Alma 46
Alma 46:1–4
1 And it came to pass that as many as would not hearken to the words of Helaman and his brethren were gathered together against their brethren.
2 And now behold, they were exceedingly wroth, insomuch that they were determined to slay them.
3 Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah.
4 And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power.
The end of the previous chapter spoke of Helaman1 and his brethren going on a missionary tour of the land of Zarahemla. Now we learn why that was so urgent. During Alma2’s time as Chief Judge, he saw political unrest and abdicated the political position to go on a preaching tour to attempt to bring back the hearts of the people. When the Zoramites threatened to break away from the Nephites, no one sent an army, but rather missionaries.
This is the same situation in this case. There is political unrest that was not described before mentioning the missionary journey, but certainly it was fomenting before that time and led to Helaman1 and his brethren going out to preach. They had some success, but not sufficient to prevent the coming conflict.
We learn of Amalickiah, who “was desirous to be a king.” Mormon appears to emphasize names having an MLK root as not only apostate, but specifically those who desired to return to having a king. The MLK root in Hebrew means “king.”
When Mosiah2 dissolved the monarchy, he created a new system of government. That didn’t mean that everyone agreed with him. He had created the new system because he feared the social disruption that would follow when there was no clear heir to the kingship. It is most likely that Amalickiah and similar thinkers were those who might have had a claim on the kingship. Now, even though there was a new system in place, they supported the return of a king, and surely a place for themselves in the political hierarchy. Mormon expressly notes, in verse 4, that “they were seeking for power.”
Alma 46:5–8
5 And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if they would support him and establish him to be their king that he would make them rulers over the people.
6 Thus they were led away by Amalickiah to dissensions, notwithstanding the preaching of Helaman and his brethren, yea, notwithstanding their exceedingly great care over the church, for they were high priests over the church.
7 And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the hand of the Lord.
8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one.
One reading of these verses would be that having a king leads people away from God. Even though that is a simple reading of the text, the social and cultural background provides the complexity to understand better what was happening. Foremost, it cannot be a condemnation of kingship specifically, because the Nephites had a king for much longer than they have not at this point. Thus, the answer is not in kingship, but in some other problem associated with kingship. When the Nephite nation was first created, the people wanted Nephi to be a king, but Nephi himself was reluctant. Where had that desire for a king come from?
The Nephites lived in a larger cultural area, subject to the influence of the people around them. Early on, it was a time when the establishment of kings was becoming the most common political system, and therefore the Nephite people desired to be more like their neighbors. That outside influence often affected them, typically with the temptation toward social hierarchies, at the top of which was a king.
Thus, what is happening in the land of Zarahemla is that the old influences of the people who had been in Zarahemla prior to the arrival of the Nephites were returning to their old beliefs and reflecting, perhaps as they once had, the cultures around them. It was those ideas that were detrimental to the church, because they espoused different religious ideals. In particular, they denied the coming Messiah, which was a foundational element of Nephite religion. More than just desiring a king, these men who desired power also desired the destruction of the uniquely Nephite religion and culture. It was the potential destruction of their religion that caused the need for the missionary journey of Helaman1 and his brethren.
Alma 46:9–10
9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men.
10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake.
Mormon confirms how dangerous Amalickiah is. Although Mormon is taking the story from the large plates, these two verses see Mormon explaining why he selected this story to tell. There is a moral at play here, and Mormon wants his readers to clearly see that moral. Thus, Mormon warns his future readers specifically about Amalickiah, but also against all who might be, as Amalickiah was: “a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words.”
When Mormon tells us that Amalickiah sought “to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted them,” it was a warning that Amalickiah was leading the people away from God. By leading them away from God, he was leading them away from the protective covenant of the land.
Moroni and the Title of Liberty
Alma 46:11–12
11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
Moroni had recently fought a battle against apostate Nephites, a battle that had cost many lives. The threat from Amalickiah is yet another form of apostasy, but this one is an internal threat rather than an external one. It is unsurprising that Moroni would be angry with someone who was attempting to do internally (to destroy the foundation of liberty) what Moroni had just done externally (in defending liberty).
