Alma 2:14-25

¹⁴ And it came to pass that Amlici did arm his men with all manner of weapons of war of every kind; and he also appointed rulers and leaders over his people, to lead them to war against their brethren. ¹⁵ And it came to pass that the Amlicites came upon the hill Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land of Zarahemla, and there they began to make war with the Nephites. ¹⁶ Now Alma, being the chief judge and the governor of the people of Nephi, therefore he went up with his people, yea, with his captains, and chief captains, yea, at the head of his armies, against the Amlicites to battle.

Alma 2:14-16 (Emphasis mine)

Amlici armed his people and prepared them for war.  The armies met on “the hill Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land of Zarahemla” (verse 15). The war began there.

Alma(2) was at the head of his army and led them into battle.  He organized his armies with captains and chief captains.  A. Brent Merrill explains in more detail the armies of the Nephites.

“Elimination of the monarchy and the establishment of a hierarchy of judges (see Mosiah 29:28-29) created pressures for some corresponding reorganization within the armed forces. One obvious change involved the senior military command position since the king was no longer available to direct the Nephite armies. The initial solution to this problem was to have the chief judge lead the armies (see Alma 2:16).

“Perhaps the best single description of Nephite military organization during the reign of the judges is found in Alma 2:13. This verse states that the Nephites ‘appointed captains, and higher captains, and chief captains, according to their numbers’ —meaning according to the number of men each type of captain commanded. This all sounds very similar to the statements reported earlier by Ixtlilxochitl and other sixteenth-century writers about Mesoamerican captains. These accounts speak of ‘captains,’ ‘five minor leaders or captains,’ and ‘great’ captains or ‘chiefs.’” [1] (Emphasis mine)

We also read that there was more to Alma(2) than the office of chief judge.  Verse 16 also refers to him as “the governor of the people of Nephi.”  It appears that, in addition to enforcing the laws, Alma(2) also took over functions and responsibilities that were held by the king.

¹⁷ And they began to slay the Amlicites upon the hill east of Sidon.  And the Amlicites did contend with the Nephites with great strength, insomuch that many of the Nephites did fall before the Amlicites. ¹⁸ Nevertheless the Lord did strengthen the hand of the Nephites, that they slew the Amlicites with great slaughter, that they began to flee before them. ¹⁹ And it came to pass that the Nephites did pursue the Amlicites all that day, and did slay them with much slaughter, insomuch that there were slain of the Amlicites twelve thousand five hundred thirty and two souls; and there were slain of the Nephites six thousand five hundred sixty and two souls. ²⁰ And it came to pass that when Alma could pursue the Amlicites no longer he caused that his people should pitch their tents in the valley of Gideon, the valley being called after that Gideon who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword; and in this valley the Nephites did pitch their tents for the night.

Alma 2:17-20 (Emphasis mine)

The fighting was brutal.  The Amlicites appeared to gain the initial advantage with the Nephites suffering major loses.  But, Mormon explains, “the Lord did strengthen the hand of the Nephites, that they slew the Amlicites with great slaughter” (verse 18). 

Seeing the Nephite success, the Amlicites retreated.  They were followed by Alma(2)’s army, but they could not catch them and had to camp for the evening.  They pitched their tents in the valley of Gideon, named after the hero Gideon who was slain by Nehor.

The armies appeared to be quite large.  Mormon records that 6,562 Nephites died; 12,532 Amlicites died in the battle.

Alma(2) sent out spies and they returned with bad news.

²¹ And Alma sent spies to follow the remnant of the Amlicites, that he might know of their plans and their plots, whereby he might guard himself against them, that he might preserve his people from being destroyed. ²² Now those whom he had sent out to watch the camp of the Amlicites were called Zeram, and Amnor, and Manti, and Limher; these were they who went out with their men to watch the camp of the Amlicites. ²³ And it came to pass that on the morrow they returned into the camp of the Nephites in great haste, being greatly astonished, and struck with much fear, saying: ²⁴ Behold, we followed the camp of the Amlicites, and to our great astonishment, in the land of Minon, above the land of Zarahemla, in the course of the land of Nephi, we saw a numerous host of the Lamanites; and behold, the Amlicites have joined them; ²⁵ And they are upon our brethren in that land; and they are fleeing before them with their flocks, and their wives, and their children, towards our city; and except we make haste they obtain possession of our city, and our fathers, and our wives, and our children be slain.

Alma 2:21-25 (Emphasis mine)

The spies reported that the Amlicites had joined with a Lamanite army.  “[W]hen Lamanites attack the Nephites, it is often because ambitious Nephites have manipulated them into doing so. After the Nephites defeat Amlici and his army, he flees to the Lamanites and returns with a huge Lamanite army added to the remnants of his own (Alma 2:24).” [2]     

The combined armies had attacked Nephites in the land and they people were fleeing with “their flocks, and their wives, and their children, towards [Zarahemla]” (verse 25).   If the army didn’t “make haste’ and return to Zarahemla, their “fathers, and our wives, and our children will be slain.”

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[1] Nephite Captains and Armies, A. Brent Merrill, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 23, 2012.

[2] The Spirituality of the Outcast in the Book of Mormon, Todd M. Compton, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 23, 2012.