While Moroni(1) determined the people of Lehi “were not in
the wrong,” he did not lead the army sent to confront Morianton. We met a new Nephite general, Teancum. We will see that Teancum is a great general
in his own rights.
35 And it came to pass that the army which was sent by
Moroni, which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the people of
Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of Morianton, (being inspired by his
wickedness and his flattering words) that a battle commenced between them, in
the which Teancum did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them
prisoners, and returned to the camp of Moroni.
And thus ended the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi. 36
And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon their covenanting to keep the peace
they were restored to the land of Morianton, and a union took place between
them and the people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their
lands.
Alma 50:35 – 36 (Emphasis mine)
Teancum’s army met the people of Morianton. The people were willing to fight because of
Moriantion’s “flattering words.”
Here again we see the power of “flattering words” in leading
people to evil. Two examples come to
mind. Alma(2) was described as being “a
very wicked and an idolatrous man. And
he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people;
therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities”
(Mosiah 27:8). We know that Alma(2)
eventually repented and became one of the greatest spiritual leaders in the
Book of Mormon.
Amalickiah was a man of many words. We read that the people “had been led by the flatteries
of Amalickiah, that if they would support him and establish him to be their
king that he would make them rulers over the people” (Alma 46:5). The flatteries of Morianton were leading his
people to destruction.
There was a battle and Teancum killed Morianton and defeated
his armies. They took prisoners and
returned them to Moroni(1). When the
prisoners “[covenanted] to keep the peace there were restored to the land of
Morianton and a union took place between them and the people of Lehi.”
This was a common practice among the Nephites.
“Prisoners were not sought after, however, as a cheap form
of slave labor. Instead, Nephites generally avoided taking prisoners
by allowing captured troops to go free if they yielded up their weapons and
covenanted not to fight again. Often they allowed prisoners also to go free
if they made a similar promise. Thus, Moroni allowed Zerahemnah and his
men to go free when they agreed to such conditions out of desperation, after
having previously refused to enter into a covenant of peace ‘which [they knew]
that [they would] break’ (Alma 44:8). The people of Morianton were allowed to
return to their lands ‘upon their covenanting to keep the peace’ (Alma
50:36).”[1]
(Emphasis mine)
37 And it came to pass that in the same year that
the people of Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second
chief judge, died, having filled the judgment–seat with perfect uprightness
before God. 38 Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take
possession of those records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and
his fathers to be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon his son,
Helaman.
39 Behold, it came to pass that the son of Nephihah
was appointed to fill the judgment–seat, in the stead of his father; yea, he
was appointed chief judge and governor over the people, with an oath and sacred
ordinance to judge righteously, and to keep the peace and the freedom of the
people, and to grant unto them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord
their God, yea, to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to
bring the wicked to justice according to their crime. 40 Now behold,
his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did
fill the seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the
twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.
Alma 50:37 – 40 (Emphasis mine)
There was change in government. Nephihah was selected by Alma(2) to take his
place when he resigned as chief judge (see Alma 4:16-18). He died, “having filled the judgment-seat with
perfect uprightness before God.”
Mormon reminds us that, while he accepted the judgment seat,
he “refused Alma to take possession of those records and those things which
were esteemed … to be most sacred.”
Instead, Alma(2) gave “those things” to his son, Helaman(1). “Note that according to Alma 50:38 Nephihah
refused ‘to take possession of those records and those things which
were esteemed by Alma and his fathers to be most sacred.’ ‘Those things’ most
likely included the Liahona and the sword of Laban.”[2]
Nephihah’s son, Pahoran, was selected to fill the judgment-seat
and also as “governor over the people.” He
took “an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to keep the peace
and the freedom of the people.”
Interestingly, “[t]he text of the governmental oath of the Nephite chief
judge to ‘judge righteously’ happens to be reported only in the account of the
twenty-fourth year of the reign of Judges (Alma 50:39-40).”[3]
And thus ends the twenty-fourth year of the reign of the
judges.
[1] Law
and War in the Book of Mormon, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
Institute, accessed April 17, 2012.
[2] The
Sword of Laban as a Symbol of Divine Authority and Kingship, Brett L.
Holbrook, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed April 17, 2012.
No comments:
Post a Comment