Samuel’s Preaching and Prophecies

The Curse of Riches

Helaman 13:17–18

The Lord will curse the land so wicked people cannot find buried treasure.

And behold, a curse shall come upon the land, saith the Lord of Hosts, because of the people’s sake who are upon the land, yea, because of their wickedness and their abominations. And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our great and true God, that whoso shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord.

Helaman 13:19

The Lord wants people to hide up treasures unto him, but the wicked do not.

For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their treasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land.

Helaman 13:20

The treasures of the people will become a curse unto them.

And the day shall come that they shall hide up their treasures, because they have set their hearts upon riches; and because they have set their hearts upon their riches, and will hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their enemies; because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be smitten, saith the Lord.

Helaman 13:21

The people’s riches were once given by God, but their pride has turned them away from him.

Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for behold, he saith that ye are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them, and have not hearkened unto the words of him who gave them unto you.

Helaman 13:22

The people’s gratitude and humility evaporates with the accumulation of riches.

Ye do not remember the Lord your God in the things with which he hath blessed you, but ye do always remember your riches, not to thank the Lord your God for them; yea, your hearts are not drawn out unto the Lord, but they do swell with great pride, unto boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions and murders, and all manner of iniquities.

Helaman 13:23

The curse on the people, their riches, and the land, is in consequence to their pride and wickedness.

For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches, and this because of your iniquities.