Lesson 32 - They Did
Obey Every-Word of Command with Exactness
Scriptures
Read, ponder, and pray about the
following scriptures:
&
Alma 53:10–19; 56:1–8. Two thousand valiant
young Ammonites covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites. They ask Helaman
to be their leader.
&
Alma 56:9–58:41. True to their mothers’
teachings, the young soldiers exercise faith in God and fight courageously. They
are joined by 60 other young Ammonites. All 2,060 young soldiers are wounded,
but not one of them is killed.
Comments
Here is one of the greatest stories of faith and commitment
to the Lord. We see a group of people
(Ammonites) willing to break a sacred covenant with the Lord. They see their hosts, the Nephites, are in
serious need of men for their army. They
are ready to join and fight under Moroni1’s Title of Liberty.
They are convinced by Alma2’s son, and head of
the church, Helaman2 not to break their covenants with the
Lord. Instead, their sons are gathered
together into an army. The sons had not
made the covenant, so they were able to fight.
These young men have a great faith. Mormon tells us:
Now they never had
fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty
of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by
their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them
And they rehearsed
unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew
it.
Alma 56:47 - 48
This story emphasizes the importance of parents teaching
their children about the gospel and helping them develop a deep faith. A total of 2,060 will fight in defense of
their land, faith, religion, and family.
Many will be injured. Some will
suffer life-threatening injuries. But
the Lord is with them. Not one will
die. All will return home to their
mothers.
Enjoy teaching this great and powerful story of the 2,000
Stripling Warriors.
The War Chapters
Chapters 53:10-19;
56-58
Summary
The Second
Amalickiahite War (Seven Years' War)
•
Source: Alma 51-62.
•
Dates: 25th-31st Year of
the Reign of the Judges (67-61 B.C.).
•
Location: Throughout the land of Zarahemla.
•
Causes: Return of Amalickiah, coinciding
with the armed revolt of the king-men and his brother Ammoron's assumption of
Lamanite kingship. Initial Lamanite successes in the east and west were partly
attributable to the king-men issue at home.
•
Tactics: Protracted warfare; full-scale attempts
to conquer cities and occupy lands surrounding Zarahemla on the west, south,
and north; concurrent campaigns on several fronts, including Nephite efforts to
control internal insurrection. This time, commanders who personally knew the
Nephite lands and cities led the Lamanite forces.
•
Results: A very costly Nephite victory. These
wars were evidently hard on the Nephite rulers, for Helaman, Moroni, Pahoran,
Shiblon, Corianton, and others were all dead or gone by Alma 63.
[1]
Cast of Characters
•
Ammonites – Lamanites converted by
Ammon, son of Mosiah2; buried weapons of war and made a covenant to
never take up arms again; formerly known as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (24:17-19).
•
Ammoron – Brother of Amalickiah;
becomes king after Teancum slays Amalickiah (52:3).
•
Antipus – A Nephite general (56:9).
•
Gid – Nephite chief captain assigned
to escort POWs to Zarahemla (57:28).
•
Helaman2 – Leader of the
church; high priest (45:20).
•
Lehi2 – A Nephite general
(43:35).
•
Moroni1 – Chief Commander
of the Nephite armies (43:16).
•
2,060 Stripling Soldiers – The sons
of the Ammonites; Ammonites were willing to break their covenant to fight for
freedom, but Helaman2 convinced them not to; sons had not made the
covenant, so they represented the Ammonites (53:22).
•
Teomner – Led a small group of men
to hide in the wilderness; with Gid, cutoff Lamanites spies returning to their
city (58:16).
Chapter 53:10-19
·
The Nephites needed more men for the army.
o
The Ammonites “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” (v. 13).
o
Remember their covenant:
§
And now behold, since it has been as much as
we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made
bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to
our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before
him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our
brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby.
And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we
will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that
they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the
last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and
shall be saved.
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.
And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and
to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than
commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they
buried the weapons of war, for peace.
Alma 24:15 – 19 (Emphasis mine)
·
This was a powerful offer by the Ammonites.
o
They had willingly died rather than break their
covenant to never again take up arms and defend themselves.
·
Helaman2 and his brethren convinced them
not to break their covenant.
o
He “feared lest by so doing they should lose
their souls” (v. 15).
o
See Quote #1
·
Their sons had not entered into the covenant
their parents made.
o
They “entered into a covenant to fight for the
liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their
lives” (v. 17).
·
The 2,000 Stripling Warriors were
organized.
·
They chose Helaman2 to be their
leader.
o
This was a surprising choice.
§
Nothing we’ve read would indicate Helaman2
had much, if any, experience leading men in war.
o
These men showed great faith by asking the head
of the church to lead them into war.
