Through assassination, Amalickiah has taken command of all
the king’s army. He led the army back to the king. The king saw him coming and, along with his
guards, he went out to meet him. He
assumed Amalickiah had united his army and they were ready to battle the
Nephites.
Amalickiah had his servants to go out and meet the
king. They bowed before him, as if they
were honoring him and his greatness. It
was custom that the king raise those who had bowed before him, the action being
a sign of peace. When the first servant
was raised, he assassinated the king by stabbing him in the heart.
Seeing the king was dead, the servants fled. Amalickiah’s
servants called out accusing the king’s servants of assassinating him and
fleeing. All were called to come and
witness what had occurred.
Amalickiah had the army march forth and see the dead
king. Pretending anger, he called to all
who loved the king to find his servants and kill them. The search began for the servants. They were not found. They fled to the land of Zarahemla and joined
the Ammonites.
After the unsuccessful attempt to find the king’s innocent
servants, Amalickiah was where he wanted to be.
Through fraud and deceit, he had gained the support of the people. David described Amalickiah. “His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud:
under his tongue is mischief and
vanity” (Psalms 10:7).
Returning his army to Nephi, he meet a group sent from the
queen. She wanted him to come and tell
her what had occurred. She also asked he
bring witnesses who would confirm his account.
As a testimony to his treachery, Amalickiah brought the
servant who had done the killing, as well as the other servants who were with
him. They met with the queen and lied,
telling them their fabricated tale. They
also asked why would the king’s servants fled if they were innocent. The mere fact they fled was an admission of
guilt.
The lies satisfied the queen.
Amalickiah completed his treachery by seeking the favor of
the queen. “Many will intreat the favour
of the prince: and every man is a friend
to him that giveth gifts. All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much
more do his friends go far from him? he
pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him” (Proverbs
19:6-7).
He succeeded and married the queen. His plan succeeded. He was now king of the Lamanites. His people were composed of Lamanites,
Lemuelites, Ishmaelites, and Nephite dissenters. These dissenters could trace their lineage
back to those who dissented from Nephi1’s leadership forward.
The dissenters had received the knowledge and understanding
of the gospel, but they turned away from the truth. “Throughout the world,
Saints of the Lord follow Him and His anointed leaders. They have
learned that the path of dissent leads to real dangers … How divisive is the
force of dissension! Small acts can lead to such great consequences. Regardless
of position or situation, no one can safely assume immunity to contention’s
terrible toll.”[1]
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and
whose heart departeth from the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5).
“When a righteous man
turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and
dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he
die” (Ezekiel 18:26).
“When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby” (Ezekiel 33:18).
“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the
knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).
They became more hardened, wild, wicked and ferocious than
the Lamanites. “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither
could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time
of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 8:12).
They will have forgotten their Lord. “And thus we can plainly discern, that after
a people have been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great knowledge
of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have fallen away into sin and
transgression, they become more hardened, and thus their state becomes worse
than though they had never known these things” (Alma 24:30).
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