Helaman 7:10-18

¹⁰ And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower, which was in the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla; therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by which led the highway. ¹¹ And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and the people came together in multitudes that they might know the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people. ¹² And now, when Nephi arose he beheld the multitudes of people who had gathered together.

Helaman 7:10 – 12 (Emphasis mine)

After returning from his mission, Nephi₂ returns to his home.  His home was located on the highway leading to the chief market.  “The clearest picture of city life in the Book of Mormon is a little candid camera shot by Helaman, in which we see a tower in a garden by a highway which leads to the chief market, which is in the capital city of Zarahemla (Helaman 7:10).”[1]

Melvin Thorne and John Welch comment on Mormon’s use of the phrase “chief market.”

“We can, however, draw several conclusions from Mormon’s inclusion of the phrase chief market (emphasis in original). First, the description was important to include, since he was limited for space and therefore would have included only words, phrases, and events that he felt were significant. Also, this description signifies that cities in this time period not only had more than one market, but that one of the markets was either larger or more significant than the others.”[2] (Emphasis mine; exceptions have been identified)

In his garden, there was a tower.  Nephi₂ was on the tower, praying.  Some men saw him and they went and told a number of others what was happening.  A multitude gathered.  They desired to know “the cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people” (v. 11).

“[P]erhaps recalling the problems encountered by Jeremiah and Abinadi and thus attempting to avoid overly provoking the people in the city of Zarahemla to anger, Nephi, son of Helaman, did not go into the temple precinct but instead prayed from his own tower, from which he ended up delivering his message of prophetic warning and rebuke while more safely positioned on his own property (Helaman 7:10).”[3]

¹³ And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto them: Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together?  That I may tell you of your iniquities? ¹⁴ Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out my soul unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart, which is because of your iniquities! ¹⁵ And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts.

Helaman 7:13 – 15 (Emphasis mine)

Seeing the multitude, Nephi₂ began to speak to them.  Why are you here, he asks.  Are you here for me to “tell you of your iniquities” (v. 13).

He informs them he was on his tower, pouring out his soul to God, because of the Nephites’ iniquities.  They marveled at his “mourning and lamentation.”  He made it clear to the multitude why he was pouring out his soul to God.  “[Y]e have great need to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts” (v. 15).

¹⁶ Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo? ¹⁷ O repent ye, repent ye!  Why will ye die?  Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God.  Why has he forsaken you? ¹⁸ It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger against you.

Helaman 7:16 – 18 (Emphasis mine)

Nephi₂ wonders how they could “have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo” (v. 16).  The devil wants nothing good for us.  The only thing he wants is to pull us down to hell.  Nephi₂ tells the Nephites to repent of their sins. 

Nephi₂ explains why God has forsaken the Nephites.  It’s because of their choices.  They have hardened their hearts and turned away from Him.  They “will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd” (v. 18).  Their sins “have provoked him to anger against you” (v. 18). 

One common thread throughout Nephite history is the call to follow Christ.  Jacob taught, “we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world” (Jacob 1:8).

Preaching to the people of Zarahemla, Alma₂ taught them, “I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed” (Alma 5:60),

When Alma₂ contended with Zeezrom, he warned him, and the people of Ammonihah, “if ye will harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord; therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his wrath upon you as in the first provocation, yea, according to his word in the last provocation as well as the first, to the everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.    And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his word” (Alma 12:36 - 37).

We see it is our sin and iniquity that provokes God.  It is only after we turn from him that He forsakes us and leaves us open to the workings of the devil.  If we follow the Good Shepherd, we will receive the protection of God.

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[1] The Nature of Book of Mormon Society, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 17, 2012.

[2] The Marketplace, Melvin J. Thorne, and John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 17, 2012.

[3] The Trial of Jeremiah: A Legal Legacy from Lehi's Jerusalem, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 17, 2012.