Chapter 56
·
Helaman2 writes an epistle to Moroni1
giving him an update about what has been happening.
o
It’s been around four years since Moroni1
has heard anything from Helaman2.
·
Helaman2 gives Moroni1 an
account of how the Stripling Warriors came to be.
o
He takes his 2,000 sons “(for they are worthy to
be called sons)” (v. 10) and they join Antipus’s army at the city of Judea.
o
“[H]is army had been reduced by the Lamanites
because their forces had slain a vast number of our men” (v. 10).
·
In verse 12, we read about the brutality of the
Lamanites.
o
The Lamanites took men, women, and children as
prisoners.
o
They also had no problem with killing all
prisoners except for the chief captains.
o
See Quote #2
·
The Lamanites had taken many Nephite cities (see
verse 14 for a list of cities).
·
The army was “depressed in body as well as
spirit” (v. 16).
o
They had fought hard and lost many trying to
maintain their cities.
·
When the Stripling Warriors arrived, the
Lamanites were commanded not to try to take the city of Judea.
·
Helaman2 considers this a blessing
from the Lord.
o
Had they come against them, they may have
“destroyed our little army; but thus were we preserved” (v. 19).
·
The Lamanites were commanded to hold on to the
cities they had taken.
·
Once Warriors were prepared, they wanted the
Lamanites to attack them in their stronghold.
·
Spies were sent out to watch the movements of
the Lamanites.
o
When the Lamanite armies passed, their goal was
to attack the Lamanites at both the front and rear of the army.
§
“[W]e were disappointed in this our desire” (v.
23).
·
The Lamanites “durst not” use the entire army or
even a part of the army.
o
They were concerned that they might be defeated.
·
The Ammonites sent provisions to their sons.
o
An additional 2,000 men were sent from the land
of Zarahemla.
o
The Nephites now had 10,000 men and adequate
provisions.
·
The Lamanites tried to stop Nephite provisions
from getting to the army.
·
Antipus ordered Helaman2 to take his
army to a neighboring city.
o
It would appear they were heading to the city of
Antiparah.
o
Antipus marched his army, leaving a few to
protect the city of Judea.
·
Antiparah was where the strongest army of the
Lamanites was stationed.
o
The army marched against Helaman2 and
his army.
o
Helaman2 fled northward, leading the
army away.
·
The Lamanites saw Antipus’s army.
o
Their plans were to slay Helaman2’s
army before Antipus arrived.
o
Helaman2 army was in danger.
o
Antipus, knowing of the danger, speed up the
march of his army.
·
The Lamanite army stopped their march.
o
Helaman2 did not know why.
§
One possibility was that “they have halted for
the purpose that we should come against them, that they might catch us in their
snare” (v. 43).
·
Helaman2 asked his warriors. “My sons, will ye go against them to battle”
(v. 44).
o
This meant facing an army much stronger than
they were.
o
It might lead to their deaths.
·
Their faith was more powerful than any fear they
might face.
o
“God is with us, and he will not suffer that we
should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would
let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of
Antipus” (v. 46).
·
Armed with their faith and trust God “will not
suffer that we should fall” (v. 46).
o
Helaman2’s warriors turned around and
returned to reinforce Antipus.
o
They knew they would be protected by God.
o
“They had been taught by their mothers, that if
they did not doubt, God would deliver them … We do not doubt our mothers knew
it” (v. 47).
·
The army returned and began battle with the
Lamanite army.
o
This was a good thing because “Antipus had
overtaken them, and a terrible battle had commenced” (v. 49).
·
See Quote #3
·
Things were not going well.
o
Antipus’s army was weary from the march and “were
about to fall into the hands of the Lamanites” (v. 50).
o
Helaman2 and his warriors arrived
when the Lamanites believed victory was at hand.
·
Antipus and “many of his leaders” had fallen by
the sword.
o
The Nephites were confused because so many
leaders had fallen.
·
Beginning with verse 52, the narrative changes
from first person (Helaman2’s epistle) to the third person. Mormon is now abridging the epistle.
o
He tells us the Lamanites were vigorously pursuing
the Nephites when Helaman2’s army “came upon their rear … and began
to slay them exceedingly, insomuch that the whole army of the Lamanites halted
and turned upon Helaman” (v. 53).
o
Mormon returns to quoting directly from Helaman2‘s
epistle (in v. 54).
·
The surviving members of Antipus’s army, along
with Helaman2’s warriors, were able to surround the Lamanites and
began to slay them.
o
The tide of the battle changed and the Nephites
began winning the battle.
