Alma 37

Alma 37:1

1 And now, my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the records which have been entrusted with me;

While there is a very noticeable division in the sections of Alma’s discourse to Helaman, we should remember that the two sections are given on the same occasion, and we should therefore presume that there is some connection between the two. The connection in this case goes back to Alma’s opening statement to Helaman:

1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land.

Alma 36:2

2 I would that ye should do as I have done…

Alma’s entire discourse is related to this opening, not just the retelling of his marvelous conversion experience. Alma is intent that Helaman follow in his responsibilities, and this entire discourse is given for that purpose. We find now the real message of the discourse. Helaman is to do as Alma has done, not only in following Christ, but in keeping the records. His faithfulness in performing this duty implies that he will prosper in the land. Thus Alma’s initial personalization of the Nephite lineage promise is directed specifically at this mission of Helaman that will very clearly tie him to those illustrious ancestors by symbolically placing them in his care.

Alma 37:2

2 And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people, according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them; for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept.

There are two facets to the charge concerning the plates, to keep and to write. Helaman is to preserve them, but also to write upon them. Again, this will be done according to the model Alma’s life has set in this regard.

Alma 37:3

3 And these plates of brass, which contain these engravings, which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning—

Alma 37:4

4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.

Alma 37:5

5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ.

Alma makes note of two sets of records, the plates of Nephi (verse 37) and the plates of brass. Of course there is a conceptual difference between the two in that Helaman may write upon the plates of Nephi, but not upon the plates of brass. One point that should be noted is that Alma gives only two sets of plates rather than the three that we typically consider to be the essential parts of the Nephite record. In our vocabulary, we have the large plates of Nephi, the small plates of Nephi, and the brass plates. Why does Alma only mention two of them?

While we understand the two sets of plates of Nephi with different labels, apparently Nephi used the same name for both:

1 Nephi 9:2

2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

It would be simple, therefore, to presume that the reason that we have only a single reference is that the two textual traditions we understand were subsumed under the same name. While the idea that one set was subsumed in the other is possible because of the name, it is more likely that there is a different answer. This more likely answer comes from understanding Mormon’s comment about the small plates of Nephi that he inserted in his record.

Words of Mormon 1:3

3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.

What this suggests is that there were numerous records, and that the small plates of Nephi were simply among those that were part of Mormon’s source material. However, note that he does not find them until he is writing on the history of Benjamin, the king during whose reign the small plates were reunited with the large plate provenance. This suggests that the small plates may have been included in the records of Benjamin’s reign, and were otherwise no longer separated from the large plate tradition. As we noted in the original discussion of Nephi’s plates, it is quite probable that the physical size of a single sheet of either textual tradition would have been the same, and thus the insertion of what we call the “small plates” (because they contain less material, not because they are physically smaller) would not create any readily noticeable variation in the source materials available to Mormon.

Internal Reference: Verse 5 references an apparent tradition among the Nephites that the brass plates would “…retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness…” The antecedent that we have to this tradition is found in Nephi:

1 Nephi 5:19

19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.

See the comments following 1 Nephi 5:19 for more information.

Alma 37:6

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

This verse can only be understood in the context of the latter phrase of the previous verse. Just prior to saying that “ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me…” we have:

“…if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ.”

The conjunction of these two passages suggest that while there is a tradition that the plates of brass will retain their brightness, it is entirely possible that this brightness requires some human assistance, since Alma says that they are bright “if they are kept.” This suggests that some aspect of keeping might include an action to maintain the brightness.

Now we have the question of what it is that Alma supposes that Helaman will think is “foolishness.” There are two possibilities. The first is the keeping that might be required to maintain the brightness, and the second is Alma’s extension of this “bright” promise to all of the plates, not just the brass plates for which the original promise was given.

The text that follows concerns the value of the information on the plates to the people of God. It would appear that rather than see the promise in terms of the “brightness” only, Alma saw the “bright” as part of the original promise:

1 Nephi 5:18

18 That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.

This is the phrase that precedes the “bright” promise in Nephi, and Alma considers the two to be part and parcel of the same thing. The brightness is the physical sign of the symbolic value of the plates. As long as the records are kept they are preserving their brightness and therefore are fulfilling the most important part of their promise that they shall go to “all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.”

