Читать книгу The Collected Works - Joseph Smith Jr. - Страница 17
ОглавлениеAlma 33:16
16 For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this
people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou
hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.
Alma 33:17
17 And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has
testified of the Son of God, and because the people would not
understand his words they stoned him to death.
Alma 33:18
18 But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who
have spoken concerning the Son of God.
Alma 33:19
19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was
raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it
might live. And many did look and live.
Alma 33:20
20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this
because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who
were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they
perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did
not believe that it would heal them.
Alma 33:21
21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about
your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly,
or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be
slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might
perish?
Alma 33:22
22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about
your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will
come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to
atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead,
which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall
stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day,
according to their works.
Alma 33:23
23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word
in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it
by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up
in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you
that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And
even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.
Alma 34 Chapter 34
Alma 34:1
1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words
unto them he sat down upon the ground, and Amulek arose and began
to teach them, saying:
Alma 34:2
2 My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be
ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the
coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea,
I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before
your dissension from among us.
Alma 34:3
3 And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should
make known unto you what ye should do, because of your
afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your
minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience—
Alma 34:4
4 Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant
the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its
goodness.
Alma 34:5
5 And we have beheld that the great question which is in your
minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there
shall be no Christ.
Alma 34:6
6 And ye also beheld that my brother has proved unto you, in
many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation.
Alma 34:7
7 My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption
cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock;
and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things
are true.
Alma 34:8
8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these
things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that
Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the
transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the
sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.
Alma 34:9
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for
according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an
atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea,
all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must
perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient
should be made.
Alma 34:10
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last
sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither
of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but
it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
Alma 34:11
11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood
which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man
murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of
his brother? I say unto you, Nay.
Alma 34:12
12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered;
therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite
atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.
Alma 34:13
13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and
last sacrifice; and then shall there be, or it is expedient there
should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of
Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and
tittle, and none shall have passed away.
Alma 34:14
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit
pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and
last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.
Alma 34:15
15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall
believe on his name; this being the intent of this last
sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth
justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have
faith unto repentance.
Alma 34:16
16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and
encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no
faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands
of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto
repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of
redemption.
Alma 34:17
17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may
begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to
call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;
Alma 34:18
18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.
Alma 34:19
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
Alma 34:20
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your
flocks.
Alma 34:21
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household,
both morning, mid-day, and evening.
Alma 34:22
22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
Alma 34:23
23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all
righteousness.
Alma 34:24
24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may
prosper in them.
Alma 34:25
25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
Alma 34:26
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your
closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
Alma 34:27
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts
be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your
welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
Alma 34:28
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not
suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these
things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not
the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have,
to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of
these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you
nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
Alma 34:29
29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as
dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and
is trodden under foot of men.
Alma 34:30
30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so
many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these
things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.
Alma 34:31
31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your
hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of
your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not
your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be
brought about unto you.
Alma 34:32
32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet
God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to
perform their labors.
Alma 34:33
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many
witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not
procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after
this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity,
behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then
cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor
performed.
Alma 34:34
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that
I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say
this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the
time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have
power to possess your body in that eternal world.
Alma 34:35
35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your
repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to
the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the
Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in
you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final
state of the wicked.
Alma 34:36
36 And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not
in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he
dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit
down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should
be made white through the blood of the Lamb.
Alma 34:37
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should
remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation
with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming
of Christ;
Alma 34:38
38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye
receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble
yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place
ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in
thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he
doth bestow upon you.
Alma 34:39
39 Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful
unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the
temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye
may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he
rewardeth you no good thing.
Alma 34:40
40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have
patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that
ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of
your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;
Alma 34:41
41 But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions,
with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your
afflictions.
Alma 35 Chapter 35
Alma 35:1
1 Now it came to pass that after Amulek had made an end of these
words, they withdrew themselves from the multitude and came over
into the land of Jershon.
Alma 35:2
2 Yea, and the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the
word unto the Zoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon.
Alma 35:3
3 And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the
Zoramites had consulted together concerning the words which had
been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for
it did destroy their craft; therefore they would not hearken unto
the words.
Alma 35:4
4 And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land
all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words
which had been spoken.
Alma 35:5
5 Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not
let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they
found out privily the minds of all the people.
Alma 35:6
6 And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of
all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had
been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land;
and they were many; and they came over also into the land of
Jershon.
Alma 35:7
7 And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister
unto them.
Alma 35:8
8 Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of
Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites,
being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon
desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those
who came over from them into their land.
Alma 35:9
9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now
the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did
not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the
Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them,
and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their
inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their
wants.
Alma 35:10
10 Now this did stir up the Zoramites to anger against the
people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites and to
stir them up also to anger against them.
Alma 35:11
11 And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make
preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also
against the Nephites.
Alma 35:12
12 And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 35:13
13 And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon,
and came over into the land of Melek, and gave place in the land
of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might
contend with the armies of the Lamanites and the armies of the
Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the
Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges; and
an account shall be given of their wars hereafter.
Alma 35:14
14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the two
sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been
instruments in the hands of God of bringing many of the Zoramites
to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were
driven out of their land; but they have lands for their
inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms
to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their
lands.
Alma 35:15
15 Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea
for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were
among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to
declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing
that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they
began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his
heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
Alma 35:16
16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered
together, that he might give unto them every one his charge,
separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness.
And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto
them according to his own record.
Alma 36 Chapter 36
Alma 36:1
1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that
inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall
prosper in the land.
Alma 36:2
2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the
captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none
could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in
their afflictions.
Alma 36:3
3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and
therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and
learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust
in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles,
and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
Alma 36:4
4 And I would not that ye think that I know of myself—not of
the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of
God.
Alma 36:5
5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I
should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of
his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any
worthiness of myself.
Alma 36:6
6 For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy
the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us
by the way.
Alma 36:7
7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder,
and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell
to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.
Alma 36:8
8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise. And I arose and
stood up, and beheld the angel.
Alma 36:9
9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed,
seek no more to destroy the church of God.
Alma 36:10
10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for
the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my
mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.
Alma 36:11
11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by
my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the
words—If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to
destroy the church of God—I was struck with such great fear and
amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the
earth and I did hear no more.
Alma 36:12
12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was
harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.
Alma 36:13
13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I
was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had
rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy
commandments.
Alma 36:14
14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led
them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my
iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of
my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.
Alma 36:15
15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct
both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the
presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.
Alma 36:16
16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked,
even with the pains of a damned soul.
Alma 36:17
17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment,
while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I
remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people
concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone
for the sins of the world.
Alma 36:18
18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within
my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in
the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting
chains of death.
Alma 36:19
19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my
pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no
more.
Alma 36:20
20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea,
my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!
Alma 36:21
21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so
exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say
unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so
exquisite and sweet as was my joy.
Alma 36:22
22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God
sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of
angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea,
and my soul did long to be there.
Alma 36:23
23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I
stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had
been born of God.
Alma 36:24
24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored
without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I
might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did
taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with
the Holy Ghost.
Alma 36:25
25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me
exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;
Alma 36:26
26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me,
behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have
tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they
do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and
the knowledge which I have is of God.
Alma 36:27
27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every
kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has
delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea,
and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.
Alma 36:28
28 And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell
with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has
brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the
Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the
promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and
captivity from time to time.
Alma 36:29
29 Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of
Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered
them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to
the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their
captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I
have done, their captivity.
Alma 36:30
30 But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as
I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God
ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that
inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be
cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word.
Alma 37 Chapter 37
Alma 37:1
1 And now, my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the
records which have been entrusted with me;
Alma 37:2
2 And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people,
according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all
these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them;
for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept.
Alma 37:3
3 And these plates of brass, which contain these engravings,
which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which
have the genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning—
Alma 37:4
4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they
should be kept and handed down from one generation to another,
and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they
should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,
that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.
Alma 37:5
5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their
brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and
also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy
writ.
Alma 37:6
6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold
I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things
brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound
the wise.
Alma 37:7
7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great
and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth
confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.
Alma 37:8
8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things
should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of
this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways,
and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation
of their souls.
Alma 37:9
9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these
records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his
brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the
Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these
records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is,
they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to
rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.
Alma 37:10
10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing
many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our
stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their
hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?
Alma 37:11
11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me;
therefore I shall forbear.
Alma 37:12
12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a
wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth
counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight,
and his course is one eternal round.
Alma 37:13
13 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the
commandments of God. And he said: If ye will keep my
commandments ye shall prosper in the land—but if ye keep not his
commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.
Alma 37:14
14 And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with
these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and
also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him,
that he may show forth his power unto future generations.
Alma 37:15
15 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if
ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which
are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and
ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as
chaff before the wind.
Alma 37:16
16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these
things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth
command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things
whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or
hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the
fulfilling of all his words.
Alma 37:17
17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto
you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our
fathers.
Alma 37:18
18 For he promised unto them that he would preserve these things
for a wise purpose in him, that he might show forth his power
unto future generations.
Alma 37:19
19 And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the
restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge
of the truth; and he hath shown forth his power in them, and he
will also still show forth his power in them unto future
generations; therefore they shall be preserved.
Alma 37:20
20 Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent
in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping
the commandments of God as they are written.
Alma 37:21
21 And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four
plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of
darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those
people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this
people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their
plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be
made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these
interpreters.
Alma 37:22
22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in
darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore
the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed
from off the face of the earth.
Alma 37:23
23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a
stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may
discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto
them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their
works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.
Alma 37:24
24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the
word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:
Alma 37:25
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their
secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I
will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will
bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every
nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
Alma 37:26
26 And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore
they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been
fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out
of darkness and made known unto us.
Alma 37:27
27 And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their
oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret
abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall
keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure
they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed.
Alma 37:28
28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that
destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness,
according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe;
therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.
Alma 37:29
29 Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and
their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness and
their murders and their abominations shall ye make known unto
them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and
abominations and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these
people were destroyed on account of their wickedness and
abominations and their murders.
Alma 37:30
30 For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Lord who
came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities;
and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Lord
their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and
thus the judgments of God did come upon these workers of darkness
and secret combinations.
Alma 37:31
31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those
workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto
destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.
Alma 37:32
32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto
you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach
them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.
Alma 37:33
33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus
Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly
in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil,
with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alma 37:34
34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek
and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.
Alma 37:35
35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea,
learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.
Alma 37:36
36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy
doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be
in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord;
yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord
forever.
Alma 37:37
37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct
thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto
the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou
risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God;
and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
Alma 37:38
38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing
which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called
it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord
prepared it.
Alma 37:39
39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so
curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto
our fathers the course which they should travel in the
wilderness.
Alma 37:40
40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God;
therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that
those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it
was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other
miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.
Alma 37:41
41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small
means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful,
and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those
marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their
journey;
Alma 37:42
42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel
a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst,
because of their transgressions.
Alma 37:43
43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these
things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful
to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal)
they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are
spiritual.
Alma 37:44
44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ,
which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it
was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would
point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
Alma 37:45
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just
as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following
its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if
we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into
a far better land of promise.
Alma 37:46
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness
of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it
prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even
so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we
may live forever.
Alma 37:47
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred
things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this
people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.
Alma 38 Chapter 38
Alma 38:1
1 My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I
said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the
commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as
ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from
his presence.
Alma 38:2
2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you,
because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as
you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God,
even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his
commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.
Alma 38:3
3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee
already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy
patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the
Zoramites.
Alma 38:4
4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that
thou wast stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all
these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and
now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.
Alma 38:5
5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that
as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall
be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your
afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
Alma 38:6
6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know
these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in
me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been
born of God I should not have known these things.
Alma 38:7
7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to
declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among
his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he
spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the
whole earth.
Alma 38:8
8 And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in
the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did
cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a
remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him and I did
find peace to my soul.
Alma 38:9
9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn
wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or
means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ.
Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is
the word of truth and righteousness.
Alma 38:10
10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would
that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be
diligent and temperate in all things.
Alma 38:11
11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do
not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.
Alma 38:12
12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye
bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see
that ye refrain from idleness.
Alma 38:13
13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they
pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.
Alma 38:14
14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our
brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and
remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness
before God at all times.
Alma 38:15
15 And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive you at the last
day into his kingdom, to sit down in peace. Now go, my son, and
teach the word unto this people. Be sober. My son, farewell.
Alma 39 Chapter 39
Alma 39:1
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than
what I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed
the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his
diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not
set a good example for thee?
Alma 39:2
2 For thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy
brother, among the people of the Zoramites. Now this is what I
have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength
and thy wisdom.
Alma 39:3
3 And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was
grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go
over into the land of Siron, among the borders of the Lamanites,
after the harlot Isabel.
Alma 39:4
4 Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no
excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the
ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.
Alma 39:5
5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in
the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save
it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?
Alma 39:6
6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had
place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin
which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the
light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain
forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for
him to obtain a forgiveness.
Alma 39:7
7 And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of
so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow
up your soul, if it were not for your good.
Alma 39:8
8 But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye
repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last
day.
Alma 39:9
9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your
sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross
yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in
nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it
upon you, and cross yourself in these things.
Alma 39:10
10 And I command you to take it upon you to counsel with your
elder brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy
youth, and ye stand in need to be nourished by your brothers.
And give heed to their counsel.
Alma 39:11
11 Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish
thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after
those wicked harlots. Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye
brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they
would not believe in my words.
Alma 39:12
12 And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy
children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many
people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the
fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities;
Alma 39:13
13 That ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and
strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly;
but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and that
wrong which ye have done.
Alma 39:14
14 Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for
behold, you cannot carry them with you.
Alma 39:15
15 And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the
coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that
surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he
cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people.
Alma 39:16
16 And now, my son, this was the ministry unto which ye were
called, to declare these glad tidings unto this people to prepare
their minds; or rather that salvation might come unto them, that
they may prepare the minds of their children to hear the word at
the time of his coming.
Alma 39:17
17 And now I will ease your mind somewhat on this subject.
Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long
beforehand. Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time
as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?
Alma 39:18
18 Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be
made known unto this people as well as unto their children?
Alma 39:19
19 Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send his angel
to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children, or as
after the time of his coming?
Alma 40 Chapter 40
Alma 40:1
1 Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I
perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of
the dead.
Alma 40:2
2 Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection—or, I
would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on
immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption—until
after the coming of Christ.
Alma 40:3
3 Behold, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead. But
behold, my son, the resurrection is not yet. Now, I unfold unto
you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many mysteries which are
kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself. But I show unto
you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I
might know—that is concerning the resurrection.
Alma 40:4
4 Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall come forth
from the dead. Now when this time cometh no one knows; but God
knoweth the time which is appointed.
Alma 40:5
5 Now, whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a
third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it mattereth
not; for God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to
know that this is the case—that there is a time appointed that
all shall rise from the dead.
Alma 40:6
6 Now there must needs be a space betwixt the time of death and
the time of the resurrection.
Alma 40:7
7 And now I would inquire what becometh of the souls of men from
this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection?
Alma 40:8
8 Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to
rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this
mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is
measured unto men.
Alma 40:9
9 Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall
rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of
death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this space of
time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have
inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of
which I do know.
Alma 40:10
10 And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they
know that God knoweth all the times which are appointed unto man.
Alma 40:11
11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the
resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel,
that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from
this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be
good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.
Alma 40:12
12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who
are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is
called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they
shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
Alma 40:13
13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the
wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor
portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil
works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did
enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these
shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping,
and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own
iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.
Alma 40:14
14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in
darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery
indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in
this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time
of their resurrection.
Alma 40:15
15 Now, there are some that have understood that this state of
happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the
resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be
termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul and
their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words
which have been spoken.
Alma 40:16
16 And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first
resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who
are, or who shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the
dead.
Alma 40:17
17 Now, we do not suppose that this first resurrection, which is
spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls
and their consignation to happiness or misery. Ye cannot suppose
that this is what it meaneth.
Alma 40:18
18 Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but it meaneth the reuniting of
the soul with the body, of those from the days of Adam down to
the resurrection of Christ.
Alma 40:19
19 Now, whether the souls and the bodies of those of whom has
been spoken shall all be reunited at once, the wicked as well as
the righteous, I do not say; let it suffice; that I say that they
all come forth; or in other words, their resurrection cometh to
pass before the resurrection of those who die after the
resurrection of Christ.
Alma 40:20
20 Now, my son, I do not say that their resurrection cometh at
the resurrection of Christ; but behold, I give it as my opinion,
that the souls and the bodies are reunited, of the righteous, at
the resurrection of Christ, and his ascension into heaven.
Alma 40:21
21 But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say;
but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the
resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or
in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead
shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be
brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their
works.
Alma 40:22
22 Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of
which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.
Alma 40:23
23 The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the
soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its
body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all
things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.
