Helaman 15 | |
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2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt to flee and there shall be no place for refuge; yea, and wo unto them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot flee; therefore, they shall be trodden down and shall be left to perish. | Problem of Evil 21 Classic Problem of Evil philosophical dilemma here. If God is omnipotent, he seems to be less than omnibenevolent since he allows women and children to suffer because of the sins of men (especially given all the examples in this very book in which he is purported to intercede in behalf of the innocent). If he is omnibenevolent, he does not seem omnipotent in this verse since he fails to help. |
3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them. | 3 |
4 But behold my brethren, the Lamanites hath he hated because their deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the iniquity of the tradition of their fathers. But behold, salvation hath come unto them through the preaching of the Nephites; and for this intent hath the Lord prolonged their days. | 4 |
5 1 Compare this verse with "they do walk circumspectly before God" to Ephesians 5:15 with "See then that ye walk circumspectly". Note that there are only 2 instance of the words "circumpspectly" or "circumspect" within the KJV bible, each word being unique in use (circumspect+circumspectly). It's strange that Helaman 15:5 has Samuel the Lamanite speaking this rare phrase and in the very next chapter Helaman 16:10 Mormon uses the same rare phrase in his narration. | |
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7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea, the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them-- | 7 |
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9 And ye know also that they have buried their weapons of war, and they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin; yea, ye can see that they fear to sin--for behold they will suffer themselves that they be trodden down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this because of their faith in Christ. | AnachronismAnachronism - Sword 91 The only pre-Columbian weapon I can find that was similar to a sword was the macuahuitl which was made with a plank of wood similar in shape to a cricket bat with obsidian blades mounted on the edges. It is similar enough to a sword that it is often referred to as the Aztec sword. However, the macuahuitl does not seem to fit the Book of Mormon time frame. “Some groups of Central Mexico, principally in the transition between the Early and the Late Post-Classic, probably developed this weapon” (emphasis added, Dr. Marco Antonio Cervera Obregón, “The macuahuitl: an innovative weapon of the Late Post-Classic in Mesoamerica”, Arms & Armour, Vol.3, Nov. 2, 2006, p. 146, article from a research journal). The Post-Classic period is between 900 CE and the Spanish conquest. 1 According to the chapter summary for [Alma 23](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/23?lang=eng), the Anti-Nephi-Lehies buried their weapons of war circa 90-77 BCE. Now this verse talks about the event that happened 71-84 years previously as if it happened yesterday. To put it another way, instead of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies fearing to take up their weapons, wouldn’t the few who might still be alive at this point struggle to have the strength to even lift their weapons in their advanced age? |
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11 Yea, even if they should dwindle in unbelief the Lord shall prolong their days, until the time shall come which hath been spoken of by our fathers, and also by the prophet Zenos, and many other prophets, concerning the restoration of our brethren, the Lamanites, again to the knowledge of the truth-- | 11 |
12 Yea, I say unto you, that in the latter times the promises of the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and notwithstanding they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of the earth, and be hunted, and shall be smitten and scattered abroad, having no place for refuge, the Lord shall be merciful unto them. | 12 |
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14 1 Verses 14-15 contain strong similarities to KJV Matthew 11:20-22. Compare verse 14 with "it shall be better for them than for you except ye repent" to Matthew 11:22 with "It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you". This verse also contains another parallel with "except ye repent" to the only 4 KJV bible verses that contain both except+repent. Also compare verse 15 with "For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you,... they never would again have dwindled in unbelief" to Matthew 11:21 with "for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented". | |
15 1 Verses 14-15 contain strong similarities to KJV Matthew 11:20-22. Compare verse 14 with "it shall be better for them than for you except ye repent" to Matthew 11:22 with "It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you". This verse also contains another parallel with "except ye repent" to the only 4 KJV bible verses that contain both [except+repent](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/search.php?q=except+repent).
Also compare verse 15 with "For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which have been shown unto you,... they never would again have dwindled in unbelief" to Matthew 11:21 with "for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented". | |
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17 And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I will utterly destroy them, saith the Lord, because of their unbelief notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done among them; and as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things be, saith the Lord. | 17 |