Now we come to the first of three remarkable chapters all dealing with the sudden appearance of a Lamanite prophet among the Nephites. His name was Samuel. By this time 86 years had passed away since the adoption of the order of the judges. This means we have reached the year 6 B.C.By this time there was a great contrast between the Lamanites and the Nephites. These two people had literally reversed their traditional role in history. By this time the Lamanites, as a whole, were strictly observing the commandments of God while the Nephites were groveling in the dust of abject iniquity.
In 6 B.C. Samuel, the Lamanite, appeared in Zarahemla the capital city of the Nephites, to itemize their sins and plead with them to repent before it was too late. Apparently the earnest zeal of Samuel got on the nerves of the Nephites because they mobbed him and roughly threw him out of the city. It is interesting that he started to make his way back home, but he was suddenly stopped.