Alma 18:12-43

12 And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.

13 And one of the king’s servants said unto him, Rabbanah, which is, being interpreted, powerful or great king, considering their kings to be powerful; and thus he said unto him: Rabbanah, the king desireth thee to stay.

14 Therefore Ammon turned himself unto the king, and said unto him: What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king? And the king answered him not for the space of an hour, according to their time, for he knew not what he should say unto him.

15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto him again: What desirest thou of me? But the king answered him not.

16 And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the Spirit of God, therefore he perceived the thoughts of the king. And he said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others, in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it this that causeth thy marvelings?

17 I say unto you, what is it, that thy marvelings are so great? Behold, I am a man, and am thy servant; therefore, whatsoever thou desirest which is right, that will I do.

18 Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again, for he beheld that Ammon could discern his thoughts; but notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said unto him: Who art thou? Art thou that Great Spirit, who knows all things?

19 Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not.

20 And the king said: How knowest thou the thoughts of my heart? Thou mayest speak boldly, and tell me concerning these things; and also tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms of my brethren that scattered my flocks—

21 And now, if thou wilt tell me concerning these things, whatsoever thou desirest I will give unto thee; and if it were needed, I would guard thee with my armies; but I know that thou art more powerful than all they; nevertheless, whatsoever thou desirest of me I will grant it unto thee.

22 Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.

23 And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I will believe all thy words. And thus he was caught with guile.

24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?

25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that meaneth.

26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great Spirit?

27 And he said, Yea.

28 And Ammon said: This is God. And Ammon said unto him again: Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all things which are in heaven and in the earth?

29 And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.

30 And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God dwells and all his holy angels.

31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?

31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?

32 And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.

33 And king Lamoni said: I believe all these things which thou hast spoken. Art thou sent from God?

34 Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;

35 And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God.

36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.

37 And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and their travail, and so forth.

38 And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, yea, all their rebellions did he relate unto them; and he expounded unto them all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem down to the present time.

39 But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world; and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them.

40 And it came to pass that after he had said all these things, and expounded them to the king, that the king believed all his words.

41 And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people.

42 And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if he were dead.

43 And it came to pass that his servants took him and carried him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if he were dead for the space of two days and two nights; and his wife, and his sons, and his daughters mourned over him, after the manner of the Lamanites, greatly lamenting his loss. (Alma 18:12-43)

Ammon had finished his task for the king. He went to the king, intending to let him know things were ready for his journey. But, he saw the king’s expression had changed. Ammon decided to leave.

One of the king’s servants stopped him, calling him Rabbanah. This title was used for a powerful or great king. Rabbanah, the servant said, the king wanted him to stay.

“When Ammon enters, the king’s servants call him ‘Rabbanah,’ which is interpreted as ‘powerful or great king’ (Alma 18:13). In this scene of dramatic irony, we know that Ammon has turned down the opportunity to be king in order to be a missionary servant to Lamoni and his people. He, however, never reveals that to Lamoni. Indeed, he maintains the respectful stance of a servant: ‘What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king?’ (Alma 18:14).”[1]

Ammon went to the king and asked what he could for him. The king did not answer for an hour. Mormon adds an interesting aside by telling us the hour was according to the Lamanite time. We don’t know how long Ammon waited. We do know the king was sure what he should say.

After he had waited an hour, he again asked him what he desired of him. Again, the king did not answer.

Ammon was then filled with Spirit. Through the inspiration of the Spirit, he knew what the king was thinking.

He asked if he was here because he heard of how he saved the king’s flocks as well as his servants. He also defeated those attempting to scatter the flocks. He asked, “[I]s it this that causeth thy marvelings” (Alma 18:16).

He asked if this was why he was uncertain how he should deal with him. He told him he was a man and his servant. Whatever he desired, which is right, he would do.

He once again was amazed that Ammon knew his thoughts. The king asked Ammon who he was. He wanted to know if he was the Great Spirit which knows all things.

Ammon responded he was not.

Then, the king asked, how did you know the thoughts of my heart? He told him to “speak boldly.” He wanted by what power he killed and cut off the arms of those who scattered his flocks. If he told him, whatever Ammon desired would be given to him. He would guard him with his armies, but, he knows he is more powerful than his army. Even so, whatever he desired would be given him.

Mormon tells us Ammon was wise, but harmless. He asked Lamoni if he would listen to his words if he told him by what power he did these things. This is what he desired from the king.

Lamoni answered, he would believe his words. He was sincere in his desire to know these things.

Ammon began to question Lamoni.

Do you believe there is a God? Lamoni did not what he meant. He changed his question, asking him if he believed in a Great Spirit? Lamoni responded he did. Ammon explained the Great Spirit is God.

He rephrased his question. Does he believe the Great Spirit, who is God, created all things in heaven and earth? Lamoni said he believed he created all things on earth, but he does know the heavens.

The heavens, Ammon explained, is where God and His angels dwell. Is it above earth, Lamoni asked. Ammon said he does. He looks upon all the children of men. He knows their thoughts and the intents of their heart.

“One day each of us will stand before the Lord in judgment. We will each have a personal interview with Jesus Christ. We will account for decisions that we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes, and how we honored God’s pattern for marriage and family.”[2]

Lamoni tells Ammon he believes his words. He wanted to know if Ammon was sent from God.

Ammon said he was a man, created in God’s image. He has been called by the Holy Spirit to teach to the Lamanites. He is doing this because he wants them to “be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true” (Alma 18:34). A portion of the Holy Spirit dwells in him. This gives him knowledge and power according to his faith and desires in God.

“[T]he passage known by contemporary Latter-day Saints as ‘Moroni’s challenge’ begins with the injunction that those who are interested in receiving a witness of the truthfulness of the Nephite record must first ‘remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts’ (Moroni 10:3, see vv. 4–5). Consistent with this pattern, the sons of Mosiah rehearse to the Lamanites ‘the records and the holy scriptures of the people’ from the beginning of time (Alma 18:35–39; 22:12– 14) as an essential first step in their spiritual conversion (18:35–39; 22:12–14).”[3]

Ammon then began to teach the king, beginning with the creation and the fall. He shared with him records and scriptures.

Mormon notes Ammon was not only teaching the king, but he was also teaching his servants.

Ammon taught them about Lehi’s family and their journey in the wilderness. He detailed their sufferings and travail during this journey. He explained how Laman, Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael rebelled against Lehi and Nephi.

Having rehearsed the journeys of Lehi, he began to teach the king’s court the plan of redemption. He taught “them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them” (Alma 18:39).

Hearing these things, king Lamoni believed Ammon’s words. He began to pray, asking the Lord to

“have mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people” (Alma 18:41).

When he said these things, he collapsed, falling to the ground.

Lamoni’s servants carried him to his wife and placed him on a bed. He laid there for two days and two nights, appearing to be dead. His wife and children mourned him and his loss.

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[1] “To Show unto the Remnant of the House of Israel” – Narrators and Narratives, Maxwell Institute website.

[2] Decisions for Eternity, President Russell M. Nelson, October 2013 General Conference.

[3] The Death of Laban: A Literary Interpretation, Steven L. Olsen, FARMS Review 21/1 (2009): 194, footnote 33.