Helaman 9:7-20

⁷ And behold the people did gather themselves together unto the place of the judgment–seat—and behold, to their astonishment they saw those five men who had fallen to the earth. ⁸ And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the multitude who had gathered together at the garden of Nephi; therefore they said among themselves: These men are they who have murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not flee from us. ⁹ And it came to pass that they laid hold on them, and bound them and cast them into prison.  And there was a proclamation sent abroad that the judge was slain, and that the murderers had been taken and were cast into prison.

¹⁰ And it came to pass that on the morrow the people did assemble themselves together to mourn and to fast, at the burial of the great chief judge who had been slain. ¹¹ And thus also those judges who were at the garden of Nephi, and heard his words, were also gathered together at the burial.

Helaman 9:7 – 11 (Emphasis mine)

The dead chief judge’s servants had run out and announced his murder.  When the people came to see, they found the five men whom had run to verify Nephi₂’s prophesy fallen to the earth. 

The people arrived at a natural conclusion – those were the men who murdered the chief judge.  The people didn’t know about Nephi₂’s prophesy about the chief judge.  The five were bound and thrown in jail. A proclamation was sent announcing the murder of the chief judge and that the assassins had been caught and are in jail.

The next day the people assembled to mourn and fast when the chief judge was buried.  I was surprised to read that fasting was a part of the ceremony.  When I think of fasting, I think of a righteous reason for doing it.  John Welch explains the tradition behind the day of fasting and mourning.  “A public proclamation was then sent out by heralds announcing the murder and calling a day of fasting, mourning, and burial (see Helaman 9:10). Incidentally, in ancient Israel the day after the death of a political leader was traditionally a day of fasting, mourning, and burial (see 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 1:12).”[1]

¹² And it came to pass that they inquired among the people, saying: Where are the five who were sent to inquire concerning the chief judge whether he was dead?  And they answered and said: Concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but there are five who are the murderers, whom we have cast into prison. ¹³ And it came to pass that the judges desired that they should be brought; and they were brought, and behold they were the five who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done, saying:

¹⁴ We ran and came to the place of the judgment–seat, and when we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison. ¹⁵ Now, as for the murder of this man, we know not who has done it; and only this much we know, we ran and came according as ye desired, and behold he was dead, according to the words of Nephi.

Helaman 9:12 – 15 (Emphasis mine)

The judges who had been at Nephi₂’s garden asked about the five men who had run from his garden to check on his prophesy.  The response was that they didn’t know anything about those five; five men had been arrested and put in prison.

The judges asked the five accused of the murder be brought to them.  When they arrived, the judges identified them as the five who were sent.

The judges questioned them.  They told them they had run to the judgment-seat and saw everything that Nephi₂ had testified happened.  They were so surprised, they fell to the earth.  We went there to check as you desired.

¹⁶ And now it came to pass that the judges did expound the matter unto the people, and did cry out against Nephi, saying: Behold, we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some one to slay the judge, and then he might declare it unto us, that he might convert us unto his faith, that he might raise himself to be a great man, chosen of God, and a prophet. ¹⁷ And now behold, we will detect this man, and he shall confess his fault and make known unto us the true murderer of this judge.

¹⁸ And it came to pass that the five were liberated on the day of the burial.  Nevertheless, they did rebuke the judges in the words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend with them one by one, insomuch that they did confound them. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, they caused that Nephi should be taken and bound and brought before the multitude, and they began to question him in divers ways that they might cross him, that they might accuse him to death—²⁰ Saying unto him: Thou art confederate; who is this man that hath done this murder?  Now tell us, and acknowledge thy fault; saying, Behold here is money; and also we will grant unto thee thy life if thou wilt tell us, and acknowledge the agreement which thou hast made with him.

Helaman 9:16 – 20 (Emphasis mine)

The judges saw their opportunity to put Nephi₂ in a bind.  They accused him of being involved in the murder of the judge.  That’s the only way he could have known he was dead.  He used the murder he planned to convert us to his faith and prove he’s a prophet.

The five stood up for Nephi₂.  They rebuked the judges, contended with them, and confused them.  It didn’t help.  Nephi₂ was bound and brought before the judges.  They began questioning him, hoping “they might cross him” (v. 19).

John Gee explains the use of “cross.”

“Three times the Book of Mormon uses the verb to cross in an entirely different sense … The third use is when Nephi, son of Helaman, is accused by the judges of the people of Zarahemla: ‘They caused that Nephi should be taken and bound and brought before the multitude, and they began to question him in divers ways that they might cross him, that they might accuse him to death’ (Helaman 9:19). In these passages, the verb to cross is used as a synonym for to contradict, a point made explicit in Alma 10:16. All of these passages are in the context of legal interrogation … It is interesting to note that although in Joseph Smith’s day one sense of the verb to cross was ‘to contradict,’ that usage had been outmoded for more than a century, and yet the unfamiliar term is particularly apt in its context.”^[2] (Emphasis mine)

Tell us, they cried, who actually did the murder “Behold here is money; and also we will grant unto thee thy life if thou wilt tell us, and acknowledge the agreement which thou hast made with him” (v. 20).  The judges were convinced they had Nephi₂ where they wanted him.

They were going to be surprised.

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[1] A Steady Stream of Significant Recognitions, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 27, 2012.

[2] Scripture Insight: Book of Mormon Word Usage: To Cross Oneself, John Gee, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed July 27, 2012.