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CHAPTER 2Helaman the second becomes chief judge—Gadianton leads the band of Kishkumen—Helaman's servant slays Kishkumen, and the Gadianton band flees into the wilderness. [50 B.C.] |
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1 AND it came to pass in the
*forty and second year of the reign of the judges, after
Moronihah had established again peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites,
behold there was no one to fill the judgment-seat; therefore there began to
be a contention again among the people concerning who should fill the
judgment-seat.
2 And it came to pass that aHelaman, who was the son of Helaman, was appointed to fill the judgment-seat, by the bvoice of the people.
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1*
[50 B.C.] 2a Hel. 3:20 b Hel. 1:13
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3 But behold, aKishkumen, who had murdered Pahoran,
did lay wait to destroy Helaman also; and he was upheld by his band, who had
entered into a covenant that no one should know his wickedness.
4 For there was one aGadianton, who was exceedingly expert in many words, and also in his craft, to carry on the secret work of murder and of robbery; therefore he became the leader of the band of Kishkumen. 5 Therefore he did aflatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if they would place him in the judgment-seat he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and authority among the peoplea; therefore Kishkumen sought to destroy Helaman.
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5a placed in power and authority among the people The twin of 'pride and riches' is 'power and authority' as they do both seduce the carnal natural man into the activities of sin and wickedness. And the practice of secret combinations to obtain these by murder is but the age old secret of Satan, that is to murder and take advantage of another in order to raise one's self above them, that is to get gain one above another. Lucifer himself was of this nature as he was willing to put all others down, taking advantage of them to their lose that he might get the gain of glory and position over them at their expense. |
3a
Hel. 1:9 4a Hel. 3:23; Hel. 6:18, 29 5a Mosiah 27:8; Alma 50:35; Hel. 1:7; Ether 8:2; TG Flattery
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6 And it came to pass as he went forth towards the judgment-seat
to destroy Helaman, behold one of the servants of Helaman, having
been out by night, and having obtained, through disguise, a
knowledge of those plans which had been laid by this band to
destroy Helaman—
7 And it came to pass that he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto him a sign; therefore Kishkumen made known unto him the object of his desire, desiring that he would conduct him to the judgment-seat that he might murder Helaman. 8 And when the servant of Helaman had known all the heart of Kishkumen, and how that it was his aobject to murder, and also that it was the object of all those who belonged to his band to murder, and to rob, and to gain power, (and this was their bsecret plan, and their combination) the servant of Helaman said unto Kishkumen: Let us go forth unto the judgment-seat.
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8a
TG
Conspiracy b 2 Ne. 10:15; Moses 5:31 (18-31); TG Secret Combinations
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9 Now this did please Kishkumen exceedingly, for he did suppose
that he should accomplish his design; but behold, the servant of
Helaman, as they were going forth unto the judgment-seat, did
stab Kishkumen even to the heart, that he fell dead without a
groan. And he ran and told Helaman all the things which he had
seen, and heard, and done.
10 And it came to pass that Helaman did send forth to take this band of robbers and asecret murderers, that they might be executed according to the law. 11 But behold, when Gadianton had found that Kishkumen did not return he feared lest that he should be destroyed; therefore he caused that his band should follow him. And they took their flight out of the land, by a secret way, into the wilderness; and thus when Helaman sent forth to take them they could nowhere be found.
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10a
Hel. 3:23
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12 And more of this Gadianton shall be spoken hereafter. And
thus ended the forty and second year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.
13 And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this aGadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi. 14 Behold I do not mean the end of the abook of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written.
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13a
Hel. 6:18;
3 Ne. 4:1 14a W of M 1:9; 3 Ne. 5:10
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| * Verse 1 [50 B.C.]. |
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