Alma 40:24
24 And now, my son, this is the restoration of which has been
spoken by the mouths of the prophets—
Alma 40:25
25 And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of
God.
Alma 40:26
26 But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they
die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they
are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God;
but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of
their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink
the dregs of a bitter cup.
Alma 41 Chapter 41
Alma 41:1
1 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the
restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have
wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray because of this
thing. And I perceive that thy mind has been worried also
concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto thee.
Alma 41:2
2 I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is
requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all
things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is
requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of
Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and
that every part of the body should be restored to itself.
Alma 41:3
3 And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be
judged according to their works; and if their works were good in
this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they
should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is
good.
Alma 41:4
4 And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them
for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their
proper order, every thing to its natural frame—mortality raised
to immortality, corruption to incorruption—raised to endless
happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to
inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other
on the other—
Alma 41:5
5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of
happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the
other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has
desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his
reward of evil when the night cometh.
Alma 41:6
6 And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his
sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even
so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.
Alma 41:7
7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are
they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless
night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they
are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.
Alma 41:8
8 Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is
prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.
Alma 41:9
9 And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against
your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto
risked to commit sin.
Alma 41:10
10 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning
restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness.
Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
Alma 41:11
11 And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I
would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and
in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and
they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are
in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.
Alma 41:12
12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to
take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural
state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?
Alma 41:13
13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word
restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for
carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good;
righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is
just; merciful for that which is merciful.
Alma 41:14
14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your
brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good
continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive
your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye
shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a
righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have
good rewarded unto you again.
Alma 41:15
15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again,
and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully
condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.
Alma 42 Chapter 42
Alma 42:1
1 And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth
worry your mind, which ye cannot understand—which is concerning
the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try
to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be
consigned to a state of misery.
Alma 42:2
2 Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee. For
behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were
taken—yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of
the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned
every way, to keep the tree of life—
Alma 42:3
3 Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and
evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the
tree of life, and eat and live forever, the Lord God placed
cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the
fruit—
Alma 42:4
4 And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to
repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.
Alma 42:5
5 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and
partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever,
according to the word of God, having no space for repentance;
yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great
plan of salvation would have been frustrated.
Alma 42:6
6 But behold, it was appointed unto man to die—therefore, as
they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off
from the face of the earth—and man became lost forever, yea,
they became fallen man.
Alma 42:7
7 And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off
both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord;
and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own
will.
Alma 42:8
8 Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed
from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan
of happiness.
Alma 42:9
9 Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had
brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal,
that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was
expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual
death.
Alma 42:10
10 Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish,
by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to
prepare; it became a preparatory state.
Alma 42:11
11 And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of
redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their
souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the
Lord.
Alma 42:12
12 And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen
state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own
disobedience;
Alma 42:13
13 Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could
not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in
this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except
it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except
it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice
could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:14
14 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were
in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned
them forever to be cut off from his presence.
Alma 42:15
15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except
an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for
the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to
appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just
God, and a merciful God also.
Alma 42:16
16 Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a
punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should
be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as
eternal also as the life of the soul.
Alma 42:17
17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could
he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there
was a punishment?
Alma 42:18
18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given,
which brought remorse of conscience unto man.
Alma 42:19
19 Now, if there was no law given—if a man murdered he should
die—would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?
Alma 42:20
20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not
be afraid to sin.
Alma 42:21
21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could
justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon
the creature?
Alma 42:22
22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a
repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise,
justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law
inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would
be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:23
23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the
penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the
atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the
resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of
God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged
according to their works, according to the law and justice.
Alma 42:24
24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also
mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly
penitent are saved.
Alma 42:25
25 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto
you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:26
26 And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes,
which were prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus
cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also
their destruction and misery.
Alma 42:27
27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake
of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the
same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be
restored unto him according to his deeds.
Alma 42:28
28 If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his
days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the
restoration of God.
Alma 42:29
29 And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things
trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with
that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.
Alma 42:30
30 O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no
more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point
because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you
let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering
have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the
dust in humility.
Alma 42:31
31 And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word
unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word
with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto
repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon
them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words.
Amen.
Alma 43 Chapter 43
Alma 43:1
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.
Alma 43:2
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.
Alma 43:3
3 And now I return to an account of the wars between the
Nephites and the Lamanites, in the eighteenth year of the reign
of the judges.
Alma 43:4
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.
Alma 43:5
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.
Alma 43:6
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.
Alma 43:7
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.
Alma 43:8
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 43:9
9 And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands,
and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they
might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also
that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea,
and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to
their desires.
Alma 43:10
10 For they knew that if they should fall into the hands of the
Lamanites, that whosoever should worship God in spirit and in
truth, the true and the living God, the Lamanites would destroy.
Alma 43:11
11 Yea, and they also knew the extreme hatred of the Lamanites
towards their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi,
who were called the people of Ammon—and they would not take up
arms, yea, they had entered into a covenant and they would not
break it—therefore, if they should fall into the hands of the
Lamanites they would be destroyed.
Alma 43:12
12 And the Nephites would not suffer that they should be
destroyed; therefore they gave them lands for their inheritance.
Alma 43:13
13 And the people of Ammon did give unto the Nephites a large
portion of their substance to support their armies; and thus the
Nephites were compelled, alone, to withstand against the
Lamanites, who were a compound of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons
of Ishmael, and all those who had dissented from the Nephites,
who were Amalekites and Zoramites, and the descendants of the
priests of Noah.
Alma 43:14
14 Now those descendants were as numerous, nearly, as were the
Nephites; and thus the Nephites were obliged to contend with
their brethren, even unto bloodshed.
Alma 43:15
15 And it came to pass as the armies of the Lamanites had
gathered together in the land of Antionum, behold, the armies of
the Nephites were prepared to meet them in the land of Jershon.
Alma 43:16
16 Now, the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been
appointed to be the chief captain over the Nephites—now the
chief captain took the command of all the armies of the
Nephites—and his name was Moroni;
Alma 43:17
17 And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their
wars. And he was only twenty and five years old when he was
appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites.
Alma 43:18
18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders
of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with
cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.
Alma 43:19
19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of
Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates
and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their
heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing—
Alma 43:20
20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such
thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows
and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were
naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins;
yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the
Amalekites;
Alma 43:21
21 But they were not armed with breastplates, nor
shields—therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of
the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number
being so much greater than the Nephites.
Alma 43:22
22 Behold, now it came to pass that they durst not come against
the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; therefore they departed
out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their
journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the
river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take
possession of the land; for they did not suppose that the armies
of Moroni would know whither they had gone.
Alma 43:23
23 But it came to pass, as soon as they had departed into the
wilderness Moroni sent spies into the wilderness to watch their
camp; and Moroni, also, knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent
certain men unto him, desiring him that he should inquire of the
Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go to defend
themselves against the Lamanites.
Alma 43:24
24 And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came unto Alma,
and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, that the armies of
the Lamanites were marching round about in the wilderness, that
they might come over into the land of Manti, that they might
commence an attack upon the weaker part of the people. And those
messengers went and delivered the message unto Moroni.
Alma 43:25
25 Now Moroni, leaving a part of his army in the land of
Jershon, lest by any means a part of the Lamanites should come
into that land and take possession of the city, took the
remaining part of his army and marched over into the land of
Manti.
Alma 43:26
26 And he caused that all the people in that quarter of the land
should gather themselves together to battle against the
Lamanites, to defend their lands and their country, their rights
and their liberties; therefore they were prepared against the
time of the coming of the Lamanites.
Alma 43:27
27 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his army should
be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of the river
Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon in the
wilderness.
Alma 43:28
28 And Moroni placed spies round about, that he might know when
the camp of the Lamanites should come.
Alma 43:29
29 And now, as Moroni knew the intention of the Lamanites, that
it was their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject
them and bring them into bondage that they might establish a
kingdom unto themselves over all the land;
Alma 43:30
30 And he also knowing that it was the only desire of the
Nephites to preserve their lands, and their liberty, and their
church, therefore he thought it no sin that he should defend them
by stratagem; therefore, he found by his spies which course the
Lamanites were to take.
Alma 43:31
31 Therefore, he divided his army and brought a part over into
the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of
the hill Riplah;
Alma 43:32
32 And the remainder he concealed in the west valley, on the
west of the river Sidon, and so down into the borders of the land
Manti.
Alma 43:33
33 And thus having placed his army according to his desire, he
was prepared to meet them.
Alma 43:34
34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites came up on the north
of the hill, where a part of the army of Moroni was concealed.
Alma 43:35
35 And as the Lamanites had passed the hill Riplah, and came
into the valley, and began to cross the river Sidon, the army
which was concealed on the south of the hill, which was led by a
man whose name was Lehi, and he led his army forth and encircled
the Lamanites about on the east in their rear.
Alma 43:36
36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, when they saw the
Nephites coming upon them in their rear, turned them about and
began to contend with the army of Lehi.
Alma 43:37
37 And the work of death commenced on both sides, but it was
more dreadful on the part of the Lamanites, for their nakedness
was exposed to the heavy blows of the Nephites with their swords
and their cimeters, which brought death almost at every stroke.
Alma 43:38
38 While on the other hand, there was now and then a man fell
among the Nephites, by their swords and the loss of blood, they
being shielded from the more vital parts of the body, or the more
vital parts of the body being shielded from the strokes of the
Lamanites, by their breastplates, and their arm-shields, and
their head-plates; and thus the Nephites did carry on the work of
death among the Lamanites.
Alma 43:39
39 And it came to pass that the Lamanites became frightened,
because of the great destruction among them, even until they
began to flee towards the river Sidon.
Alma 43:40
40 And they were pursued by Lehi and his men; and they were
driven by Lehi into the waters of Sidon, and they crossed the
waters of Sidon. And Lehi retained his armies upon the bank of
the river Sidon that they should not cross.
Alma 43:41
41 And it came to pass that Moroni and his army met the
Lamanites in the valley, on the other side of the river Sidon,
and began to fall upon them and to slay them.
Alma 43:42
42 And the Lamanites did flee again before them, towards the
land of Manti; and they were met again by the armies of Moroni.
Alma 43:43
43 Now in this case the Lamanites did fight exceedingly; yea,
never had the Lamanites been known to fight with such exceedingly
great strength and courage, no, not even from the beginning.
Alma 43:44
44 And they were inspired by the Zoramites and the Amalekites,
who were their chief captains and leaders, and by Zerahemnah, who
was their chief captain, or their chief leader and commander;
yea, they did fight like dragons, and many of the Nephites were
slain by their hands, yea, for they did smite in two many of
their head-plates, and they did pierce many of their
breastplates, and they did smite off many of their arms; and thus
the Lamanites did smite in their fierce anger.
Alma 43:45
45 Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause,
for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were
fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and
their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship
and their church.
Alma 43:46
46 And they were doing that which they felt was the duty which
they owed to their God; for the Lord had said unto them, and also
unto their fathers, that: Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the
first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves
to be slain by the hands of your enemies.
Alma 43:47
47 And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your
families even unto bloodshed. Therefore for this cause were the
Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and
their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights,
and their religion.
Alma 43:48
48 And it came to pass that when the men of Moroni saw the
fierceness and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to
shrink and flee from them. And Moroni, perceiving their intent,
sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts—yea,
the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom
from bondage.
Alma 43:49
49 And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and
they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their
liberty and their freedom from bondage.
Alma 43:50
50 And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and
in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their
freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled
even to the waters of Sidon.
Alma 43:51
51 Now, the Lamanites were more numerous, yea, by more than
double the number of the Nephites; nevertheless, they were driven
insomuch that they were gathered together in one body in the
valley, upon the bank by the river Sidon.
Alma 43:52
52 Therefore the armies of Moroni encircled them about, yea,
even on both sides of the river, for behold, on the east were the
men of Lehi.
Alma 43:53
53 Therefore when Zerahemnah saw the men of Lehi on the east of
the river Sidon, and the armies of Moroni on the west of the
river Sidon, that they were encircled about by the Nephites, they
were struck with terror.
Alma 43:54
54 Now Moroni, when he saw their terror, commanded his men that
they should stop shedding their blood.
Alma 44 Chapter 44
Alma 44:1
1 And it came to pass that they did stop and withdrew a pace
from them. And Moroni said unto Zerahemnah: Behold, Zerahemnah,
that we do not desire to be men of blood. Ye know that ye are in
our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you.
Alma 44:2
2 Behold, we have not come out to battle against you that we
might shed your blood for power; neither do we desire to bring
any one to the yoke of bondage. But this is the very cause for
which ye have come against us; yea, and ye are angry with us
because of our religion.
Alma 44:3
3 But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold
that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that
ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our
religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot
destroy this our faith.
Alma 44:4
4 Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see
that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we
are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and
never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we
should fall into transgression and deny our faith.
Alma 44:5
5 And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that
all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have
gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our
rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support
which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which
binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the
maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our
happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us—
Alma 44:6
6 Yea, and this is not all; I command you by all the desires
which ye have for life, that ye deliver up your weapons of war
unto us, and we will seek not your blood, but we will spare your
lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against
us.
Alma 44:7
7 And now, if ye do not this, behold, ye are in our hands, and I
will command my men that they shall fall upon you, and inflict
the wounds of death in your bodies, that ye may become extinct;
and then we will see who shall have power over this people; yea,
we will see who shall be brought into bondage.
Alma 44:8
8 And now it came to pass that when Zerahemnah had heard these
sayings he came forth and delivered up his sword and his cimeter,
and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold,
here are our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you,
but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which
we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our
weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the
wilderness; otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will
perish or conquer.
Alma 44:9
9 Behold, we are not of your faith; we do not believe that it is
God that has delivered us into your hands; but we believe that it
is your cunning that has preserved you from our swords. Behold,
it is your breastplates and your shields that have preserved you.
Alma 44:10
10 And now when Zerahemnah had made an end of speaking these
words, Moroni returned the sword and the weapons of war, which he
had received, unto Zerahemnah, saying: Behold, we will end the
conflict.
Alma 44:11
11 Now I cannot recall the words which I have spoken, therefore
as the Lord liveth, ye shall not depart except ye depart with an
oath that ye will not return again against us to war. Now as ye
are in our hands we will spill your blood upon the ground, or ye
shall submit to the conditions which I have proposed.
Alma 44:12
12 And now when Moroni had said these words, Zerahemnah retained
his sword, and he was angry with Moroni, and he rushed forward
that he might slay Moroni; but as he raised his sword, behold,
one of Moroni's soldiers smote it even to the earth, and it broke
by the hilt; and he also smote Zerahemnah that he took off his
scalp and it fell to the earth. And Zerahemnah withdrew from
before them into the midst of his soldiers.
Alma 44:13
13 And it came to pass that the soldier who stood by, who smote
off the scalp of Zerahemnah, took up the scalp from off the
ground by the hair, and laid it upon the point of his sword, and
stretched it forth unto them, saying unto them with a loud voice:
Alma 44:14
14 Even as this scalp has fallen to the earth, which is the
scalp of your chief, so shall ye fall to the earth except ye will
deliver up your weapons of war and depart with a covenant of
peace.
Alma 44:15
15 Now there were many, when they heard these words and saw the
scalp which was upon the sword, that were struck with fear; and
many came forth and threw down their weapons of war at the feet
of Moroni, and entered into a covenant of peace. And as many as
entered into a covenant they suffered to depart into the
wilderness.
Alma 44:16
16 Now it came to pass that Zerahemnah was exceedingly wroth,
and he did stir up the remainder of his soldiers to anger, to
contend more powerfully against the Nephites.
Alma 44:17
17 And now Moroni was angry, because of the stubbornness of the
Lamanites; therefore he commanded his people that they should
fall upon them and slay them. And it came to pass that they
began to slay them; yea, and the Lamanites did contend with their
swords and their might.
Alma 44:18
18 But behold, their naked skins and their bare heads were
exposed to the sharp swords of the Nephites; yea, behold they
were pierced and smitten, yea, and did fall exceedingly fast
before the swords of the Nephites; and they began to be swept
down, even as the soldier of Moroni had prophesied.
Alma 44:19
19 Now Zerahemnah, when he saw that they were all about to be
destroyed, cried mightily unto Moroni, promising that he would
covenant and also his people with them, if they would spare the
remainder of their lives, that they never would come to war again
against them.
Alma 44:20
20 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that the work of death
should cease again among the people. And he took the weapons of
war from the Lamanites; and after they had entered into a
covenant with him of peace they were suffered to depart into the
wilderness.
Alma 44:21
21 Now the number of their dead was not numbered because of the
greatness of the number; yea, the number of their dead was
exceedingly great, both on the Nephites and on the Lamanites.
Alma 44:22
22 And it came to pass that they did cast their dead into the
waters of Sidon, and they have gone forth and are buried in the
depths of the sea.
Alma 44:23
23 And the armies of the Nephites, or of Moroni, returned and
came to their houses and their lands.
Alma 44:24
24 And thus ended the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi. And thus ended the record of Alma,
which was written upon the plates of Nephi.
