THE BOOK OF HELAMAN
An account of the Nephites. Their wars and contentions, and their dissensions. And also the prophecies of many holy prophets, before the coming of Christ, according to the records of Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, and also according to the records of his sons, even down to the coming of Christ. And also many of the Lamanites are converted. An account of their conversion. An account of the righteousness of the Lamanites, and the wickedness and abominations of the Nephites, according to the record of Helaman and his sons, even down to the coming of Christ, which is called the book of Helaman.
CHAPTER 1
Pahoran the second becomes chief judge and is murdered by Kishkumen—Pacumeni fills the judgment-seat—Coriantumr leads the Lamanite armies, takes Zarahemla, and slays Pacumeni—Moronihah defeats the Lamanites and retakes Zarahemla, and Coriantumr is slain. [Between 52 and 51 B.C.]
[The general pattern that was found to be happening in Alma 43-63 continues, the Nephite dissidents coutinue to be the cause of themost of the trouble: Helaman 1-5
1:6-8 - Paanchi attempts rebellion
1:9-12 - Kishkumen's secret combination
1:14-34 - Dissident Nephite Coriantumr leads Lamanite attack
2:1-11 - Gadianton takes over Kishkumen's secret combination and escape
3:3-22 - Three years of internal conflict, dissension, and wars among the Nephites
3:23 - Gadianton's secret combination spreads among the Nephites
3:33-36 - Polarization and contention within the church
4:1-3 - Contention and bloodshed among the Nephites with dissenters unsuccessfully attempting to instigate Lamanite aggression
4:4-10 - Nephite dissenters successfully attempt to instigate Lamanite aggression, Nephites lose a considerable amount of their territory. ]
1 AND now behold, it came to pass in the *commencement of the fortieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there began to be a serious difficulty among the people of the Nephites. [ Or as we would call it today social unrest, as a division of the people takes place. The cause of this is identified and editorialized by Mormon in Hel 4:11-13 which was: wickedness and abomination; because of the pride of their hearts; making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi; they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper ]
2 For behold, Pahoran had died, and gone the way of all the earth; therefore there began to be a serious contention concerning who should have the judgment-seat among the brethren, [ Looking for the opportunity to take the power that the judgement seat provided. ] who were the sons of Pahoran.
3 Now these are their names who did contend for the judgment-seat, who did also cause the people to contend: [ So the contention between these three candidates caused the people to contend one with another. Aparently they all had very different views just like today, the platforms are not close at all with each other. ] Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni.
4 Now these are not all the sons of Pahoran (for he had many), but these are they who did contend for the judgment-seat; therefore, they did cause three divisions among the people. [ Each division was following the person whom they thought should be the next leader. ]
5 Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pahoran was appointed by the voice of the people to be chief judge and a governor over the people of Nephi.
[ Paanchi attempts his rebellion vs 6-8 ]
6 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, when he saw that he could not obtain the judgment-seat, he did unite with the voice of the people. [ Pacumeni consented that Pahoran was to be the King and went along with the popular vote, and trys to bring his 1/3 division along in a united fashion, because he sees that it is best for the country. As such he brought along his 1/3 of the people that supported him. So now we have approximately 2/3 verses the 1/3 that are left(where have we seen that before?). ]
7 But behold, Paanchi, and that part of the people that were desirous that he should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth; [ What exactly was he mad about? Was he mad that he lost - that the voice of the people did not choose him? What does this say about his character? Do we see that in politics today? What can we learn from this, what do we need to take caution in? ] therefore, he was about to flatter away those people to rise up in rebellion against their brethren.
