Helaman 12
People in this chapter
Helaman 11 covered fourteen years in thirty-eight verses: war, famine, repentance, rain, peace, the church spreading through the land, and then a quick slide back into pride. Helaman 12 is Mormon stopping to tell you what it means. He opens with the phrase he uses when he wants the reader to learn something: And thus we can behold (v. 1).
Tap any highlighted phrase to jump to the commentary that unpacks it.
Helaman 12:1-3At the Very Time When He Doth Prosper His People
1And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.
Mormon stops the history to teach. He says human hearts are unsteady, and the Lord blesses those who trust Him.
2Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
When the Lord blesses His people with crops, wealth, safety, and peace, that is exactly when they tend to forget Him, because of their ease.
3And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him.
Mormon concludes that unless the Lord lets His people suffer, they will not remember Him. Helaman 11 showed it happening.
Helaman 12:4-6How Quick to Do Iniquity, How Slow to Do Good
4O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world! 5Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths!
Mormon laments that people are quick to do wrong and slow to do good, quick to become proud and slow to remember God.
6Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.
At the root, people don't want God to rule over them or guide them, even though He created them and is good to them.
Helaman 12:7-19By the Power of His Voice
7O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth. 8For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.
Mormon says proud people are less than the dust, because the dust obeys God and they don't. He is speaking of their disobedience.
9Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains tremble and quake. 10And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley. 11Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake; 12Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even to the very center. 13Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved.
14Yea, if he say unto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done; 15And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun.
Mormon says that if God tells the earth to lengthen the day, it happens. It looks to people as though the sun stands still, and Mormon adds that it is the earth that moves.
16And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep—Be thou dried up—it is done. 17Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done. 18And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth, and the Lord shall say—Let it be accursed, because of the iniquity of him who hath hid it up—behold, it shall be accursed. 19And if the Lord shall say—Be thou accursed, that no man shall find thee from this time henceforth and forever—behold, no man getteth it henceforth and forever.
God can dry up the sea, bury a city with a mountain, and curse hidden treasure so no one finds it. Samuel and Mormon both later describe these things happening.
Helaman 12:20-26That Men Might Be Saved
20And behold, if the Lord shall say unto a man—Because of thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed forever—it shall be done. 21And if the Lord shall say—Because of thine iniquities thou shalt be cut off from my presence—he will cause that it shall be so. 22And wo unto him to whom he shall say this, for it shall be unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be saved; therefore, for this cause, that men might be saved, hath repentance been declared.
God's word has the same power over people as over mountains. If He says a person will be cut off from His presence because of sin, it will happen.
23Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be saved. 24And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works.
Mormon blesses those who repent and listen to the Lord's voice. He prays that people will repent and be restored grace for grace.
25And I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord; 26Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless misery, fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting damnation. And thus it is. Amen.
Mormon says he wishes everyone could be saved. But some will choose to be cast out. Those who do good will have everlasting life.
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.
Where this echoes in Scripture
At the Very Time When He Doth Prosper His People
- Deuteronomy 8:10-11When thou hast eaten and art full... Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God.
- 1 Nephi 19:7Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet.The words Mormon echoes in verse 2.
- Alma 32:14-16Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.
- D&C 101:8In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.
- Hosea 13:6They were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.
How Quick to Do Iniquity, How Slow to Do Good
- Moroni 9:20They are without principle, and past feeling.Mormon describing his own people in a letter to his son.
- Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all thine heart... and he shall direct thy paths.
- Alma 37:37Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.
- D&C 38:39Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.
By the Power of His Voice
- 3 Nephi 9:15I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
- 3 Nephi 8:10The earth was carried up upon the city of Moronihah, that in the place of the city there became a great mountain.
- Mosiah 4:11Always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness.
- Joshua 10:13The sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
- Mormon 1:18They became slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could not hold them, nor retain them again.
That Men Might Be Saved
- Helaman 5:11He hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer.
- D&C 93:20If you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness... therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.
- 1 Timothy 2:4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
- John 5:28-29They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
- 2 Peter 3:9Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.