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Book of Mormon Commentary
Alma Chapter 17
CARE OF THE SACRED PLATES GIVEN TO HELAMAN, VER. 31-51
Alma 17:31 And now my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the records which have been
entrusted with me; and I also command you that ye keep a record of this people, according as I have
done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept
them: for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept;
First he mentioned the plates of brass containing “the records of the holy scriptures upon them,
which have the genealogy of our fore- fathers, even from the beginning" (32), According to
prophecy, these were to be handed down "and preserved by the hand of the Lord (33) If they are
kept, they must retain their brightness" (34).The custodian had not only to protect them from
thieves but from corrosion.
Brass, as it is known today, an alloy of copper and zinc, is not meant by the term used in the Bible
or Book of Mormon; as zinc was not then known. The word means copper, and in some places in
the Bible it is used to signify a simple metal, such as bronze, an alloy of copper and tin. We judge
that the Plates of Laban being made of brass, were largely copper, and as copper has a tendency to
corrode, or to wear away gradually, as by the action of strong acid, we believe the Brass Plates
were in need of constant care. The same result is found when oxygen, which is in the air we
breathe, comes into contact with copper as with iron, it causes the iron to corrode or rust away.
Alma 17:36 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and
by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise, and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.
Writing and caring for the records might seem to be a small matter, but in reality it was quite
important. It was by acquainting the Lamanites with the contents of the records on the plates, and
by his testimony of revelations and his logic, that Ammon and his brethren convinced many
thousands (13:44-47). ”Were it not for these things that these records do contain. ..(they) could not
have convinced so many thousands. ...Yea, these records and their words, brought them unto
repentance" (38, 39). (This help from the written word; the Three Standard Books, our tracts,
periodicals, and other literature, seems as important in evangelizing today.) "And who knoweth
but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands. ., of our stiff-necked brethren, the
Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts, in sins and iniquities, to the knowledge of their
Redeemer" (40).
Alma 17:46 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if ye transgress the
commandments of God, behold, these things which are sacred, shall be taken away from you by the
power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind;
A very serious Charge was thus given Helaman, If he were faithful in this trust he was promised,
"no power of earth or hell can take them from you" (47), God had promised that he would "reserve
these things. , .that he might show forth his power unto future generations" (49) as he had in
restoring "thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth" (50).