Helaman 6

Hel. 6:1

1 And it came to pass that when the sixty and second year of the reign of the judges had ended, all these things had happened and the Lamanites had become, the more part of them, a righteous people, insomuch that their righteousness did exceed that of the Nephites, because of their firmness and their steadiness in the faith.

This is an important point for Mormon. Mormon is writing a history of his people that shows how the foundational promise of Lehi applies to them. That promise indicates that they will prosper in the land as long as they are righteous, but they will be subject to other nations if they are unrighteous. The current trend of the Nephites is to become less righteous, and that will lead to the inevitable destruction of the Nephite polity. However, Mormon must also show how the Lamanites could not be affected by that same promise, since their father was also Lehi. Mormon emphasizes the Lamanite righteousness both in contrast to the Nephite state, and as a means of showing why they are able to come through the coming calamities while the Nephites do not. The promise of protection is symbolically shifted to the Lamanites because of their greater righteousness.

Chronological: the sixty-second year of the reign of the judges is approximately 33 BC in this correlation.

Hel. 6:2

2 For behold, there were many of the Nephites who had become hardened and impenitent and grossly wicked, insomuch that they did reject the word of God and all the preaching and prophesying which did come among them.

This is the important contrast to the righteousness of the Lamanites. The Nephites are hardening their hearts. Where the Lamanites are receptive to preaching the word of God, the Nephites are rejecting it. This shift in the statistical righteousness of the Nephites will lead to their ruin.

Hel. 6:3

3 Nevertheless, the people of the church did have great joy because of the conversion of the Lamanites, yea, because of the church of God, which had been established among them. And they did fellowship one with another, and did rejoice one with another, and did have great joy.

Of course the church and the righteous Nephites did not disappear. They have simply become outnumbered by the Nephites who hold different politico-religious ideas. Just as they were once in the majority and were able to enforce their statistically prevalent will on the people, even though there were dissenters, so now they are in the position of a minority in their own land, and it is the majority who dominate them. Nevertheless, the fact that they are no longer in the majority did not change the essential righteousness of those who remained faithful. Mormon highlights this by explicitly telling us that those who were in the church of God “did rejoice one with another, and did have great joy.”

Hel. 6:4

4 And it came to pass that many of the Lamanites did come down into the land of Zarahemla, and did declare unto the people of the Nephites the manner of their conversion, and did exhort them to faith and repentance.

Here is a tremendous role reversal. Rather than a mission from the Nephites to the Lamanites, there is a mission from the Lamanites to the Nephites. This is a precursor to the mission of Samuel that will be recorded later. This mission would require tremendous humility on the part of the Nephites to accept from the Lamanites that they have learned to fear and hate the gospel that should have been their own heritage. This humility is the theme of the next verse.

Redaction / Cultural: There is an important aspect to this section of Mormon’s narrative that requires some examination because it deviates from past practice in his text. There are been missions to the Lamanites before, and the result of a conversion of Lamanites has been the creation of new Nephites. The people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi enter the land of Zarahemla and become Nephites. The pattern is most obvious in reverse. When Nephites dissent, they become Lamanites. In this case, however, there is a conversion of Lamanites to the gospel and there is no change of political allegiance. The Lamanites do not become Nephites. Why not?

The Nephite/Lamanite distinction has been one of convenience and convention. The pattern for the labeling of peoples began with Jacob who stated:

Jacob 1:14

14 But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the kings.

The textual tradition used the term Lamanite as a designation not only of “other” but also for “enemy.” Nevertheless, more accurate lineage names were available, and when the text refers to people from other polities, it does so based on their head city, a typical Mesoamerican practice. At this point in Mormon’s narrative this convention has another purpose. Even though the Lamanites are religiously friendly to the Nephites, sufficiently friendly that they would mound a missionary expedition to them, they were sitll politically aligned with a different government. In this case, the Lamanites cannot become Nephites because Mormon is telling us that the Nephites have become wicked. In order to maintain this ironic reversal of position, Mormon must maintain the two peoples separate. The Lamanite religion and possibly government is now more righteous than that of the Nephites. For this reason they cannot become Nephites, as that would indicate that they would be becoming less righteous.