Thus this “little thing” of the brightness of the plates is but a sign of the more important function of the plates. What then is the foolishness? There is really no way to know for sure. What we can tell for certain is that Alma linked the brightness of the entire plate tradition to the promise of the value of what was on those plates. For Alma, they were indelibly separated, and perhaps it is this that might have seemed “foolishness,” that the brightness or physical appearance might have any impact on the value of the contents of the plates.

Alma 37:7

7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

Internal reference: While the reference is so fleeting as to be of uncertain connection, the very presence of other references to the foundational stories of the Nephites in this sermon make it probable that Alma’s theme of “small means” is meant to echo another incident from those foundational stories. When the Liahona is discovered, Nephi says of it:

1 Nephi 16:29

29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.

Nephi’s statement contains the contrasting set “small [physical] things”/ great [spiritual] things. We have precisely that contrast in Alma. By small physical means, such as the brightness of the plates, the Lord brings about great spiritual things, or the “salvation of many souls.” We see here confirmed the hypothesis that Alma links the brightness to the promise of the value of the plates, as he clearly equates them here. The brightness is a small thing; the salvation of souls is clearly a great thing.

Alma 37:8

8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation of their souls.

Alma’s interest now shifts from the brightness to the preservation. It is the preservation, after all, that is of greatest importance. The brightness is simply a sign of the promise of preservation. Alma suggests that the preservation of the records to date has already accomplished the prophecy. These records have already been valuable to “convince many of the error of their ways.

Alma 37:9

9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.

Alma 37:10

10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?

Alma asserted in verse 8 that the records had already been effective in bringing people to the Savior. He bolsters that statement with the experience of Ammon and his brethren among the Lamanites, which resulted in the removal of a large number of Lamanite converts from the Lamanite lands to Jershon. In verse 10 Alma extrapolates from the success of Ammon that the future may yet hold promise of further conversions of their Nephite brethren. Note the contrast between the past use of the records to convert Lamanites, and the hope of future use to convert Lamanites. Alma understands that major changes are afoot. He is a here presaging of the civil war that is soon coming.

Alma 37:11

11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear.

Alma shows us a little of the nature of his particular prophetic calling. There is some of the future he sees, and some that he does not. He clearly sees the increasing hardening of the hearts among the Nephites. This is his word. What is happening in socially definable terms rather than religious terms is that the people are being brought into the greater cultural trends around them, and the increasing acceptance of part of “the world” is also increasing the pressure to accept more of the social, political and economic traits of that surrounding “world.” The Nephites are rapidly accepting a hierarchical society instead of the traditional Nephite egalitarianism. They are increasingly accepting the worlds mode of politics, and the desire for a king will increase. As a final insult to a prophet’s sensibilities, they are increasingly adopting revisionist religious views that deny the Atoning Messiah.

For all of these things Alma has a clear vision. What is a mystery to him is the future return of his people to the true gospel. The apostasy he sees, the return he does not. Nevertheless, what he does see he keeps mostly hidden, for he notes that he “shall forbear.” He does not tell Helaman all he knows. Perhaps it is best, for the hints of Alma’s knowledge suggest that he understands all too well the war in which his son will become embroiled.

Alma 37:12

12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.

The subject here is still the records. Why does Alma say “suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose….”? Alma’s desires are that the records may do for his own people what they did for the Lamanites now known as the people of Ammon. He desires that his own people be pulled from the world and that they powerfully return to the teachings of the Lord. This is understandable. This is his people, and he is watching the beginnings of a major apostasy. He doesn’t know the end, but he knows the path, and he fervently desires that these records be able to assist in the reclamation of this people that he loves. Unfortunately, he does not know if that will happen. He knows that the records are to be preserved, but he does not understand for whom, nor how they will fulfill God’s purpose. In spite of the uncertainty of his hopes, Alma reaffirms his faith in the judgments of God.

Alma 37:13

13 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.

Alma now repeats the reference to the Nephite foundational promise that se saw in Alma 36:1. If “ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land…” English does not make an easy distinction between the singular “you” and the plural “you.” Many other languages do, and we may suppose that the language of the Nephites did. It is most likely that in the Nephi and Lehi presentation of this promise, the “ye/you” was a plural subject. The reference would be to the entire people, not a single person. This was a national promise, not an individual promise. It would appear in this verse that Alma has personalized it. I would suggest that we have in this verse the singular “you,” and that he is personalizing this promise directly to Helaman. Alma has just described the tremendous importance of the records (how much more important can something be than to have God directly interested in it?). Now he repeats the formulation of righteousness and prospering, but he adds a contrary phrase. In the original formulation of the promise, the result of not being righteous is implied, not stated. Of course the implication is that if prospering comes with righteousness, that unrighteousness would lead to a lack of prospering. In this case, the explicit result is not a lack of prospering, but rather being cut off from the presence of the Lord. While that is certainly contrary to a notion of prospering, it is a tremendous threat for one who is to become the prophet of a people. His personal righteousness will allow him to prosper, but the alternative is that he will be cut off from the Lord, he will be no prophet at all.

