In Helaman
3:13-16, we read the following editorial comment by Mormon:
And now there are many records kept of the
proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and
very large, concerning them. But behold, a hundredth part of the proceedings of
this people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites, and their
wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their preaching, and their
prophecies, and their shipping and their building of ships, and their building
of temples, and of synagogues and their sanctuaries, and their righteousness,
and their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and their
plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms, cannot be contained
in this work. But behold, there are many books and many records of every kind,
and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites. And they have been handed down
from one generation to another by the Nephites, even until they have fallen
into transgression and have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven
forth, and slain, and scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the
Lamanites until they are no more called the Nephites, becoming wicked, and
wild, and ferocious, yea, even becoming Lamanites.
This might
seem odd, as the Nephites continued to exist for a few years after he wrote
this editorial comment. Notwithstanding, such (albeit, in this instance, prophetic)
exaggeration can be found in other ancient texts. For instance, the
Merneptah Stele, an inscription by the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Merneptah
(reign: 1213–1203 BC) says the following about Israel/Apiru:
Israel is wasted, bare of seed
Notwithstanding,
Israel continued to exist as an entity after this stele.
