Chapter 16
The Lamanites destroy the people of Ammonihah—Zoram leads the Nephites to victory over the Lamanites—Alma and Amulek and many others preach the word—They teach that after his resurrection Christ will appear to the Nephites. About 81–77 B.C.
1 AND it came to pass in the eleventh year [81 B.C.] of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla, there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.
2 For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.
3 And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some around the borders of Noah, and taken others captive into the wilderness.
Alma 16:1-3 (Emphasis mine)
After a long peace, war broke out in the land. The Lamanites attacked Ammonihah and killed all the people who were in the city. They took other captives into the wilderness.
Hugh Nibley looks at the motivation for the war.
“This started all of a sudden, but what it was is a typical Lamanite war. It was a ghāza. Our word raid comes from the Arabic word ghāza. It's a raid for slaves. This was a slave raid, so surprise was everything here. The whole purpose was that.” [1] (Emphasis mine)
4 Now it came to pass that the Nephites were desirous to obtain those who had been carried away captive into the wilderness.
5 Therefore, he that had been appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites, (and his name was Zoram, and he had two sons, Lehi and Aha)—now Zoram and his two sons, knowing that Alma was high priest over the church, and having heard that he had the spirit of prophecy, therefore they went unto him and desired of him to know whither the Lord would that they should go into the wilderness in search of their brethren, who had been taken captive by the Lamanites.
6 And it came to pass that Alma inquired of the Lord concerning the matter. And Alma returned and said unto them: Behold, the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. And behold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites.
Alma 16:4-6 (Emphasis mine)
The Nephites wanted to liberate those who had been taken captive to the Lamanites. The chief captain over the armies, Zoram, along with his two sons, went to Alma(2) and asked him to inquire of the Lord where they might find their people.
After inquiring, Alma(2) told them exactly where they should go to find the Lamanites.
Hugh Nibley continues.
“They [the Lamanites] didn't stay and fight. They went off with the brethren. Now Alma is going to pursue them in search of the captives to bring them back again.
Then in the next verse it says the same thing: ‘And there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites.’ So it was a slave raid, which is the main purpose of barbaric wars most of the time.” [2] (Emphasis mine)
In this set of scriptures, we also see a common practice in the Book of Mormon where religion and war were connected. William Hamblin writes:
“Religion and warfare were closely connected in the Book of Mormon. Certain elements of the Israelite patterns of ‘holy war’ were continued in the Book of Mormon, such as the important ancient idea that success in war was due fundamentally to the will of God and the righteousness of the people (Alma 2:28; 44:4—5; 50:21; 56:47; 57:36; 58:33; Morm. 2:26). Nephite armies consulted prophets before going to battle (Alma 16:5; 43:23—24; 3 Ne. 3:19) and entered into covenants with God before battle.” [3] (Emphasis mine)
It was essential, when the Nephites were righteous, to include the Lord in all preparations for war.
7 And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east side of the river Sidon.
8 And they came upon the armies of the Lamanites, and the Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness; and they took their brethren who had been taken captive by the Lamanites, and there was not one soul of them had been lost that were taken captive. And they were brought by their brethren to possess their own lands
Alma 16:7-8 (Emphasis mine)
Zoram and the army followed Alma(2)’s counsel and came upon the Lamanites right where Alma(2) said they would be. Verse 8 makes it sound like it wasn’t much of a battle. They were able to scatter and drive the Lamanite army into the wilderness. They also freed the captives.
Every captive was returned alive. It must have been a grand celebration and blessed reunions as Zoram, his sons, and the army arrived with all the former captives alive.
[1] Lecture 50: Alma 14-17, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 9, 2011.
[3] Warfare in the Book of Mormon, William J. Hamblin, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed November 9, 2011.
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