As a side note, we should note that “prospering” may have a more mundane context than we typically assume. We assume that we prosper when all goes well. Helaman will be a righteous man, but all will not go well for him. The “prospering” in this case is a continued existence – a permanence of presence. Helaman will “prosper” in that he will be preserved through the coming wars.

Alma 37:14

14 And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations.

Alma is not the owner of the records. They belong to God, and it is God who entrusts them to Helaman, not Alma. Alma is acting as the agent for God in passing on this responsibility. Helaman is not receiving an inheritance from an earthly father, he is receiving a command and charge from God himself.

Alma 37:15

15 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind.

Alma 37:16

16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.

This is the plain version of the personalized national promise we saw in verse 13. Alma is quite direct in telling Helaman that he accepts a tremendous extreme of outcomes. He may be righteous and commune with God, or he may choose unrighteousness and commune with Satan. The promise is great, and the penalty is commensurately great.

Alma 37:17

17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.

Alma proves his promise to Helaman by reference to the past fulfillment of prophecy to the fathers. This is altogether appropriate where Helaman is being given charge of the records that demonstrate the fulfillment of those promises.

Alma 37:18

18 For he promised unto them that he would preserve these things for a wise purpose in him, that he might show forth his power unto future generations.

Alma 37:19

19 And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; and he hath shown forth his power in them, and he will also still show forth his power in them unto future generations; therefore they shall be preserved.

Alma repeats the basic information we have in verses 8-10. The parallels in the information are such that we must assume that Alma had this basic structure in mind as the way to present his information to Helaman. The first time he begins the argument in 8-10 he gets sidetracked into his vision of the future, a point he had perhaps not originally intended to include in his discourse to Helaman. As part of getting back “on track,” Alma returns to his original plan of how to present this charge to Helaman, and he repeats the basic argument. The plates are preserved for a wise purpose, they have already convinced Lamanites; they may convince people (his own Nephites?) in the future.

Alma 37:20

20 Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping the commandments of God as they are written.

This is a reiteration of the promise for Helaman’s righteousness. That righteousness will come through obedience to Alma words (oral) and the words of God (written). Thus Helaman is to keep two traditions, the commands of his father, and the commandments of God.

Alma 37:21

21 And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these interpreters.

The twenty-four plates refer to the record of Ether that was discovered by the people of Limhi (Mosiah 8:7-9). While Mosiah gave a translation, it was not included in the record at that time, and we will not see it until Moroni adds it at the end of this volume. Alma tells Helaman that there is dangerous information contained therein, but that it is important that they record be retained. The purpose for keeping the book of Ether, according to Alma, is to destroy secret works of darkness. When Moroni adds the book of Ether to his father’s record, he does emphasize the role of the works of darkness in the destruction of the Jaredites, and therefore fulfills this part of the stated purpose for the plates.

We also learn that along with the plates were given the interpreters. We have seen these interpreters before in connection with the 24 plates. They were used by Mosiah to translate. What we will now learn, is the history of those interpreters among the Jaredites. For more information on the transmission path of the interpreters from the Jaredites to Mosiah, see the commentary following Mosiah 8:13.

Textual: While the current context concerning the interpreters is a transition from this mention to the discussion that follows, it is interesting that when Alma discusses the preservation of the plates of Ether, he also discusses the interpreters. We have two things that we must track concerning the record of Ether. There is the original twenty four plates, and there is the translation made by Mosiah. When Moroni gives us an abridgement of the record of Ether, there is no indication that he is translating the original plates by means of the interpreters. He appears to be using the translation made by Mosiah. Nevertheless, Alma is telling Helaman that the plates must be preserved. It would appear that there is an understanding of the separation between the translation and the original, and the admonition to Helaman concerns the original plates, hence the need to include the interpreters. Because Mosiah’s text had already been translated, one would not need the interpreters to read it. Those are important only to a future new translation. There is no indication in the Book of Mormon as we have it that those original plates were ever translated again. This instruction to keep the original plates may have been something akin to keeping the original evidence, in case it was needed to corroborate the translation.