Spiritual: The conversion of the Lamanites and the retention of the title Lamanite suggests that the gospel transforms people, not governments. Just as the righteous of the church could live and have joy in a government that had espoused unrighteousness for the Nephite nation, so could the Lamanites be righteous, even though there was a long political heritage of antagonism towards to church. It is the individual that matters, and repentance works for all, regardless of the traditions of the fathers.

Hel. 6:5

5 Yea, and many did preach with exceedingly great power and authority, unto the bringing down many of them into the depths of humility, to be the humble followers of God and the Lamb.

The ironic juxtaposition is emphasized in the words Mormon chooses to describe this missionary effort. The Lamanites “did preach with exceedingly great power and authority.” This is no sham conversion to the gospel. These Lamanites are fully converted, and it would appear that they have been empowered with the priesthood.

Note the affect on the Nephites who were able to listen to their message. They were brought down “into the depths of humility.” They would have to be. All of their national pride would have taught them religious superiority over the Lamanites, and now they would have to admit that the Lamanites were righteous, and calling them to repentance. Only the humble could hear such a message. Paul must have faced such a challenge when he first began to preach. Having been a persecutor of the saints, he becomes one of their foremost teachers. Perhaps, however, this is also one of the reasons that Paul’s significant ministry was in the lands outside of Jerusalem, away from his former actions against the saints.

Hel. 6:6

6 And it came to pass that many of the Lamanites did go into the land northward; and also Nephi and Lehi went into the land northward, to preach unto the people. And thus ended the sixty and third year.

Mormon indicates that the Lamanites have moved into the land northward to preach, and then indicates that Nephi and Lehi go with them. This is a continuation of his emphasis on the land northward that we saw in chapter 3. It is part of Mormon’s editorial purpose to make sure that we understand that the gospel has been preached in the land northward because he will use that information when he ties the destruction of his people to those who come from the land northward.

Hel. 6:7

7 And behold, there was peace in all the land, insomuch that the Nephites did go into whatsoever part of the land they would, whether among the Nephites or the Lamanites.

Of course there is peace in the land of the Lamanites are righteous, because there is no conflict between them and the Nephites. While this is Mormon’s implication, the historical reality would have been different from this implication. There were certainly many Lamanites who were converted to the gospel, but it is also certain that not all of the Lamanites were converted to the gospel. The peace in the land coincides with this missionary effort of the Lamanites, but is not likely to have been caused by it. What we learn in the next verse is that there is a general economic prosperity, and when everyone is equally sharing in economic prosperity there is little pressure for wars of expansion.

Hel. 6:8

8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did also go whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or among the Nephites; and thus they did have free intercourse one with another, to buy and to sell, and to get gain, according to their desire.

Hel. 6:9

9 And it came to pass that they became exceedingly rich, both the Lamanites and the Nephites; and they did have an exceeding plenty of gold, and of silver, and of all manner of precious metals, both in the land south and in the land north.

Mormon describes a time of prosperity, and one of free and long-range trade. In the Mesoamerican context in which we are placing the Book of Mormon, these concepts are intimately linked. Wealth flows out of trade, because there is no other way to accumulate goods that might be considered luxury items. In a barter economy, wealth consists of the accumulation of goods that are not easily produced. For instance, wealth would not be counted in the accumulation of clothing made from local materials and dyes because everyone has the ability to create that kind of clothing. Wealth is not in the accumulation of that which everyone may have, but in the differential accumulation of things that only a few may have, and the others want.

Of course the Book of Mormon has pointed out that there are ways in which we might be wealthy without such social differentiators, but it requires that we recognize wealth in the abundance of the things we need, not the things we want. When Mormon describes wealth within the church, he does so in terms of the necessities of life:

Alma 1:29-30

29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need—an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.

30 And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.

Note the very important definition we have in verse 29: “having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need.” For Mormon, righteous wealth consists in this abundance of all things of which they stood in need, not in the accumulation of prestige items that create distinctions among classes (see the comments following Alma 1:29 in this commentary).

