Alma 45
People in this chapter
Alma 45 is the last we hear from Alma the Younger. It opens with a people giving thanks after the war, fasting and praying and worshipping with exceedingly great joy (v. 1). Then Alma goes to his son Helaman and asks him three short questions: Do you believe the records? Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Will you keep my commandments? Helaman answers yes to each one.
Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.
Alma 45:1-8Believest Thou?
1Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did fast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy.
After the war, the people give thanks. They fast, they pray, and they worship God with exceedingly great joy.
2And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those records which have been kept? 3And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe. 4And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come? 5And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken. 6And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments? 7And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart. 8Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land.
Alma goes to Helaman and asks three short questions: Do you believe what I taught about the records? Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Will you keep my commandments? Helaman says yes to all three, and Alma blesses him.
Alma 45:9-14Write the Words Which I Shall Say
9But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say. 10And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief. 11Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct— 12Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away before this great iniquity shall come. 13And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered among the people of Nephi. 14But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites pursue even until they shall become extinct. And now, because of iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.
Alma tells Helaman to write down a prophecy but not to make it known until it is fulfilled.
Alma sees that about four hundred years after Christ visits them, the Nephites will fall into unbelief and be destroyed, except for a few disciples of the Lord.
Alma 45:15-19He Was Never Heard of More
15And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also blessed the earth for the righteous' sake. 16And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. 17And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the church, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from that time henceforth.
Alma blesses Helaman, his other sons, the earth, and the church, including everyone who would stand fast in the faith from then on.
Alma quotes the Lord: the land will be cursed for those who do wickedly when they are fully ripe, because the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
18And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek. And it came to pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial we know not of. 19Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself; and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his death and burial.
Alma leaves Zarahemla and is never heard of again. The record says it does not know how he died or where he was buried. It knows he was a righteous man, and it supposes the Lord received him unto Himself, as the scriptures say of Moses.
Alma 45:20-24To Establish the Church Again
20And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Helaman went forth among the people to declare the word unto them. 21For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the many little dissensions and disturbances which had been among the people, it became expedient that the word of God should be declared among them, yea, and that a regulation should be made throughout the church. 22Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches.
The wars and many small disputes had left the church disordered. Helaman and his brothers go out to preach and set the church in order in every city, appointing priests and teachers.
23And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren; 24But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly before God.
Some people would not listen to Helaman. Their riches had made them proud, and they would not walk uprightly before God. This sets up the next chapter.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- Alma, Son of AlmaA summary of Alma the Younger's life and ministry, which ends in this chapter.
- Helaman, Son of AlmaThe son who answers Alma's questions and leads the church after him.
- Fast, FastingScriptures on fasting, including fasting as thanksgiving as in verse 1.
- PrideScriptures on the pride that follows riches, the problem Helaman meets in verse 24.
Where this echoes in Scripture
Believest Thou?
- Alma 37:1-2My son Helaman, I command you that ye take the records which have been entrusted with me.The records Alma asks about in verse 2.
- Alma 36:18O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me.Alma's own conversion, told to Helaman.
- John 6:68-69We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
- Mosiah 18:9To stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.
Write the Words Which I Shall Say
- 3 Nephi 11:8-10They saw a Man descending out of heaven... Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.The visit from which Alma's four hundred years are counted.
- Helaman 13:5, 9Four hundred years pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people.Samuel the Lamanite's later prophecy of the same time.
- Mormon 8:6-7Four hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior.Moroni records the fulfillment.
- Moroni 1:1-2They put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ.The disciples of the Lord pursued, as verse 14 says.
- D&C 82:3He who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.
He Was Never Heard of More
- Deuteronomy 34:5-6So Moses the servant of the LORD died there... but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.The Bible's account of Moses' end, which also leaves his burial unknown.
- D&C 1:31For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
- John 8:11Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
- Mosiah 27:8-10He became a very wicked and an idolatrous man... seeking to destroy the church.Where Alma's story began.
- Alma 36:22Methought I saw... God sitting upon his throne... and my soul did long to be there.
To Establish the Church Again
- Alma 4:19That he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty.Alma did the same work his sons now do.
- Helaman 12:1-2At the very time when he doth prosper his people... then is the time that they do harden their hearts.
- Proverbs 16:18Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
- Alma 62:49Notwithstanding their riches... they were not lifted up in the pride of their eyes.The opposite response, later in Helaman's days.