Alma 47:1
Now we will return in our record to Amalickiah and those who
had fled with him into the wilderness; for, behold, he had taken
those who went with him, and went up in the land of Nephi among
the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the
people of Nephi, insomuch that the king of the Lamanites sent a
proclamation throughout all his land, among all his people, that
they should gather themselves together again to go to battle
against the Nephites.
Alma 47:2
And it came to pa** that when the proclamation had gone forth
among them they were exceedingly afraid; yea, they feared to
displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against
the Nephites lest they should lose their lives. And it came to
pa** that they would not, or the more part of them would not,
obey the commandments of the king.
Alma 47:3
And now it came to pa** that the king was wroth because of
their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of
that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and
commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms.
Alma 47:4
Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickiah; for he being a
very subtle man to do evil therefore he laid the plan in his
heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites.
Alma 47:5
And now he had got the command of those parts of the Lamanites
who were in favor of the king; and he sought to gain favor of
those who were not obedient; therefore he 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.
Alma 47:6
And they had appointed a man to be a king 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.
Alma 47:7
And it came to pa** that they had gathered themselves together
upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in
preparation to battle.
Alma 47:8
Now it was not Amalickiah's intention to give them battle
according to the commandments of the king; but behold, it was his
intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites, that he
might place himself at their head and dethrone the king and take
possession of the kingdom.
Alma 47:9
And behold, it came to pa** that he caused his army to pitch
their tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas.
Alma 47:10
And it came to pa** that when it was night he sent a secret
emba**y into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those
who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should
come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with
him.
Alma 47:11
And it came to pa** that when Lehonti received the message he
durst not go down to the foot of the mount. And it came to pa**
that Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come
down. And it came to pa** that Lehonti would not; and he sent
again the third time.
Alma 47:12
And it came to pa** that when Amalickiah found that he could
not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into
the mount, nearly to Lehonti's camp; and he sent again the fourth
time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down,
and that he would bring his guards with him.
Alma 47:13
And it came to pa** that when Lehonti had come down with his
guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down
with his army in the night-time, and surround those men in their
camps over whom the king had given him command, and that he would
deliver them up into Lehonti's hands, if he would make him
(Amalickiah) a second leader over the whole army.
Alma 47:14
And it came to pa** that Lehonti came down with his men and
surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at
the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti.
Alma 47:15
And it came to pa** that when they saw that they were
surrounded, they plead with Amalickiah that he would suffer them
to fall in with their brethren, that they might not be destroyed.
Now this was the very thing which Amalickiah desired.
Alma 47:16
And it came to pa** that he delivered his men, contrary to
the commands of the king. Now this was the thing that Amalickiah
desired, that he might accomplish his designs in dethroning the
king.
Alma 47:17
Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief
leader was k**ed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief
leader.
Alma 47:18
And it came to pa** that Amalickiah caused that one of his
servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he
died.
Alma 47:19
Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed
Amalickiah to be their leader and their chief commander.
Alma 47:20
And it came to pa** that Amalickiah marched with his armies
(for he had gained his desires) to the land of Nephi, to the city
of Nephi, which was the chief city.
Alma 47:21
And the king came out to meet him with his guards, for he
supposed that Amalickiah had fulfilled his commands, and that
Amalickiah had gathered together so great an army to go against
the Nephites to battle.
Alma 47:22
But behold, as the king came out to meet him Amalickiah
caused that his servants should go forth to meet the king. And
they went and bowed themselves before the king, as if to
reverence him because of his greatness.
Alma 47:23
And it came to pa** that the king put forth his hand to raise
them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace,
which custom they had taken from the Nephites.
Alma 47:24
And it came to pa** that when he had raised the first from
the ground, behold he stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell
to the earth.
Alma 47:25
Now the servants of the king fled; and the servants of
Amalickiah raised a cry, saying:
Alma 47:26
Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the
heart, and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and
see.
Alma 47:27
And it came to pa** that Amalickiah commanded that his armies
should march forth and see what had happened to the king; and
when they had come to the spot, and found the king lying in his
gore, Amalickiah pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved
the king, let him go forth, and pursue his servants that they may
be slain.
Alma 47:28
And it came to pa** that all they who loved the king, when
they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants
of the king.
Alma 47:29
Now when the servants of the king 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
Ammon.
Alma 47:30
And the army which pursued after them returned, having
pursued after them in vain; and thus Amalickiah, by his fraud,
gained the hearts of the people.
Alma 47:31
And it came to pa** on the morrow he entered the city Nephi
with his armies, and took possession of the city.
Alma 47:32
And now it came to pa** that the queen, when she had heard
that the king was slain—for Amalickiah had sent an emba**y to
the queen informing her that the king had been slain by his
servants, that he had pursued them with his army, but it was in
vain, and they had made their escape—
Alma 47:33
Therefore, when the queen had received this message she sent
unto Amalickiah, desiring him that he would spare the people of
the city; and she also desired him that he should come in unto
her; and she also desired him that he should bring witnesses with
him to testify concerning the d**h of the king.
Alma 47:34
And it came to pa** that Amalickiah took the same servant
that slew the king, and all them who were with him, and went in
unto the queen, unto the place where she sat; and they all
testified unto her that the king was slain by his own servants;
and they said also: They have fled; does not this testify against
them? And thus they satisfied the queen concerning the d**h of
the king.
Alma 47:35
And it came to pa** that Amalickiah sought the favor of the
queen, and took her unto him to wife; and thus by his fraud, and
by the a**istance of his cunning servants, he obtained the
kingdom; yea, he was acknowledged king 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 Nephi down to the
present time.
Alma 47:36
Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the
same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in
the same knowledge of the Lord, 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 Lord their God.