Helaman 2
Gadianton Robbers Plot to Kill Helaman
Helaman 2:1–2
1 And it came to pass in the forty and second year of the reign of the judges, after Moronihah had established again peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites, behold there was no one to fill the judgment-seat; therefore there began to be a contention again among the people concerning who should fill the judgment-seat.
2 And it came to pass that Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, was appointed to fill the judgment-seat, by the voice of the people.
Comments
Book names appear to change on the large plates when there is a change in the dynasty. That is, when a new ruler is chosen who is not directly related to the previous ruler (as a brother or son would be). The new book seems to begin with the seating of the first ruler of the new dynasty. That doesn’t happen in the book of Helaman. We don’t have Helaman2 seated until the second chapter.
The first point to note is that Helaman2 is the son of Helaman1, not of Pahoran. There were several sons of Pahoran (Helaman 1:4), but only three contended for the judgment seat. Helaman2 wasn’t one of them. Therefore, when Helaman2 is seated, he creates a different dynasty. The fact that the records stayed with Alma2 may be the reason that the book of Alma was continued, even though Alma2 had abdicated his position as Chief Judge.
The second point is that the events of the first part of the original chapter of the book of Helaman (our Helaman chapter 1) were perhaps part of the record in the book of Alma on the large plates. As discussed in the commentary on Alma 63, Mormon appears to have ended the book of Alma on the more significant forty-year date, rather than waiting for the beginning of the new dynasty in the less significant forty-second year. The same thing appears to happen at the end of the book of Helaman, where it ends on the 19th year, setting the 20th year as the beginning of 3 Nephi, even though much of the beginning of 3 Nephi arguably comes from the large plates and plausibly the large plate version of the book of Helaman.
Helaman 2:3–5
3 But behold, Kishkumen, who had murdered Pahoran, did lay wait to destroy Helaman also; and he was upheld by his band, who had entered into a covenant that no one should know his wickedness.
4 For there was one Gadianton, who was exceedingly expert in many words, and also in his craft, to carry on the secret work of murder and of robbery; therefore he became the leader of the band of Kishkumen.
5 Therefore he did flatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if they would place him in the judgment-seat he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and authority among the people; therefore Kishkumen sought to destroy Helaman.
Comments
In Helaman 2:4, we are introduced to Gadianton, whose name will become the designation used for groups which Mormon considers dangerous to Nephite political life from now to the end of his own book. Even though we first learn of Kishkumen, Mormon has Gadianton supersede him without much more information than that he was able to become the leader of the group that would become known as the Gadianton robbers.
We learned in Alma 8:7 that “it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them.” That naming convention suggests that we might have expected to see the band of Kishkumen, rather than Gadianton. A possible reason for this shift might come from the possible etymology of the name as found in the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon.
Originally, the name was spelled with a double “d”: Gaddianton. John W. Welch has suggested that there was, in Hebrew, a gdd- root that had a meaning of bandits. With the addition of the very Jaredite-sounding -ianton ending, it is possible that Mormon intended his readers to understand the name generically rather than as a single person. Mormon’s use of that term from here to the end of his text confirms that he used it as a generic term. Perhaps it was meant to signify “Jaredite bandits/robbers.”
Helaman 2:6–9
6 And it came to pass as he went forth towards the judgment-seat to destroy Helaman, behold one of the servants of Helaman, having been out by night, and having obtained, through disguise, a knowledge of those plans which had been laid by this band to destroy Helaman—
7 And it came to pass that he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto him a sign; therefore Kishkumen made known unto him the object of his desire, desiring that he would conduct him to the judgment-seat that he might murder Helaman.
8 And when the servant of Helaman had known all the heart of Kishkumen, and how that it was his object to murder, and also that it was the object of all those who belonged to his band to murder, and to rob, and to gain power, (and this was their secret plan, and their combination) the servant of Helaman said unto Kishkumen: Let us go forth unto the judgment-seat.
9 Now this did please Kishkumen exceedingly, for he did suppose that he should accomplish his design; but behold, the servant of Helaman, as they were going forth unto the judgment-seat, did stab Kishkumen even to the heart, that he fell dead without a groan. And he ran and told Helaman all the things which he had seen, and heard, and done.
Comments
True to the secret combinations of the Jaredites, Kishkumen used a secret organization to attempt to kill Helaman2 in the same way that he had killed Pacumeni. Mormon does not tell us how a servant of Helaman2 had learned of, and infiltrated, the organization that would become known as the Gadianton robbers. Nevertheless, Helaman2 has a servant who knows enough to know what they plan, and to know how to give a sign so that Kishkumen would believe that he was a co-conspirator.
The servant kills Kishkumen, and reports to Helaman2. Helaman2 clearly knew enough of what was happening that there was no question about the legality of what the servant had done.
Helaman 2:10–14
10 And it came to pass that Helaman did send forth to take this band of robbers and secret murderers, that they might be executed according to the law.
11 But behold, when Gadianton had found that Kishkumen did not return he feared lest that he should be destroyed; therefore he caused that his band should follow him. And they took their flight out of the land, by a secret way, into the wilderness; and thus when Helaman sent forth to take them they could nowhere be found.
12 And more of this Gadianton shall be spoken hereafter. And thus ended the forty and second year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
13 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.
14 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.
Comments
Helaman2 attempts to arrest the entire band, but Gadianton learns of Kiskumen’s death, and they find a way to the wilderness where they escape. This incident ends quickly, but it is important in that it sets up the reader’s expectations for the Gadianton robbers. Mormon explicitly tells his readers that “more of this Gadianton shall be spoken hereafter.” Not only spoken of, but the Gadiantons will increasingly become dangerous to the Nephite way of life.
The Gadiantons are so dangerous, that Mormon declares that “this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi.” In case his readers mistake his meaning, Mormon makes sure that we know that he doesn’t mean the end of just the book of Helaman, but the end of the whole of the Book of Mormon. Of course, it cannot be this same Gadianton who is the cause of the Nephite destruction at Cumorah, but Mormon is blaming this band of Gadiantons and their Jaredite-inspired secret combinations. Mormon will continue to weave that theme into his record from this point forward.
This is the end of what was the first chapter of Helaman in the 1830 edition.