Alma 45 Chapter 45
Alma 45:1
1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were
exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them
out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks
unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did fast much and pray
much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy.
Alma 45:2
2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son
Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake
unto thee concerning those records which have been kept?
Alma 45:3
3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.
Alma 45:4
4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall
come?
Alma 45:5
5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast
spoken.
Alma 45:6
6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?
Alma 45:7
7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my
heart.
Alma 45:8
8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall
prosper thee in this land.
Alma 45:9
9 But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I
prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy
unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is
fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say.
Alma 45:10
10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very
people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which
is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ
shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.
Alma 45:11
11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea,
famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall
become extinct—
Alma 45:12
12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall
into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of
iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin
against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that
from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away
before this great iniquity shall come.
Alma 45:13
13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon
cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now
numbered among the people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered
among the people of Nephi.
Alma 45:14
14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great
and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and
shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be
called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites
pursue even until they shall become extinct. And now, because of
iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.
Alma 45:15
15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things
to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also
blessed the earth for the righteous' sake.
Alma 45:16
16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God—Cursed shall be the
land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully
ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing
and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look
upon sin with the least degree of allowance.
Alma 45:17
17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the
church, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from
that time henceforth.
Alma 45:18
18 And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek. And it came to
pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial
we know not of.
Alma 45:19
19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the
saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the
Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But
behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself;
and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto
himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his
death and burial.
Alma 45:20
20 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth
year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that
Helaman went forth among the people to declare the word unto
them.
Alma 45:21
21 For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the
many little dissensions and disturbances which had been among the
people, it became expedient that the word of God should be
declared among them, yea, and that a regulation should be made
throughout the church.
Alma 45:22
22 Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish
the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout
all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi. And it
came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers
throughout all the land, over all the churches.
Alma 45:23
23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren
had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there
arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to
the words of Helaman and his brethren;
Alma 45:24
24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because
of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in
their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk
uprightly before God.
Alma 46 Chapter 46
Alma 46:1
1 And it came to pass that as many as would not hearken to the
words of Helaman and his brethren were gathered together against
their brethren.
Alma 46:2
2 And now behold, they were exceedingly wroth, insomuch that
they were determined to slay them.
Alma 46:3
3 Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren
was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah.
Alma 46:4
4 And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who
were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and
they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land,
and they were seeking for power.
Alma 46:5
5 And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if
they would support him and establish him to be their king that he
would make them rulers over the people.
Alma 46:6
6 Thus they were led away by Amalickiah to dissensions,
notwithstanding the preaching of Helaman and his brethren, yea,
notwithstanding their exceedingly great care over the church, for
they were high priests over the church.
Alma 46:7
7 And there were many in the church who believed in the
flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even
from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi
exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great
victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great
rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the
hand of the Lord.
Alma 46:8
8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord
their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by
the evil one.
Alma 46:9
9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man
can cause to take place among the children of men.
Alma 46:10
10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning
device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the
hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy
the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which
God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon
the face of the land for the righteous' sake.
Alma 46:11
11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief
commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these
dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
Alma 46:12
12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a
piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our
religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our
children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
Alma 46:13
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and
his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took
the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he
called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the
earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of
liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band
of Christians remain to possess the land—
Alma 46:14
14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged
to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the
church.
Alma 46:15
15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea,
all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them,
gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called,
because of their belief in Christ who should come.
Alma 46:16
16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of
the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
Alma 46:17
17 And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to
God, he named all the land which was south of the land
Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and
on the south—A chosen land, and the land of liberty.
Alma 46:18
18 And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are
despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be
trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own
transgressions.
Alma 46:19
19 And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the
people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all
might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part,
and crying with a loud voice, saying:
Alma 46:20
20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let
them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a
covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their
religion, that the Lord God may bless them.
Alma 46:21
21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these
words, behold, the people came running together with their armor
girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as
a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or,
in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of
God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them
the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had
rent their garments.
Alma 46:22
22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast
their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with
our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the
land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may
cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our
garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall
into transgression.
Alma 46:23
23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed
of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat
was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold,
let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments
shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be
sold, or be slain.
Alma 46:24
24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea,
let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold,
he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was
preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant
of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of
the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken
unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall
perish, even as the remnant of his garment.
Alma 46:25
25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul
hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall
be taken unto God.
Alma 46:26
26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.
Alma 46:27
27 And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of
Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have
dissented from us? Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do
not stand fast in the faith of Christ.
Alma 46:28
28 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words
he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land
where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the
people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand
against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called
Amalickiahites.
Alma 46:29
29 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people
of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites—and he also
saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the
cause in which they had undertaken—therefore, fearing that he
should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would
and departed into the land of Nephi.
Alma 46:30
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.
Alma 46:31
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.
Alma 46:32
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 46:33
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.
Alma 46:34
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.
Alma 46:35
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.
Alma 46:36
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.
Alma 46:37
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.
Alma 46:38
38 And Helaman and the high priests did also maintain order in
the church; yea, even for the space of four years did they have
much peace and rejoicing in the church.
Alma 46:39
39 And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly
believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus
Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.
Alma 46:40
40 And there were some who died with fevers, which at some
seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so
much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the
many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause
of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the
climate—
Alma 46:41
41 But there were many who died with old age; and those who died
in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must needs
suppose.
Alma 47 Chapter 47
Alma 47:1
1 Now we will return in our record to Amalickiah and those who
had fled with him into the wilderness; for, behold, he had taken
those who went with him, and went up in the land of Nephi among
the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the
people of Nephi, insomuch that the king of the Lamanites sent a
proclamation throughout all his land, among all his people, that
they should gather themselves together again to go to battle
against the Nephites.
Alma 47:2
2 And it came to pass that when the proclamation had gone forth
among them they were exceedingly afraid; yea, they feared to
displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against
the Nephites lest they should lose their lives. And it came to
pass that they would not, or the more part of them would not,
obey the commandments of the king.
Alma 47:3
3 And now it came to pass that the king was wroth because of
their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of
that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and
commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms.
Alma 47:4
4 Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickiah; for he being a
very subtle man to do evil therefore he laid the plan in his
heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites.
Alma 47:5
5 And now he had got the command of those parts of the Lamanites
who were in favor of the king; and he sought to gain favor of
those who were not obedient; therefore he went forward to the
place which was called Onidah, for thither had all the Lamanites
fled; for they discovered the army coming, and, supposing that
they were coming to destroy them, therefore they fled to Onidah,
to the place of arms.
Alma 47:6
6 And they had appointed a man to be a king and a leader over
them, being fixed in their minds with a determined resolution
that they would not be subjected to go against the Nephites.
Alma 47:7
7 And it came to pass that they had gathered themselves together
upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in
preparation to battle.
Alma 47:8
8 Now it was not Amalickiah's intention to give them battle
according to the commandments of the king; but behold, it was his
intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites, that he
might place himself at their head and dethrone the king and take
possession of the kingdom.
Alma 47:9
9 And behold, it came to pass that he caused his army to pitch
their tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas.
Alma 47:10
10 And it came to pass that when it was night he sent a secret
embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those
who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should
come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with
him.
Alma 47:11
11 And it came to pass that when Lehonti received the message he
durst not go down to the foot of the mount. And it came to pass
that Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come
down. And it came to pass that Lehonti would not; and he sent
again the third time.
Alma 47:12
12 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah found that he could
not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into
the mount, nearly to Lehonti's camp; and he sent again the fourth
time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down,
and that he would bring his guards with him.
Alma 47:13
13 And it came to pass that when Lehonti had come down with his
guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down
with his army in the night-time, and surround those men in their
camps over whom the king had given him command, and that he would
deliver them up into Lehonti's hands, if he would make him
(Amalickiah) a second leader over the whole army.
Alma 47:14
14 And it came to pass that Lehonti came down with his men and
surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at
the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti.
Alma 47:15
15 And it came to pass that when they saw that they were
surrounded, they plead with Amalickiah that he would suffer them
to fall in with their brethren, that they might not be destroyed.
Now this was the very thing which Amalickiah desired.
Alma 47:16
16 And it came to pass that he delivered his men, contrary to
the commands of the king. Now this was the thing that Amalickiah
desired, that he might accomplish his designs in dethroning the
king.
Alma 47:17
17 Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief
leader was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief
leader.
Alma 47:18
18 And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his
servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he
died.
Alma 47:19
19 Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed
Amalickiah to be their leader and their chief commander.
Alma 47:20
20 And it came to pass that Amalickiah marched with his armies
(for he had gained his desires) to the land of Nephi, to the city
of Nephi, which was the chief city.
Alma 47:21
21 And the king came out to meet him with his guards, for he
supposed that Amalickiah had fulfilled his commands, and that
Amalickiah had gathered together so great an army to go against
the Nephites to battle.
Alma 47:22
22 But behold, as the king came out to meet him Amalickiah
caused that his servants should go forth to meet the king. And
they went and bowed themselves before the king, as if to
reverence him because of his greatness.
Alma 47:23
23 And it came to pass that the king put forth his hand to raise
them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace,
which custom they had taken from the Nephites.
Alma 47:24
24 And it came to pass that when he had raised the first from
the ground, behold he stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell
to the earth.
Alma 47:25
25 Now the servants of the king fled; and the servants of
Amalickiah raised a cry, saying:
Alma 47:26
26 Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the
heart, and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and
see.
Alma 47:27
27 And it came to pass that Amalickiah commanded that his armies
should march forth and see what had happened to the king; and
when they had come to the spot, and found the king lying in his
gore, Amalickiah pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved
the king, let him go forth, and pursue his servants that they may
be slain.
Alma 47:28
28 And it came to pass that all they who loved the king, when
they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants
of the king.
Alma 47:29
29 Now when the servants of the king saw an army pursuing after
them, they were frightened again, and fled into the wilderness,
and came over into the land of Zarahemla and joined the people of
Ammon.
Alma 47:30
30 And the army which pursued after them returned, having
pursued after them in vain; and thus Amalickiah, by his fraud,
gained the hearts of the people.
Alma 47:31
31 And it came to pass on the morrow he entered the city Nephi
with his armies, and took possession of the city.
Alma 47:32
32 And now it came to pass that the queen, when she had heard
that the king was slain—for Amalickiah had sent an embassy to
the queen informing her that the king had been slain by his
servants, that he had pursued them with his army, but it was in
vain, and they had made their escape—
Alma 47:33
33 Therefore, when the queen had received this message she sent
unto Amalickiah, desiring him that he would spare the people of
the city; and she also desired him that he should come in unto
her; and she also desired him that he should bring witnesses with
him to testify concerning the death of the king.
Alma 47:34
34 And it came to pass that Amalickiah took the same servant
that slew the king, and all them who were with him, and went in
unto the queen, unto the place where she sat; and they all
testified unto her that the king was slain by his own servants;
and they said also: They have fled; does not this testify against
them? And thus they satisfied the queen concerning the death of
the king.
Alma 47:35
35 And it came to pass that Amalickiah sought the favor of the
queen, and took her unto him to wife; and thus by his fraud, and
by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the
kingdom; yea, he was acknowledged king throughout all the land,
among all the people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the
Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, and all the
dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephi down to the
present time.
Alma 47:36
36 Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the
same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in
the same knowledge of the Lord, nevertheless, it is strange to
relate, not long after their dissensions they became more
hardened and impenitent, and more wild, wicked and ferocious than
the Lamanites—drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites;
giving way to indolence, and all manner of lasciviousness; yea,
entirely forgetting the Lord their God.
Alma 48 Chapter 48
Alma 48:1
1 And now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah had
obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the
Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to
speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites.
Alma 48:2
2 And thus he did inspire their hearts against the Nephites,
insomuch that in the latter end of the nineteenth year of the
reign of the judges, he having accomplished his designs thus far,
yea, having been made king over the Lamanites, he sought also to
reign over all the land, yea, and all the people who were in the
land, the Nephites as well as the Lamanites.
Alma 48:3
3 Therefore he had accomplished his design, for he had hardened
the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds, and stirred
them up to anger, insomuch that he had gathered together a
numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites.
Alma 48:4
4 For he was determined, because of the greatness of the number
of his people, to overpower the Nephites and to bring them into
bondage.
Alma 48:5
5 And thus he did appoint chief captains of the Zoramites, they
being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites, and
their places of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities;
therefore he appointed them to be chief captains over his armies.
Alma 48:6
6 And it came to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth
toward the land of Zarahemla in the wilderness.
Alma 48:7
7 Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been
obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand,
had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto
the Lord their God.
Alma 48:8
8 Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and
erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of
earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls
of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the
borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.
Alma 48:9
9 And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater
number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land
which was possessed by the Nephites.
Alma 48:10
10 And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their
lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that
they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might
maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of
Christians.
Alma 48:11
11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a
perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in
bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the
freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and
slavery;
Alma 48:12
12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his
God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon
his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and
safety of his people.
Alma 48:13
13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ,
and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights,
and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.
Alma 48:14
14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against
their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were
necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an
offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against
an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.
Alma 48:15
15 And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper
them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in
keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the
land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to
their danger;
Alma 48:16
16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they
should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so
doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of
Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of
blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in
keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.
Alma 48:17
17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and
were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very
powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil
would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.
Alma 48:18
18 Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea,
and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his
sons, for they were all men of God.
Alma 48:19
19 Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable
unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of
God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would
hearken unto their words.
Alma 48:20
20 And thus they went forth, and the people did humble
themselves because of their words, insomuch that they were highly
favored of the Lord, and thus they were free from wars and
contentions among themselves, yea, even for the space of four
years.
Alma 48:21
21 But, as I have said, in the latter end of the nineteenth
year, yea, notwithstanding their peace amongst themselves, they
were compelled reluctantly to contend with their brethren, the
Lamanites.
Alma 48:22
22 Yea, and in fine, their wars never did cease for the space of
many years with the Lamanites, notwithstanding their much
reluctance.
Alma 48:23
23 Now, they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites,
because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and
this was not all—they were sorry to be the means of sending so
many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world,
unprepared to meet their God.
Alma 48:24
24 Nevertheless, they could not suffer to lay down their lives,
that their wives and their children should be massacred by the
barbarous cruelty of those who were once their brethren, yea, and
had dissented from their church, and had left them and had gone
to destroy them by joining the Lamanites.
Alma 48:25
25 Yea, they could not bear that their brethren should rejoice
over the blood of the Nephites, so long as there were any who
should keep the commandments of God, for the promise of the Lord
was, if they should keep his commandments they should prosper in
the land.
Alma 49 Chapter 49
Alma 49:1
1 And now it came to pass in the eleventh month of the
nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the
Lamanites were seen approaching towards the land of Ammonihah.
Alma 49:2
2 And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had
stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had cast
up dirt around about to shield them from the arrows and the
stones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought with stones and
with arrows.
Alma 49:3
3 Behold, I said that the city of Ammonihah had been rebuilt. I
say unto you, yea, that it was in part rebuilt; and because the
Lamanites had destroyed it once because of the iniquity of the
people, they supposed that it would again become an easy prey for
them.
Alma 49:4
4 But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold,
the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth round about them, which
was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and
their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could
they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance.
Alma 49:5
5 Now at this time the chief captains of the Lamanites were
astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in
preparing their places of security.
Alma 49:6
6 Now the leaders of the Lamanites had supposed, because of the
greatness of their numbers, yea, they supposed that they should
be privileged to come upon them as they had hitherto done; yea,
and they had also prepared themselves with shields, and with
breastplates; and they had also prepared themselves with garments
of skins, yea, very thick garments to cover their nakedness.
Alma 49:7
7 And being thus prepared they supposed that they should easily
overpower and subject their brethren to the yoke of bondage, or
slay and massacre them according to their pleasure.
Alma 49:8
8 But behold, to their uttermost astonishment, they were
prepared for them, in a manner which never had been known among
the children of Lehi. Now they were prepared for the Lamanites,
to battle after the manner of the instructions of Moroni.
Alma 49:9
9 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites,
were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for
war.
Alma 49:10
10 Now, if king Amalickiah had come down out of the land of
Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the
Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah;
for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.
Alma 49:11
11 But behold, Amalickiah did not come down himself to battle.
And behold, his chief captains durst not attack the Nephites at
the city of Ammonihah, for Moroni had altered the management of
affairs among the Nephites, insomuch that the Lamanites were
disappointed in their places of retreat and they could not come
upon them.
Alma 49:12
12 Therefore they retreated into the wilderness, and took their
camp and marched towards the land of Noah, supposing that to be
the next best place for them to come against the Nephites.
Alma 49:13
13 For they knew not that Moroni had fortified, or had built
forts of security, for every city in all the land round about;
therefore, they marched forward to the land of Noah with a firm
determination; yea, their chief captains came forward and took an
oath that they would destroy the people of that city.
