Helaman

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This article is about Helaman, the son of Alma the Younger, in the Book of Mormon. For other uses, see Helaman (disambiguation).

According to the Book of Mormon, Helaman was a prophet and Nephite commander who lived in the Americas around the 1st century BC. Most of what we know about Helaman comes from the Book of Alma. Chapters 45 through 62 in the Book of Alma were abridged by Mormon from Helaman's record.

Early life

In Helaman's youth, he was given the plates of Nephi by his father, Alma, and commanded to keep of a record of the Nephite people on the plates.

Shortly thereafter, Alma, Helaman, and his brothers, Shiblon and Coriantor, went among the people to preach to them. In that same year, the wars increased between the Nephites and the Lamanites.

Commander of the Stripling Warriors

Helaman is perhaps best known for commanding an elite band of Anti-Nephi-Lehite (or Ammonite) young men often referred to as the 2000 Stripling Warriors.

The Anti-Nephi-Lehies had made a covenant with God not to kill, and were thus in need of the protection offered by the Nephite nation against their warring neighbors. When the Anti-Nephi-Lehies saw the high casualties that the Nephites were receiving on their behalf, they considered breaking their covenant and taking up arms in their own defense.

Helaman convinced them to keep their covenant and that they could contribute to their defense by letting their young sons join the Nephite armies. This group of sons had not made the covenant that their parents made, so they volunteered. They became known as the 2000 Stripling Warriors.

The 2000 Stripling Warriors loved Helaman as a father and asked him to lead them into battle. Thus they were also known as the Army of Helaman. With the help of this army, the Nephites won a major battle without a single Stripling Warrior death. Helaman and his army became famous among the Nephites for their integrity, courage, and success.

See also

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