Amulon persecutes Alma and his people—They are to be put to death if they pray—The Lord makes their burdens seem light—He delivers them from bondage, and they return to Zarahemla. [Between 145 and 120 B.C.]

 AND it came to pass that Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the ^aland^• of Amulon.

 For the Lamanites had taken possession of all these lands; therefore, the king of the Lamanites had appointed kings over all these lands.

 And now the name of the king of the Lamanites was ^aLaman^•, being called after the name of his father; and therefore he was called king Laman. And he was king over a numerous people.

 And he appointed ^ateachers^• of the ^bbrethren^• of Amulon in every land which was possessed by his people; and thus the ^clanguage^• of Nephi began to be taught among all the people of the Lamanites.

 And they were a people friendly one with another; nevertheless they knew not God; neither did the brethren of Amulon teach them anything concerning the Lord their God, neither the law of Moses; nor did they teach them the words of Abinadi;

 But they taught them that they should keep their record, and that they might write one to another.

 And thus the Lamanites began to increase in riches, and began to ^atrade^• one with another and wax great, and began to be a cunning and a wise people, as to the wisdom of the world, yea, a very cunning people, delighting in all manner of wickedness and plunder, except it were among their own brethren.

 And now it came to pass that ^aAmulon^• began to exercise ^bauthority^• over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him, and cause that his children should persecute their children.

 For Amulon knew Alma, that he had been ^aone^• of the king’s priests, and that it was he that believed the words of Abinadi and was driven out before the king, and therefore he was wroth with him; for he was subject to king Laman, yet he exercised authority over them, and put ^btasks^• upon them, and put ^ctask^•-masters over them.

 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.

 And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he ^aput^• guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.

 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their ^ahearts to him; and he did know the ^bthoughts^• of their hearts.

 And it ^acame^• to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

 And I will also ease the ^aburdens^• which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as ^bwitnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their ^cafflictions.

 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did ^astrengthen^• them that they could bear up their ^bburdens^• with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with ^cpatience^• to all the will of the Lord.

 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

 And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go ^awith^• thee and deliver this people out of ^bbondage^•.

 Now it came to pass that Alma and his people in the night-time gathered their flocks together, and also of their grain; yea, even all the night-time were they gathering the flocks together.

 And in the morning the Lord caused a ^adeep^• sleep to come upon the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound sleep.

 And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness; and when they had traveled all day they pitched their tents in a valley, and they called the valley Alma, because he led their way in the wilderness.

 Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their ^athanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their ^bburdens^•, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God.

 And they gave ^athanks to God, yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices in the praises of their God.

 And now the Lord said unto Alma: Haste thee and get thou and this people out of this land, for the Lamanites have awakened and do pursue thee; therefore get thee out of this land, and I will stop the Lamanites in this valley that they come no further in pursuit of this people.

 And it came to pass that they departed out of the valley, and took their journey into the wilderness.

 And after they had been in the wilderness ^atwelve^• days *they arrived in the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also ^breceive^• them with joy.

* Verse 25  [About 120 B.C.].