Narrative: Why does Mormon spend this much time on the wealth of the Lamanites and Nephites? Of course it is historical, but that is never the issue when dealing with Mormon’s text. Mormon does not record information because he wants to tell us history. Mormon tells us information because he wants to teach us a spiritual context and process. While this wealth is creating a temporary situation that has a lack of conflict, it will nevertheless lead directly to conflict. This has been a theme for Mormon, and he continues it. In this case, the Lamanites will not be the instrument of contention flowing from the differential in wealth, but it will be the Gadianton robbers. As has been noted, the Gadianton robbers are an internal Nephite problem, and one on which Mormon will blame the downfall of his people just prior to the arrival of the Atoning Messiah. It suits Mormon’s editorial purposes to ground the Gadianton dissention in the same destructive power of class distinctions and wealth has he has past conflicts. The players are changing, but the game is the same.

Hel. 6:10

10 Now the land south was called Lehi and the land north was called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south.

Geographical: Mormon gives us some definitions of lands. These are gross divisions in the land and serve to mark the basic conceptual outline of the world from a Nephite standpoint. As with virtually all peoples, the Nephites are in the center, and directions are given relative to where the Nephites are. Thus the land south is south of the land of the Nephites, and the land north is north of the land of the Nephites.

In particular, the land south is defined as the land of Nephi. The traditional region of conflict in Nephite history since the time of their arrival in Zarahemla has been the southern lands. These were the lands of first inheritance, those into which Lehi has lead his family. The Nephites had abandoned them with the flight of Mosiah I from the city of Nephi.

The land northward is here given as the land of Mulek. Mormon tells us that this land is named because Mulek came into this land. This should not be confused with the land of Zarahemla which is the land where Mosiah I met the descendants of Mulek. The land of Mulek is farther down the river valley, and just over the narrow neck of land. It is the introduction to the land northward, and the beginnings of the land of desolation, which describes the ancient Jaredite homeland.

Once again we need to ask ourselves why Mormon is giving us this particular piece of information. He is subtly moving our focus from the current lands to the lands northward, and in this particular case, he makes certain that this land is linked to the ancestral founder of the people who later inhabited Zarahemla. The reason for this is Mormon’s northward focus. He is connection us to the land northward, and in particular to the type of people who inhabit that land. By focusing on the ancestor Mulek, he focuses on the ancestors of the Zarahemlaites, and probably does so because his intent is to highlight the cultural/linguistic connections of the early Mulekites with the remnants of the Jaredites. This cultural/linguistic focus on that region of the land northward will continue to be important through the end of the Book of Mormon.

Hel. 6:11

11 And behold, there was all manner of gold in both these lands, and of silver, and of precious ore of every kind; and there were also curious workmen, who did work all kinds of ore and did refine it; and thus they did become rich.

Cultural: As we saw in Helaman 3, Mormon is not necessarily historically careful in his attributions of cultural items to this land northward. Indeed, he has a reason to what to define the land northward in terms of his current world rather than this world as it existed at an earlier time. It may be that we have a similar process occurring here, as widespread metal working is later than this time period in Mesoamerica. This statement would make more sense at the later time period where Mormon previously focused on a city of cement.

In any case, we should remember that the economic value of gold and silver in Mesoamerica lay more in the items crafted than in the material used to craft them. Gold and silver were typically not valued in and of themselves, but rather for the things which could be made of them. Thus this statement that there are workmen working the ore accurately suggests the process of production of trade goods. It was the movement of these unusual and prestige-related goods that created the wealth mentioned in this verse.

Hel. 6:12

12 They did raise grain in abundance, both in the north and in the south; and they did flourish exceedingly, both in the north and in the south. And they did multiply and wax exceedingly strong in the land. And they did raise many flocks and herds, yea, many fatlings.

Not only is wealth manifest in the possession of elite prestige items of gold or silver, but in the abundance of the necessities of live. There is plentiful grain, and large “flocks and herds.” (see the comment following 2 Nephi 5:11 for more information on the use of the phrase “flocks and herds” in the Book of Mormon.)

Hel. 6:13

13 Behold their women did toil and spin, and did make all manner of cloth, of fine-twined linen and cloth of every kind, to clothe their nakedness. And thus the sixty and fourth year did pass away in peace.

