Alma
30 verses
In the eleventh month of the nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the Lamanites were seen approaching the land of Ammonihah.
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.
The city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had stationed an army around its borders. They piled up dirt all around to protect themselves from the arrows and stones of the Lamanites, because the Lamanites fought with stones and arrows.
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.
I said that the city of Ammonihah had been rebuilt. It was partially rebuilt; and because the Lamanites had destroyed it once because of the wickedness of the people, they thought it would be an easy target for them again.
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.
But their disappointment was great, because the Nephites had built a ridge of earth around them that was so high the Lamanites couldn’t hit them with stones or arrows, nor could they attack except through the entrance.
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.
At this time, the chief captains of the Lamanites were extremely astonished because of the wisdom the Nephites showed in preparing their defenses.
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.
The leaders of the Lamanites thought that, because they had so many people, they would be able to attack as they had before. They had also prepared themselves with shields and breastplates, and they wore thick garments made of skins to cover themselves.
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.
Since they were so well prepared, they thought they could easily overpower their brothers and force them into slavery, or kill and destroy them however they wanted.
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.
To their complete astonishment, the people were prepared for them in a way that had never been seen among the children of Lehi. They were ready for the Lamanites, to fight according to Moroni’s instructions.
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.
The Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites, were extremely astonished at how they had prepared for war.
And it came to pass that the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites, were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for war.
If King Amalickiah had come down from the land of Nephi leading his army, he might have caused the Lamanites to attack the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah, because he didn’t care about the lives of his people.
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.
Amalickiah didn’t come down to battle himself, and his chief captains didn’t dare attack the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah, because Moroni had changed the way things were managed among the Nephites. The Lamanites were disappointed in their places of retreat and couldn’t come upon them.
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.
So they retreated into the wilderness, took their camp, and marched toward the land of Noah, thinking that would be the next best place to attack the Nephites.
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.
They didn't know that Moroni had fortified or built forts to protect every city throughout the land, so they marched toward the land of Noah with firm determination. Their chief captains came forward and took an oath that they would destroy the people of that city.
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.
To their astonishment, the city of Noah, which had previously been a weak place, had now, because of Moroni, become strong—so strong that it was even stronger than the city of Ammonihah.
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.
This was wisdom in Moroni, because he thought they would be afraid of the city Ammonihah. Since the city of Noah had always been the weakest part of the land, he supposed they would go there to fight, and that is exactly what he wanted.
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.
Moroni had appointed Lehi to be the chief captain over the men of that city, and it was the same Lehi who fought with the Lamanites in the valley east of the river Sidon.
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.
When the Lamanites discovered that Lehi was in command of the city, they were disappointed again because they were very afraid of Lehi. However, their chief captains had sworn an oath to attack the city, so they brought up their armies.
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.
The Lamanites couldn’t get into their forts of security any way except through the entrance, because the bank was built so high and the ditch around it was so deep, so the only way in was through the entrance.
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.
The Nephites were ready to destroy anyone who tried to climb up and enter the fort by any other way, by throwing stones and shooting arrows at them.
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.
They were prepared—a group of their strongest men, armed with swords and slings—to strike down anyone who tried to enter their place of safety through the entrance. In this way, they were ready to defend themselves against the Lamanites.
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.
The captains of the Lamanites brought their armies to the entrance and started fighting the Nephites, trying to get into their place of security. However, they were repeatedly driven back and suffered immense losses.
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.
When they realized they couldn’t gain control over the Nephites by the pass, they started digging down the banks of earth to make a way for their armies so they could have a fair chance to fight. But during these attempts, they were struck down by stones and arrows that were thrown at them. Instead of filling up the ditches by tearing down the banks of earth, the ditches were partly filled with their dead and wounded.
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.
The Nephites had complete power over their enemies, and the Lamanites kept trying to destroy the Nephites until all their chief captains were killed. More than a thousand of the Lamanites were killed, while not a single Nephite was killed.
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.
About fifty were wounded after being exposed to the Lamanites’ arrows through the pass, but they were protected by their shields, breastplates, and head-plates, so their wounds were on their legs, and many of these wounds were very severe.
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.
When the Lamanites saw that all their chief captains had been killed, they fled into the wilderness. They returned to the land of Nephi to inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth, about their great loss.
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.
He was extremely angry with his people because he had not gotten what he wanted from the Nephites; he had not brought them into bondage.
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.
He was extremely angry, and he cursed God and Moroni, swearing that he would drink his blood. This was because Moroni had obeyed God's commandments in preparing for the safety of his people.
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.
On the other hand, the people of Nephi thanked the Lord their God for his unmatched power in delivering them from their enemies.
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.
That is how the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi ended.
And thus ended the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
There was continual peace among them, and the church experienced tremendous prosperity because they listened carefully and were diligent in following the word of God, which was taught to them by Helaman, Shiblon, Corianton, Ammon and his brothers, and by all those who had been ordained by the holy order of God, baptized for repentance, and sent to preach among the people.
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.