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CHAPTER 6
The righteous Lamanites preach to the wicked Nephites—Both peoples
prosper during an era of peace and plenty—Lucifer, the author of sin,
guides the Gadianton robbers in their murders and wickedness— |
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~ 29 B.C. ~ |
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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
arighteousness did exceed that of the Nephites because of
their firmness and their steadiness in the faith.
2 For behold, there were many of the Nephites who had become ahardened 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. 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 afellowship one with another and did rejoice one with another, and did have great joy.
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1*
[29 B.C.] a Hel. 13:1 2a Rom. 1:28 (28-32); Hel. 6:21; TG Hardheartedness 3a TG Fellowshipping
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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 aconversion, and did exhort them to faith
and repentance.
5 Yea, and many did apreach 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.
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4a
TG
Conversion, Convert 5a 1 Ne. 15:20; Alma 48:20
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6 And it came to pass that many of the Lamanites did go into the land
northward; and also aNephi and bLehi went
into the cland northward, to preach unto the people. And
thus ended the sixty and third year.
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.
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6a
Hel. 7:1 b Hel. 5:44 (36-44); Hel. 11:19 c Alma 63:9 (4-9); Hel. 3:12 (11-12)
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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
abuy and to sell, and to get gain, according to their
desire.
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 agold, and of silver, and of all manner of precious metals, both in the land south and in the land north. 10 Now the land south was called aLehi and the land north was called bMulek, which was after the cson of Zedekiah; for the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land southa.
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10a the Lord did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land south From a doctrinal perspective, we are taught that all of North and South America is to be considered the promised land and the land of Joseph. While the Limit Meso-American theorists do proceed to complicate this doctrinal matter by limiting the Book of Mormon lands to Central America, it continues to be doctrinally sound to so establish the whole of the Americas as the land of promise and that which is the land of Joseph. Certainly when Ether taught that the New Jerusalem would be established upon this promised land of Joseph upon which the Jaredites did dwell, as recorded by Moroni in Ether 13, he did not quibble about any such limited geographic model. We know from latter day revelation that this New Jerusalem site is that of Independance Missouri. But when one considers to which lands Mulek was brought and Lehi was brought, they may inquire why? Yet the church doctrinally upholds that the whole of the Americas is the land of Joseph. |
8a
3 Ne. 6:11 9a 1 Ne. 18:25; 2 Ne. 5:15 (14-16); Jacob 2:12-13; Ether 9:17; Ether 10:23 (12, 23) 10a Alma 50:25 b Onmi 1:14; Mosiah 25:2-4; Hel. 8:21 b Jer. 39:6; Jer. 52:10; Ezel. 17:22-23; Alma 22:31
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The Land of Joseph
Whatever the lands of the Book of Mormon were like prior to the great earth changing destruction at the death of Christ and then later and today, doctrinally we teach in the Church that the whole of the Americas, North, South and Central, is the promised land of Joseph. Now just what is the significance of the Lord bring Mulek to the land north of the narrow neck and Lehi to the south of the narrow neck might well be considered. But to do so one must come to understand just who the people of Mulek were in relation to the people of Lehi.Now as Ether understood and Moroni records in Ether chapter 13, this promised land which the Jaredites did posses was the land of Joseph upon which the New Jerusalem would be built. From latter day revelation we now know exactly where the great city of the New Jerusalem will be built by those of the seed of Joseph, and that is centered in the land we know as Independance, Jackson County, Missouri. Now the prophet judge Lechoneus proceeded to preferabley defend against the Gadianton robbers in the land south from the land province of Zarahemla to the land province of Bountiful and the land province in between. And this he did because the land north had the greater curse upon it (3 Nephi 3:24). Of course that which has the 'greater curse' upon the wicked also has the greater blessing upon the righteous. Now Mulek was the surviving son of King Zedekiah, the last legitimate king of the house of David excepting of course Jesus Christ. But there is strong evidence that the house of David was in fact legally and rightfully the heir family of the covenant which was preserved by the seed of Joseph (D&C 27:10). (See Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph) Establishing Mulek as of the covenant heir of Joseph and his son Ephriam would explain why Mulek was brought to the land of Joseph. Else there is little reason as to why a king of Judah would be led to the land of Joseph and in particular to be brought to the land north were the New Jersalem was to be built. Considering Lehi as being of the seed of Manasseh and Mulek of the seed of Ephriam, then both sons of Joseph are inscribed upon the land of promise, with Mulek upon the north and Lehi upon the south. Even Joseph Smith was said to have been descended of Joseph through Ephraim as well as being a descendant of Jesse, the father of king David (D&C 113:5-6). Now just how is a descendant of Jesse as well as of Joseph deemed to be a 'pure Ephraimite' as President Brigham Young states Joseph Smith to be? |
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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 awork all kinds of ore and did refine it;
and thus they did become rich.
