Alma 28:1-14

Chapter 28

The Lamanites are defeated in a tremendous battle—Tens of thousands are slain—The wicked are consigned to a state of endless woe; the righteous attain a never-ending happiness. About 77–76 B.C.

1 And now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon were established in the land of Jershon, and a church also established in the land of Jershon, and the armies of the Nephites were set round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round about the land of Zarahemla; behold the armies of the Lamanites had followed their brethren into the wilderness.

2 And thus there was a tremendous battle; yea, even such an one as never had been known among all the people in the land from the time Lehi left Jerusalem; yea, and tens of thousands of the Lamanites were slain and scattered abroad.

3 Yea, and also there was a tremendous slaughter among the people of Nephi; nevertheless, the Lamanites were driven and scattered, and the people of Nephi returned again to their land.

4 And now this was a time that there was a great mourning and lamentation heard throughout all the land, among all the people of Nephi—

5 Yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of mourning was heard among all of them, mourning for their kindred who had been slain.

6 And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer.

7 And thus endeth the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi;

8 And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land, their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible joy, and the reception and safety of the brethren in the land of Jershon. And now may the Lord, the Redeemer of all men, bless their souls forever.

9 And this is the account of the wars and contentions among the Nephites, and also the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites; and the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges is ended.

10 And from the first year to the fifteenth has brought to pass the destruction of many thousand lives; yea, it has brought to pass an awful scene of bloodshed.

11 And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth, while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to a state of endless wo.

12 While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness.

13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.

14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life. (Alma 28:1-14)

The Ammonites have settled in the land of Jershon. There, they established a church. Nephite armies were sent to the area to protect them; however, Lamanite armies had followed the Ammonites.

The battle which broke out was the worst since Lehi’s party arrived in the new world. Tens of thousands Lamanites were either killed or scattered.

The Nephites also experienced great losses. In the end, they successful drove and scattered the Lamanites. The army, having completed its task, returned to their land.

There was mourning throughout the land because of the number of Nephite dead. Wives mourned their husbands; fathers mourned their sons; daughters mourned their brothers. The mourning was heard throughout all the land because of the large number of deaths among the Nephite warriors.

The account [IE the account covered in Alma 17–28] of the missionary service of Ammon and his brethren end here. They suffered afflictions. They experience joy because the Nephites agreed to defend the Ammonites.

The battle came at the end of the fourteenth year of the reign of judges.

The reign of the judges entered their fifteenth year [IE the account covered in Alma 1-28]. During that time, many thousand died. During that time, thousands had died.

Many had been buried, but thousands of bodies were heaped together. “Nevertheless, after many days their dead bodies were heaped up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a shallow covering. And now so great was the scent thereof that the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for many years. And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands remained desolate” (Alma 16:11).

Thousands mourned the loss of family and friends. “[T]hey have reason to fear, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to a state of endless wo” (Alma 28:11). “Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die, and more especially for those that have not hope of a glorious resurrection” (D&C 42:45).

Many thousands also mourn the loss of their friends and loved ones; however, they rejoice knowing they were righteous people and “are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness” (Alma 28:12).

There is inequality because of sin, transgression, and the power of devil. “Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, [the Jews] had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it” (1 Nephi 17:35).

He has developed many plans to enslave the hearts of men. “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish” (2 Nephi 9:28)

Men are called to labor in the Lord’s vineyards. Because of choices made, there are reasons for both sorrow and rejoicing. Sorrow becomes because of death and destruction. Joy comes through the light of Christ.