Alma 25:1-9

Chapter 25

Lamanite aggressions spread—The seed of the priests of Noah perish as Abinadi prophesied—Many Lamanites are converted and join the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi—They believe in Christ and keep the law of Moses. About 90–77 B.C.

1  AND behold, now it came to pass that those Lamanites were more angry because they had slain their brethren; therefore they swore vengeance upon the Nephites; and they did no more attempt to slay the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi at that time.

2  But they took their armies and went over into the borders of the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the land of Ammonihah and destroyed them.

3  And after that, they had many battles with the Nephites, in the which they were driven and slain.

Alma 25:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

Lamanite anger is now directed towards the Nephites.  The land of Ammonihah was attacked and the people were killed.  Battles continued with the Nephites. 

4  And among the Lamanites who were slain were almost all the seed of Amulon and his brethren, who were the priests of Noah, and they were slain by the hands of the Nephites;

5  And the remainder, having fled into the east wilderness, and having usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, caused that many of the Lamanites should perish by fire because of their belief—

6  For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land; therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in the wilderness.

7  And it came to pass that those rulers who were the remnant of the children of Amulon caused that they should be put to death, yea, all those that believed in these things.

8  Now this martyrdom caused that many of their brethren should be stirred up to anger; and there began to be contention in the wilderness; and the Lamanites began to hunt the seed of Amulon and his brethren and began to slay them; and they fled into the east wilderness.

9  And behold they are hunted at this day by the Lamanites.  Thus the words of Abinadi were brought to pass, which he said concerning the seed of the priests who caused that he should suffer death by fire.

Alma 25:4-9 (Emphasis mine)

Once again we see the wicked priests of Noah making an appearance.  They had been responsible for inciting the Lamanites to attack the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. 

The Lamanites are angered and attack them and almost destroy their seed.  A few did escape.  They promptly began to execute, by fire, some Anti-Nephi-Lehies.  As with the previous attack, while some righteous died for their beliefs (remember, Mormon tells us they returned to God). 

Finally, the Lamanites had it.  They began to hunt and kill them.  Mormon tells us that a few did escape.  They were still being hunted by the Lamanites in Mormon’s day, almost half a millennium later.

Hugh Nibley writes:

“After Amulon took a beating he moved into Lamanite country and oppressed the Lamanite nonresisters who had been converted by this general pacifistic trend … The Lamanites in general reacted against the arrogant Amulonites because of the way they had treated the non-resistant, gentle Lamanites. The other Lamanites got mad at the Amulonites and lit into them. So we find a perennial feud going on here, a terrible mess.  Verse 8: ‘Now this martyrdom caused that many of their brethren should be stirred up to anger; and there began to be contention in the wilderness; and the Lamanites began to hunt the seed of Amulon and his brethren [who had done so much mischief to their more faithful brethren] and began to slay them. . . . And behold they are hunted at this day by the Lamanites.’ So it was going on at the time this was written.” [1]   (Emphasis mine)

Todd Compton wrote:

“The wicked priests of King Noah intermarry with Lamanite women (Mosiah 20), and their leader, Amulon, becomes a satellite ‘king’ under a chief Lamanite king (Mosiah 23:39). These wicked priests become teachers among the Lamanites (Mosiah 24:1, 4). After the missionary successes of the sons of Mosiah, it is the Amulonites and the Amalekites (apparently other evil Nephites who lived among the Lamanites) who stir up the unconverted Lamanites to war against their converted brethren, and then against the Nephites (Alma 25:2).”  The Lamanites eventually see that they are being manipulated and hunt down the Amulonites and kill them (Alma 25:8–9). [2]  (Emphasis mine)

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[1] Lecture 53: Alma 23-27, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 28, 2011.

[2] The Spirituality of the Outcast in the Book of Mormon, Todd M. Compton, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 28, 2011.