The banner that Moroni made was an impromptu creation. It was intended to be seen, and easily raised above the heads of the people so that they could see it even when they were in a group. The fact that he wrote on it requires that we think of what it might have meant to have writing on the banner. First, it would be expected that someone could read it, else there was no reason to write on it in the first place. Nevertheless, the writing itself would not be seen by all. If one saw it from a distance, or the banner were fluttering in the wind, the words would be difficult to read. On top of those issues is the probability that literacy was limited.
Therefore, the writing became part of the symbol. It would be read to others, and the meaning of the words passed around, but the function of the writing would be that it be seen, and not necessarily be read.
Alma 46:13–16
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—
14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.
15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea, all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them, gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called, because of their belief in Christ who should come.
16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
Moroni gave his banner a name: “Title of Liberty.” By giving it a name, it could be referenced even if not present, and the name would convey the message of the words even when the words could not be read. Right after introducing the name, Mormon notes that it was associated with Christians, with those who had taken upon themselves the name of Christ.
The first important point is that this is the language of translation, and uses the English words as we have received them. The actual names used would have been more appropriate to the language of the Nephites, yet they would still identify the Nephites as a people who believed in the coming Messiah, whatever those words were.
The next important point is that liberty is not associated with political freedoms, but with a specific religion. For the Nephites, their religion was at the heart of who they were, and at the heart of their politics. The ancient world did not make the divisions between politics and religion that modern peoples take for granted. Thus, the threat to liberty, while beginning in the realm of politics, was most directly a threat to religious liberty. In verse 10, Mormon has written: “[Amalickiah sought] to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty.”
The Nephites had some unique beliefs, and the most important was their acceptance of the coming Messiah. The most common apostate notion was to reject that belief. Therefore, it was understood that the rise of Amalickiah and the desire to return to a king brought with it a change to the religious climate, and probably to the prohibition of the belief of those who called themselves after the name of the coming Messiah.
Alma 46:17–18
17 And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south—A chosen land, and the land of liberty.
18 And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions.
When Mormon declares that Moroni “named all the land which was south of the land Desolation . . . a chosen land, and the land of liberty,” he was describing the land of Zarahemla. Moroni would have had no intention of suggesting that the lands of the Lamanites to the south of the land of Zarahemla were a “land of liberty.” As noted in the comments on verses 17–18, Moroni used the concept of “liberty” to mean liberty to believe in the Nephite religion. It was not a declaration of a political system except as that political system was founded in the Nephite religious ideas of egalitarianism.
Moroni is using different language to reinforce the covenant of the land. He was declaring that the covenant applied to the land of Zarahemla and to those who believed in the Nephite religion (specifically those who had taken upon themselves the name of Christ) and that God would support them as they combated this threat.
Alma 46:19–20
19 And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying:
20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.
Amalickiah had his supporters, and his supporters were among the lower judges (see verse 4). That meant that they had recognized positions of authority that were leading the people astray. Moroni needed to rally the people to the cause of the Nephite religion, or the cause of liberty. Therefore, he uses the banner to make himself more visible in crowds. In addition to those who could read the writing on the banner, he vocally proclaimed the message. It was a call to arms from the people of the land. There was no standing army and Moroni had to compete with Amalickiah for army recruits.
Alma 46:21–22
21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.
22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression.
The people understood that Moroni was calling them to arms. They came “with their armor girded about their loins.” The next description is another physical representation of a covenant. In the comments on Alma 44:14, the idea of a simile curse was discussed. The curse was that should the Lamanites not accept the covenant of peace, they would fall to earth just as Zerahemnah’s scalp had fallen.
This is not a curse, but a simile covenant. The covenant was made, and the simile invoked the nature of the penalty should they break their covenant. They made it clear that they intended to keep the covenant to fight for their religious liberty.
Alma 46:23–27
23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.
24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.
25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall be taken unto God.
26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.
27 And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have dissented from us? Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do not stand fast in the faith of Christ.
Moroni picks up on the rent garments that the people have cast down as part of their simile covenant and links those torn garments to Joseph’s rent garment that was presented to his father, Jacob. Moroni links the current people to their respected ancestors from the Old World. First to Joseph, and then to Jacob as the father of Israel. The quotation from Jacob in verse 25 is not found in our scriptures but must have been on the brass plates. Moroni is suggesting that while this conflict will cause sorrow through the loss of life, yet the God of Jacob will “have joy” in his children, the faithful Nephites.