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. 13 Behold their women did toil and spin, and did amake all manner of bcloth, 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.
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11a
TG
Industry 13a TG Art b Mosiah 10:5; Alma 1:29
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~ 27-25 B.C. ~ |
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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.
15 And it came to pass that in the *sixty and sixth year of the reign of the judges, behold, aCezoram 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. 16 And in the *commencement of the sixty and seventh year the people began to grow exceedingly wicked again.
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14*
[27 B.C.] 15* [26 B.C.] a Hel. 5:1; Hel. 6:19 16* [25 B.C.]
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17 For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the
ariches 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
bsecret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might
get gain.
18 And now behold, those murderers and plunderers were a band who had been formed by Kishkumen and aGadianton. 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. 19 And it was they who did murder the chief judge aCezoram, and his son, while in the judgment-seat; and behold, they were not found.
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17a
TG
Treasure b 3 Ne. 6:23; 3 Ne. 9:9 18a Hel. 2:4, 12-13, 23 19a Hel. 6:15
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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.
21 But behold, Satan did stir up the ahearts 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 bstealings.
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21a
Hel. 6:2 b TG Stealing
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22 And it came to pass that they did have their signs, yea, their
asecret signs, and their bsecret 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.
23 And thus they might murder, and plunder, and steal, and commit awhoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God. 24 And whosoever of those who belonged to their band should reveal unto the world of their awickedness 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.
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22a
Alma 37:27;
TG
Secret Combinations b Hel. 11:2; 3 Ne. 3:7 23a TG Whoredom 24a TG Wickedness
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25 Now behold, it is these secret aoaths 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.
26 Now behold, those asecret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the brecords which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of cGadianton by that dsame being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit— 27 Yea, that same being who did plot with aCain, 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.
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25a
Alma 37:29 (27-32) 25a 3 Ne. 3:9; Ether 8:9-19; Moses 5:29, 49-52 b 3 Ne. 6:28 c Hel. 8:28 c Moses 4:6-12 27a Moses 5:25 (18-33)
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28 And also it is that same being who put it into the hearts of the
people to abuild 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 bentire destruction, and to an everlasting hell.
29 Yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of aGadianton 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. 30 And behold, it is he who is the aauthor 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.
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28a
Gen. 11:4 (1-4);
Ether 1:3 b Ether 8:21 (9, 15-25) 29a Hel. 2:4-13 30a Alma 5:40 (39-42); Moro. 7:12, 17; Moses 4:4
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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 away of
righteousness, and did btrample 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.
32 And it came to pass that all these iniquities did come unto them in the space of anot 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.
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31a
Gen. 6:12;
2 Ne. 28:11 b 1 Ne. 19:7 c Judg. 2:17; 2 Ne. 9:37; Alma 7:6 32a Alma 46:8; Hel. 4:26; Hel. 7:6; Hel. 11:26
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~ 24 B.C. ~ |
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33 And they did grow in their iniquities in the
*sixty and eighth year also, to the great sorrow and
lamentation of the righteous.
34 And thus we see that the aNephites 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. 35 And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to awithdraw from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of their hearts. 36 And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his aSpirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and bwillingness to believe in his words.
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33*
[24 B.C.] 34a Moro. 9:20 35a Matt. 13:15; Mosiah 2:36; D&C 121:37 36a TG God, Spirit of b Ex. 25:2 (1-7)
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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.
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.
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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 apoor and the meek, and the humble
followers of God.
40 And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and aripening for an everlasting destruction. 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.
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39a
Ps. 109:16 (15-16);
Ezek. 22:7-13; Amos 5:12; Alma 5:55 (54-56); D&C 56:16 40a Hel. 5:2; Hel. 11:37; D&C 18:6; D&C 61:31
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| * Verse 1 [29 B.C.]; Verse 14 [27 B.C.]; Verse 15 [26 B.C.]; Verse 16 [25 B.C.]; Verse 33 [24 B.C.]. | ||
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