When Alma counsels Helaman concerning the care and management of the sacred records and associated objects, he conveys to him the “interpreters” (or Urim and Thummim) as the divine means for revealing the history of past peoples. Gazelem appears to refer to a seer, or servant of God, commissioned to apply the sacred means of interpretation in order to expose the wickedness of past societies and nations and thus provide a warning to future generations to live according to the principles of the gospel. Helaman is commanded, as he applies such divine interpretation, not to bring to light the secret signs, oath, plans, and combinations of degraded societies, but to use the fate of such societies as a compelling motivation to do good, and to exercise “an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity” (Alma 37:32).
It is interesting that the Prophet Joseph Smith was referred to by the names “Gazelam” or “Enoch” in some of the early revelations in order to keep his identity secret from his enemies at the time (see D&C 78:9; 82:11; 104:26, 43, 45, 46). Elder Bruce R. McConkie postulates that Alma’s reference to “Gazelem” may be a variant of the name “Gazelam” (referring to Joseph Smith, who was instrumental in bringing forth a portion of the Jaredite record as abridged by Moroni) or that Alma was referring to a title of one who has the gift of translating or perhaps to an actual prophet among the Nephites (see Mormon Doctrine, 2d ed. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966], 307–308).