·
The Lamanites surrendered and became prisoners
of war.
o
There were so many that they could not guard
them.
o
A part of Antipus’s army marched them to the
land of Zarahemla.
·
The remaining members of Antipus’s army joined Helaman2’s.
·
Helaman2 “numbered those young men
who had fought with [him], fearing lest there were many of them slain” (v. 55).
o
Not one warrior had died.
o
They were protected by the power of the
Lord.
Chapter
57
·
Ammoron proposes to exchange prisoners with Helaman2.
o
If he did, Ammoron would surrender Antiparah.
·
Helaman2 responded he was confident
he could take Antiparah.
o
It would be unwise to accept his terms.
·
Helaman2 prepared to take Antiparah.
o
The people fled the city.
·
Helaman2 took the city without a fight.
o
Helaman2’s army received supplies and
reinforcements.
o
Sixty more sons of the Ammonites arrived and
joined the army.
·
It was decided to attack the Lamanites at the
city of Cumeni.
o
Helaman2 tells us that they will
succeed and that he will “show unto you that we soon accomplished our desire”
(v. 8).
o
Helaman2 surrounded the city.
o
The Lamanites tried to attack at night, but they
were easily repelled.
o
When Lamanite provisions arrived, Helaman2
confiscated them and took the Lamanites who were bringing them prisoners.
o
Running out of provisions, the Lamanites
surrendered Cumeni.
·
The large number of Lamanite prisoners became a problem.
o
The Lamanite prisoners attempted to escape.
o
Running out of supplies and having to battle
their prisoners, “it became expedient for us, that we should put an end to
their lives, or guard them, sword in hand, down to the land of Zarahemla” (v.
15).
·
The day after they took prisoners to Zarahemla,
the escorts returned without the prisoners.
·
The Lamanites returned and a battle was taking
place.
·
Ammoron had replenished his army with provisions
and men.
·
The group who had been sent to take the
prisoners arrived just in time to help the remainder of the army in their
battle as the Lamanites “were about to overpower us.”
·
Helaman2‘s warriors fought when the
rest of the army was about to retreat.
o
The Nephites defeated the Lamanites, losing many
soldiers.
o
See Quote #4
·
Two hundred Stripling Warriors were injured, but
none were killed.
o
A thousand soldiers died.
o
See Quote #5
·
After battle, Gid (the chief captain responsible
for returning the prisoners to Zarahemla) was asked what happened to the
prisoners.
o
As they were marching towards Zarahemla, they
met Nephite spies.
o
They warned them about the Lamanites armies
marching towards the city of Cumeni.
·
Hearing this, the prisoners rebelled and
attempted to escape.
o
“[T]hey did in a body run upon our swords, in
the which the greater number of them were slain” (v. 33).
o
The remainder escaped.
·
Gid’s army could not overtake them so they
continued the march towards Cumeni, join the armies there, strengthening the
Nephite army.
Chapter
58
·
The next objective of the army was to take the
city of Manti.
o
They were unable to “decoy the away from their
strongholds” (v. 2).
o
The Lamanites had a larger army as well.
·
It was decided to maintain the part of the land
they had regained.
o
Both sides were receiving more men and
provisions.
·
For several months, there was a stalemate.
o
Provisions and men were received, but they were
not enough.
o
“[T]he cause of these our embarrassments, or the
cause why they did not send more strength unto us, we knew not” (v. 9).
§
This would lead to a confrontation between
Moroni1 and the Nephite government (see chapters 59-60).
·
They poured their souls out to God in.
o
They asked to be strengthened and delivered from
their enemies.
o
They received the Lord’s assurances they would
be delivered.
·
Helaman2 marched his “small force” to
the city of Manti, held by the Lamanites.
·
The Lamanites sent out spies to learn as much as
they could.
o
The Lamanites found a weak army.
o
They believed they could defeat Helaman2.
·
Helaman2 split his army into three
parts.
o
Gid took men and hid in the wilderness on the
right.
o
Teamner took men and hid in the wilderness on
the left.
·
The Lamanites attacked Helaman2.
o
The Nephites retreated, leading the Lamanites
between the armies of Gid and Teamner.
·
After the Lamanites passed Gid and Teamner, they
attacked and took the city of Manti.
·
Helaman2 moves towards Zarahemla.
o
The Lamanites follow, unaware Manti had been
taken by the Nephites.
·
At night, Helaman2 marched his army
back towards Manti.
o
They moved past the Lamanite army.
o
The full army was now at Manti, holding the
city, having shed no blood.
·
The Lamanites were shocked to find the Nephites
had taken Manti.
o
The Lamanites fled into the wilderness.
o
They continued the practice of taking women and
children prisoners.
