“Religion and warfare were closely connected in the Book of Mormon. Certain elements of the Israelite patterns of ‘holy war’ were continued in the Book of Mormon, such as the important ancient idea that success in war was due fundamentally to the will of God and the righteousness of the people (Alma 2:28; 44:4–5; 50:21; 56:47; 57:36; 58:33; Morm. 2:26). Nephite armies consulted prophets before going to battle (Alma 16:5; 43:23–24; 3 Ne. 3:19) and entered into covenants with God before battle” (Ludlow, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1:163).