Alma 60:15-22

¹⁶ Yea, had it not been for the war which broke out among ourselves; yea, were it not for these king–men, who caused so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were contending among ourselves, if we had united our strength as we hitherto have done; yea, had it not been for the desire of power and authority which those king–men had over us; had they been true to the cause of our freedom, and united with us, and gone forth against our enemies, instead of taking up their swords against us, which was the cause of so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, if we had gone forth against them in the strength of the Lord, we should have dispersed our enemies, for it would have been done, according to the fulfilling of his word. ¹⁷ But behold, now the Lamanites are coming upon us, taking possession of our lands, and they are murdering our people with the sword, yea, our women and our children, and also carrying them away captive, causing them that they should suffer all manner of afflictions, and this because of the great wickedness of those who are seeking for power and authority, yea, even those king–men.¹⁸ But why should I say much concerning this matter?  For we know not but what ye  yourselves are seeking for authority.  We know not but what ye are also traitors to your country.

Alma 60:16-18 (Emphasis mine)

Moroni₁ lays the blame for these wars directly on the king-men.  They “caused so much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were contending among ourselves.”  The resources required to fight the king-men could have been made available to the fight against the Lamanite.  

Now, the Lamanites are possessing “our lands,” they are “murdering our people,” and taking women and children as prisoners.  “[T]his because of the great wickedness of those who are seeking power and authority, yea, even those king-men.”

He makes a very serious accusation.  For all we know, you’re seeking for this power.  You may even be traitors to your country.

“The politicians are responsible for the disasters and setbacks of the war, for’ “the wickedness . . . first commenced at our head,’ back in the days when the king-men threw the nation into turmoil at the beginning of the war: It was ‘the desire of power and authority which those king-men had over us’ that opened the door to the murderous Lamanites; nay, they ‘are [still] seeking for power and authority, yea, even those king-men’ (Alma 60:15—17). Moroni even goes so far as to hint that Pahoran himself is one of those power-seekers, and worse still, ‘we know not but what ye are also traitors to your country; (Alma 60:18). The grave charge of treason is hardly palliated by the admission, ‘We know not.’ Moroni may only have suspicions, but what he suspects is the very worst.”[1] (Emphasis mine)

¹⁹ Or is it that ye have neglected us because ye are in the heart of our country and ye are surrounded by security, that ye do not cause food to be sent unto us, and also men to strengthen our armies? ²⁰ Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God?  Yea, have ye forgotten the captivity of our fathers?  Have ye forgotten the many times we have been delivered out of the hands of our enemies? ²¹ Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us? ²² Yea, will ye sit in idleness while ye are surrounded with thousands of those, yea, and tens of thousands, who do also sit in idleness, while there are thousands round about in the borders of the land who are falling by the sword, yea, wounded and bleeding?

Alma 60:19-22 (Emphasis mine)

Maybe you’re not traitors, Moroni₁ concedes.  It could be “ye are in the heart of our country and ye are surrounded by security.”  Is this why you haven’t sent us food or manpower?

Moroni₁ begins to ask rhetorical questions. 

• Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God?
• (Channeling Alma₂) – Have you forgotten the captivity of your fathers?
• Have you forgotten “the many times we have been delivered out of the hands of our enemies?
• Do you think the Lord will “still deliver us while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?

He hopes to get Pahoran and other leaders thinking.

We see a small chiasmus in verse 22.

A  Yea, will ye sit in idleness

          B  while ye are surrounded with thousands of those,

          B’  yea, and tens of thousands,

A’ who do also sit in idleness,

while there are thousands round about in the borders of the land who are falling by the sword, yea, wounded and bleeding?

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[1] A Rigorous Test: Military History, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 23, 2012.