Helaman 15
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Helaman 15 is the end of Samuel's sermon, and it carries the sharpest edge of all. Samuel, a Lamanite, holds up his own people as the example the Nephites should follow. The Nephites had been a chosen people of the Lord (v. 3). Now the people they had looked down on were the ones in the path of their duty (v. 5).
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Helaman 15:1-4Chastened Because He Loveth Them
1And now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare unto you that except ye shall repent your houses shall be left unto you desolate. 2Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge; yea, and wo unto them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish.
Samuel warns that unless the Nephites repent, their homes will be left empty, and even mothers and children will have nowhere to run.
3Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them. 4But behold my brethren, the Lamanites hath he hated because their deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the iniquity of the tradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation hath come unto them through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath the Lord prolonged their days.
The Nephites were chosen and loved by the Lord. Because He loved them, He chastened them when they sinned.
Samuel says the Lord's displeasure with the Lamanites was because of their evil deeds, which came from the false traditions of their fathers. But salvation came to them through Nephite missionaries, and the Lord preserved them for that purpose.
Helaman 15:5-9In the Path of Their Duty
5And I would that ye should behold that the more part of them are in the path of their duty, and they do walk circumspectly before God, and they do observe to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments according to the law of Moses. 6Yea, I say unto you, that the more part of them are doing this, and they are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth; therefore there are many who do add to their numbers daily.
Samuel says most of the Lamanites are doing their duty, keeping the commandments, and working hard to bring the rest of their people to the truth.
7And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them— 8Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith they have been made free.
Samuel shows how the Lamanites were converted: they learned the truth, believed the scriptures and prophets, gained faith in the Lord, repented, and had their hearts changed. That made them firm and steadfast.
9And ye know also that they have buried their weapons of war, and they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin; yea, ye can see that they fear to sin—for behold they will suffer themselves that they be trodden down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this because of their faith in Christ.
The converted Lamanites buried their weapons and would rather be killed than sin, because of their faith in Christ.
Helaman 15:10-17Their Great and True Shepherd
10And now, because of their steadfastness when they do believe in that thing which they do believe, for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall bless them and prolong their days, notwithstanding their iniquity— 11Yea, even if they should dwindle in unbelief the Lord shall prolong their days, until the time shall come which hath been spoken of by our fathers, and also by the prophet Zenos, and many other prophets, concerning the restoration of our brethren, the Lamanites, again to the knowledge of the truth— 12Yea, I say unto you, that in the latter times the promises of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and notwithstanding they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the earth, and be hunted, and shall be smitten and scattered abroad, having no place for refuge, the Lord shall be merciful unto them. 13And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again be brought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep.
Because the Lamanites are so firm once they believe, the Lord will preserve them. Even if they later lose their faith, in the last days the Lord's promises will bring them back to the truth.
14Therefore I say unto you, it shall be better for them than for you except ye repent. 15For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in unbelief. 16Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them, but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return again unto me, saith the Lord. 17And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I will utterly destroy them, saith the Lord, because of their unbelief notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done among them; and as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things be, saith the Lord.
Samuel says the Lamanites will be better off than the Nephites, because the Nephites had seen great works from God and still did not believe. Unless they repent, the Nephites will be destroyed.
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
Chastened Because He Loveth Them
- Matthew 23:37-38Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.The Savior's lament over Jerusalem in nearly the same words.
- Hebrews 12:6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.Chastening as a sign of love.
- D&C 95:1Whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven.The same principle in this dispensation.
- Helaman 5:50-51As many as were convinced did lay down their weapons of war, and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers.How the Lamanite conversions of Samuel's generation began.
In the Path of Their Duty
- Alma 23:6As many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.The earlier converts who stayed firm.
- Mosiah 5:2, 7A mighty change in us, or in our hearts... ye shall be called the children of Christ.King Benjamin's people describe the change of heart.
- Alma 24:17-19They buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.The Anti-Nephi-Lehies bury their swords.
- John 8:32, 36The truth shall make you free... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.The freedom of verse 8.
Their Great and True Shepherd
- John 10:14-16I am the good shepherd... other sheep I have, which are not of this fold.The Savior's words that Samuel's promise reaches toward.
- 3 Nephi 15:21Ye are they of whom I said: Other sheep I have which are not of this fold.The Shepherd comes to Samuel's land.
- 2 Nephi 30:5They shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.Nephi's prophecy of the same restoration.
- D&C 3:18-20That the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that they may know the promises of the Lord.Why the plates were preserved.
- Matthew 11:21If the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago.The same principle of accountability.