8 And it came to pass as he was about to do this, behold, he was taken, and was tried according to the voice of the people, and condemned unto death; for he had raised up in rebellion and sought to destroy the liberty of the people. [ He had committed treason. The betrayal of one's own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies. ]
[ Kishkumen's secret combination vs 9-12. ]
9 Now when those people who were desirous that he should be their governor saw that he was condemned unto death, therefore they were angry, [ They did not get their way so they take matters into their own hands. Anger is always a good reason to do what you want to do - right? If we put this in todays terms is it possible that the election was rigged? What do you do then? Do you just go along wit hthe results or do you fight? ] and behold, they sent forth one Kishkumen, [ Their hitman. The result here is that because they lost they are now going to interject poison so to speak into the system all along the way. They will do thinkgs that they don't want anyone to know about, all in trying to take down the government. Just like they do here when they hire Kishkumen to secretly murder Pahoran. ] even to the judgment-seat of Pahoran, and murdered Pahoran as he sat upon the judgment-seat.
10 And he was pursued by the servants of Pahoran; but behold, so speedy was the flight of Kishkumen that no man could overtake him.
11 And he [ Kishkumen. ] went unto those that sent him, and they all entered into a covenant, [ Why the need for a covenant? Either party knew that if they were found out either being the one who murdered Pahoran or the party that hired the murder of Pahoran - either way they would both be put to death. So the covenant here binds both parties to understand why it is important that neither one disclose the participation of the other party in the proceedings. ] yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker, [ By not "to". What is the difference between a covenant with God and a secret combination? When we covenant with God we in essence state that we would rather die than devulge the tokens and signs. However; in a secret combination they are making if they devulge the secrets they will bring murder upon themselves. In the temple it used to be that this covenant is so sacred that I would rather dies than tell it to someone, verses if you do tell it to someone you can kill me. Moses 5:29 ] that they would tell no man [ Or keep it a secret. Hence the name secret combination Helaman 6:21-30; Ether 8:13-25. All was done in secrecy so that Cain’s ‘father may not know it.’ Nevertheless, the “devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.” (Alma 30:60). ] that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran.
12 Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi, [ Or the people of Nephi did not know that it was Kishkumen that had murdered the chief judge. ] for he was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pahoran. And Kishkumen and his band, who had covenanted with him, did mingle themselves among the people, [ They just blended in. Think about that they appeared to be part of the neighborhood, just like everyone else. How do you know when they are in your midst? ] in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto death. [ So some must have been found out, but they took the secret to their graves. ]
13 And now behold, Pacumeni was appointed, according to the voice of the people, to be a chief judge and a governor over the people, [ Through the use of secret combinations Pacumeni gets what he wanted all along. ] to reign in the stead of his brother Pahoran; and it was according to his right. And all this was done in the fortieth year of the reign of the judges; and it had an end.
[ Dissident Nephite Coriantumr leads Lamanite attack vs 14-34. ]
14 And it came to pass in the *forty and first year of the reign of the judges, that the Lamanites had gathered together an innumerable army of men, and armed them with swords, and with cimeters and with bows, and with arrows, and with head-plates, and with breastplates, and with all manner of shields of every kind. [ They have become more sophisicated in war, coming into battle with all kinds of instruments of destruction and protection. ]
15 And they came down again that they might pitch [ To set in array; to marshal or arrange in order; used chiefly in the participle; as a pitched battle. ] battle against the Nephites. And they were led by a man whose name was Coriantumr; and he was a descendant of Zarahemla; and he [ Coriantumr ] was a dissenter from among the Nephites; and he was a large and a mighty man.
16 Therefore, the king of the Lamanites, whose name was Tubaloth, who was the son of Ammoron, supposing that Coriantumr, being a mighty man, could stand against the Nephites, with his strength and also with his great wisdom, insomuch that by sending him forth he should gain power over the Nephites—
17 Therefore he did stir them up to anger, [ The Lamanites. ] and he did gather together his armies, and he did appoint Coriantumr to be their leader, and did cause that they should march down to the land of Zarahemla to battle against the Nephites.
18 And it came to pass that because of so much contention [ We can see how the secret combinations have worked through the land such that there is no trust in government, everyone is more interested in power that they can gain in government, as a result they have taken their eye off of the other enemy. ] and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed [ They most likely gave it no thought since they were so held up in internal conflict. ] that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla.