Alma 49:14
14 But behold, to their astonishment, the city of Noah, which
had hitherto been a weak place, had now, by the means of Moroni,
become strong, yea, even to exceed the strength of the city
Ammonihah.
Alma 49:15
15 And now, behold, this was wisdom in Moroni; for he had
supposed that they would be frightened at the city Ammonihah; and
as the city of Noah had hitherto been the weakest part of the
land, therefore they would march thither to battle; and thus it
was according to his desires.
Alma 49:16
16 And behold, Moroni had appointed Lehi to be chief captain
over the men of that city; and it was that same Lehi who fought
with the Lamanites in the valley on the east of the river Sidon.
Alma 49:17
17 And now behold it came to pass, that when the Lamanites had
found that Lehi commanded the city they were again disappointed,
for they feared Lehi exceedingly; nevertheless their chief
captains had sworn with an oath to attack the city; therefore,
they brought up their armies.
Alma 49:18
18 Now behold, the Lamanites could not get into their forts of
security by any other way save by the entrance, because of the
highness of the bank which had been thrown up, and the depth of
the ditch which had been dug round about, save it were by the
entrance.
Alma 49:19
19 And thus were the Nephites prepared to destroy all such as
should attempt to climb up to enter the fort by any other way, by
casting over stones and arrows at them.
Alma 49:20
20 Thus they were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men,
with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who should
attempt to come into their place of security by the place of
entrance; and thus were they prepared to defend themselves
against the Lamanites.
Alma 49:21
21 And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites
brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began
to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of
security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time,
insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.
Alma 49:22
22 Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the
Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth
that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might
have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they
were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at
them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the
banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead
and wounded bodies.
Alma 49:23
23 Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; and thus
the Lamanites did attempt to destroy the Nephites until their
chief captains were all slain; yea, and more than a thousand of
the Lamanites were slain; while, on the other hand, there was not
a single soul of the Nephites which was slain.
Alma 49:24
24 There were about fifty who were wounded, who had been exposed
to the arrows of the Lamanites through the pass, but they were
shielded by their shields, and their breastplates, and their
head-plates, insomuch that their wounds were upon their legs,
many of which were very severe.
Alma 49:25
25 And it came to pass, that when the Lamanites saw that their
chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness. And
it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi, to
inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth,
concerning their great loss.
Alma 49:26
26 And it came to pass that he was exceedingly angry with his
people, because he had not obtained his desire over the Nephites;
he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage.
Alma 49:27
27 Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also
Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and
this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing
for the safety of his people.
Alma 49:28
28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of
Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless
power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.
Alma 49:29
29 And thus ended the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.
Alma 49:30
30 Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and
exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed
and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was
declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and
Ammon and his brethren, yea, and by all those who had been
ordained by the holy order of God, being baptized unto
repentance, and sent forth to preach among the people.
Alma 50 Chapter 50
Alma 50:1
1 And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making
preparations for war, or to defend his people against the
Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should commence in the
commencement of the twentieth year of the reign of the judges,
that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round
about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed
by the Nephites.
Alma 50:2
2 And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there
should be timbers, yea, works of timbers built up to the height
of a man, round about the cities.
Alma 50:3
3 And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be
a frame of pickets built upon the timbers round about; and they
were strong and high.
Alma 50:4
4 And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works
of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon
those towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites
could not hurt them.
Alma 50:5
5 And they were prepared that they could cast stones from the
top thereof, according to their pleasure and their strength, and
slay him who should attempt to approach near the walls of the
city.
Alma 50:6
6 Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of
their enemies, round about every city in all the land.
Alma 50:7
7 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his armies should
go forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth and
drove all the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into
their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 50:8
8 And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the
east sea to the west.
Alma 50:9
9 And it came to pass that when Moroni had driven all the
Lamanites out of the east wilderness, which was north of the
lands of their own possessions, he caused that the inhabitants
who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about
should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by
the seashore, and possess the land.
Alma 50:10
10 And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of
their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that
they might secure their armies and their people from the hands of
their enemies.
Alma 50:11
11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in
the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the
line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of
Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by
the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land
northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land
Bountiful, according to their pleasure.
Alma 50:12
12 Thus Moroni, with his armies, which did increase daily
because of the assurance of protection which his works did bring
forth unto them, did seek to cut off the strength and the power
of the Lamanites from off the lands of their possessions, that
they should have no power upon the lands of their possession.
Alma 50:13
13 And it came to pass that the Nephites began the foundation of
a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was
by the east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the
possessions of the Lamanites.
Alma 50:14
14 And they also began a foundation for a city between the city
of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and
Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land,
Nephihah.
Alma 50:15
15 And they also began in that same year to build many cities on
the north, one in a particular manner which they called Lehi,
which was in the north by the borders of the seashore.
Alma 50:16
16 And thus ended the twentieth year.
Alma 50:17
17 And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of
Nephi in the commencement of the twenty and first year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 50:18
18 And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly
rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land.
Alma 50:19
19 And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of
the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of
men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this
time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying:
Alma 50:20
20 Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed,
inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in
the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my
commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
Alma 50:21
21 And we see that these promises have been verified to the
people of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their
contentions, yea, their murderings, and their plunderings, their
idolatry, their whoredoms, and their abominations, which were
among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their
destructions.
Alma 50:22
22 And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their
wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by
the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the
Lamanites.
Alma 50:23
23 But behold there never was a happier time among the people of
Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea,
even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of
the judges.
Alma 50:24
24 And it came to pass that the twenty and second year of the
reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty
and third year.
Alma 50:25
25 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have
been peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a
contention which took place among them concerning the land of
Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of
Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.
Alma 50:26
26 For behold, the people who possessed the land of Morianton
did claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began to be
a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of
Morianton took up arms against their brethren, and they were
determined by the sword to slay them.
Alma 50:27
27 But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to
the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for
behold they were not in the wrong.
Alma 50:28
28 And it came to pass that when the people of Morianton, who
were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people
of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly
fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy
them.
Alma 50:29
29 Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they
should flee to the land which was northward, which was covered
with large bodies of water, and take possession of the land which
was northward.
Alma 50:30
30 And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect,
(which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold,
Morianton being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry
with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her
much.
Alma 50:31
31 And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp
of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and
also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.
Alma 50:32
32 Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or
rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of
Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain
possession of those parts of the land, which would lay a
foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi,
yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of their
liberty.
Alma 50:33
33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the
people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land
northward.
Alma 50:34
34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they
had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they
did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the
land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.
Alma 50:35
35 And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni,
which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the
people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of
Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering
words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum
did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners,
and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.
Alma 50:36
36 And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon
their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the
land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the
people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their lands.
Alma 50:37
37 And it came to pass that in the same year that the people of
Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second
chief judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect
uprightness before God.
Alma 50:38
38 Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of those
records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his
fathers to be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon
his son, Helaman.
Alma 50:39
39 Behold, it came to pass that the son of Nephihah was
appointed to fill the judgment-seat, in the stead of his father;
yea, he was appointed chief judge and governor over the people,
with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to
keep the peace and the freedom of the people, and to grant unto
them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God, yea,
to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to
bring the wicked to justice according to their crime.
Alma 50:40
40 Now behold, his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did fill the
seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the
twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.
Alma 51 Chapter 51
Alma 51:1
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and
fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
they having established peace between the people of Lehi and the
people of Morianton concerning their lands, and having commenced
the twenty and fifth year in peace;
Alma 51:2
2 Nevertheless, they did not long maintain an entire peace in
the land, for there began to be a contention among the people
concerning the chief judge Pahoran; for behold, there were a part
of the people who desired that a few particular points of the law
should be altered.
Alma 51:3
3 But behold, Pahoran would not alter nor suffer the law to be
altered; therefore, he did not hearken to those who had sent in
their voices with their petitions concerning the altering of the
law.
Alma 51:4
4 Therefore, those who were desirous that the law should be
altered were angry with him, and desired that he should no longer
be chief judge over the land; therefore there arose a warm
dispute concerning the matter, but not unto bloodshed.
Alma 51:5
5 And it came to pass that those who were desirous that Pahoran
should be dethroned from the judgment-seat were called king-men,
for they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner
to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the
land.
Alma 51:6
6 And those who were desirous that Pahoran should remain chief
judge over the land took upon them the name of freemen; and thus
was the division among them, for the freemen had sworn or
covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their
religion by a free government.
Alma 51:7
7 And it came to pass that this matter of their contention was
settled by the voice of the people. And it came to pass that the
voice of the people came in favor of the freemen, and Pahoran
retained the judgment-seat, which caused much rejoicing among the
brethren of Pahoran and also many of the people of liberty, who
also put the king-men to silence, that they durst not oppose but
were obliged to maintain the cause of freedom.
Alma 51:8
8 Now those who were in favor of kings were those of high birth,
and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who
sought power and authority over the people.
Alma 51:9
9 But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to
be among the people of Nephi; for behold, Amalickiah had again
stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites against the
people of the Nephites, and he was gathering together soldiers
from all parts of his land, and arming them, and preparing for
war with all diligence; for he had sworn to drink the blood of
Moroni.
Alma 51:10
10 But behold, we shall see that his promise which he made was
rash; nevertheless, he did prepare himself and his armies to come
to battle against the Nephites.
Alma 51:11
11 Now his armies were not so great as they had hitherto been,
because of the many thousands who had been slain by the hand of
the Nephites; but notwithstanding their great loss, Amalickiah
had gathered together a wonderfully great army, insomuch that he
feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 51:12
12 Yea, even Amalickiah did himself come down, at the head of
the Lamanites. And it was in the twenty and fifth year of the
reign of the judges; and it was at the same time that they had
begun to settle the affairs of their contentions concerning the
chief judge, Pahoran.
Alma 51:13
13 And it came to pass that when the men who were called
king-men had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle
against them, they were glad in their hearts; and they refused to
take up arms, for they were so wroth with the chief judge, and
also with the people of liberty, that they would not take up arms
to defend their country.
Alma 51:14
14 And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw
that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he
was exceedingly wroth because of the stubbornness of those people
whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he
was exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against
them.
Alma 51:15
15 And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice
of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he
should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those
dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.
Alma 51:16
16 For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions
and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been
hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass
that it was granted according to the voice of the people.
Alma 51:17
17 And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army
should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and
their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take
up arms and support the cause of liberty.
Alma 51:18
18 And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against
them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility,
insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight
against the men of Moroni they were hewn down and leveled to the
earth.
Alma 51:19
19 And it came to pass that there were four thousand of those
dissenters who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their
leaders who were not slain in battle were taken and cast into
prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period.
Alma 51:20
20 And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than be smitten
down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of
liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon
their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence
of their country.
Alma 51:21
21 And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were
not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an
end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who
professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to
humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight
valiantly for their freedom from bondage.
Alma 51:22
22 Behold, it came to pass that while Moroni was thus breaking
down the wars and contentions among his own people, and
subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations
to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites
had come into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the
seashore.
Alma 51:23
23 And it came to pass that the Nephites were not sufficiently
strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive
them, slaying many. And it came to pass that Amalickiah took
possession of the city, yea, possession of all their
fortifications.
Alma 51:24
24 And those who fled out of the city of Moroni came to the city
of Nephihah; and also the people of the city of Lehi gathered
themselves together, and made preparations and were ready to
receive the Lamanites to battle.
Alma 51:25
25 But it came to pass that Amalickiah would not suffer the
Lamanites to go against the city of Nephihah to battle, but kept
them down by the seashore, leaving men in every city to maintain
and defend it.
Alma 51:26
26 And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the
city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of
Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the
city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the
seashore.
Alma 51:27
27 And thus had the Lamanites obtained, by the cunning of
Amalickiah, so many cities, by their numberless hosts, all of
which were strongly fortified after the manner of the
fortifications of Moroni; all of which afforded strongholds for
the Lamanites.
Alma 51:28
28 And it came to pass that they marched to the borders of the
land Bountiful, driving the Nephites before them and slaying
many.
Alma 51:29
29 But it came to pass that they were met by Teancum, who had
slain Morianton and had headed his people in his flight.
Alma 51:30
30 And it came to pass that he headed Amalickiah also, as he was
marching forth with his numerous army that he might take
possession of the land Bountiful, and also the land northward.
Alma 51:31
31 But behold he met with a disappointment by being repulsed by
Teancum and his men, for they were great warriors; for every man
of Teancum did exceed the Lamanites in their strength and in
their skill of war, insomuch that they did gain advantage over
the Lamanites.
Alma 51:32
32 And it came to pass that they did harass them, insomuch that
they did slay them even until it was dark. And it came to pass
that Teancum and his men did pitch their tents in the borders of
the land Bountiful; and Amalickiah did pitch his tents in the
borders on the beach by the seashore, and after this manner were
they driven.
Alma 51:33
33 And it came to pass that when the night had come, Teancum and
his servant stole forth and went out by night, and went into the
camp of Amalickiah; and behold, sleep had overpowered them
because of their much fatigue, which was caused by the labors and
heat of the day.
Alma 51:34
34 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 51:35
35 And he returned again privily to his own camp, and behold,
his men were asleep, and he awoke them and told them all the
things that he had done.
Alma 51:36
36 And he caused that his armies should stand in readiness, lest
the Lamanites had awakened and should come upon them.
Alma 51:37
37 And thus endeth the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi; and thus endeth the days of
Amalickiah.
Alma 52 Chapter 52
Alma 52:1
1 And now, it came to pass in the twenty and sixth year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, behold, when the
Lamanites awoke on the first morning of the first month, behold,
they found Amalickiah was dead in his own tent; and they also saw
that Teancum was ready to give them battle on that day.
Alma 52:2
2 And now, when the Lamanites saw this they were affrighted; and
they abandoned their design in marching into the land northward,
and retreated with all their army into the city of Mulek, and
sought protection in their fortifications.
Alma 52:3
3 And it came to pass that the brother of Amalickiah was
appointed king over the people; and his name was Ammoron; thus
king Ammoron, the brother of king Amalickiah, was appointed to
reign in his stead.
Alma 52:4
4 And it came to pass that he did command that his people should
maintain those cities, which they had taken by the shedding of
blood; for they had not taken any cities save they had lost much
blood.
Alma 52:5
5 And now, Teancum saw that the Lamanites were determined to
maintain those cities which they had taken, and those parts of
the land which they had obtained possession of; and also seeing
the enormity of their number, Teancum thought it was not
expedient that he should attempt to attack them in their forts.
Alma 52:6
6 But he kept his men round about, as if making preparations for
war; yea, and truly he was preparing to defend himself against
them, by casting up walls round about and preparing places of
resort.
Alma 52:7
7 And it came to pass that he kept thus preparing for war until
Moroni had sent a large number of men to strengthen his army.
Alma 52:8
8 And Moroni also sent orders unto him that he should retain all
the prisoners who fell into his hands; for as the Lamanites had
taken many prisoners, that he should retain all the prisoners of
the Lamanites as a ransom for those whom the Lamanites had taken.
Alma 52:9
9 And he also sent orders unto him that he should fortify the
land Bountiful, and secure the narrow pass which led into the
land northward, lest the Lamanites should obtain that point and
should have power to harass them on every side.
Alma 52:10
10 And Moroni also sent unto him, desiring him that he would be
faithful in maintaining that quarter of the land, and that he
would seek every opportunity to scourge the Lamanites in that
quarter, as much as was in his power, that perhaps he might take
again by stratagem or some other way those cities which had been
taken out of their hands; and that he also would fortify and
strengthen the cities round about, which had not fallen into the
hands of the Lamanites.
Alma 52:11
11 And he also said unto him, I would come unto you, but behold,
the Lamanites are upon us in the borders of the land by the west
sea; and behold, I go against them, therefore I cannot come unto
you.
Alma 52:12
12 Now, the king (Ammoron) had departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, and had made known unto the queen concerning the death
of his brother, and had gathered together a large number of men,
and had marched forth against the Nephites on the borders by the
west sea.
Alma 52:13
13 And thus he was endeavoring to harass the Nephites, and to
draw away a part of their forces to that part of the land, while
he had commanded those whom he had left to possess the cities
which he had taken, that they should also harass the Nephites on
the borders by the east sea, and should take possession of their
lands as much as it was in their power, according to the power of
their armies.
Alma 52:14
14 And thus were the Nephites in those dangerous circumstances
in the ending of the twenty and sixth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 52:15
15 But behold, it came to pass in the twenty and seventh year of
the reign of the judges, that Teancum, by the command of
Moroni—who had established armies to protect the south and the
west borders of the land, and had begun his march towards the
land Bountiful, that he might assist Teancum with his men in
retaking the cities which they had lost—
Alma 52:16
16 And it came to pass that Teancum had received orders to make
an attack upon the city of Mulek, and retake it if it were
possible.
Alma 52:17
17 And it came to pass that Teancum made preparations to make an
attack upon the city of Mulek, and march forth with his army
against the Lamanites; but he saw that it was impossible that he
could overpower them while they were in their fortifications;
therefore he abandoned his designs and returned again to the city
Bountiful, to wait for the coming of Moroni, that he might
receive strength to his army.
