27 Now behold, these robbers did make great havoc, yea,
even great destruction among the people of Nephi, and also among the people of
the Lamanites. 28 And it came to pass that
it was expedient that there should be a stop put to this work of destruction;
therefore they sent an army of strong men into the wilderness and upon the
mountains to search out this band of robbers, and to destroy them. 29
But behold, it came to pass that in that same year they were driven back even
into their own lands. And thus ended
the eightieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Helaman 11:27 – 29 (Emphasis mine)
The Gadianton robbers were causing trouble and destruction
among the Nephites and the Lamanites. To
stop them, an army was sent after them. Unfortunately,
they were unable to defeat the Robbers and were driven back into their lands.
30 And it came to pass in the commencement of the
eighty and first year [11 B.C.] they did go forth again against this band of
robbers, and did destroy many; and they were also visited with much destruction.
31
And they were again obliged to return out of the wilderness and out of the mountains
unto their own lands, because of the exceeding greatness of the numbers of
those robbers who infested the mountains and the wilderness.
32 And it came to pass that thus ended this
year. And the robbers did still increase
and wax strong, insomuch that they did defy the whole armies of the Nephites,
and also of the Lamanites; and they did cause great fear to come unto
the people upon all the face of the land. 33 Yea, for they
did visit many parts of the land, and did do great destruction unto them; yea,
did kill many, and did carry away others captive into the wilderness, yea, and
more especially their women and their children.
Helaman 11:30 – 33 (Emphasis mine)
The Nephites and Lamanites were losing the battle. While they had some victories, “they were
also visited with much destruction” (v. 30).
The Robbers were strong enough to defeat the combined armies
of the Nephites and Lamanites. “[T]hey did
cause great fear to come unto the people upon all the face of the land” (v.
32). In addition to their plunder, they
kidnapped people as well, primarily women and children.
Daniel Peterson explains the situation.
“The picture of the successful guerrilla band in the early
stages of its activity is here perfect and complete. With quick raiding strikes from
the mountains, they weaken their enemy with minimum risk, while at the same
time, they plunder and gain supplies — perhaps even seizing forced conscripts,
and children to indoctrinate for the long term. (‘Successes in many
small fights added together gradually wear out the enemy manpower,’ General
Giap observes, ‘while little by little fostering our forces.’) They do not
yet venture pitched battles on the plains, but rather, and almost tauntingly, challenge
the regular armies of their opponents to come up after them. ‘The
guerrilla,’ writes Che Guevara, ‘having taken up inaccessible positions out of
reach of the enemy ... ought to proceed to the gradual weakening of the enemy.”[1]
(Emphasis mine)
34 Now this great evil, which came unto the people
because of their iniquity, did stir them up again in remembrance of the Lord
their God. 35 And thus ended the eighty and first year of the
reign of the judges.
36 And in the eighty and second year they
began again to forget the Lord their God. And in the eighty and third year they
began to wax strong in iniquity.
And in the eighty and fourth year they did not mend their ways.
37 And it came to pass in the eighty and fifth year
[7 B.C.] they did wax stronger and stronger in their pride, and in their
wickedness; and thus they were ripening again for destruction. 38
And thus ended the eighty and fifth year.
Helaman 11:34 – 38 (Emphasis mine)
Hugh Nibley explains that, in spite of the problems of the
Robbers, there was a good result.
“[I]t kept the rest of the people from slipping back into
their old ways: ‘Now this great evil, which came unto the people because of
their iniquity, did stir them up again in remembrance of the Lord their God’
(Helaman 11:34). But here we have another demonstration of the folly of labeling good
guys and bad guys, for only three years later ‘they [the Nephites] began to wax
strong in iniquity’ (Helaman 11:36), and this time ‘they did not mend
their ways’ (Helaman 11:36).”[2]
(Emphasis mine)
While, for a time, their sufferings “did stir them up again
in remembrance of the Lord their God” (v. 34).
But, it didn’t last long. In a
period of three years, they had become a prideful people, “and thus they were
ripening again for destruction” (v. 37).
[1] The
Gadianton Robbers as Guerrilla Warriors, Daniel C. Peterson, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed August 4, 2012.
[2] Freemen
and King-men in the Book of Mormon, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed August 4, 2012.
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