Alma 35
Zoramite Leaders Kick out the Believers
Alma 35:1–7
1 Now it came to pass that after Amulek had made an end of these words, they withdrew themselves from the multitude and came over into the land of Jershon.
2 Yea, and the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the word unto the Zoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon.
3 And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the Zoramites had consulted together concerning the words which had been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for it did destroy their craft; therefore they would not hearken unto the words.
4 And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words which had been spoken.
5 Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they found out privily the minds of all the people.
6 And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land; and they were many; and they came over also into the land of Jershon.
7 And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister unto them.
What Alma2 and his brethren had taught in Antionum was contrary to, and totally incompatible with, the teachings of the Zoramites. Therefore, when the Zoramites learn of those who had been converted to the Nephite religion, they did not attempt to integrate them into their society, but rather cast them out.
When the converts from the land of Antionum were cast out, they went to the next nearest Nephite land, which was Jershon. Jershon was the land where the Ammonites had settled. The Ammonites were the former Anti-Nephi-Lehies who had covenanted not to bear arms. Thus, this land that did not have its own natural protecting army accepted immigrants who needed to be integrated into their populations and given land to improve and cultivate. What is even more important is that it is the land Jershon, which is next to the land of Antionum. That fact becomes critical in the next events.
Zoramites Become Lamanite Allies
Alma 35:8–12
8 Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites, being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those who came over from them into their land.
9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants.
10 Now this did stir up the Zoramites to anger against the people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites and to stir them up also to anger against them.
11 And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also against the Nephites.
12 And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma’s fear that “the Zoramites would enter into a correspondence with the Lamanites, and that it would be the means of great loss on the part of the Nephites” (Alma 31:4), led to the mission to the Zoramites. While that mission had some success, it was a failure in its larger intent to prevent the Zoramites from entering into agreements with the Lamanites.
Verse 12 concludes the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges. The events of that year began to be discussed in Alma 30:5. At that time, Mormon recorded that “in the commencement of the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges, there was continual peace.” The declaration of continual peace in the Book of Mormon is a sure signal that the peace will end. It was an eventful year that began with the case of Korihor and ends with the Zoramites stirring the Lamanites to war. The danger of this war is perhaps worse than those which had gone on before it; the loss of Antionum, as a defense on the southeast, opens the way to the next Nephite land, which is Jershon, the least well defended Nephite land because the majority of its inhabitants were unavailable to be called to arms in order to repel an attack.
Alma 35:13
13 And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon, and came over into the land of Melek, and gave place in the land of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might contend with the armies of the Lamanites and the armies of the Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges; and an account shall be given of their wars hereafter.
The danger of the combination of the Zoramites and the Lamanites to the southeastern part of Nephite lands was so clear that the people of Ammon were moved to the land of Melek. That seems like a simple and effective solution, but it assumes that modern readers understand the more ancient agricultural societies. By leaving the land, the Ammonites left their crops. While they certainly harvested what they could, and would certainly begin farming again as soon as possible, the movement to a new land meant that they had to start over and that there was less land available on which to grow food.
The combination of the move and the need to start farming from scratch would immediately diminish some of the food available to support the army in what would become a protracted war.
Mormon tells his readers that he is going to give more attention to this war when he declares that “an account shall be given of their wars hereafter.” He also knows that he has accounts of Alma2‘s blessings to his sons that he wants to include in his record, and he will place those in the record prior to returning to the war in Alma 43:3.
Alma2 and Companions Return to Zarahemla
Alma 35:14–16
14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the two sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been instruments in the hands of God of bringing many of the Zoramites to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were driven out of their land; but they have lands for their inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their lands.
15 Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.
Verses 14–16 transition from the historical record of the events of the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges to Alma2‘s blessings to his sons. The conclusion of the events of the missionary journey are repeated as a summary. Then, Mormon describes Alma2 as grieving for the iniquity of his people, which has led to yet another war. The previous war in the fifteenth year was so devastating that both Mormon and Alma2 commented on how terrible it was, even though Mormon included few details (see Alma 28). Now, in the beginning of the eighteenth year, they will see yet another devastating war.
Nevertheless, the lessons of the mission to the Zoramites are not yet ended. The final lessons will be seen in the teaching of Alma2 to his son Corianton, but perhaps the danger of the coming war may have led Alma2 to give what might be considered to be final father’s blessings to his sons. Those blessings begin in the next chapter.