Alma 52:18
18 And it came to pass that Moroni did arrive with his army at
the land of Bountiful, in the latter end of the twenty and
seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 52:19
19 And in the commencement of the twenty and eighth year, Moroni
and Teancum and many of the chief captains held a council of
war—what they should do to cause the Lamanites to come out
against them to battle; or that they might by some means flatter
them out of their strongholds, that they might gain advantage
over them and take again the city of Mulek.
Alma 52:20
20 And it came to pass they sent embassies to the army of the
Lamanites, which protected the city of Mulek, to their leader,
whose name was Jacob, desiring him that he would come out with
his armies to meet them upon the plains between the two cities.
But behold, Jacob, who was a Zoramite, would not come out with
his army to meet them upon the plains.
Alma 52:21
21 And it came to pass that Moroni, having no hopes of meeting
them upon fair grounds, therefore, he resolved upon a plan that
he might decoy the Lamanites out of their strongholds.
Alma 52:22
22 Therefore he caused that Teancum should take a small number
of men and march down near the seashore; and Moroni and his army,
by night, marched in the wilderness, on the west of the city
Mulek; and thus, on the morrow, when the guards of the Lamanites
had discovered Teancum, they ran and told it unto Jacob, their
leader.
Alma 52:23
23 And it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did
march forth against Teancum, supposing by their numbers to
overpower Teancum because of the smallness of his numbers. And
as Teancum saw the armies of the Lamanites coming out against him
he began to retreat down by the seashore, northward.
Alma 52:24
24 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that he began
to flee, they took courage and pursued them with vigor. And
while Teancum was thus leading away the Lamanites who were
pursuing them in vain, behold, Moroni commanded that a part of
his army who were with him should march forth into the city, and
take possession of it.
Alma 52:25
25 And thus they did, and slew all those who had been left to
protect the city, yea, all those who would not yield up their
weapons of war.
Alma 52:26
26 And thus Moroni had obtained possession of the city Mulek
with a part of his army, while he marched with the remainder to
meet the Lamanites when they should return from the pursuit of
Teancum.
Alma 52:27
27 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue Teancum
until they came near the city Bountiful, and then they were met
by Lehi and a small army, which had been left to protect the city
Bountiful.
Alma 52:28
28 And now behold, when the chief captains of the Lamanites had
beheld Lehi with his army coming against them, they fled in much
confusion, lest perhaps they should not obtain the city Mulek
before Lehi should overtake them; for they were wearied because
of their march, and the men of Lehi were fresh.
Alma 52:29
29 Now the Lamanites did not know that Moroni had been in their
rear with his army; and all they feared was Lehi and his men.
Alma 52:30
30 Now Lehi was not desirous to overtake them till they should
meet Moroni and his army.
Alma 52:31
31 And it came to pass that before the Lamanites had retreated
far they were surrounded by the Nephites, by the men of Moroni on
one hand, and the men of Lehi on the other, all of whom were
fresh and full of strength; but the Lamanites were wearied
because of their long march.
Alma 52:32
32 And Moroni commanded his men that they should fall upon them
until they had given up their weapons of war.
Alma 52:33
33 And it came to pass that Jacob, being their leader, being
also a Zoramite, and having an unconquerable spirit, he led the
Lamanites forth to battle with exceeding fury against Moroni.
Alma 52:34
34 Moroni being in their course of march, therefore Jacob was
determined to slay them and cut his way through to the city of
Mulek. But behold, Moroni and his men were more powerful;
therefore they did not give way before the Lamanites.
Alma 52:35
35 And it came to pass that they fought on both hands with
exceeding fury; and there were many slain on both sides; yea, and
Moroni was wounded and Jacob was killed.
Alma 52:36
36 And Lehi pressed upon their rear with such fury with his
strong men, that the Lamanites in the rear delivered up their
weapons of war; and the remainder of them, being much confused,
knew not whither to go or to strike.
Alma 52:37
37 Now Moroni seeing their confusion, he said unto them: If ye
will bring forth your weapons of war and deliver them up, behold
we will forbear shedding your blood.
Alma 52:38
38 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had heard these
words, their chief captains, all those who were not slain, came
forth and threw down their weapons of war at the feet of Moroni,
and also commanded their men that they should do the same.
Alma 52:39
39 But behold, there were many that would not; and those who
would not deliver up their swords were taken and bound, and their
weapons of war were taken from them, and they were compelled to
march with their brethren forth into the land Bountiful.
Alma 52:40
40 And now the number of prisoners who were taken exceeded more
than the number of those who had been slain, yea, more than those
who had been slain on both sides.
Alma 53 Chapter 53
Alma 53:1
1 And it came to pass that they did set guards over the
prisoners of the Lamanites, and did compel them to go forth and
bury their dead, yea, and also the dead of the Nephites who were
slain; and Moroni placed men over them to guard them while they
should perform their labors.
Alma 53:2
2 And Moroni went to the city of Mulek with Lehi, and took
command of the city and gave it unto Lehi. Now behold, this Lehi
was a man who had been with Moroni in the more part of all his
battles; and he was a man like unto Moroni, and they rejoiced in
each other's safety; yea, they were beloved by each other, and
also beloved by all the people of Nephi.
Alma 53:3
3 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had finished
burying their dead and also the dead of the Nephites, they were
marched back into the land Bountiful; and Teancum, by the orders
of Moroni, caused that they should commence laboring in digging a
ditch round about the land, or the city, Bountiful.
Alma 53:4
4 And he caused that they should build a breastwork of timbers
upon the inner bank of the ditch; and they cast up dirt out of
the ditch against the breastwork of timbers; and thus they did
cause the Lamanites to labor until they had encircled the city of
Bountiful round about with a strong wall of timbers and earth, to
an exceeding height.
Alma 53:5
5 And this city became an exceeding stronghold ever after; and
in this city they did guard the prisoners of the Lamanites; yea,
even within a wall which they had caused them to build with their
own hands. Now Moroni was compelled to cause the Lamanites to
labor, because it was easy to guard them while at their labor;
and he desired all his forces when he should make an attack upon
the Lamanites.
Alma 53:6
6 And it came to pass that Moroni had thus gained a victory over
one of the greatest of the armies of the Lamanites, and had
obtained possession of the city of Mulek, which was one of the
strongest holds of the Lamanites in the land of Nephi; and thus
he had also built a stronghold to retain his prisoners.
Alma 53:7
7 And it came to pass that he did no more attempt a battle with
the Lamanites in that year, but he did employ his men in
preparing for war, yea, and in making fortifications to guard
against the Lamanites, yea, and also delivering their women and
their children from famine and affliction, and providing food for
their armies.
Alma 53:8
8 And now it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites, on
the west sea, south, while in the absence of Moroni on account of
some intrigue amongst the Nephites, which caused dissensions
amongst them, had gained some ground over the Nephites, yea,
insomuch that they had obtained possession of a number of their
cities in that part of the land.
Alma 53:9
9 And thus because of iniquity amongst themselves, yea, because
of dissensions and intrigue among themselves they were placed in
the most dangerous circumstances.
Alma 53:10
10 And now behold, I have somewhat to say concerning the people
of Ammon, who in the beginning, were Lamanites; but by Ammon and
his brethren, or rather by the power and word of God, they had
been converted unto the Lord; and they had been brought down into
the land of Zarahemla, and had ever since been protected by the
Nephites.
Alma 53:11
11 And because of their oath they had been kept from taking up
arms against their brethren; for they had taken an oath that they
never would shed blood more; and according to their oath they
would have perished; yea, they would have suffered themselves to
have fallen into the hands of their brethren, had it not been for
the pity and the exceeding love which Ammon and his brethren had
had for them.
Alma 53:12
12 And for this cause they were brought down into the land of
Zarahemla; and they ever had been protected by the Nephites.
Alma 53:13
13 But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the
many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for
them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take
up arms in the defence of their country.
Alma 53:14
14 But behold, as they were about to take their weapons of war,
they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his
brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had
made.
Alma 53:15
15 And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their
souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant
were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their
afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.
Alma 53:16
16 But behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not
entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of
war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they
did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were
able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites.
Alma 53:17
17 And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of
the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of
their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give
up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect
the Nephites and themselves from bondage.
Alma 53:18
18 Now behold, there were two thousand of those young men, who
entered into this covenant and took their weapons of war to
defend their country.
Alma 53:19
19 And now behold, as they never had hitherto been a
disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of
time also a great support; for they took their weapons of war,
and they would that Helaman should be their leader.
Alma 53:20
20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly
valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but
behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all
times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.
Alma 53:21
21 Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been
taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly
before him.
Alma 53:22
22 And now it came to pass that Helaman did march at the head of
his two thousand stripling soldiers, to the support of the people
in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea.
Alma 53:23
23 And thus ended the twenty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 54 Chapter 54
Alma 54:1
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and
ninth year of the judges, that Ammoron sent unto Moroni desiring
that he would exchange prisoners.
Alma 54:2
2 And it came to pass that Moroni felt to rejoice exceedingly at
this request, for he desired the provisions which were imparted
for the support of the Lamanite prisoners for the support of his
own people; and he also desired his own people for the
strengthening of his army.
Alma 54:3
3 Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children, and there
was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni, or
the prisoners whom Moroni had taken; therefore Moroni resolved
upon a stratagem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from
the Lamanites as it were possible.
Alma 54:4
4 Therefore he wrote an epistle, and sent it by the servant of
Ammoron, the same who had brought an epistle to Moroni. Now
these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron, saying:
Alma 54:5
5 Behold, Ammoron, I have written unto you somewhat concerning
this war which ye have waged against my people, or rather which
thy brother hath waged against them, and which ye are still
determined to carry on after his death.
Alma 54:6
6 Behold, I would tell you somewhat concerning the justice of
God, and the sword of his almighty wrath, which doth hang over
you except ye repent and withdraw your armies into your own
lands, or the land of your possessions, which is the land of
Nephi.
Alma 54:7
7 Yea, I would tell you these things if ye were capable of
hearkening unto them; yea, I would tell you concerning that awful
hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou and thy
brother have been, except ye repent and withdraw your murderous
purposes, and return with your armies to your own lands.
Alma 54:8
8 But as ye have once rejected these things, and have fought
against the people of the Lord, even so I may expect you will do
it again.
Alma 54:9
9 And now behold, we are prepared to receive you; yea, and
except you withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the
wrath of that God whom you have rejected upon you, even to your
utter destruction.
Alma 54:10
10 But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you
except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for
we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will
maintain our religion and the cause of our God.
Alma 54:11
11 But behold, it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning
these things in vain; or it supposeth me that thou art a child of
hell; therefore I will close my epistle by telling you that I
will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye
will deliver up a man and his wife and his children, for one
prisoner; if this be the case that ye will do it, I will
exchange.
Alma 54:12
12 And behold, if you do not this, I will come against you with
my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children, and I
will come against you, and I will follow you even into your own
land, which is the land of our first inheritance; yea, and it
shall be blood for blood, yea, life for life; and I will give you
battle even until you are destroyed from off the face of the
earth.
Alma 54:13
13 Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought
to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves. But
behold, if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy
you; yea, and we will seek our land, the land of our first
inheritance.
Alma 54:14
14 Now I close my epistle. I am Moroni; I am a leader of the
people of the Nephites.
Alma 54:15
15 Now it came to pass that Ammoron, when he had received this
epistle, was angry; and he wrote another epistle unto Moroni, and
these are the words which he wrote, saying:
Alma 54:16
16 I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites; I am the brother of
Amalickiah whom ye have murdered. Behold, I will avenge his
blood upon you, yea, and I will come upon you with my armies for
I fear not your threatenings.
Alma 54:17
17 For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch
that they did rob them of their right to the government when it
rightly belonged unto them.
Alma 54:18
18 And now behold, if ye will lay down your arms, and subject
yourselves to be governed by those to whom the government doth
rightly belong, then will I cause that my people shall lay down
their weapons and shall be at war no more.
Alma 54:19
19 Behold, ye have breathed out many threatenings against me and
my people; but behold, we fear not your threatenings.
Alma 54:20
20 Nevertheless, I will grant to exchange prisoners according to
your request, gladly, that I may preserve my food for my men of
war; and we will wage a war which shall be eternal, either to the
subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal
extinction.
Alma 54:21
21 And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected,
behold, we know not such a being; neither do ye; but if it so be
that there is such a thing, we know not but that he hath made us
as well as you.
Alma 54:22
22 And if it so be that there is a devil and a hell, behold will
he not send you there to dwell with my brother whom ye have
murdered, whom ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place?
But behold these things matter not.
Alma 54:23
23 I am Ammoron, and a descendant of Zoram, whom your fathers
pressed and brought out of Jerusalem.
Alma 54:24
24 And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath
been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain
their rights to the government; and I close my epistle to Moroni.
Alma 55 Chapter 55
Alma 55:1
1 Now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle
he was more angry, because he knew that Ammoron had a perfect
knowledge of his fraud; yea, he knew that Ammoron knew that it
was not a just cause that had caused him to wage a war against
the people of Nephi.
Alma 55:2
2 And he said: Behold, I will not exchange prisoners with
Ammoron save he will withdraw his purpose, as I have stated in my
epistle; for I will not grant unto him that he shall have any
more power than what he hath got.
Alma 55:3
3 Behold, I know the place where the Lamanites do guard my
people whom they have taken prisoners; and as Ammoron would not
grant unto me mine epistle, behold, I will give unto him
according to my words; yea, I will seek death among them until
they shall sue for peace.
Alma 55:4
4 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words,
he caused that a search should be made among his men, that
perhaps he might find a man who was a descendant of Laman among
them.
Alma 55:5
5 And it came to pass that they found one, whose name was Laman;
and he was one of the servants of the king who was murdered by
Amalickiah.
Alma 55:6
6 Now Moroni caused that Laman and a small number of his men
should go forth unto the guards who were over the Nephites.
Alma 55:7
7 Now the Nephites were guarded in the city of Gid; therefore
Moroni appointed Laman and caused that a small number of men
should go with him.
Alma 55:8
8 And when it was evening Laman went to the guards who were over
the Nephites, and behold, they saw him coming and they hailed
him; but he saith unto them: Fear not; behold, I am a Lamanite.
Behold, we have escaped from the Nephites, and they sleep; and
behold we have taken of their wine and brought with us.
Alma 55:9
9 Now when the Lamanites heard these words they received him
with joy; and they said unto him: Give us of your wine, that we
may drink; we are glad that ye have thus taken wine with you for
we are weary.
Alma 55:10
10 But Laman said unto them: Let us keep of our wine till we go
against the Nephites to battle. But this saying only made them
more desirous to drink of the wine;
Alma 55:11
11 For, said they: We are weary, therefore let us take of the
wine, and by and by we shall receive wine for our rations, which
will strengthen us to go against the Nephites.
Alma 55:12
12 And Laman said unto them: You may do according to your
desires.
Alma 55:13
13 And it came to pass that they did take of the wine freely;
and it was pleasant to their taste, therefore they took of it
more freely; and it was strong, having been prepared in its
strength.
Alma 55:14
14 And it came to pass they did drink and were merry, and by and
by they were all drunken.
Alma 55:15
15 And now when Laman and his men saw that they were all
drunken, and were in a deep sleep, they returned to Moroni and
told him all the things that had happened.
Alma 55:16
16 And now this was according to the design of Moroni. And
Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war; and he went to
the city Gid, while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep and
drunken, and cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners, insomuch
that they were all armed;
Alma 55:17
17 Yea, even to their women, and all those of their children, as
many as were able to use a weapon of war, when Moroni had armed
all those prisoners; and all those things were done in a profound
silence.
Alma 55:18
18 But had they awakened the Lamanites, behold they were drunken
and the Nephites could have slain them.
Alma 55:19
19 But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not
delight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the saving of
his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not
bring upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites
and destroy them in their drunkenness.
Alma 55:20
20 But he had obtained his desires; for he had armed those
prisoners of the Nephites who were within the wall of the city,
and had given them power to gain possession of those parts which
were within the walls.
Alma 55:21
21 And then he caused the men who were with him to withdraw a
pace from them, and surround the armies of the Lamanites.
Alma 55:22
22 Now behold this was done in the night-time, so that when the
Lamanites awoke in the morning they beheld that they were
surrounded by the Nephites without, and that their prisoners were
armed within.
Alma 55:23
23 And thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them; and
in these circumstances they found that it was not expedient that
they should fight with the Nephites; therefore their chief
captains demanded their weapons of war, and they brought them
forth and cast them at the feet of the Nephites, pleading for
mercy.
Alma 55:24
24 Now behold, this was the desire of Moroni. He took them
prisoners of war, and took possession of the city, and caused
that all the prisoners should be liberated, who were Nephites;
and they did join the army of Moroni, and were a great strength
to his army.
Alma 55:25
25 And it came to pass that he did cause the Lamanites, whom he
had taken prisoners, that they should commence a labor in
strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid.
