Book of Mormon Evidence: Wordplay on Helam

Helam is a biblical name. It was the location of a battle where King David defeated a coalition of Syrians in a war between the Israelites and the Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:16–17). Helam was also the name of the first convert who was baptized at the Waters of Mormon, in addition to Alma himself (Mosiah 18:12–14). Later, when Alma and his people fled from the armies of King Noah, they founded a new settlement which they called Helam (Mosiah 23:19).

Exploring the Meaning of Helam in the Bible

The biblical name Helam is of uncertain derivation. Some writers have suggested a meaning of “place of abundance” but without evidentiary support.1 Bruce Metzger suggests the possible meaning of “fortress.”2 Moshe Garsiel argues that “some names in the Bible have undergone slight changes of form to make them correspond with the desired derivation” of the narrator.3 He suggests that the name Helam in 2 Samuel 10:16 was changed from an original name Heleam (hlʾm) to Helam (hylm) in order to create a wordplay, suggesting a derivation from hyl which means “an army.” Helam (hylm) would then mean “their troops.”4 This hypothesized midrashic change “establishes a link between the place and its history, since it is there that both David and Hadarezer gather their troops to fight each other.”5  

Wordplay Involving Strength

Stephen Ricks, Paul Hoskisson, Robert F. Smith, and John Gee suggest the possibility that Helam in the Book of Mormon could be a hypocoristic (abbreviated) form of Hebrew meaning “(God) is pure/God purifies.”6 Alternatively, the name could mean “the (divine) kinsman (= God) is a fortress, rampart.”7 The authors also point to the Hebrew root hlm, which can mean “to be healthy; to become strong, to be strong.”8 This last option is particularly interesting, as it opens the door to a potential wordplay involving the deliverance of Alma’s people.

Following one of their victories against the Lamanites, the people of King Noah “did boast in their strength” (Mosiah 11:19). Abinadi then prophesied that, if they did not repent, they would be brought into bondage (Mosiah 11:21) and would have “burdens lashed upon their backs” (Mosiah 12:5). Rejecting the prophet’s warnings, the people boasted again: “behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage” (Mosiah 12:15). Ultimately, however, their mortal strength failed them. As can be seen in the following chart, the narrator of the record seems especially intent on showing that Abinadi’s prophecy of impending bondage came to pass, not only for the people Limhi (Mosiah 21:3–4) but also for the people of Alma (Mosiah 24:14–15).9

Of particular interest is the statement that “the Lord did strengthen” the people of Alma (Mosiah 24:15). This is because, at the time, they were in the land of Helam—a name which, as noted previously, can mean “to become strong” (hlm).

One might take issue with this proposal because, as explained by Ricks et al., this root is primarily used in biblical texts in relation to animals.10 Yet a connection with animals actually is present in these verses. This is because Abinadi’s prophecy specifically compares the Nephites to a beast that would have a burden lashed to its back and be “driven before like a dumb ass” (Mosiah 12:5). Although “ass” isn’t specifically mentioned in Mosiah 24:15 where the term “strengthen” is used, it is clear that this verse alludes back to Abinadi’s earlier animal-related prophecy, just like Mosiah 21:3–4.

Interestingly, the omission of “ass” in Mosiah 24:15—in contrast to Mosiah 21:3—may be due to the comparative righteousness of Alma’s people. Having been converted and baptized at the Waters of Mormon, a new form of animal association arises: They now belonged to the covenant “fold of God” (Mosiah 18:8) and as members of Christ’s Church were considered to be the Lord’s “sheep” (Mosiah 26:20–21).

Regardless of the derivation of the name Helam in the Bible, the appearance of this name in the book of Mosiah suggests a deliberate wordplay on the part of the narrator. Whether Alma’s people are viewed as being in animal-like bondage or as the sheep of Christ’s fold (or perhaps both), it is significant that the Lord “strengthened” them at Helam—a name that reasonably relates to the root hlm (“to become strong, to be strong”) which is particularly used in relation to animals.

Wordplay Involving Dreaming

The hlm root also has a secondary meaning involving dreaming. The Bible often invokes this term in the context of revelatory nighttime visions, but it can also refer to more ordinary dreams and holds a connotation of sleeping in general.11 For instance, in Isaiah 29:7 we read: “And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream [ḥălôm] of a night vision.” A few verses later, we read that “the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes” (Isaiah 29:10).  

This imagery—of God causing a “deep sleep” in the context of an hlm-related dream—is relevant to the manner in which Alma and his people were delivered at Helam (hlm). In order to help them escape undetected, “the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound sleep. And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness” (Mosiah 24:19–20).12 Although the text never explicitly states that the Lamanites were “dreaming,” that activity is reasonably implied since it regularly accompanies sleep. Moreover, their sleep was clearly divinely induced (much like the sleep in Isaiah 29:10) and ends up being the key element that facilitates the deliverance of Alma’s people. The possibility for an intentional dream-related pun on Helam is therefore enticing.

Conclusion

While we cannot always determine the precise meanings of names which are found in scripture, an understanding of biblical languages can sometimes alert us to meaningful wordplay in the text. In the case of Helam, two plausible options present themselves, one in relation to Alma’s people being “strengthen[ed]” to bear their animal-like burdens (Mosiah 24:15) and the other in regard to the “deep sleep” that the Lord poured out on the Lamanites (Mosiah 24:19–20). These proposals need not be viewed as competing with one another either, as ancient biblical writers regularly drew out multiple associations with names when the opportunity presented itself.

Many other examples of plausible puns have been identified in the Nephite record.¹³ It seems unlikely that Joseph Smith, or any of the earliest readers of the Book of Mormon were aware of such examples. They are, however, fully consistent with a translation of a record with roots in the ancient Near East.