Nephites Drive out the Lamanites

It was now 72 BC, and Moroni continued to have his people pile up banks of dirt around all the Nephite cities. On top of these ridges surrounding the cities, walls of timber were built as high as a man. And sharpened stakes were attached to the tops of these strong, high walls of timber. Moroni also had secure towers built from which the Nephites could see over their walls and still be safe from Lamanite stones and arrows. The towers were positioned so that stones could be slung down upon any who would attempt to approach the city walls. This is how Moroni had his people build strongholds in every city in all their lands.

After doing this, Moroni took his armies into the eastern wilderness and drove all the Lamanites there back into their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla. The border of the Lamanite lands ran directly from the east sea to the west sea. After driving all the Lamanites out of the eastern wilderness, which was north of the Lamanite lands, he allowed his people in the land of Zarahemla to occupy the eastern wilderness all the way to the eastern seashore.

Then Moroni placed armies on their southern borders and had them build fortifications. By doing this, the Lamanite strongholds from the eastern wilderness to the west were cut off.

The border between the Nephites and Lamanites, which ran from west to east, south of Zarahemla, was now completely controlled by the Nephites. The Nephites possessed all the northern land and also all the land north of the land of Bountiful.

Moroni’s armies grew larger every day because the men felt assured of protection within all the fortifications. Moroni and his armies weakened the Lamanites and cut them off from the Nephite lands in the north.

Then the Nephites began to build a city named Moroni. It was on the south, near the eastern seashore, and bordered the Lamanite land. The Nephites also began to build a city named Nephihah located between the city of Moroni and the city of Aaron, which joined their borders. The construction of many cities in the north began that year. One of these cities, named Lehi, was located near the eastern seashore.

This is how 72 BC ended. During the following year, the twenty-first year of the judges’ reign, the Nephites continued to be prosperous. They were a very prosperous and rich people, quickly populating and growing strong in the land.

From this we see the Lord’s mercy and justice in fulfilling all His words to His people. At this time, these words that He spoke to father Lehi were verified: “You and your children are blessed, and they will continue to be blessed if they keep my commandments. But remember, if they will not keep my commandments, they will be cut off from my presence.”

From this period of Nephite history we learn that these promises were verified. For it was not the Lord, but their internal quarreling, contention, murders, plundering, idolatry, sexual impurity, and other great sins that brought on the Nephite wars and destruction.

Those among them who were faithful in keeping the Lord’s commandments were delivered at all times, while thousands of their wicked brethren were consigned to bondage or death, or to falter in unbelief and mix with the Lamanites. There was never a happier time among the Nephites since the days of Nephi than in the days of Moroni in 71 BC.

The years 70 and 69 BC were also peaceful for the Nephites.

68 BC was a peaceful year except for some internal disputes that arose over the lands of Lehi and Morianton, which bordered the land of Lehi. The people who possessed the land of Morianton claimed part of the land of Lehi. This caused some serious fighting, for the people of Morianton took up swords against their brethren and were determined to kill them. But the people in the land of Lehi ran to Moroni’s camp and begged for his assistance, for they were not in the wrong.

When the people of Morianton, led by Morianton, heard that the people of Lehi had run to Moroni’s camp, they were very afraid that Moroni’s army would come and destroy them. So Morianton planned with his people to run to the northern land, a land covered with large lakes, and take possession of it. This plan would have been carried out and caused great sorrow had it not been for Morianton’s bad temper. He was angry with one of his maid servants and beat her very badly. She ran over to Moroni’s camp and told him what Morianton had done to her, and that he was planning to run away into the northern land. Moroni was afraid that the people in Bountiful would listen to Morianton and unite with him, taking control of the northern land and jeopardizing his people’s freedom. Because of this threat to their freedom, Moroni sent an army to head off Morianton and prevent his people from going into the northern land.

Moroni’s men headed them off at the border of the land of Desolation, near the narrow pass that led to the northern land, with a sea on the west and the east. The Nephite army that Moroni sent was led by a man named Teancum. He killed Morianton during the battle which broke out (for Morianton’s flattery had made his people stubborn enough to take up the sword). Teancum took Morianton’s people as prisoners and returned to Moroni’s camp. This is how 68 BC ended—the twenty-fourth year of the judges’ reign over the Nephites.

After Morianton’s people were brought back, and after they covenanted to keep the peace, they were restored to the land of Morianton. They became united with Lehi’s people, who were also restored to their lands. That same year, the second chief judge, Nephihah, died. He had filled the judgment-seat with perfect uprightness before God. However, he had refused to take possession of the plates and sacred things, so Alma had conferred them upon his son, Helaman.

Nephihah’s son, Pahoran, was appointed to fill the judgment-seat as chief judge and governor over the people. With an oath and sacred ordinance, Pahoran covenanted to judge righteously, to keep the peace and freedom of the people, to allow them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God, to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to bring the wicked to justice according to their crimes. He began his reign toward the end of 68 BC.