Receiving intelligence as to where the Lamanite army was
heading, Moroni divided his army. Some
went to the southeast of hill Riplah.
The rest went down to a valley on the borders of Manti.
The Lamanites came into the valley, having passed by
Riplah. This was where Moroni’s army was
stationed. It was commanded by a man
named Lehi. They circled the Lamanites
as they marched towards the rear.
The Lamanites saw the army and turned around to confront
Lehi’s army.
It was a bloody battle.
While both side suffered numerous casualties, the Lamanites suffered the
worst losses because they were basically naked.[1]
Virtually every Nephite blow brought death.
In his account Mormon emphasizes
the importance of the clothing for the Nephite victory … Mormon teaches that
the clothing of the Nephites, however, was not the sole reason for their
victory. Rather, he connected their victory to a “better cause, for they were
not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and
their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their
rites of worship and their church” (Alma 43:45). Mormon’s description of that
which inspired the Nephites may indicate his belief that the Zoramites and
Lamanites were fighting for monarchy, power, and material gain, echoing the
motivations of the wealthy Zoramites.[2]
For the most part, the Nephites suffered few
casualties. Their breastplates,
armshields, and head-plates offered them protection from the blows of the
Lamanites.
Seeing the casualties mount, they Lamanites became frightened
and retreated towards the river Sidon. Lehi pursued them and the Lamanites
crossed Sidon. Moroni and his army confronted
the fleeing Lamanites and attacked them.
The Lamanites continued to flee, but Moroni’s armies
continued the fight. The Lamanites
fought a fierce battle, showing great strength and courage. The Lamanites were inspired by the Zoramite
and Amalekite leaders. They fought “like
dragons” and many Nephites died in the battle.
In spite of their body protection, the Lamanite were able to pierce
it.
All-in-all, the Nephites were fighting for a greater cause. Unlike the Lamanites, they were not fighting
for power and the monarchy. They were
fighting for their liberty, families, and right to worship.
As I mentioned in a previous post, one of the reasons for
the war chapters is to outline the Lord’s rules of war. We see one of the rules here. The Lord tells us we cannot be guilty of the
first, nor second, offense. The only
justification for war is to protect yourself after you have bene
attacked.
“Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against
their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they
were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword
except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives. And
this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or
in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that
he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for
war, according to their danger; And also, that God would make it known unto
them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by
so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni, and
his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in
preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and
resisting iniquity” (Alma 48:14-16).
“And again, this is the law that I gave unto mine ancients,
that they should not go out unto battle against any nation, kindred, tongue, or
people, save I, the Lord, commanded them” (D&C 98:33).
“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that
taketh away thy goods ask them not
again”
(Luke 6:30).[3]
“Now the people said unto Gidgiddoni: Pray unto the Lord,
and let us go up upon the mountains and into the wilderness, that we may fall
upon the robbers and destroy them in their own lands. But Gidgiddoni saith unto
them: The Lord forbid; for if we should go up against them the Lord would deliver
us into their hands; therefore we will prepare ourselves in the center of our
lands, and we will gather all our armies together, and we will not go against
them, but we will wait till they shall come against us; therefore as the Lord
liveth, if we do this he will deliver them into our hands” (3 Nephi 3:20-21).
If the Lord’s conditions for war are met, we are justified
to defend our families even if it means blood will be spilt. The Nephites were justified to go to war as
they were defending the families, lands, country, rights, and religion.
As the battle began to turn against the Nephites, they
became afraid and were ready to retreat. We see the power and charisma of Moroni. He moved with “the thoughts of the lands,
their liberty, yea their freedom from bondage” (Alma 43:48). This inspired the Nephite army and began to
not only withstand the Lamanite attacks, but to turn the tide and begin to push
bad the Lamanites to Sidon.
Though the Lamanite army was double the size of the Nephite
army, they were able to encircle them at Sidon.
This caused the Lamanite army to be struck with terror. Seeing this, Moroni commanded his army to
cease fighting.
[1] “Now
the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were naked, save it were skin
which was girded about their loins, and also their armor, which was girded
about them, and their bows, and their arrows, and their stones, and their
slings, and so forth” (Alma 3:5).
[2] The
Zoramites and Costly Apparel: Symbolism and Irony, Parrish Brady and Shon
Hopkin, Journal of the Book of Mormon and Other Restoration Scripture 22/1
(2013): 49.
[3] “And
unto him who smiteth thee on the cheek, offer also the other; or,
in other words, it is better to offer the other, than to revile again.
And him who taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also.
“For it is better that thou suffer thine
enemy to take these things, than to contend with him. Verily I say unto you,
Your heavenly Father who seeth in secret, shall bring that wicked one into
judgment” (JST Luke 6:29-30).
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