Alma 56:1-9

Chapter 56

Helaman sends an epistle to Moroni recounting the state of the war with the Lamanites—Antipus and Helaman gain a great victory over the Lamanites—Helaman's two thousand stripling sons fight with miraculous power and none of them are slain. Verse 1, about 62 B.C.; verses 2–19, about 66 B.C.; and verses 20–57, about 65–64 B.C.

¹ AND now it came to pass in the commencement of the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges [62 B.C.], on the second day in the first month, Moroni received an epistle from Helaman, stating the affairs of the people in that quarter of the land.

² And these are the words which he wrote, saying: My dearly beloved brother, Moroni, as well in the Lord as in the tribulations of our warfare; behold, my beloved brother, I have somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the land. ³ Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men whom Ammon brought down out of the land of Nephi—now ye have known that these were descendants of Laman, who was the eldest son of our father Lehi; ⁴ Now I need not rehearse unto you concerning their traditions or their unbelief, for thou knowest concerning all these things—⁵ Therefore it sufficeth me that I tell you that two thousand of these young men have taken their weapons of war, and would that I should be their leader; and we have come forth to defend our country.

Alma 56:1 – 5 (Emphasis mine)

Mormon breaks into the narrative of the battle between Moroni(1) and Ammoron.  He turns to the epistle sent to him by Helaman(2) telling him, “I have somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the land.” 

This is the first Moroni(1) has heard from Helaman(2) since his 2,000 stripling warriors left to battle the Lamanites.  “[T]he campaign by Helaman's young warriors and allied forces against Lamanite armies in the Manti-to-Antiparah sector remained completely unknown even to chief commander Moroni for at least four years (Alma 56:1, 7; 59:1–2).”[1]

Sidney Sperry observes:

“The longest epistle in the Book of Mormon is found in Alma 56:2—58:41. It was written by Helaman, a Nephite leader and general, to the Nephite general, Moroni, mentioned in connection with the epistles on exchange of prisoners. It is a faith-promoting letter of heroic mold, concerning certain phases of the war between the Nephites and Lamanites during the years 66—62 BC. The epistle should be classified as a war story concerning two thousand young warriors known affectionately as the ‘sons of Helaman.’ These young men were sons of Lamanites (converted by Ammon, a great Nephite missionary, and his brethren) who had taken a solemn oath never to bear weapons of war again. There arose a time, however, when the pressure of war was so great against the Nephites that the Lamanites who had taken the oath were about to take up arms again to aid in the cause of their friends. They were dissuaded from doing so when it was shown that their sons, who had grown up without taking the oath, could help their Nephite brethren just as well. Two thousand and sixty was the number of these young Lamanites who took up arms under Helaman's direction (Alma 57:19; cf. Alma 53:18).”[2] (Emphasis mine)

“From the Nephite sphere, too, we find that there were clear-cut tribal distinctions. For example, though the Anti­Nephi-Lehies (people of Ammon) were converted to the Nephite religion and came to live with the Nephites, yet they were not left to intermingle with the rest of the people. Rather, they were given a special territory named Jershon (see Alma 27). That they remained separate from the main Nephite body is indicated by the statement that they continued to be called by the name of their mentor, Ammon, ‘ever after’ (Alma 27:26-27).

“Though the sons of the Ammonites, who fought under Helaman in the great war, called themselves by the more general term of Nephites (see Alma 53:16), they nevertheless appear to have been segregated from the main Nephite army. Helaman noted that his two thousand Ammonite warriors ‘were descendants of Laman, who was the eldest son of our father Lehi’ (Alma 56:3). This implies that none of them was descended from Lemuel or the sons of lshmael, who also formed the Lamanite league. It is true that Helaman notes that his two thousand were joined ‘to the army of Antipus’ (Alma 56:10), but they were kept as a separate subunit.”[3] (Emphasis mine)

⁶ And now ye also know concerning the covenant which their fathers made, that they would not take up their weapons of war against their brethren to shed blood. ⁷ But in the twenty and sixth year, when they saw our afflictions and our tribulations for them, they were about to break the covenant which they had made and take up their weapons of war in our defence.

⁸ But I would not suffer them that they should break this covenant which they had made, supposing that God would strengthen us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the fulfilling the oath which they had taken. ⁹ But behold, here is one thing in which we may have great joy.  For behold, in the twenty and sixth year [66 B.C.], I, Helaman, did march at the head of these two thousand young men to the city of Judea, to assist Antipus, whom ye had appointed a leader over the people of that part of the land.

Alma 56:6 – 9 (Emphasis mine)

Helaman(2) recounts the covenant the Ammonites had made.

And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man's blood, and they did bury them up deep in the earth.

And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man's blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands.

Alma 24:17 - 18

Helaman(2) recounts how he “would not suffer them that they should break this covenant which they had made.”

But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of their country.

But behold, as they were about to take their weapons of war, they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had made.

And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.

Alma 53:13 - 15

He expresses his gratitude that the parents did not take up their arms.  Instead, they sent their sons.  “[T]heir children relied on the faith of their parents and their own obedience to God to help preserve the Nephites (see Alma 56-58). Their children's contribution to the Nephite cause fulfilled Helaman's belief that ‘God would strengthen us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the [parents'] fulfilling the oath which they had taken’ (Alma 56:8).”[4]

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[1] Mormon's Sources, John L. Sorenson, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 5, 2012.

[2] Types of Literature in the Book of Mormon: Epistles, Psalms, Lamentations, Sidney B. Sperry, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 5, 2012.

[3] Book of Mormon Tribal Affiliation and Military Castes, John A. Tvedtnes, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 5, 2012.

[4] The Impact of Shifting Cultural Assumptions on the Military Policies Directing Armed Conflict Reported in the Book of Alma, Matthew M. F. Hilton, and Neil J. Flinders, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 5, 2012.