Alma 55:26
26 And it came to pass that when he had fortified the city Gid,
according to his desires, he caused that his prisoners should be
taken to the city Bountiful; and he also guarded that city with
an exceedingly strong force.
Alma 55:27
27 And it came to pass that they did, notwithstanding all the
intrigues of the Lamanites, keep and protect all the prisoners
whom they had taken, and also maintain all the ground and the
advantage which they had retaken.
Alma 55:28
28 And it came to pass that the Nephites began again to be
victorious, and to reclaim their rights and their privileges.
Alma 55:29
29 Many time did the Lamanites attempt to encircle them about by
night, but in these attempts they did lose many prisoners.
Alma 55:30
30 And many times did they attempt to administer of their wine
to the Nephites, that they might destroy them with poison or with
drunkenness.
Alma 55:31
31 But behold, the Nephites were not slow to remember the Lord
their God in this their time of affliction. They could not be
taken in their snares; yea, they would not partake of their wine,
save they had first given to some of the Lamanite prisoners.
Alma 55:32
32 And they were thus cautious that no poison should be
administered among them; for if their wine would poison a
Lamanite it would also poison a Nephite; and thus they did try
all their liquors.
Alma 55:33
33 And now it came to pass that it was expedient for Moroni to
make preparations to attack the city Morianton; for behold, the
Lamanites had, by their labors, fortified the city Morianton
until it had become an exceeding stronghold.
Alma 55:34
34 And they were continually bringing new forces into that city,
and also new supplies of provisions.
Alma 55:35
35 And thus ended the twenty and ninth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 56 Chapter 56
Alma 56:1
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the thirtieth
year of the reign of the judges, on the second day in the first
month, Moroni received an epistle from Helaman, stating the
affairs of the people in that quarter of the land.
Alma 56:2
2 And these are the words which he wrote, saying: My dearly
beloved brother, Moroni, as well in the Lord as in the
tribulations of our warfare; behold, my beloved brother, I have
somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the
land.
Alma 56:3
3 Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men whom Ammon
brought down out of the land of Nephi—now ye have known that
these were descendants of Laman, who was the eldest son of our
father Lehi;
Alma 56:4
4 Now I need not rehearse unto you concerning their traditions
or their unbelief, for thou knowest concerning all these things—
Alma 56:5
5 Therefore it sufficeth me that I tell you that two thousand of
these young men have taken their weapons of war, and would that I
should be their leader; and we have come forth to defend our
country.
Alma 56:6
6 And now ye also know concerning the covenant which their
fathers made, that they would not take up their weapons of war
against their brethren to shed blood.
Alma 56:7
7 But in the twenty and sixth year, when they saw our
afflictions and our tribulations for them, they were about to
break the covenant which they had made and take up their weapons
of war in our defence.
Alma 56:8
8 But I would not suffer them that they should break this
covenant which they had made, supposing that God would strengthen
us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the
fulfilling the oath which they had taken.
Alma 56:9
9 But behold, here is one thing in which we may have great joy.
For behold, in the twenty and sixth year, I, Helaman, did march
at the head of these two thousand young men to the city of Judea,
to assist Antipus, whom ye had appointed a leader over the people
of that part of the land.
Alma 56:10
10 And I did join my two thousand sons, (for they are worthy to
be called sons) to the army of Antipus, in which strength Antipus
did rejoice exceedingly; for behold, his army had been reduced by
the Lamanites because their forces had slain a vast number of our
men, for which cause we have to mourn.
Alma 56:11
11 Nevertheless, we may console ourselves in this point, that
they have died in the cause of their country and of their God,
yea, and they are happy.
Alma 56:12
12 And the Lamanites had also retained many prisoners, all of
whom are chief captains, for none other have they spared alive.
And we suppose that they are now at this time in the land of
Nephi; it is so if they are not slain.
Alma 56:13
13 And now these are the cities of which the Lamanites have
obtained possession by the shedding of the blood of so many of
our valiant men:
Alma 56:14
14 The land of Manti, or the city of Manti, and the city of
Zeezrom, and the city of Cumeni, and the city of Antiparah.
Alma 56:15
15 And these are the cities which they possessed when I arrived
at the city of Judea; and I found Antipus and his men toiling
with their might to fortify the city.
Alma 56:16
16 Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit,
for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to
maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great
afflictions of every kind.
Alma 56:17
17 And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die;
therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I
brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes
and much joy.
Alma 56:18
18 And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that
Antipus had received a greater strength to his army, they were
compelled by the orders of Ammoron to not come against the city
of Judea, or against us, to battle.
Alma 56:19
19 And thus were we favored of the Lord; for had they come upon
us in this our weakness they might have perhaps destroyed our
little army; but thus were we preserved.
Alma 56:20
20 They were commanded by Ammoron to maintain those cities which
they had taken. And thus ended the twenty and sixth year. And
in the commencement of the twenty and seventh year we had
prepared our city and ourselves for defence.
Alma 56:21
21 Now we were desirous that the Lamanites should come upon us;
for we were not desirous to make an attack upon them in their
strongholds.
Alma 56:22
22 And it came to pass that we kept spies out round about, to
watch the movements of the Lamanites, that they might not pass us
by night nor by day to make an attack upon our other cities which
were on the northward.
Alma 56:23
23 For we knew in those cities they were not sufficiently strong
to meet them; therefore we were desirous, if they should pass by
us, to fall upon them in their rear, and thus bring them up in
the rear at the same time they were met in the front. We
supposed that we could overpower them; but behold, we were
disappointed in this our desire.
Alma 56:24
24 They durst not pass by us with their whole army, neither
durst they with a part, lest they should not be sufficiently
strong and they should fall.
Alma 56:25
25 Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla;
neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of
Nephihah.
Alma 56:26
26 And thus, with their forces, they were determined to maintain
those cities which they had taken.
Alma 56:27
27 And now it came to pass in the second month of this year,
there was brought unto us many provisions from the fathers of
those my two thousand sons.
Alma 56:28
28 And also there were sent two thousand men unto us from the
land of Zarahemla. And thus we were prepared with ten thousand
men, and provisions for them, and also for their wives and their
children.
Alma 56:29
29 And the Lamanites, thus seeing our forces increase daily, and
provisions arrive for our support, they began to be fearful, and
began to sally forth, if it were possible to put an end to our
receiving provisions and strength.
Alma 56:30
30 Now when we saw that the Lamanites began to grow uneasy on
this wise, we were desirous to bring a stratagem into effect upon
them; therefore Antipus ordered that I should march forth with my
little sons to a neighboring city, as if we were carrying
provisions to a neighboring city.
Alma 56:31
31 And we were to march near the city of Antiparah, as if we
were going to the city beyond, in the borders by the seashore.
Alma 56:32
32 And it came to pass that we did march forth, as if with our
provisions, to go to that city.
Alma 56:33
33 And it came to pass that Antipus did march forth with a part
of his army, leaving the remainder to maintain the city. But he
did not march forth until I had gone forth with my little army,
and came near the city Antiparah.
Alma 56:34
34 And now, in the city Antiparah were stationed the strongest
army of the Lamanites; yea, the most numerous.
Alma 56:35
35 And it came to pass that when they had been informed by their
spies, they came forth with their army and marched against us.
Alma 56:36
36 And it came to pass that we did flee before them, northward.
And thus we did lead away the most powerful army of the
Lamanites;
Alma 56:37
37 Yea, even to a considerable distance, insomuch that when they
saw the army of Antipus pursuing them, with their might, they did
not turn to the right nor to the left, but pursued their march in
a straight course after us; and, as we suppose, it was their
intent to slay us before Antipus should overtake them, and this
that they might not be surrounded by our people.
Alma 56:38
38 And now Antipus, beholding our danger, did speed the march of
his army. But behold, it was night; therefore they did not
overtake us, neither did Antipus overtake them; therefore we did
camp for the night.
Alma 56:39
39 And it came to pass that before the dawn of the morning,
behold, the Lamanites were pursuing us. Now we were not
sufficiently strong to contend with them; yea, I would not suffer
that my little sons should fall into their hands; therefore we
did continue our march, and we took our march into the
wilderness.
Alma 56:40
40 Now they durst not turn to the right nor to the left lest
they should be surrounded; neither would I turn to the right nor
to the left lest they should overtake me, and we could not stand
against them, but be slain, and they would make their escape; and
thus we did flee all that day into the wilderness, even until it
was dark.
Alma 56:41
41 And it came to pass that again, when the light of the morning
came we saw the Lamanites upon us, and we did flee before them.
Alma 56:42
42 But it came to pass that they did not pursue us far before
they halted; and it was in the morning of the third day of the
seventh month.
Alma 56:43
43 And now, whether they were overtaken by Antipus we knew not,
but I said unto my men: Behold, we know not but they have halted
for the purpose that we should come against them, that they might
catch us in their snare;
Alma 56:44
44 Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to
battle?
Alma 56:45
45 And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never
had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.
Alma 56:46
46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of
them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our
God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then
let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let
us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the
army of Antipus.
Alma 56:47
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and
they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they
did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers,
that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
Alma 56:48
48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers,
saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.
Alma 56:49
49 And it came to pass that I did return with my two thousand
against these Lamanites who had pursued us. And now behold, the
armies of Antipus had overtaken them, and a terrible battle had
commenced.
Alma 56:50
50 The army of Antipus being weary, because of their long march
in so short a space of time, were about to fall into the hands of
the Lamanites; and had I not returned with my two thousand they
would have obtained their purpose.
Alma 56:51
51 For Antipus had fallen by the sword, and many of his leaders,
because of their weariness, which was occasioned by the speed of
their march—therefore the men of Antipus, being confused because
of the fall of their leaders, began to give way before the
Lamanites.
Alma 56:52
52 And it came to pass that the Lamanites took courage, and
began to pursue them; and thus were the Lamanites pursuing them
with great vigor when Helaman came upon their rear with his two
thousand, and began to slay them exceedingly, insomuch that the
whole army of the Lamanites halted and turned upon Helaman.
Alma 56:53
53 Now when the people of Antipus saw that the Lamanites had
turned them about, they gathered together their men and came
again upon the rear of the Lamanites.
Alma 56:54
54 And now it came to pass that we, the people of Nephi, the
people of Antipus, and I with my two thousand, did surround the
Lamanites, and did slay them; yea, insomuch that they were
compelled to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves
as prisoners of war.
Alma 56:55
55 And now it came to pass that when they had surrendered
themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had
fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.
Alma 56:56
56 But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them
fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the
strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with
such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they
fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for
this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners
of war.
Alma 56:57
57 And as we had no place for our prisoners, that we could guard
them to keep them from the armies of the Lamanites, therefore we
sent them to the land of Zarahemla, and a part of those men who
were not slain of Antipus, with them; and the remainder I took
and joined them to my stripling Ammonites, and took our march
back to the city of Judea.
Alma 57 Chapter 57
Alma 57:1
1 And now it came to pass that I received an epistle from
Ammoron, the king, stating that if I would deliver up those
prisoners of war whom we had taken that he would deliver up the
city of Antiparah unto us.
Alma 57:2
2 But I sent an epistle unto the king, that we were sure our
forces were sufficient to take the city of Antiparah by our
force; and by delivering up the prisoners for that city we should
suppose ourselves unwise, and that we would only deliver up our
prisoners on exchange.
Alma 57:3
3 And Ammoron refused mine epistle, for he would not exchange
prisoners; therefore we began to make preparations to go against
the city of Antiparah.
Alma 57:4
4 But the people of Antiparah did leave the city, and fled to
their other cities, which they had possession of, to fortify
them; and thus the city of Antiparah fell into our hands.
Alma 57:5
5 And thus ended the twenty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges.
Alma 57:6
6 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty and
ninth year, we received a supply of provisions, and also an
addition to our army, from the land of Zarahemla, and from the
land round about, to the number of six thousand men, besides
sixty of the sons of the Ammonites who had come to join their
brethren, my little band of two thousand. And now behold, we
were strong, yea, and we had also plenty of provisions brought
unto us.
Alma 57:7
7 And it came to pass that it was our desire to wage a battle
with the army which was placed to protect the city Cumeni.
Alma 57:8
8 And now behold, I will show unto you that we soon accomplished
our desire; yea, with our strong force, or with a part of our
strong force, we did surround, by night, the city Cumeni, a
little before they were to receive a supply of provisions.
Alma 57:9
9 And it came to pass that we did camp round about the city for
many nights; but we did sleep upon our swords, and keep guards,
that the Lamanites could not come upon us by night and slay us,
which they attempted many times; but as many times as they
attempted this their blood was spilt.
Alma 57:10
10 At length their provisions did arrive, and they were about to
enter the city by night. And we, instead of being Lamanites,
were Nephites; therefore, we did take them and their provisions.
Alma 57:11
11 And notwithstanding the Lamanites being cut off from their
support after this manner, they were still determined to maintain
the city; therefore it became expedient that we should take those
provisions and send them to Judea, and our prisoners to the land
of Zarahemla.
Alma 57:12
12 And it came to pass that not many days had passed away before
the Lamanites began to lose all hopes of succor; therefore they
yielded up the city unto our hands; and thus we had accomplished
our designs in obtaining the city Cumeni.
Alma 57:13
13 But it came to pass that our prisoners were so numerous that,
notwithstanding the enormity of our numbers, we were obliged to
employ all our force to keep them, or to put them to death.
Alma 57:14
14 For behold, they would break out in great numbers, and would
fight with stones, and with clubs, or whatsoever thing they could
get into their hands, insomuch that we did slay upwards of two
thousand of them after they had surrendered themselves prisoners
of war.
Alma 57:15
15 Therefore it became expedient for us, that we should put an
end to their lives, or guard them, sword in hand, down to the
land of Zarahemla; and also our provisions were not any more than
sufficient for our own people, notwithstanding that which we had
taken from the Lamanites.
Alma 57:16
16 And now, in those critical circumstances, it became a very
serious matter to determine concerning these prisoners of war;
nevertheless, we did resolve to send them down to the land of
Zarahemla; therefore we selected a part of our men, and gave them
charge over our prisoners to go down to the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 57:17
17 But it came to pass that on the morrow they did return. And
now behold, we did not inquire of them concerning the prisoners;
for behold, the Lamanites were upon us, and they returned in
season to save us from falling into their hands. For behold,
Ammoron had sent to their support a new supply of provisions and
also a numerous army of men.
Alma 57:18
18 And it came to pass that those men whom we sent with the
prisoners did arrive in season to check them, as they were about
to overpower us.
Alma 57:19
19 But behold, my little band of two thousand and sixty fought
most desperately; yea, they were firm before the Lamanites, and
did administer death unto all those who opposed them.
Alma 57:20
20 And as the remainder of our army were about to give way
before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were
firm and undaunted.
Alma 57:21
21 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of
command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it
was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said
unto me that their mothers had taught them.
Alma 57:22
22 And now behold, it was these my sons, and those men who had
been selected to convey the prisoners, to whom we owe this great
victory; for it was they who did beat the Lamanites; therefore
they were driven back to the city of Manti.
Alma 57:23
23 And we retained our city Cumeni, and were not all destroyed
by the sword; nevertheless, we had suffered great loss.
Alma 57:24
24 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had fled, I
immediately gave orders that my men who had been wounded should
be taken from among the dead, and caused that their wounds should
be dressed.
Alma 57:25
25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my
two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of
blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our
great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was
not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there
one soul among them who had not received many wounds.
Alma 57:26
26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole
army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand
of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to
the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in
that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just
God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved
by his marvelous power.
Alma 57:27
27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they
are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust
in God continually.
Alma 57:28
28 And now it came to pass that after we had thus taken care of
our wounded men, and had buried our dead and also the dead of the
Lamanites, who were many, behold, we did inquire of Gid
concerning the prisoners whom they had started to go down to the
land of Zarahemla with.
Alma 57:29
29 Now Gid was the chief captain over the band who was appointed
to guard them down to the land.
Alma 57:30
30 And now, these are the words which Gid said unto me: Behold,
we did start to go down to the land of Zarahemla with our
prisoners. And it came to pass that we did meet the spies of our
armies, who had been sent out to watch the camp of the Lamanites.
Alma 57:31
31 And they cried unto us, saying—Behold, the armies of the
Lamanites are marching towards the city of Cumeni; and behold,
they will fall upon them, yea, and will destroy our people.
Alma 57:32
32 And it came to pass that our prisoners did hear their cries,
which caused them to take courage; and they did rise up in
rebellion against us.
Alma 57:33
33 And it came to pass because of their rebellion we did cause
that our swords should come upon them. And it came to pass that
they did in a body run upon our swords, in the which, the greater
number of them were slain; and the remainder of them broke
through and fled from us.
Alma 57:34
34 And behold, when they had fled and we could not overtake
them, we took our march with speed towards the city Cumeni; and
behold, we did arrive in time that we might assist our brethren
in preserving the city.
Alma 57:35
35 And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our
enemies. And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is
he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for
us.
