Helaman 1

(All of my own thoughts are in red type 7/20 green6/21 9/22 Brown 10/23)   

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, will we get "many holy prophets" prophesying before He returns? 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, If this is a pattern, then the Gentiles who have been righteous now, will become more and more wicked and the Lamanites will "blossom"...according to the record of Helaman and his sons, even down to the coming of Christ, which is called the book of Helaman, and so forth.

CHAPTER 1

Pahoran the second becomes chief judge and is murdered by Kishkumen— One visionary saw that our President of the US is murdered and that night we are called to places of safety. 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. About 52–50 B.C.

  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.
  2 For behold, ^aPahoran 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, 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: Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni.
  4 Now these are not all the sons of Pahoran (for he had many), I wonder how many? Seems like it would have been at least 5 or 6  more sons to not just say who the others were...but these are they who did contend for the judgment-seat; therefore, they did cause three ^adivisions among the people.
  5 Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pahoran was appointed by the ^avoice of the people to be chief judge and a governor over the people of Nephi.
  6 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, when he saw that he could not obtain the judgment-seat, he did ^aunite with the voice of the people. This is what we are supposed to do when our “voice” loses in a free and fair election. We just “support” the new president as president, even if we disagree with his policies. Perhaps people could understand this comparison when we talk about “sustaining the brethren”.  We acknowledge their position even if we disagree with some things they say. Hopefully the disagreements are few because of revelation. But considering that Christ himself said to preach nothing but faith, repentance, baptism and endure to the end and anything more or less cometh of evil...Perhaps it is alright to question if the “more or less” that is preached is truly from God. Certainly it is subject to the interpretation of man. I may have cited this essay (http://www.eugeneengland.org/why-the-church-is-as-true-as-the-gospel, Eugene England was our Bishop in our BYU married ward. I didn't realize then what an intellectual He was. He was always pushing the envelope of thought, and I guess some of the brethren had issues with Him, but most of his thoughts are accepted today (is what I read from a new book about him...) in an earlier chapter, but it is worth noting again here. 

Eugene England wrote an essay where he said, “I know that those who use the cliche about the gospel being more “true” than the Church want the term gospel to mean a perfect system of revealed commandments based in principles that infallibly express the natural laws of the universe. But even revelation is, in fact, merely the best understanding the Lord can give us of those things. And, as God himself has clearly insisted, that understanding is far from perfect. He re­minds us, in the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, “Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known” (D&C1:24-25). This is a remarkably complete and sobering inventory of the problems involved in putting God’s knowledge of the universe into human language and then having it understood. It should make us careful about claiming too much for “the gospel,” which is not the perfect principles or natural laws themselves—or God’s perfect knowledge of those things—but is merely the closest approximation that in­spired but limited mortals can receive.

Even after a revelation is received and expressed by a prophet, it has to be understood, taught, translated into other languages, and expressed in programs, manuals, sermons, and essays—in a word, interpreted. And that means that at least one more set of limitations of language and world-view enters in. I always find it perplexing when someone asks a teacher or speaker if what she is saying is the pure gospel or merely her own interpretation. Everything anyone says is essentially an in­terpretation. Even simply reading the scriptures to others in­volves interpretation, in choosing both what to read in a par­ticular circumstance and how to read it (tone and emphasis). Beyond that point, anything we do becomes less and less “au­thoritative” as we move into explication and application of the scriptures, that is, as we teach “the gospel.”

 7 But behold, Paanchi, and that part of the people that were desirous that he should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth; therefore, he was about to 
^aflatter away those people to rise up in rebellion against their brethren. We really need to ponder "flattery"...It may be key to avoiding deception. If the words you are being told appeal to your carnal man, then they are probably not from God. I'm not sure where sincere complements or encouragement fit in here, for they could also be received as flattery, but every time this word is used in the Book of Mormon, it is to deceive. By definition, flattery is insincere or excessive praise. If we are honest, we should be able to tell if we are being given too much praise or if the person is manipulating us and doesn't really mean it...
  8 And it came to pass as he was about to do this, behold, he was taken, and was tried according to the ^avoice of the people, and condemned unto death; for he had raised up in rebellion and sought to destroy the ^bliberty of the people. You would think they would have learned this lesson earlier. In the last few chapters we learned that people were put to death who would not support the cause of freedom because they were sick and tired of all the wars caused by those who wanted to control by force....
  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, and behold, they sent forth one ^aKishkumen, even to the judgment-seat of Pahoran, and murdered Pahoran as he sat upon the judgment-seat. ok...so the death of Paanchi was not a deterrent to these people at all!
 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 went unto those that sent him, and they all entered into a covenant, yea, ^aswearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran. Really? They swear by God their Father? Or do they claim someone else is their “everlasting Maker”....doesn’t make sense to me if it’s done in any kind of acknowledgment of God.
 12 Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi, 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, in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto ^adeath. Apparently there are many satan worshipers disguised among us in our day. Kind of creepy to think about.
 13 And now behold, Pacumeni was appointed, according to the ^avoice of the people, to be a chief judge and a governor over the people, to reign in the stead of his brother Pahoran; and it was according to his right. Not sure how "it was his right" if they voted on it. Unless they are saying it’s his right because he won the vote... Sounds like they had a "right" because they were sons of the previous chief judge (like a King passes his right to his sons); but it also could be no one else ran. We also have presidents who's father's were president, so maybe it was like that...And all this was done in the fortieth year of the reign of the judges; and it had an end.
 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.
 15 And they came down again that they might pitch battle against the Nephites. And they were led by a man whose name was ^aCoriantumr; and he was a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was a ^bdissenter 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 ^aAmmoron, supposing that Coriantumr, being a mighty man, could stand against the Nephites, with his strength and also with his great ^bwisdom, insomuch that by sending him forth he should gain power over the Nephites—
 17 Therefore he did ^astir them up to anger, 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 and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed no Spirit giving them wisdom now because of their contention 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. “when the day of decision arrives, the time for preparation is past” (Monson)
 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, wow. ZERO divine protection this time. Even if those who “did oppose them” were trying to stand up in self defense to “maintain their freedom”. Lesson? The only way to secure freedom is through righteousness and perhaps even collective righteousness. We do have stories where people were spared only because of the prayers of the righteous. I’m not sure what the situation is right now with the Nephites, others than there was contention about the government and there was certainly a wicked faction. insomuch that they did take possession of the whole city.
 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. So the one voted in correctly was still not protected. Was he a  righteous or wicked person? Do we know? 
 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 ^atook 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 ^aBountiful; 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. how can you see this as anything but judgement against the Nephites? 
 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.
 27 But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to his desire, 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, no mercy:( 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 ^ahead 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 ^aCoriantumr was also found. The devil does not support or protect or sustain his people. 
 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 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 ^ayield themselves into the hands of the Nephites. Pride goeth before the fall! Interesting dynamics here. The Nephites ultimately prevail. Was this divine providence? Whatever it was...it should serve to humble both sides into repentance. Neither should be proud or feel that they are above needing God.
 33 And it came to pass that Moronihah took possession of the city of Zarahemla again, and caused that the Lamanites who had been taken prisoners should depart out of the land in ^apeace. This is one sign that the Nephites still were much more merciful than the Lamanites.
 34 And thus ended the forty and first year of the reign of the judges.