Alma 46:28-29 (Emphasis mine)
Moroni(1) recruited from all parts of the land “where there
were dissensions.” He was able to get an
army of people “who were desirous to maintain their liberty.” He put together an army who were ready to
fight for their freedom.
Amalickiah realized that Moroni(1)’s army was more numerous
and stronger than his. He realized his
own people had doubts. Mormon tells us “his
people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause in which they had
undertaken.” “This effort by Moroni
succeeded in thwarting Amalickiah's attempt to usurp control of the Nephite
government. Amalickiah then decided to lead his dissenters to join the
Lamanites,”[1]
Hugh Nibley sums up where things stand.
“Amalickiah wasn't able to pull it off among his own people.
In Alma 46:29 it tells us that his own people were doubtful concerning the
justice of his cause. He was a very, very smooth man, a skillful
talker, it says. But still they knew he wasn't honest. Boy, you are
going to see some tricks now. Some fled with him to the land of Nephi among the
Lamanites and they started stirring up the Lamanites to anger by spreading
dirty stories and rumors.”[2]
(Emphasis mine)
30 Now Moroni thought it was not expedient that the
Lamanites should have any more strength; therefore he thought to cut off the people
of Amalickiah, or to take them and bring them back, and put Amalickiah to
death; yea, for he knew that he would stir up the Lamanites to anger
against them, and cause them to come to battle against them; and this he knew
that Amalickiah would do that he might obtain his purposes. 31 Therefore Moroni
thought it was expedient that he should take his armies, who had gathered themselves
together, and armed themselves, and entered into a covenant to keep the peace—and
it came to pass that he took his army and marched out with his tents into the
wilderness, to cut off the course of Amalickiah in the wilderness. 32
And it came to pass that he did according to his desires, and marched forth
into the wilderness, and headed the armies of Amalickiah.
Alma 46:30-32 (Emphasis mine)
Moroni(1) was concerned about an alliance between Amalickiah
and the Lamanites. Moroni had faced the
Lamanites once before. He knew “the
Lamanites were more numerous, yea, by more than double the number of the
Nephites;” (Alma 43:51). He wanted to
cut them off and prevent them from making this alliance. His desire was to bring the fleeing people back
and “put Amalickiah to death.”
He organized his armies, gathered them together, and armed
them. They “entered into a covenant to
keep the peace.” He did not want
war. Lynn Wardle explains “the righteous
only resort to slaying dissenters when the dissenters had undertaken to do
something that immediately and seriously threatened the lives and liberties of
the righteous innocent who would not agree with the dissenters. Thus, Moroni
did not use military force against Amalickiah until Amalickiah had departed
with his followers for the land of Nephi, where he intended to (and later did)
strengthen the armies of the Lamanites and stir them up to attack the Nephites
(Alma 46:30–31).”[3]
33 And it came to pass that Amalickiah fled with a small
number of his men, and the remainder were delivered up into the hands of Moroni
and were taken back into the land of Zarahemla.
34 Now, Moroni being a man who was appointed by the
chief judges and the voice of the people, therefore he had power according to his
will with the armies of the Nephites, to establish and to exercise authority
over them. 35 And it came
to pass that whomsoever of the Amalickiahites that would not enter into a
covenant to support the cause of freedom, that they might maintain a free government,
he caused to be put to death; and there were but few who denied the covenant of
freedom.
36 And it came to pass also, that he caused the title of
liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which was
possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the standard of
liberty among the Nephites. 37
And they began to have peace again in the land; and thus they did
maintain peace in the land until nearly the end of the nineteenth year of the
reign of the judges [72 B.C.].
Alma 46:33-37 (Emphasis mine)
When the armies met, a few men, including Amalickiah were
able to escape. The rest were taken back
to Zarahemla to answer for their actions.
Moroni(1) was given the authority to deal with the dissenters. This came from the chief judges and the voice
of the people.
John Welch explains the legal matters the Nephites were
facing.
“Captain Moroni exercised legal authority over the
dissenters who had taken up arms and left with Amalickiah to join the Lamanites
but who were soon captured (see Alma 46:29-35). Though no trials were held for
these king-men dissenters, Moroni was not usurping legal authority in acting as
he did. The record is careful to state that the chief judges and the voice of
the people had expressly given Moroni plenary power ‘to exercise authority over
[the armies of the Nephites]’ (Alma 46:34). The dissenting soldiers
were clearly guilty of disloyalty or treason against the state. The chief
captain's handling of the matter was expedient, simple, fair, and within his
jurisdiction. He gave the rebel soldiers the choice of either entering ‘into a
covenant to support the cause of freedom’ or of being put to death (Alma
46:35).”[4] (Emphasis mine)
Moroni(1) had the Title of Liberty on “every tower which was
in all the land.” The year ended with “peace
again in the land.”
[1] Dissent:
Perspectives from the Book of Mormon, Lynn D. Wardle, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed March 30, 2012.
[2] Lecture
64: Alma 47, Hugh W. Nibley, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute,
accessed March 30, 2012.
[3] Dissent:
Perspectives from the Book of Mormon, Lynn D. Wardle, Provo, Utah:
Maxwell Institute, accessed March 30, 2012.
[4] Law
and War in the Book of Mormon, John W. Welch, Provo, Utah: Maxwell
Institute, accessed March 30, 2012.
