Alma 43:1-8

(Note:  Alma 36-42 consist of Alma(2)’s letter to his three sons.  I have discussed them in earlier posts.  We pick up  our story where we left off.)

Chapter 43

Alma and his sons preach the word—The Zoramites and other Nephite dissenters become Lamanites—The Lamanites come against the Nephites in war—Moroni arms the Nephites with defensive armor—The Lord reveals to Alma the strategy of the Lamanites—The Nephites defend their homes, liberties, families, and religion—The armies of Moroni and Lehi surround the Lamanites. About 74 B.C.

1  AND now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them.  And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth.

2  Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except that they preached the word, and the truth, according to the spirit of prophecy and revelation; and they preached after the holy order of God by which they were called.

3  And now I return to an account of the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites, in the eighteenth year [About 74 B.C.] of the reign of the judges.

Alma 43:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

Mormon tells us that Alma(2) and his sons continued to go forth and preach to the people.  He explains that they preached according to the spirit of prophecy and revelations.

But he tells us that he will no longer write about their preaching. He is going write about wars instead of things of a spiritual nature.

Steven Olsen discusses this change.

“Although [Mormon] had known of and alluded to extensive armed conflict in his earlier abridgment of the Nephite records (e.g., Mosiah 10; 20; Alma 2; 15), to this point in his narrative he had chosen not to detail even one battle. In further contrast, Mormon had just completed a detailed account of the remarkable spiritual conversions and relatively successful ministries of Alma the Elder, Alma the Younger, and the sons of Mosiah among both the Nephites and Lamanites (see Mosiah 17—Alma 35). He had also included the verbatim account of the final spiritual counsel of Alma the Younger to his sons Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton (see Alma 36—42).

“After focusing on patently spiritual matters for over 100 pages of text, Mormon makes an abrupt shift in his narrative. He acknowledges that Alma and his sons continued their missions but then explicitly states, ‘Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching; (Alma 43:2). This shift in focus was not required by a lack of ecclesiastical data; throughout the war narrative, Mormon intermittently refers to their ongoing ministries (e.g., Alma 45:22—23; 46:6, 38; 50:23—25; 62:44—51). Yet instead of focusing on ecclesiology, theology, conversions, and spiritual epiphanies, Mormon chooses at this point to focus his account of the next century of Nephite history almost exclusively on military conflicts between Lamanites and Nephites, fractious internal Nephite politics, social disintegration, and natural catastrophes (Alma 43—3 Nephi 9). The preaching of Samuel the Lamanite is a notable exception (Helaman 13—15).” [1] (Emphasis mine)

4  For behold, it came to pass that the Zoramites became Lamanites; therefore, in the commencement of the eighteenth year the people of the Nephites saw that the Lamanites were coming upon them; therefore they made preparations for war; yea, they gathered together their armies in the land of Jershon.

5  And it came to pass that the Lamanites came with their thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was their leader.

6  And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves, therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites.

7  Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the accomplishment of his designs.

8  For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage.

Alma 43:4-8 (Emphasis mine)

War begins.  The Zoramites affiliate with the Lamanites.  Thousands of Lamanites arrived in the land of the Zoramites.  The leader, Zerahemnah, appointed captains over the Lamanites.  All these captains were Amalekites and Zoramites.  It seems they were much more bloodthirsty than the Lamanites.  He wanted to make sure he had leaders who would be as violent as he wanted them to be.  He ultimate goal was to bring the Nephites into bondage so he could develop his own power.

Hugh Nibley observes:

“The Zoramites now severed all connection with the Nephites and considered themselves as being officially Lamanite (Alma 43:4). They invited the Lamanite hordes to move in and occupy their country as the first major move against the Nephites (Alma 43:5). At their head came the Lamanite commander-in-chief, the Amalekite Zerahemnah. The Amalekites were Nephite dissenters of an earlier day, and like most dissenters were more bitter against the Nephites and ‘of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were’ (Alma 43:6). Zerahemnah had seen to it that all the key commands in the army had gone to Amalekites like himself or to equally ferocious Zoramites (Alma 43:6). So we see the Nephites being punished for their own wickedness in more ways than one; in fact the Lamanites appear at times as no more than the simpleminded tools of Nephite or ex-Nephite wickedness. Certainly Zerahemnah was using them as his cat's paw, ‘or behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power’ (Alma 43:8).” [2] (Emphasis mine)

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[1] Prophecy and History: Structuring the Abridgment of the Nephite Records, Steven L. Olsen, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 12, 2011.

