Alma 3:1-5

Chapter 3

The Amlicites had marked themselves according to the prophetic word—The Lamanites had been cursed for their rebellion—Men bring their own curses upon themselves—The Nephites defeat another Lamanite army. About 87–86 B.C.

¹ AND it came to pass that the Nephites who were not slain by the weapons of war, after having buried those who had been slain—now the number of the slain were not numbered, because of the greatness of their number—after they had finished burying their dead they all returned to their lands, and to their houses, and their wives, and their children. ² Now many women and children had been slain with the sword, and also many of their flocks and their herds; and also many of their fields of grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the hosts of men. ³ And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had been slain upon the bank of the river Sidon were cast into the waters of Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the sea, and they are many.

Alma 3:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

The war has ended.  The Nephites who survived buried their dead.  The Amlicite and Lamanite dead were thrown into the river Sidon. 

The cause of the war was dissension and apostasy.  J. Christopher Conkling writes that “[t]he record of Alma's ministry (Alma 1:1—45:19) begins and ends in the same place, embroiled in problems resulting from the apostasy of Nehor and the Amlicites. Both his earliest battle and his final battle 18 years later end with the same story: the dead bodies of the enemy soldiers being thrown into the River Sidon, which carried them to ‘the depths of the sea’ (Alma 3:3; 44:22). Thus Alma's record carefully shows how dissension, which was dealt with by preaching the word, can lead to apostasy and then to treason, which was dealt with by legal action and war.” [1]   (Emphasis mine)

The price paid by the civilian population was high.  Women and children had been “slain with the sword.”  Flocks and herds were killed.  “[M]any of their fields of grain were destroyed.” 

The loss of grain was of particular concern.  Terry Ball and Wilford Hess write about the importance of grain to the Nephite society.

“Grain was perhaps the most important food crop cultivated by the Book of Mormon people. The grain harvest became a measure of prosperity and favor with the Lord (e.g., Mosiah 21:16; Alma 1:29; Helaman 6:12; 11:13, 17; Ether 10:12). Grain crops were often a target or casualty of robbers and invading or occupying enemies (e.g., Mosiah 7:22; 11:3; 21:21; Alma 3:2; 4:2). Indeed, the availability of grain influenced the outcome of wars, and warring peoples labored to preserve this important commodity (e.g., Mosiah 21:18; 23:1; 24:18; 3 Nephi 3:22; 4:6; 6:2). When the grain crop failed, famine followed (e.g., Helaman 11:13; cf. Mosiah 12:6).” [2]  (Emphasis mine)

The loss of the grain during the war did lead to famine.  “[T]he people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites” (Alma 4:2).

John Sorenson continues:

“The unusual productivity that special areas could attain is seen in the local land of Zarahemla. Our knowledge of it comes from the account of the Nephites’ battle with the Amlicites and Lamanites on the banks of the Sidon River. The combined enemy force, ‘so numerous that they could not be numbered’ (Alma 2:35), were met and defeated by Alma₁ and his army on the west bank of the river. From there the Amlicites and Lamanites ‘led before the Nephites towards the wilderness which was west and north’ (Alma 2:36). In the melee, ‘many of their fields of grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the hosts of men’ (Alma 3:2). Surprisingly, this loss caused actual famine for the inhabitants of the city and the local land of Zarahemla (see Alma 4:2–3).” [3] (Emphasis mine)

⁴ And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for they had marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the manner of the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their heads like unto the Lamanites.  ⁵ Now the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were naked, save it were skin which was girded about their loins, and also their armor, which was girded about them, and their bows, and their arrows, and their stones, and their slings, and so forth.

Alma 3:4 – 5 (Emphasis mine)

Mormon changes subjects at this point.  He is giving us more information about the Amlicites and Lamanites.  The Amlicites did not want to be associated with Nephites through appearance.  Their solution was to “[mark] themselves with red in the foreheads after the manner of the Lamanites.” 

The Lamanites are described as having their “heads … shorn [the Amlicites did not do this]; and they re naked save it were skin which was girded about their loins and also their armor which was girded about them.”

Hugh Nibley describes why the Lamanites and Amlicites would want to appear this way.  “Making yourself an object of utter terror is beautifully described in the Book of Mormon on various occasions: Enos 1:20, Mosiah 10:8, Alma 3:4–5; and also the Gadiantons in their various trappings make themselves look very ferocious. They make themselves and their uniforms as hideous as possible, like the trappings of the barons of the Middle Ages,” [4]

One of the reasons we should carefully study the Book of Mormon is that you can get quite a bit of information from a scripture.  For example, John Sorenson uses a verse like Alma 3:5 to give us information about when wars were fought.

“Typically the Lamanites traveled virtually naked to reach the Nephites (see Enos 1:20; Alma 3:5; 43:20, 37). They would not have done so had protecting themselves against rain and cold been a concern. On the contrary, heat-caused fatigue was mentioned as a problem in the lowlands (see Alma 51:33; cf. 62:35). So the scripture confirms logic and observations about the timing of warfare in tropical lands — the rainy season ruled out major campaigns, which took place in the dry season instead.” [5] (Emphasis mine)

From the description of Lamanite garb, John L. Sorenson tells us that wars had to be fought in dry, warm weather instead of rainy, cold weather.  The outfits tell us the Lamanites were concerned about heat and how it would affect their armies.

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[1] Alma's Enemies: The Case of the Lamanites, Amlicites, and Mysterious Amalekites, J. Christopher Conkling, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, February 25, 2012.

[2] Agriculture in Lehi's World: Some Textual, Historical, Archaeological, and Botanical Insights, Terry B. Ball, and Wilford M. Hess, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 25, 2012

[3] The Environment of the Nephites and How They Exploited It, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 25, 2012.

[4] Lecture 67: Alma 48-49, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 25, 2012.

[5] Seasonality of Warfare in the Book of Mormon and in Mesoamerica, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed February 25, 2012.