Chapter 16
The Nephites who
believe Samuel are baptized by Nephi—Samuel cannot be slain with their arrows
and stones—Some harden their hearts, and others see angels—The unbelievers say
it is not reasonable to believe in Christ and his coming in Jerusalem. About
6–1 B.C.
After hearing Samuel’s words,[1] many
believed in his words. Those that did went to Nephi, confessed their sins, and
desired to be baptized. “And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized
unto repentance, through faith on his name” (Alma 9:27).
But, many were angry with Samuel. “The bloodthirsty hate the
upright: but the just seek his soul” (Proverbs 29:10). They attempted to stone
him, they shot arrows at him, but the Lord aws with him and the stones and
arrows missed him.
The Nephites acted like Laman and Lemuel. After Laman and Lemuel told Nephi his words
were hard, Nephi told them, “… I had spoken hard things against the wicked,
according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that
they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth
to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center” (1 Nephi 16:2).
“And it came to pass that not many days after [Lehi’s]
death, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me because of
the admonitions of the Lord” (2 Nephi 4:13).
“But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch
that they did seek to take away my life”
(2 Nephi 5:2).
So we understand why the wicked Nephites were angry.
Many, having seen the stones and arrows missed Samuel,
sought out Nephi. While Samuel was
preaching, Nephi was also preaching to the people. He worked wonders and miracles among the
people. This was so they would
understand the Savior would soon come.[2]
Most people, however, rejected Samuel’s words. When they
couldn’t hit Samuel, they cried out, “Take this fellow and bind him,[3]
for behold he hath a devil[4]”
(Helaman 16:6).
“I would suggest that Samuel's prophecy was considered
significant and unique because it was the first public disclosure of the date
of Christ's birth among the people of Zarahemla and not because the information
was new. The largely negative reaction of the people (Helaman 16:6~23; 3 Nephi
1:4-10) is reason enough for the prophets to have concealed the information so
long.”[5]
Seeing the angry Nephites were coming to tie him up, he
jumped off the wall and fled back to his land. He was never heard from again.
“[W]e gain insight into the writing, abridging, and
translation of the Book of Mormon. Among other things, we know Samuel did not
write the record, for he jumped from the wall, fled, and was never seen again
among the Nephites (Helaman 16:8). Moreover, he would not have omitted the
prophecy. Whether the passage was spoken in chiastic form or not, whoever wrote
the account took great pains to write it so, but he forgot the one prophecy.
The younger Nephi did not rewrite the account, but simply wrote in the margin
or between the lines. He probably was constrained by the availability of space
on the plates. Even if he understood the literary structure of the passage, he
may not have been able to find room to preserve it when inserting the missing
scripture.
Furthermore, this finding helps us understand.”
[1][1]
“And it came to pass that they would not suffer that he should enter into the
city; therefore he went and got upon the wall thereof, and stretched forth his
hand and cried with a loud voice, and prophesied unto the people whatsoever things
the Lord put into his heart” (Helaman 13:4).
[2] “And
behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more
cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall
believe on his name” (Helaman 14:2).
[3] “Yea,
wo unto this people, because of this time which has arrived, that ye do cast
out the prophets, and do mock them, and cast stones at them, and do slay them,
and do all manner of iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time” (Helaman
13:24).
[4] “The
people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee” (John
7:20).
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