Lamanites Attack City of Ammonihah

Event 84

Reference: Alma 16:1-21

AND it came to pass in the eleventh year of the reign of thejudges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of thesecond month, there having been much peace in the land ofZarahemla, there having been no wars nor contentions for acertain number of years, even until the fifth day of thesecond month in the eleventh year, there was a cry of warheard throughout the land.MormonLand ofZarahemla81 to 79 B.C.2 For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in uponthe wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even intothe city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people anddestroy the city.City ofAmmonihah3 And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise asufficient army to drive them out of the land, they haddestroyed the people who were in the city of Ammonihah,and also some around the borders of Noah, and taken otherscaptive into the wilderness.Wilderness4 Now it came to pass that the Nephites were desirous toobtain those who had been carried away captive into thewilderness. 5 Therefore, he that had been appointed chiefcaptain over the armies of the Nephites, (and his name wasZoram, and he had two sons, Lehi and Aha)—now Zoramand his two sons, knowing that Alma was high priest overthe church, and having heard that he had the spirit ofprophecy, therefore they went unto him and desired of himto know whither the Lord would that they should go intothe wilderness in search of their brethren, who had beentaken captive by the Lamanites.Land ofZarahemla6 And it came to pass that Alma inquired of the Lordconcerning the matter. And Alma returned and said untothem:Behold, the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the southwilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. Andbehold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, andthere the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have beentaken captive by the Lamanites.Alma7 And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed overthe river Sidon, with their armies, and marched awaybeyond the borders of Manti into the south wilderness,MormonWilderness which was on the east side of the river Sidon. 8 And theycame upon the armies of the Lamanites, and the Lamaniteswere scattered and driven into the wilderness; and they tooktheir brethren who had been taken captive by theLamanites, and there was not one soul of them had beenlost that were taken captive. And they were brought by theirbrethren to possess their own lands.MormonWilderness81 to 79 B.C.9 And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, theLamanites having been driven out of the land, and thepeople of Ammonihah were destroyed; yea, every livingsoul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also theirgreat city, which they said God could not destroy, becauseof its greatness. 10 But behold, in one day it was leftdesolate; and the carcasses were mangled by dogs and wildbeasts of the wilderness. 11 Nevertheless, after many daystheir dead bodies were heaped up upon the face of the earth,and they were covered with a shallow covering. And nowso great was the scent thereof that the people did not go into possess the land of Ammonihah for many years. And itwas called Desolation of Nehors; for they were of theprofession of Nehor, who were slain; and their landsremained desolate.Land ofAmmonihah12 And the Lamanites did not come again to war against theNephites until the fourteenth year of the reign of the judgesover the people of Nephi. And thus for three years did thepeople of Nephi have continual peace in all the land. 13 AndAlma and Amulek went forth preaching repentance to thepeople in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also intheir synagogues, which were built after the manner of theJews. 14 And as many as would hear their words, unto themthey did impart the word of God, without any respect ofpersons, continually. 15 And thus did Alma and Amulek goforth, and also many more who had been chosen for thework, to preach the word throughout all the land. And theestablishment of the church became general throughout theland, in all the region round about, among all the people ofthe Nephites.Land ofZarahemla78 B.C.16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord didpour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare theminds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts toreceive the word which should be taught among them at thetime of his coming— 17 That they might not be hardenedagainst the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word withjoy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that theymight enter into the rest of the Lord their God.MormonLand ofZarahemla78 B.C.18 Now those priests who did go forth among the people didpreach against all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, andstrifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing, robbing,plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all mannerof lasciviousness, crying that these things ought not so to be— 19 Holding forth things which must shortly come; yea,holding forth the coming of the Son of God, his sufferingsand death, and also the resurrection of the dead.20 And many of the people did inquire concerning the placewhere the Son of God should come; and they were taughtthat he would appear unto them after his resurrection; andthis the people did hear with great joy and gladness. 21 Andnow after the church had been established throughout allthe land—having got the victory over the devil, and theword of God being preached in its purity in all the land, andthe Lord pouring out his blessings upon the people—thusended the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over thepeople of Nephi.