The remainder of the book of Helaman text covered in this chapter is about the sixty-second year of the reign of the judges. A lesson may be learned from the Nephites in their abandoning their quest for the remainder of the land (v. 19). Sometimes the making of restitution for sins committed is a long process. Had the Nephite nation been so wicked that the Lord required them not to be delivered until they had “paid the uttermost senine” for their sins? Such may have been the case. Their living in great fear (v. 20) may have also been a part of that required payment.
The fulfillment of the prophecies of Alma (v. 21) are not specified. Mormon may have been referring to what is now Alma chapter 5. Such things as pride, persecution of their brethren, and neglecting the poor are referred to in Alma’s great sermon to the people of Zarahemla (see Alma 5:53–56). The laws of Mosiah (Alma 4:22) has reference to the new form of government revealed as a part of the reign of the judges (see Mosiah 29). Regardless of the generality used by Mormon in referring to both Alma and Mosiah, Alma’s laws were the spiritual guidelines for the church and its members, and the laws of Mosiah were the political or governing laws revealed for a nation. The Nephites had been violating both of these kinds of laws.