break it—therefore, if they should fall into the hands of the
Lamanites they would be destroyed.
Alma 43:12
12 And the Nephites would not suffer that they should be
destroyed; therefore they gave them lands for their inheritance.
Alma 43:13
13 And the people of Ammon did give unto the Nephites a large
portion of their substance to support their armies; and thus the
Nephites were compelled, alone, to withstand against the
Lamanites, who were a compound of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons
of Ishmael, and all those who had dissented from the Nephites,
who were Amalekites and Zoramites, and the descendants of the
priests of Noah.
Alma 43:14
14 Now those descendants were as numerous, nearly, as were the
Nephites; and thus the Nephites were obliged to contend with
their brethren, even unto bloodshed.
Alma 43:15
15 And it came to pass as the armies of the Lamanites had
gathered together in the land of Antionum, behold, the armies of
the Nephites were prepared to meet them in the land of Jershon.
Alma 43:16
16 Now, the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been
appointed to be the chief captain over the Nephites—now the
chief captain took the command of all the armies of the
Nephites—and his name was Moroni;
Alma 43:17
17 And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their
wars. And he was only twenty and five years old when he was
appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites.
Alma 43:18
18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders
of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with
cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.
Alma 43:19
19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of
Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates
and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their
heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing—
Alma 43:20
20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such
thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows
and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were
naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins;
yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the
Amalekites;
Alma 43:21
21 But they were not armed with breastplates, nor
shields—therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of
the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number
being so much greater than the Nephites.
Alma 43:22
22 Behold, now it came to pass that they durst not come against
the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; therefore they departed
out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their
journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the
river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take
possession of the land; for they did not suppose that the armies
of Moroni would know whither they had gone.
Alma 43:23
23 But it came to pass, as soon as they had departed into the
wilderness Moroni sent spies into the wilderness to watch their
camp; and Moroni, also, knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent
certain men unto him, desiring him that he should inquire of the
Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go to defend
themselves against the Lamanites.
Alma 43:24
24 And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came unto Alma,
and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, that the armies of
the Lamanites were marching round about in the wilderness, that
they might come over into the land of Manti, that they might
commence an attack upon the weaker part of the people. And those
messengers went and delivered the message unto Moroni.
Alma 43:25
25 Now Moroni, leaving a part of his army in the land of
Jershon, lest by any means a part of the Lamanites should come
into that land and take possession of the city, took the
remaining part of his army and marched over into the land of
Manti.
Alma 43:26
26 And he caused that all the people in that quarter of the land
should gather themselves together to battle against the
Lamanites, to defend their lands and their country, their rights
and their liberties; therefore they were prepared against the
time of the coming of the Lamanites.
Alma 43:27
27 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his army should
be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of the river
Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon in the
wilderness.
Alma 43:28
28 And Moroni placed spies round about, that he might know when
the camp of the Lamanites should come.
Alma 43:29
29 And now, as Moroni knew the intention of the Lamanites, that
it was their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject
them and bring them into bondage that they might establish a
kingdom unto themselves over all the land;
Alma 43:30
30 And he also knowing that it was the only desire of the
Nephites to preserve their lands, and their liberty, and their
church, therefore he thought it no sin that he should defend them
by stratagem; therefore, he found by his spies which course the
Lamanites were to take.
Alma 43:31
31 Therefore, he divided his army and brought a part over into
the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of
the hill Riplah;
Alma 43:32