Alma 37:22

22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed from off the face of the earth.

Alma 37:23

23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.

Alma is citing a text that is no longer extant. It must be an old text because it is describing the creation of the interpreters that eventually find their way into Alma’s hands. The Lord provided the stone (here in the singular, elsewhere specifically two stones, such as Ether 3:23) in order to “shine forth in darkness unto light.” These stones are specifically prepared to interpret the writings of the Jaredites (Ether 3:24), and are presented to the Brother of Jared during his marvelous experience when he saw the finger of the Lord.

Linguistic: The world “Gazelem” is given here for the first time in the Book of Mormon. Reynolds and Sjodahl suggest an etymology for the word:

Gazelem is a name given to a servant of God. The word appears to have its roots in Gaz—a stone, and Aleim, a name of God as a revelator, or the interposer in the affairs of men. If this suggestion is correct, its roots admirably agree with its apparent meaning—a seer. (Reynolds and Sjodahl. Commentary on the Book of Mormon. Deseret Book, 1977, 4:162).

Later in the history of the church that term is applied to Joseph Smith in his role as an interpreter, so we have the possibility of the naming of the stone in Ether/Alma and the person later. McConkie and Millet suggest:

This may well be a play on words. Is Gazelem the seer stone or the servant? It is difficult to tell from the passage and depends very much on the placement of a comma in the sentence. Perhaps it could refer to both. It is interesting to note that when Jesus called Simon Peter to the ministry he said: "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is, by interpretation, a seer, or a stone" (JST, John 1:42). Though this name or title of Gazelem may be used in regard to any seer who utilizes seer stones, it seems in this instance to be a direct reference to Joseph Smith the Prophet. (Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert L. Millet, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1987-1992], 3: 278.)

Historical: The last remaining point relevant to interpreters is their association with the name Urim and Thummim. We have this connection made explicitly in the Doctrine and Covenants:

Doctrine and Covenants 17:1

1 Behold, I say unto you, that you must rely upon my word, which if you do with full purpose of heart, you shall have a view of the plates, and also of the breastplate, the sword of Laban, the Urim and Thummim, which were given to the brother of Jared upon the mount, when he talked with the Lord face to face, and the miraculous directors which were given to Lehi while in the wilderness, on the borders of the Red Sea.

Of course the Urim and Thummim are well known from the Old Testament. Are the interpreters the same as the Urim and Thummim of Aaron? It is not likely. Our texts say that the Lord prepared them and gave them to the Brother of Jared, and they appear to have retained a meaning specifically linked to the Jaredites. Nevertheless, we find these Jaredite interpreters with an Old Testament name. This is most likely a naming by association rather than direct connection. Joseph likely noted the similarity in concept between the two sets of stones, and simply used the more familiar label to describe the Jaredite interpreters.

Textual: With this particular background, it is probable that the text that is being cited here is the record of Ether, but a section left untranslated by Moroni.

Alma 37:24

24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:

Alma 37:25

25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.

Textual: Once again we have a citation with unknown referent. With the contextual information about the Jaredites, however, we may expect that this is a prophecy recorded in the plates of Ether, again in a section that we do not have translated.

Alma 37:26

26 And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out of darkness and made known unto us.

Historical: The Jaredites were in the New World at a time and place to correspond to the people who have been called the Olmec. By the time Alma is speaking, the Olmec culture as a separate political entity has been destroyed, though there are clear connections to Olmec ideas apparent in the post-Olmec Mesoamerican world. The destruction of a people in the Book of Mormon does not necessarily indicate the eradication of genetics, but rather of polity. The political/religious unification of a people has been removed, and those people who lived under that polity are now absorbed under a new one. The people remain, the organization and the “nation” is gone from around them. It is rather similar to the question so frequently asked on television shows investigating the “unusual:” “where did the Maya go?” The answer, of course, is that they didn’t go anywhere. They are still here, still speak the traditional languages, still have the same genetic makeup. What was lost was the overarching cultural content of the Maya city states. Similarly, the Jaredites were destroyed, but there were certainly Jaredite descendants living.

