Alma 48
People in this chapter
Alma 48 is built as a contrast. On one side is Amalickiah, now king of the Lamanites, who appoints men to speak against the Nephites from towers and gathers a huge army to bring them into bondage (v. 4). On the other side is Captain Moroni, who had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God (v. 7) and fortifying their cities.
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Alma 48:1-6He Did Appoint Men to Speak from Their Towers
1And 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. 2And 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. 3Therefore 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.
As soon as Amalickiah becomes king, he appoints men to speak against the Nephites from towers. He wants to rule the Nephites too. He hardened the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds until he had a huge army.
4For he was determined, because of the greatness of the number of his people, to overpower the Nephites and to bring them into bondage. 5And 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. 6And it came to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth toward the land of Zarahemla in the wilderness.
Amalickiah wants to bring them into bondage. He chooses Zoramite dissenters as his captains because they know the Nephites' strengths, their hiding places, and the weakest parts of their cities.
Alma 48:7-10Preparing the Minds of the People
7Now 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.
While Amalickiah gained power by fraud and deceit, Moroni was preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord. The first thing he built was faith.
8Yea, 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. 9And 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. 10And 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.
Moroni also built small forts, banks of earth and walls of stone around the cities. He put the most men where the defenses were weakest.
Moroni prepared so his people could keep their freedom, families and peace, and so that they might live unto the Lord their God. Their enemies called it the cause of Christians.
Alma 48:11-17If All Men Had Been like unto Moroni
11And 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; 12Yea, 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. 13Yea, 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.
Mormon describes Moroni: strong, wise, and a man that did not delight in bloodshed. He loved freedom, was full of thanksgiving to God, and worked hard for his people's safety.
14Now 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. 15And 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; 16And 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.
The Nephites were taught to defend themselves if necessary, but never to give an offense and never to raise the sword except to save their lives. They trusted God to warn them and to guide them. Moroni gloried in doing good.
17Yea, 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.
Mormon says that if everyone were like Moroni, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever and the devil would have no power over anyone's heart.
Alma 48:18-25No Less Serviceable
18Behold, 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. 19Now 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. 20And 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.
Mormon says Moroni was like Ammon, the sons of Mosiah, and Alma and his sons, all men of God. Then he adds that Helaman and his brethren, who preached and baptized, were no less serviceable than Moroni.
21But, 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. 22Yea, and in fine, their wars never did cease for the space of many years with the Lamanites, notwithstanding their much reluctance. 23Now, 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.
The Nephites did not want this war. They fought reluctantly, and Mormon says the wars went on for many years notwithstanding their much reluctance.
24Nevertheless, 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. 25Yea, 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.
The Nephites would not let their families be killed by those who had left their church to destroy them. They held to the Lord's promise: keep the commandments and you will prosper in the land.
Research trail
Sources & further study
These references support the historical, linguistic, manuscript, and contextual notes in this chapter. Scripture remains the primary text; external sources are provided so readers can inspect the research directly.
- Moroni, CaptainThe Guide to the Scriptures entry for Captain Moroni, with references to his life from Alma 43 to Alma 63.
- Why Did Mormon See Captain Moroni as a Hero?Explores why Mormon, himself a young military leader in a time of constant war, wrote so admiringly of Moroni in verse 17.
- WarThe Church's summary of what the scriptures teach about war, including the Book of Mormon's teaching on defending family and freedom.
- ChristiansScriptures on the name Christians, including its use among the Nephites in Alma 46 and 48.
- LibertyScriptures on liberty and freedom, a word that recurs throughout Moroni's story.
- What Does It Mean to Prosper in the Land?Traces Lehi's promise through the Book of Mormon and argues that prospering in the land is set against being cut off from the Lord's presence.
Where this echoes in Scripture
He Did Appoint Men to Speak from Their Towers
- Alma 43:8His designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites... that he might usurp great power over them.Zerahemnah used the same method a year earlier.
- Alma 35:10-11They began to mix with the Lamanites and to stir them up also to anger.How the Zoramites came to be among the Lamanites.
- 3 Nephi 11:29He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention.The Savior on the source of stirred-up anger.
- James 3:5-6Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire.The power of words to start larger fires.
Preparing the Minds of the People
- Alma 46:15All those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called.Where the name Christians first appears among the Nephites.
- Alma 43:23Moroni, also, knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent certain men unto him.Moroni sought the Lord's direction through His prophet.
- Acts 11:26The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.The same name, given to disciples in the Old World.
- Alma 43:45They were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all.The same cause, in the previous war.
If All Men Had Been like unto Moroni
- 1 Nephi 22:26He hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.Nephi's prophecy, which verse 17 echoes.
- Alma 43:46-47Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain... Ye shall defend your families even unto bloodshed.The Lord's instruction behind verses 14-16.
- D&C 134:11All men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons.A latter-day statement of the same principle.
- Helaman 5:12It is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.What firm in the faith of Christ means.
- James 4:7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.The devil's power over hearts is not absolute.
No Less Serviceable
- Alma 34:32This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God.Why dying unprepared mattered so much to the Nephites.
- Matthew 5:44Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.The Savior's command, reflected in verse 23.
- Alma 37:1And now, my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the records.Which Helaman verse 19 means.
- 2 Nephi 1:20Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.Lehi's promise, which verse 25 recalls.
- D&C 98:16Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace.The Lord's latter-day counsel to His people.