[2] A Rigorous Test: Military History, Hugh Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed December 12, 2011.

Alma 20::28-30; Alma 21:1-3

28  And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their journey towards the land of Middoni.  And Lamoni found favor in the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon were brought forth out of prison.

29  And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful, for behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly because of being bound with strong cords.  And they also had suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings.

30  And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the hands of a more hardened and a more stiffnecked people; therefore they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived in the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast into prison, and bound with strong cords, and kept in prison for many days, and were delivered by Lamoni and Ammon.

Alma 20:28-30 (Emphasis mine)

Lamoni and Ammon left to win the release of Ammon’s brethren from prison.  Interestingly, even though Lamoni’s father had agreed to their release, Lamoni still had to convince the king of the land to release them.  Lamoni was able to use his friendship to gain their freedom.

When the prisoners were freed, it was obvious they had been abused in prison.  They had been kept naked; they were provided little food and water.  They had suffered “all kinds of affliction.”  (verse 29).  They were in bad shape.

Yet, they had endured this abuse.  They were patient, knowing they would be freed.  These were men of great faith.

Writing about this, Hugh Nibley said, “If [the king] and Lamoni hadn't got along they never would have got out; [Lamoni] had influence. But they were really in a terrible condition when they came out because they had had a rough time.” [1] (Emphasis mine)

The people Aaron and his brethren taught were just the opposite of Lamoni and his people.  Those people rejected their teachings.  Not only did the reject their teachings, they physically persecuted them as they attempted to spread the gospel.

The challenge of a stiffnecked people has been an issue throughout the scriptures. 

6  So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

7  And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

8  Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

2 Chronicles 30:6-8 (Emphasis mine)

4  I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

5  Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

Psalms 75:4-5 (Emphasis mine)

3  And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

4  For they are impudent children and stiffhearted.  I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

5  And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

Ezekiel 2:3-5 (Emphasis mine)

51  ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?  and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

53  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Acts 7:51-53 (Emphasis mine)

Our story now shifts to the experiences of Aaron and his brethren.

An account of the preaching of Aaron, and Muloki, and their brethren, to the Lamanites.

Comprising chapters 21 to 26 inclusive.

Chapter 21

Aaron teaches the Amalekites about Christ and his atonement—Aaron and his brethren are imprisoned in Middoni—After their deliverance they teach in the synagogues and make many converts—Lamoni grants religious freedom to the people in the land of Ishmael. About 90–77 B.C.

1  NOW when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites, Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.

2  Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of Amulon had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.

3  Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened, but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder; therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their abominations.

Alma 21:1-3 (Emphasis mine)

Aaron and company went to the land of Jerusalem.  There, along with the Lamanites were the Amalekites and the people of Amulon.

Who are the Amalekites?  They are not mentioned as a people until verse 2. 

 “Another group of Nephite dissenters, the Amalekites, lived in the land of Nephi (Alma 21:2—3; 43:13). Their origin is never explained. However, based on the names and dates, it is possible that they constituted the Amlicite remnant previously mentioned … Many of them, like the Amlicites, belonged to the religious order of Nehor and built sanctuaries or synagogues where they worshipped (Alma 21:4, 6).” [2] (Emphasis mine)

We’ll take a quick look at the Amlicites.

“One of the earliest groups of Nephite dissenters was the Amlicites. Ambitious Amlici, a disciple of Nehor, likely claiming noble birth (Alma 51:8), gathered a large body of followers and challenged the innovative Nephite system of rule by judges instituted by Mosiah₂; Amlici wished to be king. When his aim was defeated by "the voice of the people," he plotted an attack coordinated with the Lamanites that nearly succeeded in capturing Zarahemla, the Nephite capital. Loyal forces under Alma(2) finally succeeded in destroying or scattering the enemy (Alma 2:1—31). Amlici was slain, but the fate of his forces is unclear. Likely, elements of them went with the defeated Lamanite army to the land of Nephi. The name Amlicite is not used thereafter.”  [3] (Emphasis mine)

The people of Amulon are descendents of Amulon, an evil priest of King Noah.

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[1] Lecture 52: Alma 19-22, Hugh W. Nibley, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 14, 2011.

[2] Peoples of the Book of Mormon, John L. Sorenson, Maxwell Institute, accessed September 14, 2011.

[3] Ibid.