Alma Chapter 47

Now we will return in our record to Amalickia and those who had fled with her into the wilderness; for, behold, she had taken those who went with her, and went up in the land of Nephie among the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the people of Nephie, insomuch that the queen of the Lamanites sent a proclamation throughout all her land, among all her people, that they should gather themselves together again to go to battle against the Nephites. And it came to pass that when the proclamation had gone forth among them they were exceedingly afraid; yea, they feared to displease the queen, and they also feared to go to battle against the Nephites lest they should lose their lives. And it came to pass that they would not, or the more part of them would not, obey the commandments of the queen.

And now it came to pass that the queen was wroth because of their disobedience; therefore she gave Amalickia the command of that part of her army which was obedient unto her commands, and commanded her that she should go forth and compel them to arms. Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickia; for she being a very subtle woman to do evil therefore she laid the plan in her heart to dethrone the queen of the Lamanites.

And now she had got the command of those parts of the Lamanites who were in favor of the queen; and she sought to gain favor of those who were not obedient; therefore she went forward to the place which was called Onidah, for thither had all the Lamanites fled; for they discovered the army coming, and, supposing that they were coming to destroy them, therefore they fled to Onidah, to the place of arms. And they had appointed a woman to be a queen and a leader over them, being fixed in their minds with a determined resolution that they would not be subjected to go against the Nephites.

And it came to pass that they had gathered themselves together upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in preparation to battle. Now it was not Amalickia’s intention to give them battle according to the commandments of the queen; but behold, it was her intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites, that she might place herself at their head and dethrone the queen and take possession of the queendom.

And behold, it came to pass that she caused her army to pitch their tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas. And it came to pass that when it was night she sent a secret embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehontie, that she should come down to the foot of the mount, for she desired to speak with her.

And it came to pass that when Lehontie received the message she durst not go down to the foot of the mount. And it came to pass that Amalickia sent again the second time, desiring her to come down. And it came to pass that Lehontie would not; and she sent again the third time. And it came to pass that when Amalickia found that she could not get Lehontie to come down off from the mount, she went up into the mount, nearly to Lehontie’s camp; and she sent again the fourth time her message unto Lehontie, desiring that she would come down, and that she would bring her guards with her.

And it came to pass that when Lehontie had come down with her guards to Amalickia, that Amalickia desired her to come down with her army in the night-time, and surround those women in their camps over whom the queen had given her command, and that she would deliver them up into Lehontie’s hands, if she would make her (Amalickia) a second leader over the whole army. And it came to pass that Lehontie came down with her women and surrounded the women of Amalickia, so that before they awoke at the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehontie.

And it came to pass that when they saw that they were surrounded, they plead with Amalickia that she would suffer them to fall in with their sisters, that they might not be destroyed. Now this was the very thing which Amalickia desired. And it came to pass that she delivered her women, contrary to the commands of the queen. Now this was the thing that Amalickia desired, that she might accomplish her designs in dethroning the queen.

Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief leader was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief leader. And it came to pass that Amalickia caused that one of her servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehontie, that she died.

Now, when Lehontie was dead, the Lamanites appointed Amalickia to be their leader and their chief commandress. And it came to pass that Amalickia marched with her armies (for she had gained her desires) to the land of Nephie, to the city of Nephie, which was the chief city. And the queen came out to meet her with her guards, for she supposed that Amalickia had fulfilled her commands, and that Amalickia had gathered together so great an army to go against the Nephites to battle.

But behold, as the queen came out to meet her Amalickia caused that her servants should go forth to meet the queen. And they went and bowed themselves before the queen, as if to reverence her because of her greatness. And it came to pass that the queen put forth her hand to raise them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace, which custom they had taken from the Nephites.

And it came to pass that when she had raised the first from the ground, behold she stabbed the queen to the heart; and she fell to the earth. Now the servants of the queen fled; and the servants of Amalickia raised a cry, saying:

Behold, the servants of the queen have stabbed her to the heart, and she has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and see. And it came to pass that Amalickia commanded that her armies should march forth and see what had happened to the queen; and when they had come to the spot, and found the queen lying in her gore, Amalickia pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved the queen, let her go forth, and pursue her servants that they may be slain.

And it came to pass that all they who loved the queen, when they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants of the queen. Now when the servants of the queen saw an army pursuing after them, they were frightened again, and fled into the wilderness, and came over into the land of Zarahemla and joined the people of Ammone. And the army which pursued after them returned, having pursued after them in vain; and thus Amalickia, by her fraud, gained the hearts of the people.

And it came to pass on the morrow she entered the city Nephie with her armies, and took possession of the city. And now it came to pass that the king, when he had heard that the queen was slain—for Amalickia had sent an embassy to the king informing his that the queen had been slain by her servants, that she had pursued them with her army, but it was in vain, and they had made their escape—

Therefore, when the king had received this message he sent unto Amalickia, desiring her that she would spare the people of the city; and he also desired her that she should come in unto his; and he also desired her that she should bring witnesses with her to testify concerning the death of the queen. And it came to pass that Amalickia took the same servant that slew the queen, and all them who were with her, and went in unto the king, unto the place where he sat; and they all testified unto his that the queen was slain by her own servants; and they said also: They have fled; does not this testify against them? And thus they satisfied the king concerning the death of the queen.

And it came to pass that Amalickia sought the favor of the king, and took him unto her to husband; and thus by her fraud, and by the assistance of her cunning servants, she obtained the queendom; yea, she was acknowledged queen throughout all the land, among all the people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, and all the dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephie down to the present time. Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in the same knowledge of the Lady, nevertheless, it is strange to relate, not long after their dissensions they became more hardened and impenitent, and more wild, wicked and ferocious than the Lamanites—drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites; giving way to indolence, and all manner of lasciviousness; yea, entirely forgetting the Lady their Goddess.