The statement that they made cloth is interesting in that it comes as part of a description of wealth and abundance. The surprise is that the making of clothing would also be part of even the worst of times. Since the making of clothing is a cottage industry in pre-industrial societies, every home would make clothing, and there should be nothing unusual to note. This reference must therefore mean that they were able to make cloth in quantities greater than that needed for the family, and that the cloth entered into the trade relations, and thus was a medium of exchange and a medium through which wealth might be accumulated.

Hel. 6:14

14 And in the sixty and fifth year they did also have great joy and peace, yea, much preaching and many prophecies concerning that which was to come. And thus passed away the sixty and fifth year.

Hel. 6:15

15 And it came to pass that in the sixty and sixth year of the reign of the judges, behold, Cezoram was murdered by an unknown hand as he sat upon the judgment-seat. And it came to pass that in the same year, that his son, who had been appointed by the people in his stead, was also murdered. And thus ended the sixty and sixth year.

Mormon uses periods of peace to set a contrast to periods of conflict and disruption. This pattern is now intensifying, and mixing with another of his editorial themes, which is the destruction of political entities by secret combinations. At the end of the peaceful and economically fruitful time, there is a murder of the chief judge. The last time Mormon concentrated on the murders of the sitting chief judges he laid the crimes at the feat of the Gadianton robbers. He is getting ready to do the same thing again. Rather than the earlier introduction to the Gadianton robbers that had an eye to the future as well as the narrative past, this episode with the Gadianton robbers is directly related to the events that will cause the demise of the Nephite polity just prior to the arrival of Christ in the New World.

Hel. 6:16

16 And in the commencement of the sixty and seventh year the people began to grow exceedingly wicked again.

The introduction of wickedness is the murder of the chief judge. Once again we must note that while Mormon is reporting on historical events, he is not reporting as a historian. Mormon reports these events because they have a purpose in his narrative, a purpose that transcends antiquarian interests and becomes a model of the greater cosmic patterns of life. Thus the murder of the judge initiates the beginning of the increase in wickedness in Mormon’s narrative. It is his purpose to show that the wickedness increases after the events that were set in motion by the Gadiantons, as he will describe in the next few verses.

From the perspective of a modern social historian, Mormon is probably technically incorrect in placing the increase in “wickedness” after the murder. It is much more likely that the social dissent and pressures that led to the murder of the chief judge were already in motion and led to the assassination. Nevertheless, it fits Mormon’s editorial purpose best for this order to be inverted.

Chronological: The sixty-seventh year of the reign of the judges corresponds to 28 BC in the correlation used in this commentary.

Hel. 6:17

17 For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain.

The next phase of Mormon’s cosmic model of the world is that the increase in wealth leads to a desire for social hierarchies rather than the Nephite ideal of egalitarianism. Mormon has nothing against wealth as prosperity, but rather wealth as a marker of social differentiation. It is for this reason that Mormon needs to contrast the peace and prosperity with the coming political and social unrest. Note that he particularly mentions: they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another.” It is this “lifting up one above another” that is the symptom of the real problem.

After noting that there is a development of social differentiation based on the accumulation of wealth (which would be elite goods in the economic context of Mesoamerica) Mormon notes that the method of gaining this social differentiation is “to commit secret murders, and to rob, and to plunder, that they might get gain.” This phrase is important first to Mormon’s context, and secondly to our cultural context of Mesoamerica.

Mormon’s context is underscored by the use of the phrase “secret murders.” This is clearly language that Mormon has used in connection with his recent description of the Gadianton robbers. Thus Mormon is making certain that the Gadiantons return to the focus of his narrative. There has been a murder of a chief judge by an unknown hand, and the Gadiantons use secret murders to get gain. Therefore, this murder was effected by the Gadiantons, a point he makes explicit in the next verse.

The social context of Mesoamerica is perhaps more interesting. Mormon sets up his social unrest by noting a series of causes. The first is the increasing wealth: “the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches.” The accumulation of riches led to the desire and goal of riches. Rather than be the by-product of the social actions, they became the focus of those actions. Then, after the desire changes to focus on the elite goods, we have the desire to use those elite goods to create social differentiation: “they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another.”

As the final stage of this progression comes the “commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain.” Note that the goal is the same, but the goal is reached by murders. How is it that murders led to gain?

