Nephi Son of Helaman

Nephi and his brother Lehi, named after their righteous ancestors, were great missionaries and performed many miracles in the Lord’s name (Helaman 5:17-52). Following a lengthy mission in the land northward, Nephi returned to the land of Zarahemla to again find the Nephites in a state of gross apostasy, and the government in possession of a faction of the Gadianton robbers (Helaman 7:1-6). He prophesied that the Nephites would be destroyed if they did not repent, and announced the murder of the chief judge as a sign of that destruction (Helaman 8:27-28). Then, through the gift of prophecy, he revealed the identity of the secret murderer (Helaman 9:26-38).

Due to his faithfulness, the Lord blessed Nephi with the sealing power (Helaman 10:4-10). He continued to preach and prophesy, as wars increased among his unrepentant people (Helaman 10:12-18). At his request, the Lord caused a famine to replace the destruction caused by war, and after the people repented, the Lord, at Nephi’s request, brought an end to the famine (Helaman 11:1-17). He continued to preach and baptize until shortly before the birth of Christ (Helaman 16:4-5), at which time he entrusted his son Nephi III with the sacred records and departed out of the land. Like Alma, he was never seen again among the people of Nephi (3 Nephi 1:2-3; 2:9).

Nephi’s reference to the Nephite refusal to lay up "treasures in heaven" (Helaman 8:25) suggests that he remembered the counsel of his father, Helaman, who taught his sons to "lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away" (Helaman 5:8).

The term "good shepherd" is used only eight times in the Book of Mormon. Nephi is one of only two speakers to use that term. Nephi uses the phrase, "except ye shall repent," three times, while it is used only two more times in the rest of the Book of Mormon. Only Nephi uses the words "appeased," "brazen," "doors," "examine," "heaping," "hurl," "Israelites," "joyed," "paleness," "parted," and "skirts."

Nephi’s favorite word and the word he uses most often is "behold." He uses it to direct his audience’s attention to the points he is making in his discourse: "Yea, behold it [the Nephite destruction] is now even at your doors. . . " and then announces the murder of the chief judge. This provides a concrete example of the fate that awaits them and a sign to show that the Lord knew of and had power to reveal the secret iniquities of the people (Helaman 8:27).

As he defends himself from the accusation of being a false prophet, Nephi shows his familiarity with the Nephites’ scriptural heritage by appealing to no fewer than nine prophets by name, and many other unnamed ones who testified of Christ, in just seven verses. He specifically names Moses, Abraham, Zenos, Zenock, Ezias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lehi, and Nephi, but also appeals to "many" others before and after the time of Abraham (Helaman 8:16-22). This shows his familiarity with and confidence in citing the scriptures.

Key Insights

Nephi’s righteous desires, his faith in Christ, and his familiarity with the scriptural heritage of the Nephites provided him with many tools to be a successful missionary. His trustworthiness, diligence, and faithfulness, even in the face of great difficulties and sometimes at the risk of his own life, enabled the Lord to trust him with great power, which he used righteously. As we read the words of Nephi, we should consider how his example can help us to be faithful as well, so that the Lord will bless us with His Spirit, and the other things we need in our lives.

Nephi’s use of vivid words and images to describe impending destruction is notable, such as when he says that the devil "is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo" (Helaman 7:16). The image is that of being violently thrown over a cliff. In another example, he addresses the wicked Nephites, who are seeking gain through wickedness, by reversing the image of piling up riches into building a mound of self-destructive corruption that will be visible evidence of their abominations.

Even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment (Helaman 8:25).

Nephi also shows the ability to make object lessons out of the actions of his listeners. As the people gather around him as he prays on the tower in his garden, he asks, "Why have ye gathered yourselves together?" (Helaman 7:13), and observes, "Because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered yourselves together" (Helaman 7:15). He then announces that, "instead of gathering you," the Good Shepherd "shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts" (Helaman 7:19).

As he defends himself from the accusation of being a false prophet, Nephi shows his familiarity with the Nephites’ scriptural heritage by appealing to no fewer than nine prophets by name, and many other unnamed ones who testified of Christ, in just seven verses. He specifically names Moses, Abraham, Zenos, Zenock, Ezias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lehi, and Nephi, but also appeals to "many" others before and after the time of Abraham (Helaman 8:16-22). This shows his familiarity with and confidence in citing the scriptures.

The name "Zarahemla" appears to be a Hebrew name that means "seed" (zera) of "compassion" (hemla). In its verbal form, hemla can also mean "to spare" or "to have mercy." It was the name of a descendant of Mulek, the only surviving son or seed of king Zedekiah of Judah, who was spared when all the others were killed. When he speaks to the people of Zarahemla, Nephi seems to make a wordplay when he tells the wicked of Zarahemla that, while they will be destroyed if they fail to repent, "the Lord will be merciful unto [the Lamanites]; yea, he will lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent" (Helaman 7:24).¹

Key Insights

Nephi’s words show him to be a remarkable teacher who could effectively use creative images. His words conveyed rhetorical power by making use of objects, ideas, and actions familiar to his hearers, and linking them to a message of repentance that they could not easily ignore. As we have opportunities to teach, we can learn from the example of Nephi, and of our Savior, who spoke in parables.



¹ https://evidencecentral.org/evidence/wordplay-on-zarahemla