Chapter 11
Nephi persuades the
Lord to replace their war with a famine—Many people perish—They repent, and
Nephi importunes the Lord for rain—Nephi and Lehi receive many revelations—The
Gadianton robbers entrench themselves in the land. About 20–6 B.C.
1 AND now it came to pass in the seventy and second
year of the reign of the judges [20 B.C.] that the contentions did increase,
insomuch that there were wars throughout all the land among all the people of
Nephi. 2 And it was this secret band of robbers who did
carry on this work of destruction and wickedness. And this war did last all that year; and in
the seventy and third year [19 B.C,] it did also last.
3 And it came to pass that in this year Nephi did
cry unto the Lord, saying: 4 O Lord, do
not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather
let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of
the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee.
Helaman 11:1 – 4 (Emphasis mine)
Wars broke out throughout the land. The Gadianton Robbers were responsible for
the war. Hugh Nibley explains, “Inevitably
interests and ambitions conflict, and so with criminal interests fighting each
other ‘there were wars throughout all the land among the people of Nephi. And
it was this secret band of robbers who did carry on this work of destruction
and wickedness’ (Helaman 11:1–2).”[1]
The Lord promised Nephi2 that whatever he asked
Him would come about. He decided there
was only one way to stop the wars. He
prayed to the Lord and asked that he send a famine “to stir them up in
remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto
thee” (v. 4).
Hugh Nibley wrote:
“Now the Lord had promised Nephi that he would grant him whatsoever he
asked of him, for he knew that Nephi could be trusted to ask for the right
things (Helaman 10:5). So to put an end to the terrible state of strife
in the nation after it had gone on for two years Nephi prayed for a famine to
afflict the land. The prayer was heard and the ensuing famine was so severe
that in the end the people gave up fighting and went down on their knees (Helaman
11:3—7). By the time the famine ended, at the request of Nephi, the Gadianton
band had become extinct (Helaman 11:10).”[2] (Emphasis
mine)
Why would Nephi2 ask the Lord to send a
famine? Reviewing Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 3, Donald W. Parry
writes:
“Helaman 11:1-23 states that Nephi sealed the heavens so
that there might be a famine. Why, it might be asked, are some famines sent
from God? According to the commentators, ‘famine is one of heaven's most eloquent
sermons. When virtually all else has failed to get the attention of the
rebellious and turn them to God, famines have succeeded. Famines can
strip men of every sense of self-sufficiency and turn their eyes and ears to
the voice of heaven (see Isaiah 51:19; Jeremiah 14:13-18; Amos 4:6)’ (p. 390).”[3]
(Emphasis mine)
5 And so it was done, according to the words of
Nephi. And there was a great
famine upon the land, among all the people of Nephi. And thus in the seventy and fourth year [18
B.C.] the famine did continue, and the work of destruction did cease by the
sword but became sore by famine. 6 And this work of
destruction did also continue in the seventy and fifth year [17 B.C.]. For the earth was smitten that it was dry, and
did not yield forth grain in the season of grain; and the whole earth was
smitten, even among the Lamanites as well as among the Nephites, so
that they were smitten that they did perish by thousands in the more wicked
parts of the land.
7 And it came to pass that the people saw that they were
about to perish by famine, and they began to remember the Lord their God;
and they began to remember the words of Nephi. 8 And the
people began to plead with their chief judges and their leaders, that they
would say unto Nephi: Behold, we know that thou art a man of God, and therefore
cry unto the Lord our God that he turn away from us this famine, lest all the
words which thou hast spoken concerning our destruction be fulfilled.
Helaman 11:5 – 8 (Emphasis mine)
It was a brutal famine.
Two years had gone by, the earth was dry, and no grain grew during the growing
season. Even the Lamanites suffered the
effects of the drought. Thousands
perished “in the more wicked parts of the land” (v. 6).
When the people realized they were about to die, they
started getting their acts together, remembering the words of Nephi2. They pleaded with their leaders to go to Nephi2
and tell him, “Behold, we know that thou art a man of God, and therefore cry
unto the Lord our God that he turn away from us this famine, lest all the words
which thou hast spoken concerning our destruction be fulfilled” (v. 8).
[1] Freemen
and King-men in the Book of Mormon, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed July 31, 2012.
[2] The
Way of the Wicked, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
Institute, accessed July 31, 2012.
[3] Doctrinal
Commentary on the Book of Mormon Vol. 3, Alma through Helaman, Donald W.
Parry, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 31, 2012.
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