The Lamanites Prepare to Go to War against the People of Ammon

John W. Welch

The king’s proclamation did not succeed in all ways, at least it did not please the Amulonites and the Amalekites, who opposed the king entirely and openly. In addition, the king’s proclamation was quickly ignored, because he passed the kingship to his son before he died (24:3). Whenever there was a new king, there was instant instability. Immediately there were people who wanted to attack those who had converted. Sadly, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies had taken an oath that they would not take up arms ever again; they would rather die than use their weapons. Since, as the text says, they had buried the weapons “deep in the earth” (24:17), they would have had to dig them out of the ground. Their king commanded them not to make any preparations for war (24:6), and more than a thousand of them died rather than violate their oath.

John W. Welch Notes

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