Alma 49

At the end of the 19th year of elected judges, the Lamanite army arrived on the borders of the Nephite lands, where the city of Ammonihah once stood. God had previously allowed the Lamanites to destroy this city because of the sinfulness of the people that lived there. The Lamanite army came to this city now because they thought it would be an easy conquest again. But to their disappointment the rebuilt city had been fortified by Moroni with high earthen mounds around it. These mounds shielded the Nephite soldiers from the Lamanites arrows and rocks, and the only approach was through a well guarded entrance. Moroni’s defensive preparations surprised and astonished the Lamanites, who were also armored this time with shields and breastplates. Because of their superior numbers the Lamanites had imagined they could easily overpower the Nephites and take them away as slaves, or kill them according to their pleasure. But they were unprepared for Moroni’s defenses.

If King Amalickiah had led his army, perhaps he would have ordered the Lamanites to attack, because he didn’t care if his soldiers perished. But in his absence his commander didn’t attack Ammonihah. It didn’t look like an easy conquest at all. So the Lamanite army melted back into the wilderness and headed toward the city of Noah instead, in search of an easier conquest. When they arrived there, they found that Moroni had erected even greater earthworks and fortifications at Noah than he had at Ammonihah.

This was all part of Moroni’s plan. He guessed that they would be intimidated at Ammonihah and would come to Noah next, because it had been the least defended of all the cities in the land. Now he had the Lamanites just where he wanted them.

The Lamanites had sworn an oath to attack Noah and brought their army forward. Once again, high earthen mounds and a moat surrounded the city, making it unapproachable except for the main entrance. The Nephites were well prepared to destroy anyone who tried to enter.

When the Lamanite army tried to force an entry at the fortified entrance they were slaughtered. When that failed, they tried digging through the mounds of earth, but were driven away by stones and arrows hurled down from the fortified city walls. The moat filled up with bodies of dead Lamanite warriors, and the Nephites enjoyed total military superiority over the Lamanite attack. When the Lamanite commanders were killed their army quit fighting. More than a 1,000 Lamanites lay dead while not a single Nephite had been killed.

The remaining Lamanite warriors fled into the wilderness and told King Amalickiah, the former Nephite, what had occurred. When King Amalickiah heard of the defeat he became extremely angry with his own people. His desire to subjugate the Nephites had not happened as planned. He cursed God. Then he cursed Moroni, and swore that he would yet drink Moroni’s blood.

The Nephites gave thanks to their God for delivering them from harm at the hands of their enemies. Peaceful and prosperous times once again came to the Nephites and their church because of their vigilance in honoring the word of God. Alma’s and Mosiah’s sons baptized and ordained others, who spread then the word across the land to all the people. [72 BC]