Helaman 1
1 And now behold, it came to pass in the commencement of the fortieth year
of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there began to be a
serious difficulty among the people of the Nephites.
2 For behold, Pahoran had died, and gone the way of all the earth; therefore
there began to be a serious contention concerning who should have the
judgment-seat among the brethren, who were the sons of Pahoran.
3 Now these are their names who did contend for the judgment-seat, who
did also cause the people to contend: Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni.
4 Now these are not all the sons of Pahoran, (for he had many) but these are
they who did contend for the judgment-seat; therefore, they did cause three
divisions among the people.
5 Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pahoran was appointed by the voice of
the people to be chief judge and a governor over the people of Nephi.
6 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, when he saw that he could not obtain
the judgment-seat, he did unite with the voice of the people.
7 But behold, Paanchi, and that part of the people that were desirous that he
should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth; therefore, he was about to
flatter away those people to rise up in rebellion against their brethren.
8 And it came to pass as he was about to do this, behold, he was taken, and
was tried according to the voice of the people, and condemned unto death;
for he had raised up in rebellion and sought to destroy the liberty of the
people.
9 Now when those people who were desirous that he should be their
governor saw that he was condemned unto death, therefore they were angry,
and behold, they sent forth one Kishkumen, even to the judgment-seat of
Pahoran, and murdered Pahoran as he sat upon the judgment-seat.
10 And he was pursued by the servants of Pahoran; but behold, so speedy
was the flight of Kishkumen that no man could overtake him.
11 And he went unto those that sent him, and they all entered into a
covenant, yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker, that they would tell no
man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran.
12 Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi, for he
was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pahoran. And Kishkumen and
his band, who had covenanted with him, did mingle themselves among the
people, in a manner that they all could not be found; but as many as were
found were condemned unto death.
13 And now behold, Pacumeni was appointed, according to the voice of the
people, to be a chief judge and a governor over the people, to reign in the
stead of his brother Pahoran; and it was according to his right. And all this
was done in the fortieth year of the reign of the judges; and it had an end.
14 And it came to pass in the forty and first year of the reign of the judges,
that the Lamanites had gathered together an innumerable army of men, and
armed them with swords, and with cimeters and with bows, and with arrows,
and with head-plates, and with breastplates, and with all manner of shields of
every kind.
15 And they came down again that they might pitch battle against the
Nephites. And they were led by a man whose name was Coriantumr; and he
was a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was a dissenter from among the
Nephites; and he was a large and a mighty man.
16 Therefore, the king of the Lamanites, whose name was Tubaloth, who
was the son of Ammoron, supposing that Coriantumr, being a mighty man,
could stand against the Nephites, with his strength and also with his great
wisdom, insomuch that by sending him forth he should gain power over the
Nephites —
17 Therefore he did stir them up to anger, and he did gather together his
armies, and he did appoint Coriantumr to be their leader, and did cause that
they should march down to the land of Zarahemla to battle against the
Nephites.
18 And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so much
difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the
land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come
into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla.
19 But it came to pass that Coriantumr did march forth at the head of his
numerous host, and came upon the inhabitants of the city, and their march
was with such exceedingly great speed that there was no time for the
Nephites to gather together their armies.
20 Therefore Coriantumr did cut down the watch by the entrance of the city,
and did march forth with his whole army into the city, and they did slay every
one who did oppose them, insomuch that they did take possession of the
whole city.
21 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, who was the chief judge, did flee
before Coriantumr, even to the walls of the city. And it came to pass that
Coriantumr did smite him against the wall, insomuch that he died. And thus
ended the days of Pacumeni.
22 And now when Coriantumr saw that he was in possession of the city of
Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites had fled before them, and were slain,
and were taken, and were cast into prison, and that he had obtained the
possession of the strongest hold in all the land, his heart took courage
insomuch that he was about to go forth against all the land.
23 And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but he did march
forth with a large army, even towards the city of Bountiful; for it was his
determination to go forth and cut his way through with the sword, that he
might obtain the north parts of the land.
24 And, supposing that their greatest strength was in the center of the land,
therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to assemble themselves
together save it were in small bodies; and in this manner they did fall upon
them and cut them down to the earth.
25 But behold, this march of Coriantumr through the center of the land gave
Moronihah great advantage over them, notwithstanding the greatness of the
number of the Nephites who were slain.
26 For behold, Moronihah had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come
into the center of the land, but that they would attack the cities round about
in the borders as they had hitherto done; therefore Moronihah had caused
that their strong armies should maintain those parts round about by the
borders.
27 But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to his desire,
but they had come into the center of the land, and had taken the capital city
which was the city of Zarahemla, and were marching through the most
capital parts of the land, slaying the people with a great slaughter, both men,
women, and children, taking possession of many cities and of many
strongholds.
28 But when Moronihah had discovered this, he immediately sent forth Lehi
with an army round about to head them before they should come to the land
Bountiful
29 And thus he did; and he did head them before they came to the land
Bountiful, and gave unto them battle, insomuch that they began to retreat
back towards the land of Zarahemla.
30 And it came to pass that Moronihah did head them in their retreat, and
did give unto them battle, insomuch that it became an exceedingly bloody
battle; yea, many were slain, and among the number who were slain
Coriantumr was also found.
31 And now, behold, the Lamanites could not retreat either way, neither on
the north, nor on the south, nor on the east, nor on the west, for they were
surrounded on every hand by the Nephites.
32 And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst of the
Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the Nephites, and he
himself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield themselves into the hands of
the Nephites.
33 And it came to pass that Moronihah took possession of the city of
Zarahemla again, and caused that the Lamanites who had been taken
prisoners should depart out of the land in peace.
34 And thus ended the forty and first year of the reign of the judges.
