Helaman 1

Pahoran dies and his three sons compete in an election for the judgement seat. The three sons are Pahoran, Paanchi, and Pacumeni. This causes a division among the people. When Pahoran wins, Pacumeni and his followers unite behind Pahoran, but Paanchi is so upset he is not the leader that he begins to organize a rebellion. His plans become known and he is tried and convicted for seeking to destroy the freedom of the people and is sentenced by Pahoran to death. Since Pahoran is a righteous man, having to try and sentence is own brother must have been difficult. But some followers of Paanchi hire Kishkumen to murder Pahoran and he is able to get away without being caught. The people choose Pacumeni to be their leader and by this time, there is so much division and fighting among the people that the nation is a mess and do not realize that the Lamanites have amassed a huge army and are coming to war. The Nephite forces are taken by surprise because they assumed the Lamanites would never attack Zarahemla but that is the first city the Lamanites take. Their leader Coriantumr leads their army in a very swift attack forcing Pacumeni to flee but he is caught and killed by Coriantumr. Buoyed up by taking the Nephites strongest city, the Lamanites proceed to the center of the land to take the city Bountiful. The next largest city, but his big tactical mistake by Coriantumr. Moronihah, the military leader of the Nephites, is able to surround the Lamanites and defeat them and both he and Coriantumr are killed in the process. In the end, the selfish act by Paanchi not only caused the death of two righteous leaders and much loss of life and suffering among the people, but laid the foundation for the destruction of the Nephite nation at the time of the Savior's death.