This is where we must understand the Mesoamerican background of what is happening in this social restructuring. We might presume that the murders were directly related to the robbing. That is, that people were killed so that their goods might be stolen. This would be imposing our modern understanding on this ancient people, and it is contrary to the evidence that Mormon has presented.

The last time we saw murders it was murder of highly placed political figures. In this most recent case, Mormon has led off this discussion of the disintegration of the social order with the murder of the chief judge. These are political murders, not economic murders. These are not brigands on the highway, but political subversives altering the political landscape. How is it that the control of the political structure is related to the flow of wealth?

It has everything to do with the flow of wealth in Mesoamerica because the trade was elite-controlled, and the trade was one of the ways that prestige goods were accumulated. It was those prestige goods that created the have/have not divisions that led to the social distinctions. At the top of that social hierarchy was the chief judge who would be able to control which kin groups had access to the lucrative trade.

The next issue is the nature of the “robbing” that went on. Once again we must remember that the type of wealth that we are speaking of is a collection of elite goods. They have little value if they are not displayed, and it is the very display of those goods that proclaims the social segregation. In any smaller society there is a limited number of elite goods in any city, and the very nature of those goods suggests that they would be distinctive, and therefore recognizable. If one were to murder to steal someone’s elite item, and then display it, the culprit would be open to discovery because the elite item was certain to be noticed. Hiding the item did little good, because the value was in the display. There was no way of influencing exchanges by hidden wealth. The elite item could not be traded, because those who did the trading would be in the best position to recognize the artifact and the rightful owner. All of these things suggest that there is something much more complex going on here.

Fortunately, the same Mesoamerican context that tells us that we have a problem if we see the text through modern perspectives is the context that gives us the historical explanation. Mesoamerican “robbery” was the use of force to create tribute relationships. While Nephites had been under tribute from time to time in the past, particularly the people of Limhi, they have not established tribute relationships with client cities. Nevertheless, that was a very Mesoamerican model, and assured the accumulation of wealth by importing goods for which no exchange was required.

What Mormon is telling us is that the Nephites are beginning to adopt the typical Mesoamerican social hierarchies, and are beginning to use Mesoamerican means to accomplish this. Into this mix we place the murders of the chief judges. By eliminating the ranking clan officer, the shift of power among clans could shift, and presumably an ambitious clan could then rise in prominence. That prominence meant that their clan would be at the apex of not only the distribution of trade routes, but of the receipt of the tribute. The control of the political process was directly related to the control of the flow and accumulation of wealth in Mesoamerica.

Hel. 6:18

18 And now behold, those murderers and plunderers were a band who had been formed by Kishkumen and Gadianton. And now it had come to pass that there were many, even among the Nephites, of Gadianton's band. But behold, they were more numerous among the more wicked part of the Lamanites. And they were called Gadianton's robbers and murderers.

Mormon brings his theme of the Gadianton robbers to the forefront. As with the last appearance of the Gadiantons, this appearance is also problematic, and the complexities of the narration will show that Mormon continues to place on this group a symbolic meaning that supercedes its historical meaning or even, perhaps, entity. For Mormon, the Gadiantons are always a cohesive and singly-named group. In the text, however, they show up in many places and guises. In this case, the Gadiantons had disappeared for a while, and when last seen where a small internal dissention among the Nephites. In this appearance they are still among the Nephites, but they are in power (as we shall see below). In addition, they have expanded and are now “more numerous among the more wicked part of the Lamanites.”

There are two aspects of this comment about the Gadiantons and the Lamanites that are interesting. The first is that they are present among the Lamanites at all. The indication of the Gadiantons among the Nephites is that they are subversive of the government, but that their leanings are toward Lamanite politico-religious forms. Nevertheless, when they are among the Lamanites, they appear to also be somewhat subversive and foreign among the Lamanites. Of course they exist among the more wicked part of the Lamanites as that is where they have the greatest access to power, and through power, wealth. Mormon will use righteousness as the “Gadianton-antidote” in his narrative.

The second aspect of this statement is that there is a “more wicked part” of the Lamanites. There was a great Lamanite conversion that at least temporarily appeared to be the entirety of the Lamanite population. We noted at the time that it was unlikely that it was a complete conversion of all Lamanites, and here Mormon confirms that there were many Lamanites who were not converted. This tells us both that there were unconverted Lamanites, and that Mormon’s historical descriptions continue to follow his editorial purposes, and not the dictates of absolutely accurate history from a modern perspective.

