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Helaman 13–16
Scripture Central Videos
Watch videos from Gospel scholars and teachers to learn more about these Book of Mormon passages.
Other Creator Videos
KnoWhys
Evidences
Commentary
Book of Mormon Minute is a commentary series made especially for the free ScripturePlus app, which features insights from Book of Mormon scholar Brant A. Gardner. John W. Welch's notes for Come, Follow Me are also available for free.
John W. Welch, General Editor
Reading Plan
Structure your personal scripture study by following a 15-minute, day-by-day plan. Each day's assignment includes the required scripture passages from the Come, Follow Me curriculum, as well as suggestions for additional resources to bring context and understanding to your study. For the best experience, use our Reading Plan in the free ScripturePlus app! You can track your progress and have access to the best resources.
Monday
- Scripture: Helaman 13:1–20
- Commentary: Some Questions to Think about as You Study Samuel’s Speech
- Commentary: Samuel’s Speech Patterns
- Commentary: Samuel’s Main Themes in Chapter 13
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Commentary: Samuel Issues a Traditional War Oracle
- Commentary: Samuel’s Words Reflect Alma’s Prophetic Words
- Commentary: Helaman 13:1
- Commentary: Helaman 13:5-7
- Commentary: Helaman 13:12-13
- Evidence: Hand Gestures (Mesoamerica)
Tuesday
- Scripture: Helaman 13:21–39
- Commentary: Samuel Knew His Scriptures
- Commentary: Reliance on the Words of Nephi, the Son of Helaman
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Commentary: Samuel Warns of Divine Talionic Judgment
- Commentary: Samuel Pronounces a Traditional Warning or Lamentation Oracle
- Commentary: Helaman 13:21-23
- Commentary: Helaman 13:24-26
- Commentary: Helaman 13:29-32
- Commentary: Helaman 13:37-39
- KnoWhy: Why Did Samuel Say the Wealth of Some Nephites Would Become “Slippery”?
Wednesday
- Scripture: Helaman 14:1–13
- KnoWhy: Why did Samuel Rely So Heavily on the Words of Past Prophets?
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Commentary: Samuel’s “Prophetic Lawsuit”
- Commentary: Samuel Quotes King Benjamin’s Ten-Part Name for Christ
- Commentary: Introduction
- Commentary: An Angel Commands Samuel to Preach
- Commentary: Helaman 14:3-6
- Commentary: Helaman 14:10
- Commentary: Helaman 14:11-13
- KnoWhy: Why Did Samuel Make Such Chronologically Precise Prophecies?
Thursday
- Scripture: Helaman 14:14–31
- Video: Come, Follow Me with John Hilton III (Helaman 13-16)
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Commentary: Samuel Prophesies, as Zenos Did, of the Death of Christ
- Commentary: Helaman 14:14-19
- Commentary: Helaman 14:20
- Commentary: Helaman 14:21-24
- Commentary: Helaman 14:26-29
- Commentary: Helaman 14:30-31
- KnoWhy: How Does the Book of Mormon Help Date Christ’s Death?
Friday
- Scripture: Helaman 15:1–17
- KnoWhy: Why Did Samuel Say the Lord “Hated” the Lamanites?
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Commentary: The Lamanites Walk Circumspectly Before God
- Commentary: Helaman 15:1-3
- Commentary: Helaman 15:4-6
- Commentary: Helaman 15:7-9
- Commentary: Helaman 15:10-13
- Commentary: Helaman 15:14-17
- Evidence: Love and Hate
- Evidence: Wordplay on Laman
Saturday
- Scripture: Helaman 16:1–9
- Commentary: More Converts
- Commentary: Helaman 16:1-3
- Commentary: Helaman 16:4-9
Sunday
- Scripture: Helaman 16:10–25
- Commentary: Helaman 16:10-13
- Commentary: Helaman 16:14-16
- Commentary: Helaman 16:17-21
- Commentary: Helaman 16:22-25
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Commentary: Angels Did Appear unto Wise Men
- Evidence: Colophons (Antiquity)
- KnoWhy: Why Does Mormon State that ‘Angels Did Appear unto Wise Men’?
- Evidence: Colophons (Complexity)
Additional Resources
Explore art, charts, and more.
Images
Charts
- The Nephite Judges
- Samuel the Lamanite's Prophecies
- The Coming of Christ to the Nephites: A Pattern for His Second Coming
- Key Doctrinal Chapters: Helaman–Moroni
- Samuel's Quotation of Benjamin
- Missionary Work
- How Do You Say "Law" in Hebrew?
- Nephite Cycles: Years 50–90 of the Reign of the Judges (39–1 B.C.)
- Metals in the Book of Mormon
- Whose Words Are Found in the Book of Mormon?
- Number of Pages in Books of the Book of Mormon
- Average Number of Pages Covering One Nephite Year
- Nephite Books Compared by Length and Years Covered
- Nephite Books Listed Chronologically
- Names Used for Christ by Major Book of Mormon Authors
- Names and Concepts Associated with Christ by Major Book of Mormon Authors
- Number of Names Used for Christ by Major Book of Mormon Authors
- Number of Names for Christ Used Exclusively by Individual Authors
- Ten Essential Features of Book of Mormon Geography
- Geographical Names Listed Alphabetically
- Geographical Names Listed by Scripture Reference
Bibliography
Helaman 13
Barney, Quinten. “Samuel the Lamanite, Christ, and Zenos: A Study of Intertextuality.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 18 (2016): 159–170.
Brown, S. Kent. “The Prophetic Laments of Samuel the Lamanite.” In From Jerusalem to Zarahemla: Literary and Historical Studies of the Book of Mormon, 128–145. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1998.