Alma 37:27

27 And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed.

Linguistic: The word “retain” in this context means to hold back, or to keep from publishing. Helaman is to know about the Jaredite records, but continue the tradition of keeping them from general knowledge. This “retaining” will continue through the end of the Book of Mormon, until Moroni, the very last, decides to give us some of that record (the book of Ether).

Alma 37:28

28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe; therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.

Alma 37:29

29 Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness and their murders and their abominations shall ye make known unto them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and abominations and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these people were destroyed on account of their wickedness and abominations and their murders.

There are two sections to this instruction that is given to Helaman. The first is to note that there is a curse on the land, and the second that the Helaman is to keep the information about these secret oaths from his people so that they do not fall subject to the curse. Of course what we will see is that the people learn these secret oaths readily enough, and they do tend to cause destruction.

We may speculate on the nature of this curse and the reason for it. Alma suggests that there is a curse on the land. It has been there before, and it ties these ancient practices of the Jaredites to destruction. In the Mesoamerican context, it is quite probable that Alma understands that this “curse” is upon the land because there are plenty of other cultures around them that are aware of the secret oaths and murders. This information is likely present in the surrounding cultures, and when the Nephites learn of it and implement it, it will come from those other cultures, and not from the record of the Jaredites. Alma tells Helaman to keep this information private so as to make it more difficult. It will not make it impossible, however, because the memories of those tactics are already prevalent in the world about them.

Alma 37:30

30 For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Lord who came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities; and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Lord their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and thus the judgments of God did come upon these workers of darkness and secret combinations.

Alma 37:31

31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.

These secret combinations are presented as inherently antithetical to the prophets. We may make some preliminary speculations about them based upon our understanding of political structures among Mesoamerican peoples and the contrast to Nephite understanding.

To understand the possible correlation of the secret combinations to at least one aspect of the ancient world, we must remember that there is a tremendous distinction between Nephite egalitarianism and the hierarchical societies that surrounded them. In hierarchies, there are frequently power struggles among different groups to attain the pinnacle point of the hierarchy.

We have already seen signs of internal political machinations in the Book of Mormon when examining the story of Ammon and the flocks of the Lamanite king (Alma 17-19). Only recently have we had sufficient monumental evidence translated to begin to understand the dynasties of the Maya city states, but those king lists indicate period disruptions in dynasties that may point to such internal power struggles. For instance, we have a 30 year period of dynastic instability in Tikal where the eventual heir was kept from the throne, and two other males are associated with the rule of the dynasty through a woman of the dynasty (Martin and Grube. Chronicle of the Maya Kings and Queens. P. 37). This suggests the possibility of an attempt to assert power by these males using the female from the “legitimate” line as their link to the traditional power base. We cannot tell what conditions specifically altered the line of rule in the very next generation, but we find another male with unclear relations to the dynastic line using a female as his justification for rule (Martin and Grube, p. 40).

The building blocks of such political intrigue may be seen in the aftermath of the collapse of Dos Pilas in 761 CE. The single authority fragmented into “local magnates, each of whom erected monuments and used the once restricted title ‘divine lord of Mutal.” (Martin and Grube. P. 64). In Naranjo we find evidence of an attempt to create a new royal line, or “bolster the pedigree of a lesser local lineage…” (Martin and Grube, p. 74). The examples are multiple.

What we see in the emerging picture of Mesoamerican dynasties is an undercurrent of competing lineages. In such an atmosphere, it is not hard to understand the development of secret combinations that might be used to tilt the balance of power – a process that we will see clearly later in the Book of Mormon.

Alma 37:32

32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.

Alma 37:33

33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

To fully understand Alma’s charge to Helaman we must once again remember the tight connection between religion and politics. The Nephite polity is built upon the Nephite religion, even though we see clear examples of members of the Nephite hegemony drifting away from the Nephite egalitarian ideal. The internal strife that would be evident in other cultures maintaining a king-base hierarchy could be avoided by the gospel of the Nephites, with its egalitarian emphasis. Thus Alma is not only telling Helaman to preach the moral values of the gospel, but to use the worldview of the gospel to guide the people away from the dangers of the secret combinations, from the internal strife to leadership that was found in the plates, and in the surrounding cultures.

Literary: The admonition to Helaman now becomes a set of commands. The first is a personal command; to remember. Alma is part of a traditional culture, and important understanding of life is contained in the traditions, specifically those that are to be entrusted to Helaman. Helaman is to remember, and to follow the tradition documented in the records.

