Hugh Nibley writes that Chapter 24 is a very important chapter in the Book of Mormon.
“In chapter 24 there's going to be real trouble. This chapter 24 is one of the most significant in the Book of Mormon. We never quote it, of course. We like to talk about Captain Moroni and the two thousand. We don't like to talk about these pacifist ‘wimps’ here, but these are the best people in the Book of Mormon. They are doing what the Lord wants them to do. But they [the unconverted] didn't like it at all. They were stirred up, and when [the converts] formed this Anti-Nephi-Lehi group, that was just too much for them. They were stirred up by the Amalekites and the Amulonites to get anybody who wasn't in the combination, and they began to rebel against their king. It was open revolution now; they took up arms against him.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
Chapter 24
The Lamanites come against the people of God—The Anti-Nephi-Lehies rejoice in Christ and are visited by angels—They choose to suffer death rather than to defend themselves—More Lamanites are converted. About 90–77 B.C.
1 AND it came to pass that the Amalekites and the Amulonites and the Lamanites who were in the land of Amulon, and also in the land of Helam, and who were in the land of Jerusalem, and in fine, in all the land round about, who had not been converted and had not taken upon them the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, were stirred up by the Amalekites and by the Amulonites to anger against their brethren.
2 And their hatred became exceedingly sore against them, even insomuch that they began to rebel against their king, insomuch that they would not that he should be their king; therefore, they took up arms against the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
3 Now the king conferred the kingdom upon his son, and he called his name Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
4 And the king died in that selfsame year that the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the people of God.
Alma 24:1-4 (Emphasis mine)
Rebellion begins. Lamoni’s father has done all he can to support the church. He has favored it and promoted it. Now, the non-believers want to end it. They are readying to rebel against the king. War is at hand. While this was going on, the king dies and confers the kingdom on one of his sons.
Mormon tells us that the Lamanites were preparing for war against the people of God. Notice Mormon’s choice of words. The people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi were Lamanites by ethnicity and culture. Mormon appears to consider them Lamanites no longer. They have become something different.
This gives us a meaning of “Lamanite.” It appears that, as used in the Book of Mormon, Lamanite is a social term. It represents a certain lifestyle, cultural beliefs, and tradition. It’s more a political and social distinction.
Gordon Thomasson writes:
“Early in the sixth century of Lamanite history (c. 94—80 B.C.), large-scale Lamanite conversions further divided the Lamanite peoples as many embraced the messianic faith in Jesus Christ taught by Nephite missionaries (Alma 17—26). The Lamanite king Lamoni, a vassal; his father, [a “feudal overlord”]; and many of their subjects accepted the prophesied Christ and rejected their former lifestyles. They took upon themselves a covenant of pacifism, burying their weapons and renouncing warfare, and moved into Nephite territory for their safety ... This major division of Lamanite society had significant political impact: the identity of some of these converts remained Lamanite, but distinct from those who rejected the religion; others chose to be numbered among the Nephites ... and the unconverted Lamanites were strengthened by numerous dissenters from Nephite subgroups (Alma 43:13), some of whom chose explicitly to retain their former identities (3 Ne. 6:3).” [2] (Emphasis mine)
5 Now when Ammon and his brethren and all those who had come up with him saw the preparations of the Lamanites to destroy their brethren, they came forth to the land of Midian, and there Ammon met all his brethren; and from thence they came to the land of Ishmael that they might hold a council with Lamoni and also with his brother Anti-Nephi-Lehi, what they should do to defend themselves against the Lamanites.
6 Now there was not one soul among all the people who had been converted unto the Lord that would take up arms against their brethren; nay, they would not even make any preparations for war; yea, and also their king commanded them that they should not.
Alma 24:5-6 (Emphasis mine)
Having heard about preparation for war, Ammon and his brethren returned to council with Lamoni and Anti-Nephi-Lehi. What were they going to do to defend the people? To complicate the problem, because of their covenant, the Anti-Nephi-Lehites refuse to take up arms.
What to do?
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