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CHAPTER 55
Moroni refuses to exchange prisoners—The Lamanites guards are enticed
to become drunk, and the Nephite prisoners are freed— |
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1 NOW it came to pass that when Moroni had
received this epistle he was more angry, because he knew that Ammoron
had a perfect knowledge of his
afrauda; yea, he knew
that Ammoron knew that it was not a just cause that had caused him to wage a
war against the people of Nephi.
2 And he said: Behold, I will not exchange prisoners with Ammoron save he will withdraw his apurpose, as I have stated in my epistle; for I will not grant unto him that he shall have any more power than what he hath got. 3 Behold, I know the place where the Lamanites do guard my people whom they have taken prisoners; and as Ammoron would not grant unto me mine epistle, behold, I will give unto him according to my words; yea, I will seek death among them until they shall sue for peace.
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1a he knew that Ammoron had a perfect knowledge of his fraud Ammoron was not fighting for anyone's but his own cause to be king and governor over all the land. Moroni knew of the deception by which Amalickiah and his brother Ammoron had obtained the throne of the Lamanites, for the servants of the king had come over to the Nephites and even there was at least one such servant which was in Moroni's army. So it was a complete matter of fraud that Ammoron was concerned for anyone's 'right' to the government. That which made it even more deceptive and ironic was the fact that Ammoron was a decendant of Zoram who had been a servant in Jerusalem and had no such claim to any leadership such as the eldest sons of Lehi might claim, or the descendants of Mulek might claim, or even the high houses of Nephi might claim. Thus Ammoron and his brother Amalickiah had 'usurped' them all without any such 'right'. And thus was Ammoron but a total fraud, using the claim to government but a means to incite the Lamanites to war against the Nephites and to the end that he, like was his brother's intent, might be the king over all of the land. |
1a
Neh. 6:8;
Alma 47:30 (12-35) 2a Alma 54:13
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4 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words,
he caused that a search should be made among his men, that
perhaps he might find a man who was a descendant of Laman among
them.
5 And it came to pass that they found one, whose name was Laman; and he was aone of the servants of the king who was murdered by Amalickiaha. 6 Now Moroni caused that Laman and a small number of his men should go forth unto the guards who were over the Nephites.
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5a one of the servants of the king who was murdered by Amalickiah There is a saying the 'What goes around comes around'. This saying basically means as we sow, so shall we reap. When one goes about making enemies of others, there will be a day of retribution. That day may not come until the next life. But often as not, later in one's own life's sequence we will be faced with those who we have previously associated with. Those who we may have made an enemy may will have opportunity against us at such later times. So also, those who we have made our friends, who we have done good by, may will have such a later opportunity to return the favor. Ammoron was the brother of Amalickiah and was most likely a part of that plan to kill that Lamanite king and to place the blame upon the servants of the king. Here now one of those accused servants is used against the armies of Ammoron. Because what had been done to him by Amalickiah and his brother, the Laman not jumps up out of obscurity and returns the 'favor' and bits the defenses of Ammoron and causes them to lose the city of Gid and a great portion of his armies. |
5a
Alma 47:29
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7 Now the Nephites were guarded in the city of
aGid; therefore Moroni appointed Laman and caused that a
small number of men should go with him.
8 And when it was evening Laman went to the guards who were over the Nephites, and behold, they saw him coming and they hailed him; but he saith unto them: Fear not; behold, I am a Lamanite. Behold, we have escaped from the Nephites, and they sleep; and behold we have taken of their wine and brought with us. 9 Now when the Lamanites heard these words they received him with joy; and they said unto him: Give us of your wine, that we may drink; we are glad that ye have thus taken wine with you for we are weary.
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7a
Alma 51:26
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10 But Laman said unto them: Let us keep of our wine till we go
against the Nephites to battle. But this saying only made them
more desirous to drink of the wine;
11 For, said they: We are weary, therefore let us take of the wine, and by and by we shall receive wine for our rations, which will strengthen us to go against the Nephites. 12 And Laman said unto them: You may do according to your desires.
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13 And it came to pass that they did take of the wine freely; and it
was pleasant to their taste, therefore they took of it more freely; and it
was strong, having been prepared in its astrength.
14 And it came to pass they did drink and were merry, and by and by they were all adrunken. 15 And now when Laman and his men saw that they were all drunken, and were in a adeep sleep, they returned to Moroni and told him all the things that had happened.
