Amalickiah was facing a dilemma. His intent was to attack the Nephites, coming
out of the land of Nephi, at the city of Ammonihah. He knew there would be major casualties. He didn’t care. Unfortunately, his chief
captains refused to attack Ammonihah.
They knew how well Moroni had fortified and defended the city.
It was decided to attack the Nephites in the land of
Noah. The army moved in that direction.
Another reason they favored attacking Noah was they believed
Moroni had done nothing to fortify the city.
They were so confident they would prevail, the chief captains took an
oath stating they would destroy the people of Noah.
They were in for a surprise.
When they arrived, they found that the city was even better fortified then
was Ammonihah. Moroni felt they would
not be willing to attack Ammonihah and that Noah would be their next
choice. He was right.
Moroni had appointed Lehi as the chief captain of the
city. We had earlier met Lehi who fought
the Lamanites near the river Sidon. “And
as the Lamanites had passed the hill Riplah, and came into the valley, and
began to cross the river Sidon, the army which was concealed on the south of
the hill, which was led by a man whose name was Lehi, and he led his army forth
and encircled the Lamanites about on the east in their rear” (Alma 43:35).
The Lamanites were not happy at what they faced. They had been beaten by Lehi in the
past. Yet, they had sworn an oath to
attack Noah. The armies were put in
place to attack the city.
The only way the army could enter the city was through the
main entrance. They face a ditch that
had been dug around the city, except at the entrance. The Nephite army was prepared to kill anyone
who should attempt to enter the city in any way other than the main entrance. The
strongest men were placed at the entrance.
Using their swords and sling, they were prepared to strike anyone who
entered through the main entrance.
The Lamanite captains brought their armies to the main entrance
and began to fight with the Nephites so they could enter the city and kill all
there in. The Lamanites were driven
back. So many were killed that it
amounted to a slaughter.
Have failed at entering the city through the main entrance, the
Lamanites attempted to dig through the banks of dirt surrounding the city. They were repelled by the stones and arrows
thrown at them. The ditches were filled
with the Lamanite dead and wounded.
The battle continued until all the Lamanite chief captains,
as well as over a thousand Lamanites, were killed. The Nephites suffered no deaths in the
battle. Around fifty were wounded. With their shields, breastplates, and head
plates, they were safe. They suffered
their wounds on their legs, some of which were severe.
“The ancient combatants had no use for armor that might
restrict their mobility. They had to move to survive.
Hamblin points out that the Nephites wore little or no leg armor. The Book of
Mormon describes head-plates and breastplates, arm shields and bucklers, but
no leg armor. In fact, in one battle, the Nephite soldiers were wounded
almost solely on their—exposed—legs (Alma 49:24). The Nephite battles were
battles of movement, and leg armor would restrict movement. Nephite armor was
perfectly suited to Nephite warfare.”[1]
(emphasis in original)
With all chief captains killed, the army fled. They returned
to the land of Nephi to inform King Amalickiah concerning their defeat. He was
angry with his army as they had been overwhelming defeated. He cursed both God and Moroni. He made an oath he would drink Moroni’s
blood.
Ehab Abunuwara explains the oath made by Amalickiah.
Recently, as I was reading in the
Book of Mormon, I came across the story of Amalickiah, a king of the Lamanites
who was a Nephite by origin. When Amalickiah heard of his army’s defeat at the
hands of the Nephites, he was “exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and
also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood” (Alma 49:27).
As I read, I found myself translating the words into Arabic as if that were how
they were intended to be written. I have known English for many years now, but
still I am not sure that I know how to curse God in English or that I have ever
heard anybody do that. Nor have I heard anyone make an oath to drink someone’s blood.
But in Arabic both expressions are common, and, unfortunately, I have heard
both. On a preconscious level, that verse was more meaningful to me in Arabic
than in English.[2]
The Nephites, on the other hand, gave thanks to the Lord for
having delivered them from their enemies.
As they year ended, there was peace and prosperity in the
church because of the Nephites obeying the word of the Lord as taught by
Helaman, Shiblon, Corianton, and the sons of Mosiah.
[1] Review
of Stephen D. Ricks and William J. Hamblin, eds., Warfare in the Book of Mormon,
Kurt Weiland, Review of Books on the Book
of Mormon 3/1 (1991): 144.
[2] Into
the Desert: An Arab View of the Book of Mormon, Ehab Abunuwara, Journal of
Book of Mormon Studies 11/1 (2002): 63.
No comments:
Post a Comment