Mormon 4
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In the three hundred and sixty-third year the Nephites do what they swore to do in Mormon 3. They go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites (v. 1). Mormon is not leading them. They are driven back, and they lose the city they had held (v. 2).
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Mormon 4:1-5By the Wicked the Wicked Are Punished
1And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation. 2And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were driven back again to the land of Desolation. And while they were yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the Nephites, and did take many prisoners. 3And the remainder did flee and join the inhabitants of the city Teancum. Now the city Teancum lay in the borders by the seashore; and it was also near the city Desolation. 4And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.
The Nephites went out to attack the Lamanites. They were beaten, lost the city of Desolation, and fled. Mormon says they lost because they went on the attack.
5But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed.
Mormon 4:6-12Every Heart Was Hardened
6And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city Teancum. 7And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth year the Lamanites did come against the city Teancum, that they might take possession of the city Teancum also. 8And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation. 9And now all these things had been done, and there had been thousands slain on both sides, both the Nephites and the Lamanites. 10And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.
The Nephites held the city of Teancum and then retook Desolation. Instead of thanking God, they boasted again in their own strength. Thousands died on both sides, and the Nephites still did not repent.
11And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually. 12And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people.
Mormon says the horror was impossible to describe. Everyone's heart was hard, and they enjoyed bloodshed. There had never been such wickedness among Lehi's descendants or all of Israel.
Mormon 4:13-18As a Dew before the Sun
13And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites. 14And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods. 15And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands. 16And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites until the three hundred and seventy and fifth year.
The Lamanites took Desolation and Teancum, captured women and children, and sacrificed them to idols. The Nephites, in great anger, drove the Lamanites out.
17And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with all their powers; and they were not numbered because of the greatness of their number. 18And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun.
In the 375th year the Lamanites came with so many people they could not be counted. From then on the Nephites kept losing and were swept away like dew in the sun.
Mormon 4:19-23I Did Take Up All the Records
19And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against the city Desolation; and there was an exceedingly sore battle fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the Nephites. 20And they fled again from before them, and they came to the city Boaz; and there they did stand against the Lamanites with exceeding boldness, insomuch that the Lamanites did not beat them until they had come again the second time. 21And when they had come the second time, the Nephites were driven and slaughtered with an exceedingly great slaughter; their women and their children were again sacrificed unto idols. 22And it came to pass that the Nephites did again flee from before them, taking all the inhabitants with them, both in towns and villages.
The Nephites lost at Desolation and fled to Boaz. They held out once, but the second time they were driven out with great loss. They fled again and took everyone with them.
23And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to overthrow the land, therefore I did go to the hill Shim, and did take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord.
Mormon saw the land was about to fall, so he went to the hill Shim and took all the sacred records Ammaron had hidden there.
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.
- WarScriptures on when the Lord's people may defend themselves, and the consequences of wars of aggression and revenge.
- VengeanceWhy vengeance belongs to the Lord, the principle the Nephites ignored when they went up to battle (v. 1).
- PlatesBackground on the sacred records Mormon takes up from the hill Shim (v. 23).
- Mormon, Nephite ProphetMormon's life as witness, commander, and keeper of the records.
Where this echoes in Scripture
By the Wicked the Wicked Are Punished
- Matthew 26:52All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
- Mormon 3:15Vengeance is mine, and I will repay.The Lord's word before this battle.
- 3 Nephi 3:21If we should go up against them the Lord would deliver us into their hands.Gidgiddoni refused to go up.
- Alma 48:14Never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.
- Alma 60:13The Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his justice and judgment may come upon the wicked.
Every Heart Was Hardened
- Mormon 5:8I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage.
- 3 Nephi 5:13Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.Mormon's self-description.
- 4 Nephi 1:15There was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.The same people's ancestors.
- Moroni 9:20They are without principle, and past feeling.Mormon's later description to Moroni.
As a Dew before the Sun
- Hosea 13:3They shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away.
- 3 Nephi 9:19Ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood.The Lord ended blood sacrifice.
- Mormon 1:7The people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.
- James 1:20The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
I Did Take Up All the Records
- Mormon 1:3-4Ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself, and the remainder shall ye leave in the place where they are.
- 4 Nephi 1:49He did hide them up unto the Lord, that they might come again unto the remnant of the house of Jacob.
- Mormon 6:6I... hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.
- Alma 37:14Which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him, that he may show forth his power unto future generations.
- Mormon 3:21That Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God.Why the records had to survive.