Helaman 6:15-19

¹⁵ And it came to pass that in the sixty and sixth year of the reign of the judges [26 B.C.], 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. ¹⁶ And in the commencement of the sixty and seventh year [25 B.C.] the people began to grow exceedingly wicked again. 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.

Helaman 6:15 – 17 (Emphasis mine))

Nephite society in the book of Helaman is one of contrasts.  The last few posts talk about a righteous society for about six years.  This contrasts with the wickedness that pervades the society before and after this six-year interval.  Over twenty-six years, we see four chief judges murdered, a war that costs the Lamanites half of their land, and the development of secret societies. 

During the most recent time of righteousness, the people became extremely rich.  Instead of being devastated by a war with the Lamanites, Nephite society falls apart through internal strife.    

Hugh Nibley observes:

“That's funny! They were getting rich so they didn't need wars anymore. They were rather happy about it. With riches of the world they hadn't been stirred up to bloodshed nationally, so they got rich and were stirred up to private bloodshed. Their wars are lowered to a private level now. They are going to start doing that sort of thing, and then we get our prime time, as I mentioned before. ‘… to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain.’”[1] (Emphasis mine)

Someone murdered Cezoram, the chief judge.  His son was appointed in his stead and he was murdered later in the sixty-sixth year. 

The people are now becoming a wicked people.  They  began to “set their hearts upon their riches” and “began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted one above another” (v. 17).  They “get gain” through murder, robbery, and plundering. 

Hugh Nibley writes:

“It is significant that the times of great prosperity and abundance were also the times when murder and intrigue were the order of the day, ‘for behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that … 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 murder … that they might get gain’ (Helaman 6:17). The sequence is a natural one: with easy wealth comes the feeling of superiority which makes people status-conscious; and with a feeling for status comes a desperate need to acquire the one thing that will give status; and with the recognition of the all-importance of that one thing, any scruples that may stand in the way of its acquisition are pushed aside, even murder being permissible as long as one is not found out.”[2]  (Emphasis mine)

We get a clue to the make-up of the plates in the wording found in verses 15-16.  John L. Sorenson clarifies:

“The fundamental format of the plates of Nephi was that of annals. Annals are yearly summaries of salient events. This format is clearly reflected at many points in the Book of Mormon, for example in Helaman 6:15: ‘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.’ That is how Mormon chose to summarize the record for that year.”[3] (Emphasis mine)

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. 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.

Helaman 6:18 – 19 (Emphasis mine)

Those responsible for these murders and other crimes were the Gadianton robbers.  They are responsible for the internal strife occurring at this time.  Mormon tells us they were responsible for the murders of the two chief judges.

John Tvedtnes, writing about the Nephite society, informs us:

“In the Book of Mormon, Cain and his descendants are said to have covenanted with Satan to organize the first of the secret combinations that later flourished among the Jaredites and the Nephites (see Helaman 6:27; Ether 8:15). The most well known of those groups was called ‘Gadianton's robbers and murderers’ (Helaman 6:18). The devil was considered to be the founder of such ‘secret combinations of murder’ (see 2 Nephi 9:9; 26:22). According to Helaman 8:28, the ‘secret band’ among the Nephites was authored by ‘Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the souls of men.’ The Book of Moses confirms the devil's role and provides more details about the oaths and secrecy associated with Cain's family (see Moses 5:29-31, 49-52).”[4] (Emphasis mine)

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[1] Lecture 77: Helaman 6, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 6, 2012.

[2] Good People and Bad People, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 6, 2012.

[3] Mormon's Sources, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, July 6, 2012.

[4] Hiding the Secret Plans, John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, July 6, 2012.