The Book of Helaman

Helaman 1

In the 40th year of elected judges, the chief judge and governor Pahoran1 died, and great difficulties among the Nephites began. Three of Pahoran’s many sons each thought that this position should be rightfully theirs. The contention between the brothers, Pahoran 2 , Paanchi, and Pacumeni, split the Nephites into three contending factions. In the end Pahoran’s son Pahoran was appointed governor and chief judge by the people’s vote. [52 BC]

Pacumeni deferred to the people’s choice and honorably withdrew his claim. But Paanchi and his supporters were so angry over Pahoran’s appointment that they began organizing a rebellion to destroy the people’s freedoms. Paanchi was arrested, tried according to the law, and sentenced to death for his treasonous actions.

When Paanchi’s supporters learned of his death sentence they sent Kishkumen to assassinate Pahoran. Kishkumen was so stealthy and quick in murdering the new governor that none of guards could apprehend him, and no one knew who he was because he’d come in disguise. All of his fellow conspirators swore amongst themselves to keep his identity secret. The supporters of Paanchi then dispersed among the Nephite population so that very few of them could be apprehended. Those that were found, were tried and condemned to death.

The people then chose Pacumeni as chief judge and governor to succeed his dead brother.

In the 41st year of elected judges, King Tubaloth, a descendant of the Nephite traitor Ammoron, led the Lamanites. He organized a huge army, fully armed with swords, scimitars, bows and arrows, and equipped with helmets, body armor, and shields. The Lamanite army was led by a former Nephite dissenter named Coriantumr2. King Tubaloth imagined that the mighty Coriantumr would be the ideal man to lead a conquest and subjugation of the Nephites.

The Nephites were so preoccupied with their internal politics and succession of leaders that they were not prepared for a Lamanite invasion of their lands, and an attack on the great city of Zarahemla. Coriantumr’s army came upon them so quickly they had no opportunity to raise a credible defense. The city was quickly overwhelmed by the well organized Lamanite attack, and everyone who opposed them was killed. When the new governor Pacumeni tried to escape, he was caught by Coriantumr and killed against the city’s wall.

When Coriantumr saw how easily his army had taken Zarahemla, the Nephites’ capital and strongest city, he sent his army against the large city of Bountiful next. Without giving the Nephites any time to organize, he marched his army north and cut down all resistance along the way. Men, women, and children were slaughtered, and many smaller cities were taken.

Prior to the Lamanite invasion the Nephite commander Moronihah stationed all of his strongest troops along the Lamanite border where in the past all the invasions had begun. He never imagined that the Lamanite army would bypass the border areas and quickly attack the major, central cities. When Moronihah saw this happening he immediately sent an army, under the command of Lehi2, to intercept Coriantumr’s Lamanite army before they reached Bountiful.

When the two armies met in battle the Lamanites were pushed back toward Zarahemla. The advance of the Lamanites had been stopped, but during the bloody retreat afterwards many Lamanites, including Coriantumr, were killed. When the Nephites converged on, and surrounded the Lamanite army, it was soon over for the Lamanites. Moronihah easily recaptured Zarahemla and sent the surviving Lamanites back to their own lands in peace. [51 BC]