Amalickiah Flees toward Lamanite Lands
Alma 46:28–29
28 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called Amalickiahites.
29 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites—and he also saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause in which they had undertaken—therefore, fearing that he should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would and departed into the land of Nephi.
Moroni’s actions in gathering the faithful to the cause of their liberty acted similarly to a vote of the people. The numbers of the people who desired the cause of liberty, meaning the liberty of their religion, were greater than those who supported Amalickiah. When those supporting Amalickiah, who had become known as Amalickiahites, discovered that they were in the minority, they realized that they would not be able to win the day through legal means, and, perhaps, not through military means. Therefore, they left.
Alma 46:30–33
30 Now Moroni thought it was not expedient that the Lamanites should have any more strength; therefore he thought to cut off the people of Amalickiah, or to take them and bring them back, and put Amalickiah to death; yea, for he knew that he would stir up the Lamanites to anger against them, and cause them to come to battle against them; and this he knew that Amalickiah would do that he might obtain his purposes.
31 Therefore Moroni thought it was expedient that he should take his armies, who had gathered themselves together, and armed themselves, and entered into a covenant to keep the peace—and it came to pass that he took his army and marched out with his tents into the wilderness, to cut off the course of Amalickiah in the wilderness.
32 And it came to pass that he did according to his desires, and marched forth into the wilderness, and headed the armies of Amalickiah.
33 And it came to pass that Amalickiah fled with a small number of his men, and the remainder were delivered up into the hands of Moroni and were taken back into the land of Zarahemla.
The Amalickiahite threat was not one of simple belief, but one of treason against the foundation of the Nephite religion and politics. Moroni determined that having a number of apostate and traitorous Nephites joining with the Lamanites would not be wise. He had recently fought a war that began with the Zoramites in Antionum apostatizing and joining with the Lamanites. Moroni clearly had no desire to repeat the number of deaths that resulted from that battle.
Moroni cuts off the people fleeing with Amalickiah, although Amalickiah himself and a few others escape and will indeed unite with the Lamanites. At this point, however, the majority of the Amalickiahites were captured.
Alma 46:34–37
34 Now, Moroni being a man who was appointed by the chief judges and the voice of the people, therefore he had power according to his will with the armies of the Nephites, to establish and to exercise authority over them.
35 And it came to pass that whomsoever of the Amalickiahites that would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of freedom, that they might maintain a free government, he caused to be put to death; and there were but few who denied the covenant of freedom.
36 And it came to pass also, that he caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the standard of liberty among the Nephites.
37 And they began to have peace again in the land; and thus they did maintain peace in the land until nearly the end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges.
Mormon makes certain that his reader understands that Moroni had been given authority to make the decisions that he does in this case. Similar to the ending of the battle with Zerahemnah’s army (told in chapter 43), Moroni gives the captured Amalickiahites the choice to covenant to “support the cause of freedom” or to be put to death. The power of the oath was sufficient that there “were but few who denied the covenant of freedom.” That there were few is not surprising. That there were any who chose death over the oath is even more surprising.
This part of the story ends with the title of liberty being raised over all the land, with the land again having peace. The story began in the beginning of the nineteenth year. They obtained “peace in the land until nearly the end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges.” In other words, it lasted only a few months.
Alma 46:38–41
38 And Helaman and the high priests did also maintain order in the church; yea, even for the space of four years did they have much peace and rejoicing in the church.
39 And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.
40 And there were some who died with fevers, which at some seasons of the year were very frequent in the land—but not so much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the climate—
41 But there were many who died with old age; and those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must needs suppose.
Mormon gave the political aftermath of the Amalickiahite conflict in verses 34–37. These verses give the religious aftermath. The cause of religious liberty had been supported, and therefore “they [did] have much peace and rejoicing in the church.” As with other times of peace, Mormon gives very few details about that period. Verse 40 notes that there were some who died of fevers; therefore, the time of a lack of conflict was not a time of an absence of sorrow.
The impact of verses 40 and 41 is simply to note that life went on, and that while some died, they died of reasons not related to war. Verse 38 requires some clarification. It says that they maintained order in the church for four years. That is not the same as peace in the land. The church itself was strengthened and not threatened for four years. Nevertheless, there was war in the land with the Lamanites.
This is not the end of the chapter in the 1830 edition.
