The Book Of Alma (Chap. 49)

Alma 49:1
And now it came to pass in the eleventh month of the
nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the
Lamanites were seen approaching towards the land of Ammonihah.

Alma 49:2
And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had
stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had cast
up dirt around about to shield them from the arrows and the
stones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought with stones and
with arrows.

Alma 49:3
Behold, I said that the city of Ammonihah had been rebuilt. I
say unto you, yea, that it was in part rebuilt; and because the
Lamanites had destroyed it once because of the iniquity of the
people, they supposed that it would again become an easy prey for
them.

Alma 49:4
But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold,
the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth round about them, which
was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and
their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could
they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance.

Alma 49:5
Now at this time the chief captains of the Lamanites were
astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in
preparing their places of security.

Alma 49:6
Now the leaders of the Lamanites had supposed, because of the
greatness of their numbers, yea, they supposed that they should
be privileged to come upon them as they had hitherto done; yea,
and they had also prepared themselves with shields, and with
breastplates; and they had also prepared themselves with garments
of skins, yea, very thick garments to cover their nakedness.

Alma 49:7
And being thus prepared they supposed that they should easily
overpower and subject their brethren to the yoke of bondage, or
slay and massacre them according to their pleasure.

Alma 49:8
But behold, to their uttermost astonishment, they were
prepared for them, in a manner which never had been known among
the children of Lehi. Now they were prepared for the Lamanites,
to battle after the manner of the instructions of Moroni.

Alma 49:9
And it came to pass that the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites,
were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for
war.

Alma 49:10
Now, if king Amalickiah had come down out of the land of
Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the
Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah;
for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.

Alma 49:11
But behold, Amalickiah did not come down himself to battle.
And behold, his chief captains durst not attack the Nephites at
the city of Ammonihah, for Moroni had altered the management of
affairs among the Nephites, insomuch that the Lamanites were
disappointed in their places of retreat and they could not come
upon them.

Alma 49:12
Therefore they retreated into the wilderness, and took their
camp and marched towards the land of Noah, supposing that to be
the next best place for them to come against the Nephites.

Alma 49:13
For they knew not that Moroni had fortified, or had built
forts of security, for every city in all the land round about;
therefore, they marched forward to the land of Noah with a firm
determination; yea, their chief captains came forward and took an
oath that they would destroy the people of that city.

Alma 49:14
But behold, to their astonishment, the city of Noah, which
had hitherto been a weak place, had now, by the means of Moroni,
become strong, yea, even to exceed the strength of the city
Ammonihah.

Alma 49:15
And now, behold, this was wisdom in Moroni; for he had
supposed that they would be frightened at the city Ammonihah; and
as the city of Noah had hitherto been the weakest part of the
land, therefore they would march thither to battle; and thus it
was according to his desires.

Alma 49:16
And behold, Moroni had appointed Lehi to be chief captain
over the men of that city; and it was that same Lehi who fought
with the Lamanites in the valley on the east of the river Sidon.

Alma 49:17
And now behold it came to pass, that when the Lamanites had
found that Lehi commanded the city they were again disappointed,
for they feared Lehi exceedingly; nevertheless their chief
captains had sworn with an oath to attack the city; therefore,
they brought up their armies.

Alma 49:18
Now behold, the Lamanites could not get into their forts of
security by any other way save by the entrance, because of the
highness of the bank which had been thrown up, and the depth of
the ditch which had been dug round about, save it were by the
entrance.

Alma 49:19
And thus were the Nephites prepared to destroy all such as
should attempt to climb up to enter the fort by any other way, by
casting over stones and arrows at them.

Alma 49:20
Thus they were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men,
with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who should
attempt to come into their place of security by the place of
entrance; and thus were they prepared to defend themselves
against the Lamanites.

Alma 49:21
And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites
brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began
to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of
security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time,
insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.

Alma 49:22
Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the
Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth
that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might
have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they
were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at
them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the
banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead
and wounded bodies.

Alma 49:23
23 Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; and thus
the Lamanites did attempt to destroy the Nephites until their
chief captains were all slain; yea, and more than a thousand of
the Lamanites were slain; while, on the other hand, there was not
a single soul of the Nephites which was slain.

Alma 49:24
There were about fifty who were wounded, who had been exposed
to the arrows of the Lamanites through the pass, but they were
shielded by their shields, and their breastplates, and their
head-plates, insomuch that their wounds were upon their legs,
many of which were very severe.

Alma 49:25
And it came to pass, that when the Lamanites saw that their
chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness. And
it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi, to
inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth,
concerning their great loss.

Alma 49:26
And it came to pass that he was exceedingly angry with his
people, because he had not obtained his desire over the Nephites;
he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage.

Alma 49:27
Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also
Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and
this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing
for the safety of his people.

Alma 49:28
And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of
Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless
power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.

Alma 49:29
And thus ended the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.

Alma 49:30
Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and
exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed
and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was
declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and
Ammon and his brethren, yea, and by all those who had been
ordained by the holy order of God, being baptized unto
repentance, and sent forth to preach among the people.