Alma 55
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The chapter opens with Moroni reading a letter. Ammoron, the Lamanite king, has written back that he will trade prisoners but will never give up his war, which he claims is waged to avenge old wrongs (Alma 54:16-24). Moroni is more angry, because he knows Ammoron knows better (v. 1). He will not trade unless Ammoron withdraws his purpose (v. 2), so he decides to free the prisoners another way.
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Alma 55:1-3I Will Not Exchange Prisoners
1Now 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. 2And 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. 3Behold, 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.
Moroni reads Ammoron's letter and grows angrier, because he knows Ammoron's war is not just. He refuses to trade prisoners unless Ammoron gives up his war, and decides to free the Nephite captives himself.
Alma 55:4-15Laman and the Wine
4And 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. 5And 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. 6Now Moroni caused that Laman and a small number of his men should go forth unto the guards who were over the Nephites. 7Now 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.
Moroni looks for a Lamanite in his own army and finds a man named Laman. Laman had once served the Lamanite king whom Amalickiah murdered. Moroni sends him with a few men toward the guards in the city of Gid.
8And 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. 9Now 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. 10But 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; 11For, 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. 12And Laman said unto them: You may do according to your desires. 13And 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. 14And it came to pass they did drink and were merry, and by and by they were all drunken. 15And 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.
Laman tells the guards he has escaped from the Nephites with wine. The guards are tired and want to drink. Laman suggests saving it, which only makes them want it more. They drink the strong wine until they are all asleep.
Alma 55:16-24He Did Not Delight in Bloodshed
16And 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; 17Yea, 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. 18But had they awakened the Lamanites, behold they were drunken and the Nephites could have slain them. 19But 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.
While the guards sleep, Moroni's men cast weapons in to the Nephite prisoners, including women and older children. Everything is done in complete silence.
The Nephites could have killed the sleeping guards, but Moroni would not. He cared about saving his people, and he would not do something unjust to win.
20But 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. 21And then he caused the men who were with him to withdraw a pace from them, and surround the armies of the Lamanites. 22Now 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. 23And 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. 24Now 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.
In the morning the Lamanites wake up surrounded, with the prisoners armed inside the city. They lay down their weapons and ask for mercy. Moroni takes them prisoner, frees the Nephites, and the freed captives join his army.
Alma 55:25-35Not Slow to Remember the Lord
25And 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. 26And 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. 27And 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. 28And it came to pass that the Nephites began again to be victorious, and to reclaim their rights and their privileges. 29Many times did the Lamanites attempt to encircle them about by night, but in these attempts they did lose many prisoners.
Moroni puts his prisoners to work strengthening Gid, then sends them to the city of Bountiful under strong guard. The Nephites keep what they have regained and begin to win again.
30And many times did they attempt to administer of their wine to the Nephites, that they might destroy them with poison or with drunkenness. 31But 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. 32And 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. 33And 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. 34And they were continually bringing new forces into that city, and also new supplies of provisions. 35And thus ended the twenty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
The Lamanites try the same trick on the Nephites, offering wine to poison them or make them drunk. The Nephites remember the Lord, avoid the snare, and test every drink on a prisoner first.
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, CaptainScripture passages on the Nephite chief captain who plans the freeing of the prisoners in this chapter.
- WarWhat the scriptures teach about when war is justified and how the Lord's people are to conduct themselves in it.
- Merciful, MercyScriptures on mercy, which the Lamanite guards plead for and receive in verse 23.
- Word of WisdomThe Lord's law of health given in this dispensation, a useful companion to a chapter where strong drink becomes a snare.
Where this echoes in Scripture
I Will Not Exchange Prisoners
- Alma 54:11-12I 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.The terms Moroni had offered.
- Alma 54:3Moroni resolved upon a stratagem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from the Lamanites as it were possible.Moroni's aim from the start.
- Ephesians 4:26Be ye angry, and sin not.
- Alma 48:11A man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country.Mormon's portrait of Moroni.
Laman and the Wine
- Alma 47:24-26The servants of the king have stabbed him to the heart, and he has fallen and they have fled.How Laman and the other servants were falsely blamed.
- Proverbs 20:1Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
- Matthew 26:41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
- D&C 89:7Strong drinks are not for the belly.
He Did Not Delight in Bloodshed
- Alma 48:16Not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people.What Moroni's heart gloried in.
- Alma 44:1We do not desire to be men of blood. Ye know that ye are in our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you.Moroni's words to Zerahemnah years earlier.
- Luke 9:56For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.
- Ezekiel 33:11I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
- Romans 12:21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Not Slow to Remember the Lord
- Matthew 10:16Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
- Alma 53:3-5Teancum, by the orders of Moroni, caused that they should commence laboring in digging a ditch round about the land.Prisoners put to work on fortifications before.
- Alma 37:37Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.
- 1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.