Alma 57:36
36 Now it came to pass that when I, Helaman, had heard these
words of Gid, I was filled with exceeding joy because of the
goodness of God in preserving us, that we might not all perish;
yea, and I trust that the souls of them who have been slain have
entered into the rest of their God.
Alma 58 Chapter 58
Alma 58:1
1 And behold, now it came to pass that our next object was to
obtain the city of Manti; but behold, there was no way that we
could lead them out of the city by our small bands. For behold,
they remembered that which we had hitherto done; therefore we
could not decoy them away from their strongholds.
Alma 58:2
2 And they were so much more numerous than was our army that we
durst not go forth and attack them in their strongholds.
Alma 58:3
3 Yea, and it became expedient that we should employ our men to
the maintaining those parts of the land which we had regained of
our possessions; therefore it became expedient that we should
wait, that we might receive more strength from the land of
Zarahemla and also a new supply of provisions.
Alma 58:4
4 And it came to pass that I thus did send an embassy to the
governor of our land, to acquaint him concerning the affairs of
our people. And it came to pass that we did wait to receive
provisions and strength from the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 58:5
5 But behold, this did profit us but little; for the Lamanites
were also receiving great strength from day to day, and also many
provisions; and thus were our circumstances at this period of
time.
Alma 58:6
6 And the Lamanites were sallying forth against us from time to
time, resolving by stratagem to destroy us; nevertheless we could
not come to battle with them, because of their retreats and their
strongholds.
Alma 58:7
7 And it came to pass that we did wait in these difficult
circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were
about to perish for the want of food.
Alma 58:8
8 But it came to pass that we did receive food, which was
guarded to us by an army of two thousand men to our assistance;
and this is all the assistance which we did receive, to defend
ourselves and our country from falling into the hands of our
enemies, yea, to contend with an enemy which was innumerable.
Alma 58:9
9 And now the cause of these our embarrassments, or the cause
why they did not send more strength unto us, we knew not;
therefore we were grieved and also filled with fear, lest by any
means the judgments of God should come upon our land, to our
overthrow and utter destruction.
Alma 58:10
10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he
would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our
enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our
cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of
our people.
Alma 58:11
11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us
with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he
did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith,
and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.
Alma 58:12
12 And we did take courage with our small force which we had
received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our
enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our
wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty.
Alma 58:13
13 And thus we did go forth with all our might against the
Lamanites, who were in the city of Manti; and we did pitch our
tents by the wilderness side, which was near to the city.
Alma 58:14
14 And it came to pass that on the morrow, that when the
Lamanites saw that we were in the borders by the wilderness which
was near the city, that they sent out their spies round about us
that they might discover the number and the strength of our army.
Alma 58:15
15 And it came to pass that when they saw that we were not
strong, according to our numbers, and fearing that we should cut
them off from their support except they should come out to battle
against us and kill us, and also supposing that they could easily
destroy us with their numerous hosts, therefore they began to
make preparations to come out against us to battle.
Alma 58:16
16 And when we saw that they were making preparations to come
out against us, behold, I caused that Gid, with a small number of
men, should secrete himself in the wilderness, and also that
Teomner and a small number of men should secrete themselves also
in the wilderness.
Alma 58:17
17 Now Gid and his men were on the right and the others on the
left; and when they had thus secreted themselves, behold, I
remained, with the remainder of my army, in that same place where
we had first pitched our tents against the time that the
Lamanites should come out to battle.
Alma 58:18
18 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come out with
their numerous army against us. And when they had come and were
about to fall upon us with the sword, I caused that my men, those
who were with me, should retreat into the wilderness.
Alma 58:19
19 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did follow after us
with great speed, for they were exceedingly desirous to overtake
us that they might slay us; therefore they did follow us into the
wilderness; and we did pass by in the midst of Gid and Teomner,
insomuch that they were not discovered by the Lamanites.
Alma 58:20
20 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had passed by, or
when the army had passed by, Gid and Teomner did rise up from
their secret places, and did cut off the spies of the Lamanites
that they should not return to the city.
Alma 58:21
21 And it came to pass that when they had cut them off, they ran
to the city and fell upon the guards who were left to guard the
city, insomuch that they did destroy them and did take possession
of the city.
Alma 58:22
22 Now this was done because the Lamanites did suffer their
whole army, save a few guards only, to be led away into the
wilderness.
Alma 58:23
23 And it came to pass that Gid and Teomner by this means had
obtained possession of their strongholds. And it came to pass
that we took our course, after having traveled much in the
wilderness towards the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 58:24
24 And when the Lamanites saw that they were marching towards
the land of Zarahemla, they were exceedingly afraid, lest there
was a plan laid to lead them on to destruction; therefore they
began to retreat into the wilderness again, yea, even back by the
same way which they had come.
Alma 58:25
25 And behold, it was night and they did pitch their tents, for
the chief captains of the Lamanites had supposed that the
Nephites were weary because of their march; and supposing that
they had driven their whole army therefore they took no thought
concerning the city of Manti.
Alma 58:26
26 Now it came to pass that when it was night, I caused that my
men should not sleep, but that they should march forward by
another way towards the land of Manti.
Alma 58:27
27 And because of this our march in the night-time, behold, on
the morrow we were beyond the Lamanites, insomuch that we did
arrive before them at the city of Manti.
Alma 58:28
28 And thus it came to pass, that by this stratagem we did take
possession of the city of Manti without the shedding of blood.
Alma 58:29
29 And it came to pass that when the armies of the Lamanites did
arrive near the city, and saw that we were prepared to meet them,
they were astonished exceedingly and struck with great fear,
insomuch that they did flee into the wilderness.
Alma 58:30
30 Yea, and it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did
flee out of all this quarter of the land. But behold, they have
carried with them many women and children out of the land.
Alma 58:31
31 And those cities which had been taken by the Lamanites, all
of them are at this period of time in our possession; and our
fathers and our women and our children are returning to their
homes, all save it be those who have been taken prisoners and
carried off by the Lamanites.
Alma 58:32
32 But behold, our armies are small to maintain so great a
number of cities and so great possessions.
Alma 58:33
33 But behold, we trust in our God who has given us victory over
those lands, insomuch that we have obtained those cities and
those lands, which were our own.
Alma 58:34
34 Now we do not know the cause that the government does not
grant us more strength; neither do those men who came up unto us
know why we have not received greater strength.
Alma 58:35
35 Behold, we do not know but what ye are unsuccessful, and ye
have drawn away the forces into that quarter of the land; if so,
we do not desire to murmur.
Alma 58:36
36 And if it is not so, behold, we fear that there is some
faction in the government, that they do not send more men to our
assistance; for we know that they are more numerous than that
which they have sent.
Alma 58:37
37 But, behold, it mattereth not—we trust God will deliver us,
notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us
out of the hands of our enemies.
Alma 58:38
38 Behold, this is the twenty and ninth year, in the latter end,
and we are in the possession of our lands; and the Lamanites have
fled to the land of Nephi.
Alma 58:39
39 And those sons of the people of Ammon, of whom I have so
highly spoken, are with me in the city of Manti; and the Lord had
supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword,
insomuch that even one soul has not been slain.
Alma 58:40
40 But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they
stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and
they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day;
yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and
his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the
prophecies concerning that which is to come.
Alma 58:41
41 And now, my beloved brother, Moroni, may the Lord our God,
who has redeemed us and made us free, keep you continually in his
presence; yea, and may he favor this people, even that ye may
have success in obtaining the possession of all that which the
Lamanites have taken from us, which was for our support. And
now, behold, I close mine epistle. I am Helaman, the son of
Alma.
Alma 59 Chapter 59
Alma 59:1
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, after Moroni had received and
had read Helaman's epistle, he was exceedingly rejoiced because
of the welfare, yea, the exceeding success which Helaman had had,
in obtaining those lands which were lost.
Alma 59:2
2 Yea, and he did make it known unto all his people, in all the
land round about in that part where he was, that they might
rejoice also.
Alma 59:3
3 And it came to pass that he immediately sent an epistle to
Pahoran, desiring that he should cause men to be gathered
together to strengthen Helaman, or the armies of Helaman,
insomuch that he might with ease maintain that part of the land
which he had been so miraculously prospered in regaining.
Alma 59:4
4 And it came to pass when Moroni had sent this epistle to the
land of Zarahemla, he began again to lay a plan that he might
obtain the remainder of those possessions and cities which the
Lamanites had taken from them.
Alma 59:5
5 And it came to pass that while Moroni was thus making
preparations to go against the Lamanites to battle, behold, the
people of Nephihah, who were gathered together from the city of
Moroni and the city of Lehi and the city of Morianton, were
attacked by the Lamanites.
Alma 59:6
6 Yea, even those who had been compelled to flee from the land
of Manti, and from the land round about, had come over and joined
the Lamanites in this part of the land.
Alma 59:7
7 And thus being exceedingly numerous, yea, and receiving
strength from day to day, by the command of Ammoron they came
forth against the people of Nephihah, and they did begin to slay
them with an exceedingly great slaughter.
Alma 59:8
8 And their armies were so numerous that the remainder of the
people of Nephihah were obliged to flee before them; and they
came even and joined the army of Moroni.
Alma 59:9
9 And now as Moroni had supposed that there should be men sent
to the city Nephihah, to the assistance of the people to maintain
that city, and knowing that it was easier to keep the city from
falling into the hands of the Lamanites than to retake it from
them, he supposed that they would easily maintain that city.
Alma 59:10
10 Therefore he retained all his force to maintain those places
which he had recovered.
Alma 59:11
11 And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was lost
he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the
wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the
hands of their brethren.
Alma 59:12
12 Now this was the case with all his chief captains. They
doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the
people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over
them.
Alma 59:13
13 And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the
government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom
of their country.
Alma 60 Chapter 60
Alma 60:1
1 And it came to pass that he wrote again to the governor of the
land, who was Pahoran, and these are the words which he wrote,
saying: Behold, I direct mine epistle to Pahoran, in the city of
Zarahemla, who is the chief judge and the governor over the land,
and also to all those who have been chosen by this people to
govern and manage the affairs of this war.
Alma 60:2
2 For behold, I have somewhat to say unto them by the way of
condemnation; for behold, ye yourselves know that ye have been
appointed to gather together men, and arm them with swords, and
with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war of every kind,
and send forth against the Lamanites, in whatsoever parts they
should come into our land.
Alma 60:3
3 And now behold, I say unto you that myself, and also my men,
and also Helaman and his men, have suffered exceedingly great
sufferings; yea, even hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and all manner
of afflictions of every kind.
Alma 60:4
4 But behold, were this all we had suffered we would not murmur
nor complain.
Alma 60:5
5 But behold, great has been the slaughter among our people;
yea, thousands have fallen by the sword, while it might have
otherwise been if ye had rendered unto our armies sufficient
strength and succor for them. Yea, great has been your neglect
towards us.
Alma 60:6
6 And now behold, we desire to know the cause of this
exceedingly great neglect; yea, we desire to know the cause of
your thoughtless state.
Alma 60:7
7 Can you think to sit upon your thrones in a state of
thoughtless stupor, while your enemies are spreading the work of
death around you? Yea, while they are murdering thousands of
your brethren—
Alma 60:8
8 Yea, even they who have looked up to you for protection, yea,
have placed you in a situation that ye might have succored them,
yea, ye might have sent armies unto them, to have strengthened
them, and have saved thousands of them from falling by the sword.
Alma 60:9
9 But behold, this is not all—ye have withheld your provisions
from them, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their
lives because of their great desires which they had for the
welfare of this people; yea, and this they have done when they
were about to perish with hunger, because of your exceedingly
great neglect towards them.
Alma 60:10
10 And now, my beloved brethren—for ye ought to be beloved;
yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for
the welfare and the freedom of this people; but behold, ye have
neglected them insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come
upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for known unto God were all
their cries, and all their sufferings—
Alma 60:11
11 Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones,
and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing
and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this ye
have supposed in vain.
Alma 60:12
12 Do ye suppose that, because so many of your brethren have
been killed it is because of their wickedness? I say unto you,
if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain; for I say unto
you, there are many who have fallen by the sword; and behold it
is to your condemnation;
Alma 60:13
13 For the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his
justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need
not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain;
but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.
Alma 60:14
14 And now behold, I say unto you, I fear exceedingly that the
judgments of God will come upon this people, because of their
exceeding slothfulness, yea, even the slothfulness of our
government, and their exceedingly great neglect towards their
brethren, yea, towards those who have been slain.
Alma 60:15
15 For were it not for the wickedness which first commenced at
our head, we could have withstood our enemies that they could
have gained no power over us.
Alma 60:16
16 Yea, had it not been for the war which broke out among
ourselves; yea, were it not for these king-men, who caused so
much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were
contending among ourselves, if we had united our strength as we
hitherto have done; yea, had it not been for the desire of power
and authority which those king-men had over us; had they been
true to the cause of our freedom, and united with us, and gone
forth against our enemies, instead of taking up their swords
against us, which was the cause of so much bloodshed among
ourselves; yea, if we had gone forth against them in the strength
of the Lord, we should have dispersed our enemies, for it would
have been done, according to the fulfilling of his word.
Alma 60:17
17 But behold, now the Lamanites are coming upon us, taking
possession of our lands, and they are murdering our people with
the sword, yea, our women and our children, and also carrying
them away captive, causing them that they should suffer all
manner of afflictions, and this because of the great wickedness
of those who are seeking for power and authority, yea, even those
king-men.
Alma 60:18
18 But why should I say much concerning this matter? For we
know not but what ye yourselves are seeking for authority. We
know not but what ye are also traitors to your country.
Alma 60:19
19 Or is it that ye have neglected us because ye are in the
heart of our country and ye are surrounded by security, that ye
do not cause food to be sent unto us, and also men to strengthen
our armies?
Alma 60:20
20 Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God?
Yea, have ye forgotten the captivity of our fathers? Have ye
forgotten the many times we have been delivered out of the hands
of our enemies?
Alma 60:21
21 Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while
we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which
the Lord has provided for us?
Alma 60:22
22 Yea, will ye sit in idleness while ye are surrounded with
thousands of those, yea, and tens of thousands, who do also sit
in idleness, while there are thousands round about in the borders
of the land who are falling by the sword, yea, wounded and
bleeding?
Alma 60:23
23 Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while
ye sit still and behold these things? Behold I say unto you,
Nay. Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that
the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the
outer vessel be cleansed also.
Alma 60:24
24 And now, except ye do repent of that which ye have done, and
begin to be up and doing, and send forth food and men unto us,
and also unto Helaman, that he may support those parts of our
country which he has regained, and that we may also recover the
remainder of our possessions in these parts, behold it will be
expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we
have first cleansed our inward vessel, yea, even the great head
of our government.
Alma 60:25
25 And except ye grant mine epistle, and come out and show unto
me a true spirit of freedom, and strive to strengthen and fortify
our armies, and grant unto them food for their support, behold I
will leave a part of my freemen to maintain this part of our
land, and I will leave the strength and the blessings of God upon
them, that none other power can operate against them—
Alma 60:26
26 And this because of their exceeding faith, and their patience
in their tribulations—
Alma 60:27
27 And I will come unto you, and if there be any among you that
has a desire for freedom, yea, if there be even a spark of
freedom remaining, behold I will stir up insurrections among you,
even until those who have desires to usurp power and authority
shall become extinct.
Alma 60:28
28 Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but
it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments
that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country, and it
is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss.
Alma 60:29
29 Behold it is time, yea, the time is now at hand, that except
ye do bestir yourselves in the defence of your country and your
little ones, the sword of justice doth hang over you; yea, and it
shall fall upon you and visit you even to your utter destruction.
Alma 60:30
30 Behold, I wait for assistance from you; and, except ye do
administer unto our relief, behold, I come unto you, even in the
land of Zarahemla, and smite you with the sword, insomuch that ye
can have no more power to impede the progress of this people in
the cause of our freedom.
Alma 60:31
31 For behold, the Lord will not suffer that ye shall live and
wax strong in your iniquities to destroy his righteous people.
Alma 60:32
32 Behold, can you suppose that the Lord will spare you and come
out in judgment against the Lamanites, when it is the tradition
of their fathers that has caused their hatred, yea, and it has
been redoubled by those who have dissented from us, while your
iniquity is for the cause of your love of glory and the vain
things of the world?
Alma 60:33
33 Ye know that ye do transgress the laws of God, and ye do know
that ye do trample them under your feet. Behold, the Lord saith
unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not
repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle
against them.
Alma 60:34
34 And now behold, I, Moroni, am constrained, according to the
covenant which I have made to keep the commandments of my God;
therefore I would that ye should adhere to the word of God, and
send speedily unto me of your provisions and of your men, and
also to Helaman.
Alma 60:35
35 And behold, if ye will not do this I come unto you speedily;
for behold, God will not suffer that we should perish with
hunger; therefore he will give unto us of your food, even if it
must be by the sword. Now see that ye fulfil the word of God.
