Alma 50:1
And now it came to pa** that Moroni did not stop making
preparations for war, or to defend his people against the
Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should commence in the
commencement of the twentieth year of the reign of the judges,
that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round
about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed
by the Nephites.
Alma 50:2
And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there
should be timbers, yea, works of timbers built up to the height
of a man, round about the cities.
Alma 50:3
And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be
a frame of pickets built upon the timbers round about; and they
were strong and high.
Alma 50:4
And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works
of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon
those towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites
could not hurt them.
Alma 50:5
And they were prepared that they could cast stones from the
top thereof, according to their pleasure and their strength, and
slay him who should attempt to approach near the walls of the
city.
Alma 50:6
Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of
their enemies, round about every city in all the land.
Alma 50:7
And it came to pa** that Moroni caused that his armies should
go forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth and
drove all the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into
their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla.
Alma 50:8
And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the
east sea to the west.
Alma 50:9
And it came to pa** that when Moroni had driven all the
Lamanites out of the east wilderness, which was north of the
lands of their own possessions, he caused that the inhabitants
who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about
should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by
the seashore, and possess the land.
Alma 50:10
And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of
their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that
they might secure their armies and their people from the hands of
their enemies.
Alma 50:11
And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in
the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the
line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of
Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by
the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land
northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land
Bountiful, according to their pleasure.
Alma 50:12
Thus Moroni, with his armies, which did increase daily
because of the a**urance of protection which his works did bring
forth unto them, did seek to cut off the strength and the power
of the Lamanites from off the lands of their possessions, that
they should have no power upon the lands of their possession.
Alma 50:13
And it came to pa** that the Nephites began the foundation of
a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was
by the east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the
possessions of the Lamanites.
Alma 50:14
And they also began a foundation for a city between the city
of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and
Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land,
Nephihah.
Alma 50:15
And they also began in that same year to build many cities on
the north, one in a particular manner which they called Lehi,
which was in the north by the borders of the seashore.
Alma 50:16
And thus ended the twentieth year.
Alma 50:17
And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of
Nephi in the commencement of the twenty and first year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
Alma 50:18
And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly
rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land.
Alma 50:19
And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of
the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of
men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this
time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying:
Alma 50:20
Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed,
inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in
the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my
commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
Alma 50:21
And we see that these promises have been verified to the
people of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their
contentions, yea, their murderings, and their plunderings, their
idolatry, their who*edoms, and their abominations, which were
among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their
destructions.
Alma 50:22
And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their
wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by
the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the
Lamanites.
Alma 50:23
But behold there never was a happier time among the people of
Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea,
even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of
the judges.
Alma 50:24
And it came to pa** that the twenty and second year of the
reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty
and third year.
Alma 50:25
And it came to pa** that in the commencement of the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have
been peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a
contention which took place among them concerning the land of
Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of
Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.
Alma 50:26
For behold, the people who possessed the land of Morianton
did claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began to be
a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of
Morianton took up arms against their brethren, and they were
determined by the sword to slay them.
Alma 50:27
But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to
the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for a**istance; for
behold they were not in the wrong.
Alma 50:28
And it came to pa** that when the people of Morianton, who
were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people
of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly
fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy
them.
Alma 50:29
Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they
should flee to the land which was northward, which was covered
with large bodies of water, and take possession of the land which
was northward.
Alma 50:30
And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect,
(which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold,
Morianton being a man of much pa**ion, therefore he was angry
with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her
much.
Alma 50:31
And it came to pa** that she fled, and came over to the camp
of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and
also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.
Alma 50:32
Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or
rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of
Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain
possession of those parts of the land, which would lay a
foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi,
yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of their
liberty.
Alma 50:33
Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the
people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land
northward.
Alma 50:34
And it came to pa** that they did not head them until they
had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they
did head them, by the narrow pa** which led by the sea into the
land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.
Alma 50:35
And it came to pa** that the army which was sent by Moroni,
which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the
people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of
Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering
words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum
did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners,
and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.
Alma 50:36
And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon
their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the
land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the
people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their lands.
Alma 50:37
And it came to pa** that in the same year that the people of
Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second
chief judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect
uprightness before God.
Alma 50:38
Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of those
records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his
fathers to be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon
his son, Helaman.
Alma 50:39
Behold, it came to pa** that the son of Nephihah was
appointed to fill the judgment-seat, in the stead of his father;
yea, he was appointed chief judge and governor over the people,
with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to
keep the peace and the freedom of the people, and to grant unto
them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God, yea,
to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to
bring the wicked to justice according to their crime.
Alma 50:40
Now behold, his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did fill the
seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the
twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.