Helaman Chapters 8-12 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The public would be angry

The passage, found on verse 4, states that they were very angry and willing to harm Nephi or worse, but were wary about doing so due to the societal impact it would have. Specifically, the passage reads: "nevertheless, they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for they feared the people lest they should cry out against them."

Nephi had begun to openly and publicly criticize the status quo of his local Jerusalem community. This, in turn, caused the chief judges of his time to almost simultaneously bear down on Nephi, aiming to silence him. For those unaware, the Judges were essentially the governance body of Jerusalem at the time. They were all connected to the church in some authoritative way and, thus, used this status to supplement their rule.

Answer: 5

These five men were initially imprisoned under suspicion of having done the killing. All five were later released, however, as Nephi believed the killing to be a work of Seantum, brother of the murdered judge. This was the third Chief Judge in a row whose tenure had ended via bloodshed.

Helaman 9:1 describes how the men sought to verify Nephi's prophecy about the judge: "certain men who were among them ran to the judgment-seat; yea, even there were five who went, and they said among themselves, as they went:"

Answer: Fast (avoid eating/drinking)

The death of the Great Judge was met by the local community with great sorrow and grief. The passage, found in verse 3, specifically reads: "And it came to pass that on the morrow the people did assemble themselves together to mourn and to fast, at the burial of the great chief judge who had been slain."

This chapter represented a 'turning point' in how the people of Jerusalem viewed Nephi. Nephi had previously been extremely unpopular, preaching and practicing sacrifice and tempering one's self to prepare to face Jesus Christ, without much in the manner of clear, tangible benefit nor reliability within his words.

Answer: Seezoram

Seantum was the murderer. The identity of the chief judge is mentioned in the twenty third verse of this chapter, which reads: "Behold ye say that I have agreed with a man that he should murder Seezoram, our chief judge."

Seezoram's reign as Chief Judge lasted from 26 BC to 20 BC. At the time of his appointment, he became the first Chief Judge in roughly 65 years to do so without being directly tied by bloodline to the standing Chief Judge. Of course, this is because the Cezoram bloodline had just been violently cut down via assassination.

Answer: Praise him

This voice, in essence, commends Nephi for being diligent in spreading the word of God. It specifically compliments his ability to act so selflessly even at great personal expense. God spends quite a lengthy period of time speaking to Nephi, with his dialogue beginning in verse 4 and not ending until verse 11.

The passage specifically reads: "Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments."

Answer: God

In revealing his identity, God goes on to promise Nephi power in the presence of his angels. Essentially, God tells Nephi that he intends to honor Nephi ceremoniously in the same way Nephi has been spreading his word amongst his local community. God goes on to tell Nephi that, essentially, if he wants to have pestilence, famine and worse overcome his community for not embracing God's word, Nephi need only speak it and God will make it happen.

The passage in verse 4 of Chapter 10 reads: "Blessed, thou art Nephi, and I am God. Behold, I declare it unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine, and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness of this people."

Answer: They will be destroyed

The passage on verse 14 specifically reads: "Therefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord, saying: Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be smitten even unto destruction."

The Chapter goes on to note that this sentiment is basically wildly unpopular to the point of causing bloodshed within the community over it. As for Nephi himself, it is said he was even thrown in prison for his actions, but that he would simply escape with the help of "The Spirit" every time. Despite his diligence, Nephi's words and actions caused a major degree of turmoil throughout Jerusalem.

Answer: Famine

Nephi was not necessarily bloodthirsty or actually wanting people to die from this famine. He believed that a famine would essentially help people accept God more than dying violently by manner of war-time violence, which was quite prevalent. The book clarifies that it was Nephi's dialogue with God that specifically prompted a famine, reinforcing the notion established in Chapter 10 that Nephi could do this. Nephi had been accepted by his people previously as a prophet largely because of this.

The passage in verse 4 specifically reads: "O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land, to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps they will repent and turn unto thee."

Answer: Yes

In the beginning, people greatly disliked Nephi's prophesizing on behalf of God's work. Many sought to harm or imprison Nephi. However, as Nephi continued to prove his authentic connection to God via prophecy, including his famous request for God to inflict the people with famine, people began to listen to Nephi more closely. Once Nephi correctly prophesized the end of the famine, supposedly done through communing with God, he was finally viewed as a formal prophet.

The passage in verse 18 specifically reads: "And behold, the people did rejoice and glorify God, and the whole face of the land was filled with rejoicing; and they did no more seek to destroy Nephi, but they did esteem him as a great prophet, and a man of God, having great power and authority given unto him from God."

Answer: False

Mormon wished that all men would be saved but believed that it wouldn't be so. In this passage, there is an implication of disappointment, even frustration. The general idea is that mankind is powerful, strong and intelligent, yet wastes its willpower and potential committing blasphemous acts against one another, straying from the word of God.

The fourth verse talks the most about this. It reads: "O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!"