Hel. 6:19

19 And it was they who did murder the chief judge Cezoram, and his son, while in the judgment-seat; and behold, they were not found.

Mormon reprises his information about the link between the murder of Cezoram and his son and the Gadiantons because he is emphasizing this aspect of the Gadiantons. It is an essential part of his definition of the Gadianton robbers that they acquire their political influence through murder, so he returns to the first instance as his base proof for his developing narration. This prepares us for the next murder that will involve Nephi in chapters 8-9.

Hel. 6:20

20 And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that there were robbers among them they were exceedingly sorrowful; and they did use every means in their power to destroy them off the face of the earth.

The Lamanite reaction to the presence of the Gadianton robbers is different from the one that we saw among the Nephites. The Lamanites make every attempt to rid themselves of the robbers, but the Nephites did not. What made the difference?

For the Nephites, the Gadiantons represented a dissenting political/social movement within Nephite society. They were not completely foreign, but were part of the Nephite world. In contrast, the Gadiantons appear to be usurpers among the Lamanites. They did not have the same base of operation, and in Mesoamerican terms, would not have had the kin/clan structures to support them. Therefore they would be more readily seen as foreign among the Lamanites, and therefore a danger to the majority, where in the Nephite lands they were becoming the majority.

Hel. 6:21

21 But behold, Satan did stir up the hearts of the more part of the Nephites, insomuch that they did unite with those bands of robbers, and did enter into their covenants and their oaths, that they would protect and preserve one another in whatsoever difficult circumstances they should be placed, that they should not suffer for their murders, and their plunderings, and their stealings.

Among the Nephites, the Gadiantons become the major political and social “party.” They have the rule, and they have the hearts of the majority of the people. What this means is that they have control over the resources that will allow them to increase their wealth. Note that the result of their rule is “murders, and their plunderings, and their stealings.”

Each of these terms is semantically loaded. They are all bad things. However, changing the context away from Mormon’s perspective and towards that of the Gadiantons and the people, the terms might be recast as military conquests – with the “murders” becoming death in wars of conquest, and the “plunderings and stealings” being the tribute assessed upon the conquered land. As we saw with the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, there is also the possibility that “murders” in Mormon’s vocabulary also included ritual human sacrifice. We certainly cannot be certain that this is what Mormon means in this case, but since it was an aspect of the cult of war that otherwise fits this description of the method of accumulation of wealth, we must at least consider the possibility that such a heinous practice was being instituted among the Nephites as part of their apostasy from traditional Nephite religion and their adoption of the Lamanite social-religious order.

Hel. 6:22

22 And it came to pass that they did have their signs, yea, their secret signs, and their secret words; and this that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant, that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do he should not be injured by his brother, nor by those who did belong to his band, who had taken this covenant.

Hel. 6:23

23 And thus they might murder, and plunder, and steal, and commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God.

Hel. 6:24

24 And whosoever of those who belonged to their band should reveal unto the world of their wickedness and their abominations, should be tried, not according to the laws of their country, but according to the laws of their wickedness, which had been given by Gadianton and Kishkumen.

Mormon gives a more concentrated description of the nature of the Gadianton conspiracy here. The elements were present in the original introduction, but here they are condensed into a few verses where the information was spread over several verses the first time. For instance, Helaman 2:3 indicates that there was a covenant in the gang of Kishkumen that becomes the Gadianton robbers. In Helaman 2:7 two members of the gang recognize each other through a sign. In other places we learn of the desire for robbing and plundering, and especially the subversive nature of the band. Since Mormon has already given us this information, his purpose in giving us these verses cannot be new information but rather a refocusing of information. Mormon brings the Gadiantons back to the forefront of his narrative, and must make certain that we know the essential nature of this subversive organization.

Hel. 6:25

25 Now behold, it is these secret oaths and covenants which Alma commanded his son should not go forth unto the world, lest they should be a means of bringing down the people unto destruction.

Hel. 6:26

26 Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit—

Hel. 6:27

27 Yea, that same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would murder his brother Abel it should not be known unto the world. And he did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth.