Hilton, III, John, Sunny Hendry Hafen, and Jaron Hansen. “Samuel and His Nephite Sources.” BYU Studies Quarterly 56, no. 3 (2017): 115–139.
Snow, Jr., Edgar C. “Narrative Criticism and the Book of Mormon.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 2 (1995): 93–106.
Spencer, Joseph. “The Time of Sin.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 9 (2014): 87–110.
Wilcox, S. Michael. “Samuel the Lamanite.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Edited by Daniel H. Ludlow. Vol. 3. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Helaman 13:1
Hopkin, Shon, and John Hilton, III. “Samuel’s Reliance on Biblical Language.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 24 (2015): 31–52.
Helaman 13:4
Book of Mormon Central. “What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about Prophets? (Helaman 13:4).” KnoWhy 284 (March 8, 2017).
Calabro, David. “’Stretch Forth Thy Hand and Prophesy’: Hand Gestures in the Book of Mormon.” Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 21, no. 1 (2012): 46–59.
Helaman 13:5–6
Book of Mormon Central. “How Can People Today Avoid Being Destroyed Like the Nephites Were? (Helaman 13:5–6).” KnoWhy 327 (June 16, 2017).
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Samuel Make Such Chronologically Precise Prophecies? (Helaman 13:5).” KnoWhy 184 (September 9, 2016).
Helaman 13:7
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “People to Whom Jesus Christ or the Angel of the Lord Appeared.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 41.
Helaman 13:8
Parry, Donald W. “’Thus Saith the Lord’: Prophetic Language in Samuel’s Speech.” In Pressing Forward with the Book of Mormon: The FARMS Updates of the 1990s, edited by John W. Welch and Melvin J. Thorne, 204–207. Provo, UT: FARMS, 1999.
Helaman 13:31
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Samuel Say the Wealth of Some Nephites Would Become “Slippery”? (Helaman 13:31).” KnoWhy 539 (November 7, 2019).
Helaman 14
Barney, Quinten. “Samuel the Lamanite, Christ, and Zenos: A Study of Intertextuality.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 18 (2016): 159–170.
Brown, S. Kent. “The Prophetic Laments of Samuel the Lamanite.” In From Jerusalem to Zarahemla: Literary and Historical Studies of the Book of Mormon, 128–145. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1998.
Callister, Tad R. “Teaching the Atonement.” Religious Educator 3, no. 1 (2002): 51–64.
Snow, Jr., Edgar C. “Narrative Criticism and the Book of Mormon.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 2 (1995): 93–106.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “The Coming of Christ to the Nephites: A Pattern for His Second Coming.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 51.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “Samuel the Lamanite's Prophecies.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 48.
Wilcox, S. Michael. “Samuel the Lamanite.” In Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Edited by Daniel H. Ludlow. Vol. 3. New York: Macmillan, 1992.
Helaman 14:1
Book of Mormon Central. “Why did Samuel Rely So Heavily on the Words of Past Prophets? (Helaman 14:1).” KnoWhy 185 (September 12, 2016).
Helaman 14:2–7
Rappleye, Neal. “’The Time is Past’: A Note on Samuel's Five-Year Prophecy.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 29 (2018): 21–30.
Helaman 14:3–4
Christenson, Allen J. “Maya Harvest Festivals and the Book of Mormon: Annual FARMS Lecture.” Review of Books on the Book of Mormon 3, no. 1 (1991): 1–31.
Helaman 14:12
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “Samuel's Quotation of Benjamin.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 105.
Helaman 14:15–16
King, Michael L. “The Atonement of Jesus Christ—'Glad Tidings of Great Joy.’” In Living the Book of Mormon: Abiding by Its Precepts, edited by Gaye Strathearn and Charles Swift, 237–255. Provo, UT/Salt Lake City: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University/Deseret Book, 2007.
Helaman 14:20
Book of Mormon Central. “How Does the Book of Mormon Help Date Christ’s Death? (Helaman 14:20).” KnoWhy 300 (April 14, 2017).
Helaman 14:25
Thompson, A. Keith. “The Doctrine of Resurrection in the Book of Mormon.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 16 (2015): 101–129.
Helaman 15
Barney, Quinten. “Samuel the Lamanite, Christ, and Zenos: A Study of Intertextuality.” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 18 (2016): 159–170.
Brown, S. Kent. “The Prophetic Laments of Samuel the Lamanite.” In From Jerusalem to Zarahemla: Literary and Historical Studies of the Book of Mormon, 128–145. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1998.
Snow, Jr., Edgar C. “Narrative Criticism and the Book of Mormon.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 2 (1995): 93–106.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “The Coming of Christ to the Nephites: A Pattern for His Second Coming.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 51.
Helaman 15:1–4
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Did Samuel Say the Lord “Hated” the Lamanites? (Helaman 15:4).” KnoWhy 186 (September 13, 2016).
Bokovoy, David E. “Love vs. Hate: An Analysis of Helaman 15:1-4.” Insights: A Window to the Ancient World 22, no. 2 (2002): 2–3.
Helaman 15:5
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “How Do You Say "Law" in Hebrew?.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 119.
Helaman 16
Snow, Jr., Edgar C. “Narrative Criticism and the Book of Mormon.” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 4, no. 2 (1995): 93–106.
Welch, John W., and Greg Welch. “The Coming of Christ to the Nephites: A Pattern for His Second Coming.” In Charting the Book of Mormon: Visual Aids for Personal Study and Teaching. Provo, UT: Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1999, chart 51.
Helaman 16:2
Reynolds, Noel B. “The Language of the Spirit in the Book of Mormon.” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 33 (2019): 187–222.
Helaman 16:14
Book of Mormon Central. “Why Does Mormon State that ‘Angels Did Appear unto Wise Men’? (Helaman 16:14).” KnoWhy 187 (September 14, 2016).