Alma 2:26-38

²⁶ And it came to pass that the people of Nephi took their tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their city, which was the city of Zarahemla. ²⁷ And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them. ²⁸ Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and the Amlicites did fall before them.

Alma 2:26-28 (Emphasis mine)

Fearing for the safety of all they knew and loved, they quickly departed and headed towards Zarahemla.  At the river Sidon the met the Amlicites and Lamanites.  Mormon tells us that the Lamanites and Amlicites were “as numerous, almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea.”  The Lamanites population frequently was higher than the Nephites.  Jarom, writing two hundred years earlier, wrote, “they were scattered upon much of the face of the land, and the Lamanites also.  And they were exceedingly more numerous than were they of the Nephites” (Jarom 1:6).  Even so, there is, most likely, some overstatement in Mormon’s description.

Outnumbered, the battle began.  Even with an advantage, the Lamanites and Amlicites fell before the Nephite army.  This happened because the Nephites were “strengthened by the hand of the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies” (verse 28). 

²⁹ And it came to pass that Alma fought with Amlici with the sword, face to face; and they did contend mightily, one with another. ³⁰ And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people. ³¹ Now when Alma had said these words he contended again with Amlici; and he was strengthened, insomuch that he slew Amlici with the sword. ³² And he also contended with the king of the Lamanites; but the king of the Lamanites fled back from before Alma and sent his guards to contend with Alma. ³³ But Alma, with his guards, contended with the guards of the king of the Lamanites until he slew and drove them back.

Alma 2:29-33 (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2), as the leader of the Nephite army faced Amlici, as the leader of the Amlicites and Lamanites, faced each other in battle.  It is appropriate the two leaders face each other.  One represents evil, the other God.  As the battle began, the representative of God called out “O Lord, have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people” (verse 30).  Alma(2)’s wish was to be spared to serve the Lord and protect his people.  Compare that to Amlici’s desire to subjugate the people and destroy the church of God.

J. Christopher Conkling speculates about what might have been going through Alma(2)’s mind. 

“When we later read that Alma fought with Amlici in hand-to-hand battle (see Alma 2:31), we could wonder what his thoughts might have been. Alma had once been like Amlici (compare Mosiah 27:8, 19 with Alma 2:1—2), and had Alma remained that way, Amlici might have rebelled even more successfully—since there might not have been a righteous man like Alma to stop him. Both men began life on a similar path, and they continued on it until they made a crucial choice to continue or change. In killing Amlici, was Alma killing a version of his old self yet again?” [1] (Emphasis mine)

John Tvedtnes contrasts Alma(2) and Amlici.

“Alma was also a Nephite military commander and led an army against the Amlicites (see Alma 12:16), personally fighting with Amlici (see Alma 2:29), who was seeking to be king and hence probably saw the chief judge as his personal rival for political power.” [2] (Emphasis mine)

Alma(2) “was strengthened insomuch that he slew Amlici with the sword.”  He then began to “contend with the king of the Lamanites,” but he fled and sent his guards to battle Alma(2).  Alma(2) fought them “until he slew and drove them back.”

³⁴ And thus he cleared the ground, or rather the bank, which was on the west of the river Sidon, throwing the bodies of the Lamanites who had been slain into the waters of Sidon, that thereby his people might have room to cross and contend with the Lamanites and the Amlicites on the west side of the river Sidon. ³⁵ And it came to pass that when they had all crossed the river Sidon that the Lamanites and the Amlicites began to flee before them, notwithstanding they were so numerous that they could not be numbered. ³⁶ And they fled before the Nephites towards the wilderness which was west and north, away beyond the borders of the land; and the Nephites did pursue them with their might, and did slay them.

³⁷ Yea, they were met on every hand, and slain and driven, until they were scattered on the west, and on the north, until they had reached the wilderness, which was called Hermounts; and it was that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and ravenous beasts. ³⁸ And it came to pass that many died in the wilderness of their wounds, and were devoured by those beasts and also the vultures of the air; and their bones have been found, and have been heaped up on the earth.

Alma 2:34-38 (Emphasis mine)

Lamanite bodies were thrown into the river Sidon.  This had to be done so that they army could cross and continue fighting with the army on the opposite side of the river.  Once again, we see Mormon’s hyperbole when he tells us that the number that began to flee the advancing Nephite army “were so numerous that they could not be numbered.” 

The Nephites pursued them and continued the fight.  They were scattered into the wilderness “called Hermounts; and it was that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and ravenous beasts.” (verse 37). “Many died in the wilderness of their wounds and were devoured by those beasts and also the vultures of air; and their bones have been found, and have been heaped up on the earth” (verse 38). 

The Amlicites were defeated in spite of the numerical superiority.  “This pattern of a small group of Nephites overcoming or escaping from an innumerable host is found throughout the book.” [3]

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[1] Alma's Enemies: The Case of the Lamanites, Amlicites, and Mysterious Amalekites, J. Christopher Conkling, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 24, 2012.

[2] Book of Mormon Tribal Affiliation and Military Castes, John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 24, 2012.

[3] Purpose of the War Chapters in the Book of Mormon, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 24, 2012.