19 But it came to pass that Coriantumr did march forth at the head of his numerous host, and came upon the inhabitants of the city, and their march was with such exceedingly great speed that there was no time for the Nephites to gather together their armies. [ Or they were left to what they had done to prepare already, no time for additional preparation. This is a messgae for each of us. Are we in a position to withstand a swift frontal attack, do we prepare enough on a daily basis to be ready for such? ]
20 Therefore Coriantumr did cut down the watch by the entrance of the city, and did march forth with his whole army into the city, and they did slay every one who did oppose them, insomuch that they did take possession of the whole city. [ That is pretty swift. Any contrast here how satan works in our lives as well? It is very much how the adversary works in our lives as well. He catches us with our guard down in one aspect of our life, gets us to make a mistake and then trys to convince us that there is no way we can overcome, or there is no way back, we give up and then we are captives. ]
21 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, who was the chief judge, did flee before Coriantumr, even to the walls of the city. And it came to pass that Coriantumr did smite him against the wall, insomuch that he died. And thus ended the days of Pacumeni. [ Pacumeni appears to be more qualified for deception. If he would have applied some of those skills to taking care of his people instead of worring so much about keeping his power and cobering his sins he would have been better off. ]
22 And now when Coriantumr saw that he was in possession of the city of Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites had fled before them, and were slain, and were taken, and were cast into prison, and that he had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in all the land, his heart took courage insomuch that he was about to go forth against all the land.
23 And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but he did march forth with a large army, even towards the city of Bountiful; for it was his determination to go forth and cut his way through with the sword, that he might obtain the north parts of the land.
24 And, supposing that their greatest strength was in the center of the land, therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to assemble themselves together save it were in small bodies; and in this manner they did fall upon them and cut them down to the earth.
25 But behold, this march of Coriantumr through the center of the land gave Moronihah great advantage over them, notwithstanding the greatness of the number of the Nephites who were slain.
26 For behold, Moronihah had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the center of the land, but that they would attack the cities round about in the borders as they had hitherto done; therefore Moronihah had caused that their strong armies should maintain those parts round about by the borders.
[ So Coriantumr marches his army right into the center of the Nephite nation, right into the middle of Zarahemla. Coriantumr was successful in marching right in and taking everything over. However; he had mis-calculated because Moronihah says that this mistake gave Moronihah great advantage, and what was that advantage? Well Moronihah had placed all of his armies around the perimeter and not in the center, so as a result Coriantumr and his army was now surrounded by the armies of Moronihah. ]
27 But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to his desire, [ The Lamanites were not detered as Moronihah had hoped they would be. ] but they had come into the center of the land, and had taken the capital city which was the city of Zarahemla, and were marching through the most capital parts of the land, slaying the people with a great slaughter, both men, women, and children, taking possession of many cities and of many strongholds.
28 But when Moronihah had discovered this, he immediately sent forth Lehi with an army round about to head them before they should come to the land Bountiful.
29 And thus he did; and he did head them before they came to the land Bountiful, and gave unto them battle, insomuch that they began to retreat back towards the land of Zarahemla.
30 And it came to pass that Moronihah did head them in their retreat, and did give unto them battle, insomuch that it became an exceedingly bloody battle; yea, many were slain, and among the number who were slain Coriantumr was also found.
31 And now, behold, the Lamanites could not retreat either way, neither on the north, nor on the south, nor on the east, nor on the west, for they were surrounded on every hand by the Nephites.
32 And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites [ The power had gone to his head as well. He thought that he was more powerful than he was. Such it is for those in satans army, remember he does not really care about the person leading out, Satan only cares about the destruction of ALL MANKIND. ] into the midst of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and he himself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield themselves into the hands of the Nephites.
* Verse 1 [52 B.C.]; Verse14 [51 B.C.].