The second admonition is externally focused. While Helaman remembers, he is to use that remembrance for his people’s sake. Thus he should teach that tradition, which consists of repentance and faith on the Atoning Messiah.

Alma 37:34

34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.

Alma 37:35

35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.

Literary: These two statements reverse the directional focus of the previous statements. The first begins with the external focus; teach the people, and then moves to the person; “learn wisdom in they youth.”

Alma 37:36

36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

Literary: Alma now expands the personal focus. Here are the things that Helaman should do to be personally prepared. Clearly these admonitions form parallel sets:

Cry unto God for all thy support

let all thy doings be unto the Lord

whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord

let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord

let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever

Each of these parallels presupposes two participants, Helaman and the Lord. Beyond the specifics, there is the assumption of the relationship. Helaman is being told to dedicate himself to this particular relationship. He is kin with the Lord, and he should understand his relationship as one of mutual obligations. If Helaman “belongs” to the Lord, then the Lord is obligated to extend a relationship to Helaman. Implied in each of these commands is the beneficial response of the Lord should Helaman perform the action. For instance, “cry unto God for all they support” presumes that upon the cry that God will hear and provide the support.

Alma 37:37

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Literary: These verses have at least conceptual similarity to the similarly patterned prayer instructions that Amulek used in Alma 34:19-27. This increases the probability that both Amulek and now Alma are referencing some well known source as they couch their specific instructions in this more formal parallel way.

Alma 37:38

38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.

Here is the first time we have the name for the director. This name is not in Nephi’s record, so the name must have been given in the Book of Lehi, which we do not have.

See the commentary on 1 Nephi 16:10 for more information on the Liahona.

Why does Alma bring up the Liahona at this time, after so long in which we hear nothing of it? While we cannot know for certain, it is probable that it is because Nephi used the “small means” analogy with the Liahona. It is that theme that Alma has picked up earlier in his charge to Helaman, and which he will highlight again in verse 41 below.

Alma 37:39

39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

Alma 37:40

40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

Alma 37:41

41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

Alma 37:42

42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

Alma retells the story of the Liahona, a story which must have been familiar to Helaman. If it was familiar, then we should understand that aspects of the story that Alma elects to tell, because that will tell us what Alma finds most important in the example of the Liahona. First, he notes that it was prepared divinely (“there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship”). Second, he gives the purpose of the Liahona, which is to provide instruction for the course.

Next, Alma notes that the working of the Liahona was divine, that it required faith to work correctly. If they had faith it worked through divine intervention (“therefore they had this miracle”). The last statements note that the miracles “were worked by small means,” and that a lack of faith caused it to cease to work.

Alma is emphasizing the role of the miraculous role of the Lord. He correlates the miraculous workings of the Liahona; the essential miraculous workings, for without them they were lost and halted in their journey. These great miracles come from “small means.” Clearly it is this contrast that is important. Very small, perhaps insignificant appearing things lead to great miracles. In Nephi’s description of the “small things” it was the workings of the needles. Here the working of the needle is the miraculous. The “small thing” for Alma is the exercise of faith.

Alma 37:43

43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.

Alma makes his meaning explicit. Faith is a small thing, but it leads to miracles. When the fathers were unfaithful, not only were there no miracles, they did not prosper. For Alma, faith is behind prospering, behind miracles.

Alma 37:44

44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

The “small thing” is not, by extension, “giving heed to the word of Christ.” Of course this is faith, but Alma is not suggesting complacent belief as perhaps some might see faith. For Alma, faith is dynamic, it requires action, it requires that one not only believe in the Savior, but that one do as the Savior requires.

Alma 37:45

45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.

Alma now uses the imagery of the Liahona as compass and compares that to Christ. Both will give the proper direction, if we pay heed and have faith.

Alma 37:46

46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

Alma is suggesting that the way of the gospel is not difficult. The commandments are simple, and not all that hard to keep. He is suggesting that some may “be slothful because of the easiness of the way….” Once again this is the image of active faith. Alma rejects the notion that belief is sufficient. It must be faith leading to proper action that brings us to where “we may live forever.”

Alma 37:47

47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.

Alma concludes his discourse to Helaman with a reiteration of the most important charge given during the discourse; the preservation of the plates.

Textual: The chapter ends here in the 1830 edition.