The Book Of Alma (Chap. 51)

Alma 51:1
1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and
fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
they having established peace between the people of Lehi and the
people of Morianton concerning their lands, and having commenced
the twenty and fifth year in peace;

Alma 51:2
Nevertheless, they did not long maintain an entire peace in
the land, for there began to be a contention among the people
concerning the chief judge Pahoran; for behold, there were a part
of the people who desired that a few particular points of the law
should be altered.

Alma 51:3
But behold, Pahoran would not alter nor suffer the law to be
altered; therefore, he did not hearken to those who had sent in
their voices with their petitions concerning the altering of the
law.

Alma 51:4
Therefore, those who were desirous that the law should be
altered were angry with him, and desired that he should no longer
be chief judge over the land; therefore there arose a warm
dispute concerning the matter, but not unto bloodshed.

Alma 51:5
And it came to pass that those who were desirous that Pahoran
should be dethroned from the judgment-seat were called king-men,
for they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner
to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the
land.

Alma 51:6
And those who were desirous that Pahoran should remain chief
judge over the land took upon them the name of freemen; and thus
was the division among them, for the freemen had sworn or
covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their
religion by a free government.

Alma 51:7
And it came to pass that this matter of their contention was
settled by the voice of the people. And it came to pass that the
voice of the people came in favor of the freemen, and Pahoran
retained the judgment-seat, which caused much rejoicing among the
brethren of Pahoran and also many of the people of liberty, who
also put the king-men to silence, that they durst not oppose but
were obliged to maintain the cause of freedom.

Alma 51:8
Now those who were in favor of kings were those of high birth,
and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who
sought power and authority over the people.

Alma 51:9
But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to
be among the people of Nephi; for behold, Amalickiah had again
stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites against the
people of the Nephites, and he was gathering together soldiers
from all parts of his land, and arming them, and preparing for
war with all diligence; for he had sworn to drink the blood of
Moroni.

Alma 51:10
But behold, we shall see that his promise which he made was
rash; nevertheless, he did prepare himself and his armies to come
to battle against the Nephites.

Alma 51:11
Now his armies were not so great as they had hitherto been,
because of the many thousands who had been slain by the hand of
the Nephites; but notwithstanding their great loss, Amalickiah
had gathered together a wonderfully great army, insomuch that he
feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 51:12
Yea, even Amalickiah did himself come down, at the head of
the Lamanites. And it was in the twenty and fifth year of the
reign of the judges; and it was at the same time that they had
begun to settle the affairs of their contentions concerning the
chief judge, Pahoran.

Alma 51:13
And it came to pass that when the men who were called
king-men had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle
against them, they were glad in their hearts; and they refused to
take up arms, for they were so wroth with the chief judge, and
also with the people of liberty, that they would not take up arms
to defend their country.

Alma 51:14
And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw
that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he
was exceedingly wroth because of the stubbornness of those people
whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he
was exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against
them.

Alma 51:15
And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice
of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he
should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those
dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.

Alma 51:16
For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions
and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been
hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass
that it was granted according to the voice of the people.

Alma 51:17
And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army
should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and
their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take
up arms and support the cause of liberty.

Alma 51:18
And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against
them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility,
insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight
against the men of Moroni they were hewn down and leveled to the
earth.

Alma 51:19
And it came to pass that there were four thousand of those
dissenters who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their
leaders who were not slain in battle were taken and cast into
prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period.

Alma 51:20
And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than be smitten
down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of
liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon
their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence
of their country.

Alma 51:21
And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were
not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an
end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who
professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to
humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight
valiantly for their freedom from bondage.

Alma 51:22
Behold, it came to pass that while Moroni was thus breaking
down the wars and contentions among his own people, and
subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations
to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites
had come into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the
seashore.

Alma 51:23
And it came to pass that the Nephites were not sufficiently
strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive
them, slaying many. And it came to pass that Amalickiah took
possession of the city, yea, possession of all their
fortifications.

Alma 51:24
And those who fled out of the city of Moroni came to the city
of Nephihah; and also the people of the city of Lehi gathered
themselves together, and made preparations and were ready to
receive the Lamanites to battle.

Alma 51:25
But it came to pass that Amalickiah would not suffer the
Lamanites to go against the city of Nephihah to battle, but kept
them down by the seashore, leaving men in every city to maintain
and defend it.

Alma 51:26
And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the
city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of
Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the
city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the
seashore.

Alma 51:27
And thus had the Lamanites obtained, by the cunning of
Amalickiah, so many cities, by their numberless hosts, all of
which were strongly fortified after the manner of the
fortifications of Moroni; all of which afforded strongholds for
the Lamanites.

Alma 51:28
And it came to pass that they marched to the borders of the
land Bountiful, driving the Nephites before them and slaying
many.

Alma 51:29
But it came to pass that they were met by Teancum, who had
slain Morianton and had headed his people in his flight.

Alma 51:30
And it came to pass that he headed Amalickiah also, as he was
marching forth with his numerous army that he might take
possession of the land Bountiful, and also the land northward.

Alma 51:31
But behold he met with a disappointment by being repulsed by
Teancum and his men, for they were great warriors; for every man
of Teancum did exceed the Lamanites in their strength and in
their skill of war, insomuch that they did gain advantage over
the Lamanites.

Alma 51:32
And it came to pass that they did harass them, insomuch that
they did slay them even until it was dark. And it came to pass
that Teancum and his men did pitch their tents in the borders of
the land Bountiful; and Amalickiah did pitch his tents in the
borders on the beach by the seashore, and after this manner were
they driven.

Alma 51:33
And it came to pass that when the night had come, Teancum and
his servant stole forth and went out by night, and went into the
camp of Amalickiah; and behold, sleep had overpowered them
because of their much fatigue, which was caused by the labors and
heat of the day.

Alma 51:34
And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent
of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the
death of the king immediately that he did not awake his servants.

Alma 51:35
And he returned again privily to his own camp, and behold,
his men were asleep, and he awoke them and told them all the
things that he had done.

Alma 51:36
And he caused that his armies should stand in readiness, lest
the Lamanites had awakened and should come upon them.

Alma 51:37
And thus endeth the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi; and thus endeth the days of
Amalickiah.