Alma 59:1-13

The break Mormon takes to share Helaman₂’s epistle covers a four-year period, from 66 B.C. to 62 B.C.  Mormon picks up the story again, turning his attention to General Moroni₁.

Chapter 59

Moroni asks Pahoran to strengthen the forces of Helaman—The Lamanites take the city of Nephihah—Moroni is angry with the government. About 62 B.C.

¹ NOW it came to pass in the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi [62 B.C.], after Moroni had received and had read Helaman's epistle, he was exceedingly rejoiced because of the welfare, yea, the exceeding success which Helaman had had, in obtaining those lands which were lost.   ² Yea, and he did make it known unto all his people, in all the land round about in that part where he was, that they might rejoice also.

³ And it came to pass that he immediately sent an epistle to Pahoran, desiring that he should cause men to be gathered together to strengthen Helaman, or the armies of Helaman, insomuch that he might with ease maintain that part of the land which he had been so miraculously prospered in regaining. ⁴ And it came to pass when Moroni had sent this epistle to the land of Zarahemla, he began again to lay a plan that he might obtain the remainder of those possessions and cities which the Lamanites had taken from them.

Alma 59:1-4 (Emphasis mine)

Moroni₁ “was exceedingly rejoiced” because of Helaman₂’s success “in obtaining those lands which were lost.”  He shared this epistle with “all his people, in all the land round about in that part where he was, that they might rejoice also.” 

Helaman₂ raises the question about the lack of support from home twice in his epistle (see Alma 58:9, 34-36).  Moroni₁ has the same concerns.  “Moroni had been wondering about the breakdown of communications also. At once he sat down and sent an urgent dispatch to Zarahemla, addressed directly to the chief of state, urging that help be sent to Helaman without further delay (Alma 59:3).”[1]

He then “began again to lay a plan that he might obtain the remainder of those possessions and cities which the Lamanites had taken from them.”

⁵ And it came to pass that while Moroni was thus making preparations to go against the Lamanites to battle, behold, the people of Nephihah, who were gathered together from the city of Moroni and the city of Lehi and the city of Morianton, were attacked by the Lamanites. ⁶ Yea, even those who had been compelled to flee from the land of Manti, and from the land round about, had come over and joined the Lamanites in this part of the land.

⁷ And thus being exceedingly numerous, yea, and receiving strength from day to day, by the command of Ammoron they came forth against the people of Nephihah, and they did begin to slay them with an exceedingly great slaughter. ⁸ And their armies were so numerous that the remainder of the people of Nephihah were obliged to flee before them; and they came even and joined the army of Moroni.

Alma 59:5-8 (Emphasis mine)

Moroni₁ began to make an ambitious plan to battle the Lamanites.  Hugh Nibley tells us what happens.  “[The plan] was never put into operation, however, because the Lamanites beat Moroni to the punch with a massive attack on the people of Nephihah, whose survivors came streaming to Moroni's camp (Alma 59:5—8). It seems that Moroni had made a serious mistake in overestimating the defensive strength of Nephihah (Alma 59:9)…”[2]

The Lamanites “did begin to slay [the people of Nephihah] with an exceedingly great slaughter.”  They fled, escaping the slaughter, and “joined the army of Moroni.”

⁹ And now as Moroni had supposed that there should be men sent to the city of Nephihah, to the assistance of the people to maintain that city, and knowing that it was easier to keep the city from falling into the hands of the Lamanites than to retake it from them, he supposed that they would easily maintain that city. ¹⁰ Therefore he retained all his force to maintain those places which he had recovered.

¹¹ And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was lost he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the hands of their brethren. ¹² Now this was the case with all his chief captains.  They doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over them. ¹³ And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.

Alma 59:9-13 (Emphasis mine)

Moroni₁ knew that it was easier to hold onto a city than to have to retake a city.  In spite of his hope to keep Nephihah, he would see that the city was lost.

“[H]is grand design collapsed and he was greatly out of sorts, blaming the failure of the operation onto "the wickedness of the people" while his staff stood around nodding agreement, and berating the indifference of the government, with which he was very angry (Alma 59:11—13).”[3]

Moroni₁ was “angry with the government.  He was tired of being ignored and having to deal with “their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.”

“Although the Nephites finally rout the Lamanite aggressors, they come so close to defeat that even the great Moroni, who had before guaranteed victory in his polemical epistle to Ammoron (see Alma 54:5—14), begins to doubt the outcome (see Alma 59:11—12). The Book of Mormon leaves no room to speculate about why the Nephites brush up against destruction at this point in their history. It is not because their system of government goes bad but because it comes perilously close to being overthrown.”[4]

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[1] A Rigorous Test: Military History, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2012.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] For the Peace of the People: War and Democracy in the Book of Mormon, Ryan W. Davis, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 18, 2012.