend into a civil war.

This ends a chapter in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon.