Nephi, the son of Helaman, talked about “ripening unto destruction.” In Helaman 8:26, he stated, “[E]ven at this time ye are ripening … for everlasting destruction.” Nephi used that phrase twice. Samuel’s statement, “then shall ye be ripe for destruction” (Helaman 13:14) likely reflects his learning from Nephi’s words.
In Helaman chapter 11, Nephi used the following phrase three times as he prayed: “O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger?” (see Helaman 11:11–16). Samuel also used that phrase when describing how the Nephites would pray when they saw the destruction because of their sins: “O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? (Helaman 13:37)
Finally, Samuel used a third phrase of Nephi’s when addressing the wicked Nephites. In Helaman 9, Nephi identified Seantum as a murderer. When confronted with false accusations, Nephi stated, “because I showed unto you this sign ye are angry with me, and seek to destroy my life” (Helaman 9:24). With little variation, Nephi’s words were used by Samuel the Lamanite in Helaman 14:10: “[Y]e are angry with me and do seek to destroy me.”
Compare further verbiage from Nephi in these passages that are also found in Samuel’s speaking:
While it is perfectly understandable that Samuel would have known and used words spoken by his mentor Nephi, especially in the same city where Nephi had said these things, it is quite astonishing that these linkages between Samuel and Nephi would have been so purposefully used by Samuel in the first place, preserved by Mormon in the second place, and included and translated by Joseph Smith with such exact continuity in the third place.