Helaman 16
Samuel Miraculously Preserved from Harm
Helaman 16:1–3
1 And now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be baptized unto the Lord.
2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Samuel were angry with him; and they cast stones at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall; but the Spirit of the Lord was with him, insomuch that they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.
3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.
Comments
Verses 1 and 2 represent a typical literary form that Mormon uses. He presents contrasts. In verse 1, we have many believing Samuel, and then going to find Nephi2 for more instructions and to be baptized.
Verse 2 has two reversals. The first is that there are those who do not believe, and the second is that some of those who witnessed what they deemed a miracle were converted.
The nature of the miracle requires a little explanation, because our visual perceptions of Samuel preaching on the wall comes from the Arnold Friberg painting that was included with the Book of Mormon for so many years. It has Samuel on a very high wall. Those below shoot arrows and cast stones, but it doesn’t seem all that surprising that they miss him as he is so far away.
Mark Wright has noted that our perception is the problem. The more likely height of the walls was much lower, perhaps only somewhat above the height of the tallest person. That meant that Samuel was easily visible and could be easily heard. It should also have meant that he would have been an easy target for stones and arrows. Both slings and bows were military weapons, and in the absence of a standing military, there would have been people round about who were capable with both weapons. Standing only perhaps six feet above the crowd, it was truly a miracle that he could not be hit with the stones or arrows. That was the miracle that was witnessed, and the reason that it was understood as a miracle.
Helaman 16:4–9
4 For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must shortly come—
5 Telling them of things which must shortly come, that they might know and remember at the time of their coming that they had been made known unto them beforehand, to the intent that they might believe; therefore as many as believed on the words of Samuel went forth unto him to be baptized, for they came repenting and confessing their sins.
6 But the more part of them did not believe in the words of Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains, saying: Take this fellow and bind him, for behold he hath a devil; and because of the power of the devil which is in him we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him and bind him, and away with him.
7 And as they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he did cast himself down from the wall, and did flee out of their lands, yea, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to prophesy among his own people.
8 And behold, he was never heard of more among the Nephites; and thus were the affairs of the people.
9 And thus ended the eighty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Comments
Nephi2 is preaching and baptizing, and there are those who believe, signifying that there were people who repented based on Samuel’s words. Nevertheless, there were still many who did not believe Samuel.
We next find out that the summary of the positive results looked forward to the aftermath of the incident. Mormon returns to the incident and its more immediate conclusion. Those who were angry, and had attempted to kill him from a distance, attempted then to take him prisoner. Mormon tells us that: “As they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he did cast himself down from the wall, and did flee out of their lands.” That clearly happened before those who repented could find Nephi2 so that they could be baptized.
Signs and Wonders Begin to Appear
Helaman 16:10–13
10 And thus ended also the eighty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, the more part of the people remaining in their pride and wickedness, and the lesser part walking more circumspectly before God.
11 And these were the conditions also, in the eighty and eighth year of the reign of the judges.
12 And there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity, and do more and more of that which was contrary to the commandments of God, in the eighty and ninth year of the reign of the judges.
13 But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.
Comments
Mormon has prepared us for the hardening of Nephite hearts. They had seen a miracle with Nephi2, and only believed for a little while. They had seen a miracle with Samuel, but only believed for a little while. By only a couple of years later, “the people began to be more hardened in iniquity, and do more of that which was contrary to the commandments of God.”
It will continue to get worse. Beginning in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, the people begin to have even more signs that ought to have moved them to belief. They begin to see the signs that would indicate that “the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.” What they will do is find a way to ignore and dismiss those signs. That is the reason that signs are such a poor means of finding faith. They can be rationalized away.
Helaman 16:14–16
14 And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.
15 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:
16 Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.
Comments
The signs are so powerful that “angels did appear.” The response was that “the people began to harden their hearts.” There were some who believed. They always are some who can remain faithful. It was a situation where the majority had turned away and would not acknowledge the signs they had seen. It is easy to rationalize, and they did, when they said, “some things they may have guessed right.” It is a common dismissal of signs, if one elects not to understand and believe them.
Helaman 16:17–21
17 And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying:
18 That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?
19 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem?
20 But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.
21 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.
Comments
The denial of the coming Messiah had long been a feature of Nephite apostasy. It was considered the most telling of all the markers of one who had left the Nephite religion. One might continue to follow the law of Moses, but if they rejected the coming Messiah, they rejected a fundamental principle of the Nephite religion.
The people at this time clearly continue that denial, a denial made more ironic in that they were very close to the signs of Christ’s birth.
Helaman 16:22–25
22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.
23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.
24 And thus ended the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
25 And thus ended the book of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman and his sons.
Comments
The stage is now set. As the book of Helaman ends, we have a people in apostasy and a people who have rejected the signs that they have seen up to this point. Mormon ends with their denial of the coming Messiah precisely because that Messiah will be the focus of the next book that he edits: the book of Nephi2, son of Helaman2.
