Alma 59
Lamanites Take Nephihah
Alma 59:1–4
1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, after Moroni had received and had read Helaman’s epistle, he was exceedingly rejoiced because of the welfare, yea, the exceeding success which Helaman had had, in obtaining those lands which were lost.
2 Yea, and he did make it known unto all his people, in all the land round about in that part where he was, that they might rejoice also.
3 And it came to pass that he immediately sent an epistle to Pahoran, desiring that he should cause men to be gathered together to strengthen Helaman, or the armies of Helaman, insomuch that he might with ease maintain that part of the land which he had been so miraculously prospered in regaining.
4 And it came to pass when Moroni had sent this epistle to the land of Zarahemla, he began again to lay a plan that he might obtain the remainder of those possessions and cities which the Lamanites had taken from them.
Moroni saw two things as important in Helaman1’s letter. The first was that they had been able to remove the Lamanites from the western and southern lands. The second was that there was some problem with the government that prevented needed reinforcements to be sent. Based on those two important aspects of Helaman1’s letter, Moroni does two things.
The first is that he sends a letter to Pahoran, the Chief Judge, and therefore the head of the government, pleading that he send the needed reinforcements to Helaman1.
The second was that he began to map out his own plan to remove the Lamanites from the eastern borders of the Nephite lands.
Alma 59:5–8
5 And it came to pass that while Moroni was thus making preparations to go against the Lamanites to battle, behold, the people of Nephihah, who were gathered together from the city of Moroni and the city of Lehi and the city of Morianton, were attacked by the Lamanites.
6 Yea, even those who had been compelled to flee from the land of Manti, and from the land round about, had come over and joined the Lamanites in this part of the land.
7 And thus being exceedingly numerous, yea, and receiving strength from day to day, by the command of Ammoron they came forth against the people of Nephihah, and they did begin to slay them with an exceedingly great slaughter.
8 And their armies were so numerous that the remainder of the people of Nephihah were obliged to flee before them; and they came even and joined the army of Moroni.
As Moroni is preparing his plans to drive the Lamanites out, he learns that the Lamanites are not only even stronger, but that they have also taken the land of Nephihah. Before Moroni gets the chance to try to make things better, they get worse.
Alma 59:9–13
9 And now as Moroni had supposed that there should be men sent to the city of Nephihah, to the assistance of the people to maintain that city, and knowing that it was easier to keep the city from falling into the hands of the Lamanites than to retake it from them, he supposed that they would easily maintain that city.
10 Therefore he retained all his force to maintain those places which he had recovered.
11 And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was lost he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the hands of their brethren.
12 Now this was the case with all his chief captains. They doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over them.
13 And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.
Moroni learns that in addition to not receiving reinforcements on the western front, there were cities on the eastern front that he felt were adequately manned so that he could keep his fighting army together. That plan is now in jeopardy. Not only is Helaman1 in need of reinforcements to hold the west, Moroni will need reinforcements to proceed with his plans on the east, and to be able to hold any captured cities. The loss of Nephihah drove that point home.
There is no chapter break at this point in the 1830 edition. Orson Pratt decided to separate the information about the letter that Moroni sent to Pahoran (stating Moroni’s demands) from the conditions affecting Moroni’s disposition when the letter was written.