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13a
Prov. 20:1;
TG
Wine 14a Mosiah 22:6-11 15a 1 Sam. 26:12; Mosiah 24:19
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16 And now this was according to the design of Moroni. And Moroni
had prepared his men with weapons of war; and he went to the city Gid, while
the Lamanites were in a deep sleep and drunken, and cast in
aweapons of war unto the prisoners, insomuch that they were
all armed;
17 Yea, even to their women, and all those of their children, as many as were able to use a weapon of war, when Moroni had armed all those prisoners; and all those things were done in a profound silence. 18 But had they awakened the Lamanites, behold they were drunken and the Nephites could have slain them.
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16a
Alma 62:22 (21-23)
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19 But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not
adelight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the
saving of his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not bring
upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites and destroy them in
their drunkenness.
20 But he had obtained his desires; for he had armed those prisoners of the Nephites who were within the wall of the city, and had given them power to gain possession of those parts which were within the walls. 21 And then he caused the men who were with him to withdraw a pace from them, and surround the armies of the Lamanites.
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19a
Alma 48:16;
Alma 55:30-32
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22 Now behold this was done in the night-time, so that when the
Lamanites awoke in the morning they beheld that they were
surrounded by the Nephites without, and that their prisoners were
armed within.
23 And thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them; and in these circumstances they found that it was not expedient that they should fight with the Nephites; therefore their chief acaptains demanded their weapons of war, and they brought them forth and cast them at the feet of the Nephites, pleading for mercy. 24 Now behold, this was the desire of Moroni. He took them prisoners of war, and took possession of the city, and caused that all the prisoners should be liberated, who were Nephites; and they did join the army of Moroni, and were a great strength to his army.
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23a
Alma 52:19;
Alma 56:12 b Alma 52:38
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25 And it came to pass that he did cause the Lamanites, whom he had
taken prisoners, that they should commence a alabor in
strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid.
26 And it came to pass that when he had fortified the city Gid, according to his desires, he caused that his prisoners should be taken to the city Bountiful; and he also guarded that city with an exceedingly strong force. 27 And it came to pass that they did, notwithstanding all the intrigues of the Lamanites, keep and protect all the prisoners whom they had taken, and also maintain all the ground and the advantage which they had retaken.
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25a
Alma 53:5 (3-5)
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28 And it came to pass that the Nephites began
aagain to be victorious, and to reclaim their rights and
their privileges.
29 Many times did the Lamanites attempt to encircle them about by night, but in these attempts they did lose many prisoners.
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28a
Alma 44:20 (12-23)
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30 And many times did they attempt to administer of their wine
to the Nephites, that they might destroy them with poison or with
drunkenness.
31 But behold, the Nephites were not slow to aremember the Lord their God in this their time of affliction. They could not be taken in their snares; yea, they would not partake of their wine, save they had first given to some of the Lamanite prisoners. 32 And they were thus cautious that no poison should be administered among them; for if their wine would poison a Lamanite it would also poison a Nephite; and thus they did try all their liquorsa.
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32a they did try all their liquors Were the Nephites braking the Word of Wisdom? Or is not God an unchangable God? God has given to the latter-day church a principle with a promise which the church has accepted as a commandment which they do live. Why would God not have so commanded the Nephites or those of the Old Testament to not drink wine or liquor. The Word of Wisdom is based upon God's law of health, which is that men are to care for that tabernacle of flesh in which the spirit does dwell, caring for its health as also when that body is made eternal that such wise care of the body is also an eternal law. God is not changable in this, but various times and circumstance do govern what may be considered in the caring of the body from time to time. If a man is dying of thirst would God forbid man to drink a beer? Which would be more healthy, to forego drinking the beer and dying of thirst or drink the beer and live? Thus environmental conditions are to be reflected in what is and what is not a particular of a law. What is wrong in one circumstance might be right in another. In times of old it was often more healthy to drink the 'wine' than to drink the water, which was not pure and contained desease and impurities. In the Old Testament it warns of excessive drink, but it was often more healthy to drink it than to drink the water. Thus according to the Lord's law of health, it may be so applied differently in different times. |
31a
Hosea 5:15;
Alma 62:49-51
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33 And now it came to pass that it was expedient for Moroni to make
preparations to attack the city aMorianton; for behold, the
Lamanites had, by their labors, fortified the city Morianton until it had
become an exceeding stronghold.
34 And they were continually bringing new forces into that city, and also new supplies of provisions. 35 And thus ended the twenty and ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
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33a
Alma 50:25;
Alma 51:26
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