Alma 60:36
36 Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for
power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world,
but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my
country. And thus I close mine epistle.
Alma 61 Chapter 61
Alma 61:1
1 Behold, now it came to pass that soon after Moroni had sent
his epistle unto the chief governor, he received an epistle from
Pahoran, the chief governor. And these are the words which he
received:
Alma 61:2
2 I, Pahoran, who am the chief governor of this land, do send
these words unto Moroni, the chief captain over the army.
Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great
afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul.
Alma 61:3
3 But behold, there are those who do joy in your afflictions,
yea, insomuch that they have risen up in rebellion against me,
and also those of my people who are freemen, yea, and those who
have risen up are exceedingly numerous.
Alma 61:4
4 And it is those who have sought to take away the judgment-seat
from me that have been the cause of this great iniquity; for they
have used great flattery, and they have led away the hearts of
many people, which will be the cause of sore affliction among us;
they have withheld our provisions, and have daunted our freemen
that they have not come unto you.
Alma 61:5
5 And behold, they have driven me out before them, and I have
fled to the land of Gideon, with as many men as it were possible
that I could get.
Alma 61:6
6 And behold, I have sent a proclamation throughout this part of
the land; and behold, they are flocking to us daily, to their
arms, in the defence of their country and their freedom, and to
avenge our wrongs.
Alma 61:7
7 And they have come unto us, insomuch that those who have risen
up in rebellion against us are set at defiance, yea, insomuch
that they do fear us and durst not come out against us to battle.
Alma 61:8
8 They have got possession of the land, or the city, of
Zarahemla; they have appointed a king over them, and he hath
written unto the king of the Lamanites, in the which he hath
joined an alliance with him; in the which alliance he hath agreed
to maintain the city of Zarahemla, which maintenance he supposeth
will enable the Lamanites to conquer the remainder of the land,
and he shall be placed king over this people when they shall be
conquered under the Lamanites.
Alma 61:9
9 And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it
mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of
your heart. I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to
retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the
liberty of my people. My soul standeth fast in that liberty in
the which God hath made us free.
Alma 61:10
10 And now, behold, we will resist wickedness even unto
bloodshed. We would not shed the blood of the Lamanites if they
would stay in their own land.
Alma 61:11
11 We would not shed the blood of our brethren if they would not
rise up in rebellion and take the sword against us.
Alma 61:12
12 We would subject ourselves to the yoke of bondage if it were
requisite with the justice of God, or if he should command us so
to do.
Alma 61:13
13 But behold he doth not command us that we shall subject
ourselves to our enemies, but that we should put our trust in
him, and he will deliver us.
Alma 61:14
14 Therefore, my beloved brother, Moroni, let us resist evil,
and whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our words, yea, such as
rebellions and dissensions, let us resist them with our swords,
that we may retain our freedom, that we may rejoice in the great
privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our
God.
Alma 61:15
15 Therefore, come unto me speedily with a few of your men, and
leave the remainder in the charge of Lehi and Teancum; give unto
them power to conduct the war in that part of the land, according
to the Spirit of God, which is also the Spirit of freedom which
is in them.
Alma 61:16
16 Behold I have sent a few provisions unto them, that they may
not perish until ye can come unto me.
Alma 61:17
17 Gather together whatsoever force ye can upon your march
hither, and we will go speedily against those dissenters, in the
strength of our God according to the faith which is in us.
Alma 61:18
18 And we will take possession of the city of Zarahemla, that we
may obtain more food to send forth unto Lehi and Teancum; yea, we
will go forth against them in the strength of the Lord, and we
will put an end to this great iniquity.
Alma 61:19
19 And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I
was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it
should be just in us to go against our brethren.
Alma 61:20
20 But ye have said, except they repent the Lord hath commanded
you that ye should go against them.
Alma 61:21
21 See that ye strengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord; tell
them to fear not, for God will deliver them, yea, and also all
those who stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them
free. And now I close mine epistle to my beloved brother,
Moroni.
Alma 62 Chapter 62
Alma 62:1
1 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this
epistle his heart did take courage, and was filled with
exceedingly great joy because of the faithfulness of Pahoran,
that he was not also a traitor to the freedom and cause of his
country.
Alma 62:2
2 But he did also mourn exceedingly because of the iniquity of
those who had driven Pahoran from the judgment-seat, yea, in fine
because of those who had rebelled against their country and also
their God.
Alma 62:3
3 And it came to pass that Moroni took a small number of men,
according to the desire of Pahoran, and gave Lehi and Teancum
command over the remainder of his army, and took his march
towards the land of Gideon.
Alma 62:4
4 And he did raise the standard of liberty in whatsoever place
he did enter, and gained whatsoever force he could in all his
march towards the land of Gideon.
Alma 62:5
5 And it came to pass that thousands did flock unto his
standard, and did take up their swords in the defence of their
freedom, that they might not come into bondage.
Alma 62:6
6 And thus, when Moroni had gathered together whatsoever men he
could in all his march, he came to the land of Gideon; and
uniting his forces with those of Pahoran they became exceedingly
strong, even stronger than the men of Pachus, who was the king of
those dissenters who had driven the freemen out of the land of
Zarahemla and had taken possession of the land.
Alma 62:7
7 And it came to pass that Moroni and Pahoran went down with
their armies into the land of Zarahemla, and went forth against
the city, and did meet the men of Pachus, insomuch that they did
come to battle.
Alma 62:8
8 And behold, Pachus was slain and his men were taken prisoners,
and Pahoran was restored to his judgment-seat.
Alma 62:9
9 And the men of Pachus received their trial, according to the
law, and also those king-men who had been taken and cast into
prison; and they were executed according to the law; yea, those
men of Pachus and those king-men, whosoever would not take up
arms in the defence of their country, but would fight against it,
were put to death.
Alma 62:10
10 And thus it became expedient that this law should be strictly
observed for the safety of their country; yea, and whosoever was
found denying their freedom was speedily executed according to
the law.
Alma 62:11
11 And thus ended the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi; Moroni and Pahoran having restored
peace to the land of Zarahemla, among their own people, having
inflicted death upon all those who were not true to the cause of
freedom.
Alma 62:12
12 And it came to pass in the commencement of the thirty and
first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
Moroni immediately caused that provisions should be sent, and
also an army of six thousand men should be sent unto Helaman, to
assist him in preserving that part of the land.
Alma 62:13
13 And he also caused that an army of six thousand men, with a
sufficient quantity of food, should be sent to the armies of Lehi
and Teancum. And it came to pass that this was done to fortify
the land against the Lamanites.
Alma 62:14
14 And it came to pass that Moroni and Pahoran, leaving a large
body of men in the land of Zarahemla, took their march with a
large body of men towards the land of Nephihah, being determined
to overthrow the Lamanites in that city.
Alma 62:15
15 And it came to pass that as they were marching towards the
land, they took a large body of men of the Lamanites, and slew
many of them, and took their provisions and their weapons of war.
Alma 62:16
16 And it came to pass after they had taken them, they caused
them to enter into a covenant that they would no more take up
their weapons of war against the Nephites.
Alma 62:17
17 And when they had entered into this covenant they sent them
to dwell with the people of Ammon, and they were in number about
four thousand who had not been slain.
Alma 62:18
18 And it came to pass that when they had sent them away they
pursued their march towards the land of Nephihah. And it came to
pass that when they had come to the city of Nephihah, they did
pitch their tents in the plains of Nephihah, which is near the
city of Nephihah.
Alma 62:19
19 Now Moroni was desirous that the Lamanites should come out to
battle against them, upon the plains; but the Lamanites, knowing
of their exceedingly great courage, and beholding the greatness
of their numbers, therefore they durst not come out against them;
therefore they did not come to battle in that day.
Alma 62:20
20 And when the night came, Moroni went forth in the darkness of
the night, and came upon the top of the wall to spy out in what
part of the city the Lamanites did camp with their army.
Alma 62:21
21 And it came to pass that they were on the east, by the
entrance; and they were all asleep. And now Moroni returned to
his army, and caused that they should prepare in haste strong
cords and ladders, to be let down from the top of the wall into
the inner part of the wall.
Alma 62:22
22 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his men should
march forth and come upon the top of the wall, and let themselves
down into that part of the city, yea, even on the west, where the
Lamanites did not camp with their armies.
Alma 62:23
23 And it came to pass that they were all let down into the city
by night, by the means of their strong cords and their ladders;
thus when the morning came they were all within the walls of the
city.
Alma 62:24
24 And now, when the Lamanites awoke and saw that the armies of
Moroni were within the walls, they were affrighted exceedingly,
insomuch that they did flee out by the pass.
Alma 62:25
25 And now when Moroni saw that they were fleeing before him, he
did cause that his men should march forth against them, and slew
many, and surrounded many others, and took them prisoners; and
the remainder of them fled into the land of Moroni, which was in
the borders by the seashore.
Alma 62:26
26 Thus had Moroni and Pahoran obtained the possession of the
city of Nephihah without the loss of one soul; and there were
many of the Lamanites who were slain.
Alma 62:27
27 Now it came to pass that many of the Lamanites that were
prisoners were desirous to join the people of Ammon and become a
free people.
Alma 62:28
28 And it came to pass that as many as were desirous, unto them
it was granted according to their desires.
Alma 62:29
29 Therefore, all the prisoners of the Lamanites did join the
people of Ammon, and did begin to labor exceedingly, tilling the
ground, raising all manner of grain, and flocks and herds of
every kind; and thus were the Nephites relieved from a great
burden; yea, insomuch that they were relieved from all the
prisoners of the Lamanites.
Alma 62:30
30 Now it came to pass that Moroni, after he had obtained
possession of the city of Nephihah, having taken many prisoners,
which did reduce the armies of the Lamanites exceedingly, and
having regained many of the Nephites who had been taken
prisoners, which did strengthen the army of Moroni exceedingly;
therefore Moroni went forth from the land of Nephihah to the land
of Lehi.
Alma 62:31
31 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that Moroni
was coming against them, they were again frightened and fled
before the army of Moroni.
Alma 62:32
32 And it came to pass that Moroni and his army did pursue them
from city to city, until they were met by Lehi and Teancum; and
the Lamanites fled from Lehi and Teancum, even down upon the
borders by the seashore, until they came to the land of Moroni.
Alma 62:33
33 And the armies of the Lamanites were all gathered together,
insomuch that they were all in one body in the land of Moroni.
Now, Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites, was also with them.
Alma 62:34
34 And it came to pass that Moroni and Lehi and Teancum did
encamp with their armies round about in the borders of the land
of Moroni, insomuch that the Lamanites were encircled about in
the borders by the wilderness on the south, and in the borders by
the wilderness on the east.
Alma 62:35
35 And thus they did encamp for the night. For behold, the
Nephites and the Lamanites also were weary because of the
greatness of the march; therefore they did not resolve upon any
stratagem in the night-time, save it were Teancum; for he was
exceedingly angry with Ammoron, insomuch that he considered that
Ammoron, and Amalickiah his brother, had been the cause of this
great and lasting war between them and the Lamanites, which had
been the cause of so much war and bloodshed, yea, and so much
famine.
Alma 62:36
36 And it came to pass that Teancum in his anger did go forth
into the camp of the Lamanites, and did let himself down over the
walls of the city. And he went forth with a cord, from place to
place, insomuch that he did find the king; and he did cast a
javelin at him, which did pierce him near the heart. But behold,
the king did awaken his servants before he died, insomuch that
they did pursue Teancum, and slew him.
Alma 62:37
37 Now it came to pass that when Lehi and Moroni knew that
Teancum was dead they were exceedingly sorrowful; for behold, he
had been a man who had fought valiantly for his country, yea, a
true friend to liberty; and he had suffered very many exceedingly
sore afflictions. But behold, he was dead, and had gone the way
of all the earth.
Alma 62:38
38 Now it came to pass that Moroni marched forth on the morrow,
and came upon the Lamanites, insomuch that they did slay them
with a great slaughter; and they did drive them out of the land;
and they did flee, even that they did not return at that time
against the Nephites.
Alma 62:39
39 And thus ended the thirty and first year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi; and thus they had had wars, and
bloodsheds, and famine, and affliction, for the space of many
years.
Alma 62:40
40 And there had been murders, and contentions, and dissensions,
and all manner of iniquity among the people of Nephi;
nevertheless for the righteous' sake, yea, because of the prayers
of the righteous, they were spared.
Alma 62:41
41 But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the
war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become
hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and
many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that
they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of
humility.
Alma 62:42
42 And it came to pass that after Moroni had fortified those
parts of the land which were most exposed to the Lamanites, until
they were sufficiently strong, he returned to the city of
Zarahemla; and also Helaman returned to the place of his
inheritance; and there was once more peace established among the
people of Nephi.
Alma 62:43
43 And Moroni yielded up the command of his armies into the
hands of his son, whose name was Moronihah; and he retired to his
own house that he might spend the remainder of his days in peace.
Alma 62:44
44 And Pahoran did return to his judgment-seat; and Helaman did
take upon him again to preach unto the people the word of God;
for because of so many wars and contentions it had become
expedient that a regulation should be made again in the church.
Alma 62:45
45 Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth, and did
declare the word of God with much power unto the convincing of
many people of their wickedness, which did cause them to repent
of their sins and to be baptized unto the Lord their God.
Alma 62:46
46 And it came to pass that they did establish again the church
of God, throughout all the land.
Alma 62:47
47 Yea, and regulations were made concerning the law. And their
judges, and their chief judges were chosen.
Alma 62:48
48 And the people of Nephi began to prosper again in the land,
and began to multiply and to wax exceedingly strong again in the
land. And they began to grow exceedingly rich.
Alma 62:49
49 But notwithstanding their riches, or their strength, or their
prosperity, they were not lifted up in the pride of their eyes;
neither were they slow to remember the Lord their God; but they
did humble themselves exceedingly before him.
Alma 62:50
50 Yea, they did remember how great things the Lord had done for
them, that he had delivered them from death, and from bonds, and
from prisons, and from all manner of afflictions and he had
delivered them out of the hands of their enemies.
Alma 62:51
51 And they did pray unto the Lord their God continually,
insomuch that the Lord did bless them, according to his word, so
that they did wax strong and prosper in the land.
Alma 62:52
52 And it came to pass that all these things were done. And
Helaman died, in the thirty and fifth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 63 Chapter 63
Alma 63:1
1 And it came to pass in the commencement of the thirty and
sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
that Shiblon took possession of those sacred things which had
been delivered unto Helaman by Alma.
Alma 63:2
2 And he was a just man, and he did walk uprightly before God;
and he did observe to do good continually, to keep the
commandments of the Lord his God; and also did his brother.
Alma 63:3
3 And it came to pass that Moroni died also. And thus ended the
thirty and sixth year of the reign of the judges.
Alma 63:4
4 And it came to pass that in the thirty and seventh year of the
reign of the judges, there was a large company of men, even to
the amount of five thousand and four hundred men, with their
wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla
into the land which was northward.
Alma 63:5
5 And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceedingly
curious man, therefore he went forth and built him an exceedingly
large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land
Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the
narrow neck which led into the land northward.
Alma 63:6
6 And behold, there were many of the Nephites who did enter
therein and did sail forth with much provisions, and also many
women and children; and they took their course northward. And
thus ended the thirty and seventh year.
Alma 63:7
7 And in the thirty and eighth year, this man built other ships.
And the first ship did also return, and many more people did enter into it; and they also took much provisions, and set out again to the land northward.
Alma 63:8
8 And it came to pass that they were never heard of more. And
we suppose that they were drowned in the depths of the sea. And
it came to pass that one other ship also did sail forth; and
whither she did go we know not.
Alma 63:9
9 And it came to pass that in this year there were many people
who went forth into the land northward. And thus ended the
thirty and eighth year.
Alma 63:10
10 And it came to pass in the thirty and ninth year of the reign
of the judges, Shiblon died also, and Corianton had gone forth to
the land northward in a ship, to carry forth provisions unto the
people who had gone forth into that land.
Alma 63:11
11 Therefore it became expedient for Shiblon to confer those
sacred things, before his death, upon the son of Helaman, who was
called Helaman, being called after the name of his father.
Alma 63:12
12 Now behold, all those engravings which were in the possession
of Helaman were written and sent forth among the children of men
throughout all the land, save it were those parts which had been
commanded by Alma should not go forth.
Alma 63:13
13 Nevertheless, these things were to be kept sacred, and handed
down from one generation to another; therefore, in this year,
they had been conferred upon Helaman, before the death of
Shiblon.
Alma 63:14
14 And it came to pass also in this year that there were some
dissenters who had gone forth unto the Lamanites; and they were
stirred up again to anger against the Nephites.
Alma 63:15
15 And also in this same year they came down with a numerous
army to war against the people of Moronihah, or against the army
of Moronihah, in the which they were beaten and driven back again
to their own lands, suffering great loss.
Alma 63:16
16 And thus ended the thirty and ninth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 63:17
17 And thus ended the account of Alma, and Helaman his son, and
also Shiblon, who was his son.
