Helaman 10
People in this chapter
Helaman 9 ended with a crowd that could not decide what Nephi was. Helaman 10 opens with that crowd breaking apart and walking away, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them (v. 1). He starts home, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him and much cast down by the wickedness he has seen (vv. 2-3).
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Helaman 10:1-3Pondering upon the Things Which the Lord Had Shown
1And it came to pass that there arose a division among the people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst of them. 2And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him. 3And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying:
The crowd splits up and walks off. Nephi is left standing alone in the middle of the place where they had been.
Walking home, Nephi ponders what the Lord has shown him. He is discouraged by the people's wickedness. While he is pondering, the Lord speaks to him.
Helaman 10:4-5With Such Unwearyingness
4Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
The Lord tells Nephi He has seen everything: Nephi kept preaching without tiring, didn't fear the people, and sought God's will more than his own safety.
5And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
Because of Nephi's faithfulness, the Lord promises to bless him forever and to do whatever Nephi asks, because Nephi will only ask for what God wants.
Helaman 10:6-11Whatsoever Ye Shall Seal on Earth
6Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people.
The Lord reminds Nephi who each of them is: thou art Nephi, and I am God. He gives Nephi power over the people, including power to bring famine if they stay wicked.
7Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
The Lord gives Nephi the sealing power: what he seals on earth is sealed in heaven. Jesus promised Peter the same power, and today it is the authority by which temple ordinances, including the sealing of families, are bound in heaven.
8And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in twain, it shall be done. 9And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done. 10And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people, it shall come to pass. 11And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto destruction.
The Lord tells Nephi that even temples and mountains would obey his word. Then He gives Nephi the real assignment: go tell the people to repent.
Helaman 10:12-19He Did Not Go unto His Own House
12And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent. 13Now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi had done in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge, they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words of the Lord. 14Therefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying: Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be smitten even unto destruction.
Nephi doesn't finish walking home. He turns around right away and goes back to preach. The people still harden their hearts, even after the miracle of the chief judge.
15And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared unto them the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts and would not hearken unto his words; therefore they did revile against him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him that they might cast him into prison. 16But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and conveyed away out of the midst of them. 17And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit, from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among all the people.
When the people try to grab Nephi and put him in prison, the Spirit carries him away. He goes from group to group until everyone has heard.
18And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the sword. 19And thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
The people still refuse to listen. They become divided against themselves and begin to fight one another. That is how the seventy-first year ends.
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.
- Seal, SealingThe scriptural teaching on the power to bind on earth and in heaven, the power the Lord gives Nephi in verse 7.
- SealingHow the sealing power restored through Elijah makes ordinances performed on earth binding in heaven, including the sealing of families in the temple.
- ElijahThe Old Testament prophet who held the sealing power and restored its keys to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1836.
- RevelationHow God speaks to His children, including the voice that came to Nephi while he pondered (v. 3).
Where this echoes in Scripture
Pondering upon the Things Which the Lord Had Shown
- 1 Nephi 11:1As I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord.
- D&C 138:1, 11I sat in my room pondering over the scriptures... As I pondered over these things... the eyes of my understanding were opened.President Joseph F. Smith's vision also began with pondering.
- Luke 2:19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
- 2 Nephi 4:17-19O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth... nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.The first Nephi also wrote from a heart cast down.
With Such Unwearyingness
- Luke 22:42Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
- 3 Nephi 18:20Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.
- D&C 46:30He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh.
- 1 John 5:14If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.
- Helaman 5:4He... took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days.The unwearyingness the Lord saw.
Whatsoever Ye Shall Seal on Earth
- Matthew 16:19Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
- D&C 132:46Whatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens.
- D&C 110:13-16Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us... the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands.The restoration of the sealing keys.
- Malachi 4:5-6I will send you Elijah the prophet... and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children.
- Matthew 17:20Ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove.
He Did Not Go unto His Own House
- Acts 8:39The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more.
- Luke 4:29-30That they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them went his way.The Savior passed through a hostile crowd unharmed.
- Matthew 12:25Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation.
- Helaman 11:4O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine.What Nephi asks next.