CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 2
Helaman Jr. is appointed judge--Kishkumen hires Gadianton to murder Helaman--The servant of Helaman
kills Kishkumen--Gadianton and his band escape into the wilderness. (50 BCE)
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2:1-14
1 And it came to pass in the forty and second year of the reign of the judges, after Moronihah had
established again peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites, behold there was no one to fill the judgment-seat;
therefore there began to be a contention again among the people concerning who should fill the judgment-seat.
Moronihah established peace between the Nephites and the Lamanites, but then he discovered that there was no one to fill the judgment-seat.
2 And it came to pass that Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, was appointed to fill the
judgment-seat, by the voice of the people.
So, after much contention, Helaman, the son of Helaman, was appointed judge by the voice of the people.
3 But behold, Kishkumen, who had murdered Pahoran, did lay wait to destroy Helaman also; and he
was upheld by his band, who had entered into a covenant that no one should know his wickedness.
4 For there was one Gadianton, who was exceedingly expert in many words, and also in his craft, to
carry on the secret work of murder and of robbery; therefore he became the leader of the band of Kishkumen.
Kishkumen, who murdered Pahoran, hired a man named Gadianton (who was exceedingly expert in the craft
of secret murder and robbery) to kill Helaman.
5 Therefore he did flatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if they would place him in the
judgment-seat he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and
authority among the people; therefore Kishkumen sought to destroy Helaman.
If he was successful, Kishkumen would make him judge. [1]
6 And it came to pass as he went forth towards the judgment-seat to destroy Helaman,
behold one of
the servants of Helaman, having been out by night, and having obtained, through disguise, a knowledge of those
plans which had been laid by this band to destroy Helaman --
7 And it came to pass that he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto him a sign; therefore Kishkumen
made known unto him the object of his desire, desiring that he would conduct him to the judgment-seat that he
might murder Helaman.
8 And when the servant of Helaman had known all the heart of Kishkumen, and how that it was his
object to murder, and also that it was the object of all those who belonged to his band to murder, and to rob,
and to gain power, (and this was their secret plan, and their combination) the servant of Helaman said unto
Kishkumen: Let us go forth unto the judgment-seat.
But Gadianton's secret plan was foiled by the servant of Helaman, who "obtained through disguise"
knowledge of the plot to kill Helaman. [2]
9 Now this did please Kishkumen exceedingly, for he did suppose that he should accomplish his
design; but behold, the servant of Helaman, as they were going forth unto the judgment-seat, did stab
Kishkumen even to the heart, that he fell dead without a groan. And he ran and told Helaman all the things
which he had seen, and heard, and done.
10 And it came to pass that Helaman did send forth to take this band of robbers and secret
murderers, that they might be executed according to the law.
The servant of Helaman led Kishkumen to the judgement-seat, where he stabbed him "even to the heart."
11 But behold, when Gadianton had found that Kishkumen did not return he feared lest that he should
be destroyed; therefore he caused that his band should follow him. And they took their flight out of the land,
by a secret way, into the wilderness; and thus when Helaman sent forth to take them they could nowhere be found.
Helaman tried to kill Kishkumen's "band of robbers and secret murderers" but he couldn't find them.
They all left, following Gadianton, "by a secret way into the wilderness."
12 And more of this Gadianton shall be spoken hereafter. And thus ended the forty and second year of
the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
13 And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow,
yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi.
More will be written about Gadianton at the end of this book.
14Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the
end of the book of Nephi, from
which I have taken all the account which I have written.
When I (Helaman Jr.) say the end of the book, I don't mean the end of the book of Helaman,
but the end of the book of Nephi, which is where I got my information about Gadianton.