Alma 54:15-24

Ammoron was less than pleased when he read Moroni’s epistle. He responded with an angry epistle.

Ammoron identifies himself as Amalickiah’s brother.  He accused Mormon of murdering him (“And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the death of the king immediately that he did not awake his servants” (Alma 51:34). He vowed he would avenge his murder.  He made it clear he did not fear Moroni’s warnings in his epistle.

It has been over 500 years since Lehi’s party arrived in the promised land.  After all that time, there was still hatred of the Nephites by the Lamanites because Laman and Lemuel hated Nephi, claiming he wanted to rule over them. “Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren. But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that they did seek to take away my life. Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words.  For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people. Now I do not write upon these plates all the words which they murmured against me.  But it sufficeth me to say, that they did seek to take away my life” (2 Nephi 5:1-4).

“And again, they were wroth with him when they had arrived in the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him” (Mosiah 10:15).

After all that time, even Nephite dissenters can’t let go of what happened all those centuries earlier. 

Ammoron tells Moroni if he will lay down his arms and agree to be ruled by those who should rightly be the rulers, he will order his people to lay down their weapons.

Ammoron did agree to a prisoner exchange.  He, too, wanted to preserve provisions for his army.  He vowed to wage war until the Nephites agreed to his authority.  If they refused, he would utterly destroy the Nephites.

As to this God, whom Moroni said they rejected, we know of no such being.  Ammoron was the typical non-believer.  “Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God” (2 Kings 17:14).

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  and what communion hath light with darkness” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

Not only did he deny the existence of God, he also made it clear Moroni could not know of this God.

As to the devil and hell, Ammoron informed he would be sent to hell to dwell with his brother.  “But behold these things matter not” (Alma 54:22).

Ammoron then declares he is a descendant of Zoram.  He claims Nephi forcibly kidnapped him and took him with them against his will. 

He closes his response, declaring he is a Lamanite.  He is going to right all the wrongs done by Nephi and he will return to them their right to rule.  But, as we know, the only thing Ammoron cared about was the power he could obtain.  Nothing else mattered.