Narrative: As Mormon reintroduces the growing problem of the Gadianton robbers he must make certain that we understand that the proliferation of this band has nothing to do with the lack of diligence on the part of the record keepers. He has told us that this information had to be kept from the people, so it was not entered into the record that Alma delivered to Helaman. That promise was kept, and the arrival of the Gadiantons is not due to any fault on the part of the record keepers. Rather than a fault of the record keepers, it is directly related to Satan’s influence.

The way that Mormon traces the origin of the Gadianton oaths and secret combinations is important. He begins with Satan, and traces it to the first murder. He does this because he needs to let us know that murder for gain is an important aspect of the Gadianton covenant. Thus he begins the influence with the same being who first suggested a murder for gain in the case of Cain.

Hel. 6:28

28 And also it is that same being who put it into the hearts of the people to build a tower sufficiently high that they might get to heaven. And it was that same being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land; who spread the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell.

Hel. 6:29

29 Yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of Gadianton to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder; and he has brought it forth from the beginning of man even down to this time.

Narrative: Note how Mormon builds his case. The original inspiration for the Gadiantons lies with Satan himself. This earliest influence begins with the murder of Able. The next event, however, is the building of the Tower of Babel. This same Satan influences the people to build “a tower sufficiently high that they might get to heaven.” Why does Mormon use this example?

Make makes a very interesting use of this example. The use of this example confirms the symbolic associations that Mormon is making with the Gadianton robbers. Not only does Satan lead people to build the tower, but “it was that same being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land.” This is a remarkable statement. The book of Ether will tell us that God led the Jaredites from the land of the tower, but Mormon tells us it was Satan – that same being who created the first murder. Does Mormon not know the story of the Jaredites? How could he get the stories mixed up?

Once again we must remember that Mormon is telling his story in a particular way, for a particular purpose. Mormon certainly knows the story of the Jaredites, and it his understanding of the whole story that he is using here. Mormon has a purpose in linking these secret combinations to the Jaredites. These combinations were first most prevalent among the Jaredites, and served as the impetus to their downfall. Therefore, those covenants are intimately linked with the Jaredites, and Mormon focuses on that connection. He has the Jaredites bring this covenant with them from the Old World, symbolically dragging Satan along with them.

The ultimate purpose in this exercise is to note that Satan inspired the Gadianton robbers in this time period, but Mormon’s purpose extends farther than that particular time period. Mormon sees the secret combinations as intimately and inextricably tied to the Jaredites, a concept to which he will return, but which he does not fail to emphasize at this juncture.

Hel. 6:30

30 And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin. And behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder, and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men.

Narrative: Mormon now emphasizes the generational aspect. He has linked the secret combinations to Satan at the beginning of time, and then to the Tower. From the Tower the secret combinations come with the Jaredites, and proliferate among them. Even when temporarily absent, they are still: “hand[ed] down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation.” Mormon ties this transmission of information to generations because it is in his purpose to make the connection between the current Gadiantons and the Jaredites, just as he will tie the Gadiantons of his own time to both this earlier form and to the Jaredites. Mormon is establishing the bona fides of the link from the Jaredites through the Nephites to the Gadiantons that will cause the destruction of his own people.

Hel. 6:31

31 And now behold, he had got great hold upon the hearts of the Nephites; yea, insomuch that they had become exceedingly wicked; yea, the more part of them had turned out of the way of righteousness, and did trample under their feet the commandments of God, and did turn unto their own ways, and did build up unto themselves idols of their gold and their silver.

Narrative: The generational linking moves from the Old World to the New World (through the Jaredites) and then to the Nephites of this time period. Satan has hold of their hearts and that is why they are receptive to the covenants of the Gadiantons, and the concepts of murder for gain. For Mormon, the Gadiantion covenant is inextricably linked to political disruption by murder and the desire for gain. As we noted earlier, in a Mesoamerican economy this linkage makes perfect sense.

Hel. 6:32

32 And it came to pass that all these iniquities did come unto them in the space of not many years, insomuch that a more part of it had come unto them in the sixty and seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Hel. 6:33

33 And they did grow in their iniquities in the sixty and eighth year also, to the great sorrow and lamentation of the righteous.