§
They took their prisoners with them.
·
The Nephites were retaking cities, and the
people were returning.
·
The armies, however, we’re too small the hold
such a large number of cities and land.
o
Again, he writes “we do not know the cause that
the government does not grant us more strength; neither do those men who came
up unto us know why we have not received greater strength” (v. 34).
·
See Quote #6
·
We see We Helaman2’s great faith as
he ends his letter.
o
“[W]e trust
God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and
deliver us out of the hands of our enemies” (v. 37).
o
He also praised “those sons of the people of
Ammon” (v. 39).
§
“[T]he Lord had supported them, yea, and kept
them from falling by the sword, insomuch that even one soul has not been slain”
(v. 39).
·
And Helaman2 ends his epistle to
Moroni1.
·
See Quote #7
Quote #1
Duane Boyce explains:
[W]hen the war became particularly dangerous, and the
Ammonites saw the suffering and afflictions born by the Nephites for them, “they
were moved with compassion and were desirous to take up arms in the defence of
their country” (Alma 53:13). Indeed, they were “about to take their weapons of
war” (Alma 53:14), and only the devoted efforts of Helaman and his brethren
could persuade them otherwise. In light
of the oath they had taken, Helaman “feared lest by so doing they should lose
their souls;” the Ammonites relented and abstained from entering the war, as
they had originally planned (Alma 53:14; Helaman retells this story in an
epistle to Moroni in Alma 56:6–8).
[2]
Quote #2
John Welch describes the difference between the Nephites and
Lamanites.
Moroni was a pragmatist as well as a prophet, and he was
more likely to take prisoners (as opposed to letting captured soldiers go free
with a covenant of peace) if he needed bargaining power to regain captured
Nephites (see Alma 52:8). Yet unlike the Lamanites, Moroni's troops never took
women or children prisoner (see Alma 54:3), largely because the Nephite
soldiers never fought in Lamanite territory. Helaman's epistle to Moroni
indicates that when Lamanite provisions became short, the Lamanites kept alive
only the most valuable prisoners, the chief captains (see Alma 56:12).
[3]
Quote #3
Hugh Nibley sums up the situation.
Helaman knew the Lamanite numbers were still overwhelmingly
superior to the combined Nephite forces, and suspected that this might even be
a trap for him, but he was willing to risk it (Alma 56:43). Unleashed, the
2,000 waded in with such terrific elan that the whole Lamanite army turned to
meet them (Alma 56:52); but like the young Israelis in 1948, these kids
introduced a new dimension into the war: they were inspired; their strange
spirit, devoid of hatred and utterly free of fear or hesitation (Alma 56:46—47)
began to frighten the seasoned Lamanite troopers, who had never seen anything
like it (Alma 56:56).
[4]
Quote #4
Hugh Nibley explains:
Again it was the 2,000, now augmented by 60 more boys from
home, who turned the tide, for “they did obey and observe to perform every word
of command with exactness” (Alma 57:19—21). Helaman explains that their mothers
taught them that God would protect them if they were upright, and they had
believed what they were taught, did what they were told, and “were firm and
undaunted”’ And indeed, though they were all wounded in the battle, not a single
one of them lost his life…
[5]
See Quote #5
Sidney Sperry tells us:
What was astonishing was that though they were spared, many
others of their Nephite brethren were slain … The story told in this epistle is
probably the best example of its kind in the Book of Mormon. Though told in the
midst of war, it is distinctly religious in tone, breathing great trust and
confidence in God.
[6]
Quote #6
Hugh Nibley observes:
Helaman permitted his 2,000 to go into a rest area at Manti
(Alma 58:39), and waited for news from the capital, wondering what could have
possibly gone wrong. We know they have more men and material than they have been
sending us, he writes to Moroni; perhaps you have been having trouble and they
had to send it to you, in which case we have no complaints; but “if it is not
so, behold, we fear that there is some faction in the government” blocking the
much-needed aid. “But, behold,” he concludes, “it mattereth not—we trust God
will deliver us” (Alma 58:34—37).
[7]
Quote #7
Richard Rust examines Helaman2’s epistle.
Helaman's letter is particularly interesting in its gripping
narrative of remarkable stratagems that recover one city after another for the
Nephites. This narrative epitomizes the repeated Book of Mormon motif of a
small force dealing successfully with an innumerable one—provided there is
righteous commitment to a cause. Helaman's solution is to use ingenuity and
plan creative stratagems, yet acknowledge the deliverance of the Lord: ”It is by grace that we are saved, after all
we can do,” as Nephi said (2 Nephi 25:23).
[8]
