Chapter 48
Amalickiah incites the
Lamanites against the Nephites—Moroni prepares his people to defend the cause
of the Christians—He rejoiced in liberty and freedom and was a mighty man of
God. About 72 B.C.
1 AND now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah
had obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the
Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to speak
unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites. 2
And thus
he did inspire their hearts against the Nephites, insomuch that in the latter
end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges [72 B.C.], he having
accomplished his designs thus far, yea, having been made king over the
Lamanites, he sought also to reign over all the land, yea, and all the people
who were in the land, the Nephites as well as the Lamanites. 3 Therefore he
had accomplished his design, for he had hardened the hearts of the Lamanites
and blinded their minds, and stirred them up to anger, insomuch that he had
gathered together a numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites.
4
For he was determined, because of the greatness of the number of his people, to
overpower the Nephites and to bring them into bondage.
Alma 48:1-4 (Emphasis
mine)
Having obtained a kingdom and army, Amalickiah “began to
inspire the hearts of the Lamanites against the people of Nephi.” He developed his propaganda line, and had
selected men preach from the towers to the people. Towers were an important part of a society. “In addition to affording strategic views of
potential enemy attack (see Mosiah 11:12–13), towers among both Nephites and
Lamanites were marks of an influential community. They served as rallying
points for local governments (see Alma 48:1), and like European cathedrals,
they asserted the renown and political power of the community.”[1]
This “accomplished his design, for he hardened the hearts of
the Lamanites” against the Nephites.
“When ambitious Nephite dissenters began to influence the
Lamanites, the aims of combat became more complicated. Not only did the
descendants of Laman and Lemuel still want to gain the overall governing power,
they also sought material benefits—wealth (for their rulers at least).
While the psychology of blood feud continued in the dissenters' propaganda,
which they used to whip up the feelings of the reluctant Lamanite masses (see
Alma 48:1–4; Amalickiah ‘began to inspire the hearts of the Lamanites against the
people of Nephi … He … hardened the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their
minds, and stirred them up to anger’), that extreme aim was tempered by those
ambitious men's desire to milk the Nephite masses as a subject population
rendering tribute. The prospect of obtaining Nephite property and people as a
source of wealth rose to form a major basis for carrying on war.”[2]
(Emphasis mine)
Richard L. Bushman adds:
“A national heritage, whether benign or malign, can fade from time to
time, and must be revived if leaders are to use it to their advantage.
After an especially disastrous defeat, a large group of Lamanites refused to go
into battle again, exhausted and fearful for their lives (Alma 47:2). The
response of the king was to undertake a campaign to ‘inspire the hearts of the
Lamanites against the people of Nephi.’ And how did he accomplish that? ‘He did
appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites’
(Alma 48:1). We can easily guess at the message spoken from the towers, and the
results were predictable. He ‘hardened the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded
their minds, and stirred them up to anger’ (Alma 48:3).”[3]
(Emphasis mine)
His propaganda efforts paid off. He was able to gather “together a numerous
host to go to battle against the Nephites.”
5 And thus he did appoint chief captains of the Zoramites,
they
being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites, and their places
of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities; therefore he
appointed them to be chief captains over his armies. 6 And it came
to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth toward the land of Zarahemla
in the wilderness.
Alma 48:5-6 (Emphasis mine)
Amalickiah organized his armies. He appointed Zoramites to key positions. “For many years to come, the Zoramites
continued to be a terrible threat to the Nephites—not only because of their
extreme hatred but also because the Zoramites knew ‘the strength of the
Nephites, and their places of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities’
(Alma 48:5).”[4]
The armies began to move “toward the land of Zarahemla in
the wilderness.”
[1] Towers
in the Book of Mormon, Insights Volume - 21, Issue –
2, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed April 4, 2012.
[2] Last-Ditch
Warfare in Ancient Mesoamerica Recalls the Book of Mormon, John L. Sorenson,
Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed April 4, 2012.
[3] The
Lamanite View of Book of Mormon History, Richard L. Bushman, Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed April 4, 2012.
[4] The
Zoramite Separation: A Sociological Perspective, Sherrie Mills Johnson. Provo,
Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed April 4, 2012.
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