Hel. 6:34

34 And thus we see that the Nephites did begin to dwindle in unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations, while the Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their God; yea, they did begin to keep his statutes and commandments, and to walk in truth and uprightness before him.

Social: Although it fits Mormon’s purposes to indicate that this change is rapid, the evidence he has been presenting us tells us that it is the culmination of a long process of social division. The difference is not in the presence of the dissenting opinion, but in the shift in the balance of power between those who believed in the traditional Nephite religion and those who want to follow the worldly way. This shift in social dominance has been fomenting for years, but the final shift in the balance was accomplished in just a few short years. Once the balance of power shifted, the newly dominant politico-religious faction would have the power to increase their influence and speed the transition. Thus it would appear to Mormon that much had changed in a few short years, when the process had actually been more gradual than that.

Hel. 6:35

35 And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts.

The withdrawal of the spirit of the Lord from the Nephites comes because they have abandoned the principles of the gospel and adopted those of the world. However, the statement of that withdrawal serves Mormon’s editorial purpose in setting up these Nephites for destruction. While they were righteous they were under Lehi’s foundational promise. Now that they have moved away from the gospel, they are no longer under God’s protection, and they will be destroyed, according to the penalty associated with Lehi’s promise.

Hel. 6:36

36 And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words.

Mormon uses these two verses to create a contrast. The Nephite/Lamanite contrast has always been part of his text, but now Mormon uses that conceptual tension to turn the associated principle of righteousness around. The Nephites and Lamanites are still separate, and still opposed, but now the roles have shifted with respect to the gospel. As the righteousness of the Nephites fades, the righteousness of the Lamanites increases.

This literary device allows Mormon to show the continuation and overarching value of the gospel. Even when the Nephites abandon the gospel, it is still true, and its value may be accepted by the Lamanites. The next use to which he will put this shift in righteousness is to have a reason for the continuation of the Lamanites when the Nephite polity is destroyed. The Lamanites will achieve some protection under Lehi’s promise because they have now become righteous.

Hel. 6:37

37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.

As a witness of the righteousness of the Lamanites Mormon shows them destroying the Gadiantons from among them. This will again assure their continuation, as it is the Gadiantons who will be behind the dissolution of the Nephite polity. On a more historical level, this probably indicates that the Gadiantons were considered foreign to the Lamanites, and therefore did not have the same base of support in the clans of the Lamanites. They were therefore easier to find and isolate without that public support base.

Hel. 6:38

38 And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites, and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils, and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations.

The contrast with the Lamanites continues. The righteous Lamanites rid themselves of the Gadiantion, and the apostacizing Nephites exalt them to positions of rulership and importance. Note once again that the social “program” of the Gadiantons is to institute “spoils” along with the “secret murders and combinations. The emphasis here is on the “spoils” or the acquisition of material goods. Once again it should be remembered that the acquisition of material goods has value only in the ostentatious display in this society, so we are dealing with the accumulation of goods that create social distinctions.

Hel. 6:39

39 And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.

Here is the effect of the Gadianton rulership. The social segregation has been established, and the non-elite are left out of the chain of acquisition. As the proponents of a more egalitarian ideal, the members of the church naturally were not strong participators in this quest for acquisition of sumptuous goods, and therefore they automatically fall to a lower rung on the social ladder since it is the visible display of these goods that is used to mark social order. The distinctions in social order create “rich” and “poor” along the definitions of the newly powerful, and of course they would shun the “followers of God” who did not have such displays – or care to. This verse is the natural outgrowth of the alteration of the social structure among the Nephites.

Hel. 6:40

40 And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and ripening for an everlasting destruction.

Hel. 6:41

41 And it came to pass that thus ended the sixty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

This is Mormon’s message. Everything presages destruction. This destruction is coming, and Mormon is presenting us with all of the signs that he sees as obviously indicating that the destruction will come.

Chronological: The sixty-eighth year of the reign of the judges would be approximately 27 BC in the correlation used in this commentary.

Textual: The end of this chapter corresponds to a chapter ending in the 1830 edition. With this moral address, Mormon closes this particular idea. He has reintroduced the Gadiantons again, and made sure that we understand their import and their historical connections.