They were encircled about, yea every soul, by a pillar of fire. Helaman 5:43 5:43
Trivia: Who killed Pahoran Jr. but couldn't be found because he was in disguise?
16:1-9
1 And now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of the city. And as many as believed on his word went forth and sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they might be baptized unto the Lord.
Many were converted by Samuel's sermon on the wall.
The new converts confessed their sins to Nephi and were baptized.
2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of Samuel were angry with him; and they cast stones at him upon the wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall; but the Spirit of the Lord was with him, insomuch that they could not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.
But those who didn't believe Samuel's words were angry with him.
They threw rocks and shot arrows, but the Spirit of the Lord was with Samuel, so their stones and arrows couldn't hit him.
3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.
When the people saw that no stones or arrows hit Samuel, many more decided to believe Samuel and went to Nephi to get baptized.
4 For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know that the Christ must shortly come --
Nephi was busy baptizing, prophesying, preaching, crying, showing off signs and wonders, and working miracles to convince everyone that "the Christ" would be born soon.
5 Telling them of things which must shortly come, that they might know and remember at the time of their coming that they had been made known unto them beforehand, to the intent that they might believe; therefore as many as believed on the words of Samuel went forth unto him to be baptized, for they came repenting and confessing their sins.
Whoever pre-believed in Jesus's birth got baptized.
6 But the more part of them did not believe in the words of Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains, saying: Take this fellow and bind him, for behold he hath a devil; and because of the power of the devil which is in him we cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him and bind him, and away with him.
But still even with all of Nephi's signs and wonders and with the Holy Spirit helping Samuel dodge stones and arrows, the more part of the Nephites still didn't believe, thinking Samuel was possessed by the devil.
So they told their captains to capture Samuel.
7 And as they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he did cast himself down from the wall, and did flee out of their lands, yea, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to prophesy among his own people.
But just as they were about to catch him, he jumped off the wall and ran back to the land of the Lamanites to preach and prophesy among them.
8 And behold, he was never heard of more among the Nephites; and thus were the affairs of the people.
9 And thus ended the eighty and sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
None of the Nephites ever saw him again. [1]
16:10-25
10 And thus ended also the eighty and seventh year of the reign of the judges, the more part of the people remaining in their pride and wickedness, and the lesser part walking more circumspectly before God.
11 And these were the conditions also, in the eighty and eighth year of the reign of the judges.
12 And there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity, and do more and more of that which was contrary to the commandments of God, in the eighty and ninth year of the reign of the judges.
In the next few years (6 - 3 BCE), most of the Nephites were wicked and proud (and got just a little more evil each year), while the lesser part walked more circumspectly.
13 But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.
14And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.
In 2 BCE things really started happening. There were signs and wonders all around and prophecies fulfilled everywhere you looked.
Angels and wise men appeared bearing tidings of great joy. It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
15 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:
And yet all of the Nephites and Lamanites, except for the more believing part, began to scoff at the Book of Mormon Christmas prophecies, saying:
16 Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken.
17And they began to reason and to contend among themselves, saying:
They may have guessed right on some of their prophecies, but not on most.
18 That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?
19 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in the land of Jerusalem?
It isn't reasonable that a being like Christ would come.
How could he be both God the Father and the Son of God?
And even if there is such a person, why would he be born in Jerusalem instead of in America.
20 But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are true.
21 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand, which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word; and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.
The whole thing is just a wicked tradition from a land far away.
It's a plot to control the people and keep them in ignorance.
22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good and against that which should come.
23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.
24 And thus ended the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
25 And thus ended the book of Helaman, according to the record of Helaman and his sons.
But even with all the signs, wonders, and miracles, the people had many more foolish and vain imaginings, and Satan continued to stir them up to do evil, spread rumors, and cause contentions throughout the land.
So they were completely unprepared for the birth of Jesus, which according to Book of Mormon prophecy was scheduled to occur in the next year or so.
Notes
Although the Book of Mormon doesn't say where Samuel went, some Mormons suspect that he (along with Nephi the son of Helaman who also mysteriously disappeared) sailed across the Pacific to Asia and became one of the "wise men" mentioned in Helaman 16:14 who came "from the east" to visit the baby Jesus in Matthew 2:1.
Favorite Phrases:
And it came to pass: 16:1, 13, 17
(16:14) And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy -- Luke 2:10
(16:10) See then that ye walk circumspectly -- Ephesians 5:15
