The Book Of Alma (Chap. 56)

Alma 56:1
And now it came to pass in the commencement of the thirtieth
year of the reign of the judges, on the second day in the first
month, Moroni received an epistle from Helaman, stating the
affairs of the people in that quarter of the land.

Alma 56:2
And these are the words which he wrote, saying: My dearly
beloved brother, Moroni, as well in the Lord as in the
tribulations of our warfare; behold, my beloved brother, I have
somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the
land.

Alma 56:3
Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men whom Ammon
brought down out of the land of Nephi—now ye have known that
these were descendants of Laman, who was the eldest son of our
father Lehi;

Alma 56:4
Now I need not rehearse unto you concerning their traditions
or their unbelief, for thou knowest concerning all these things—

Alma 56:5
Therefore it sufficeth me that I tell you that two thousand of
these young men have taken their weapons of war, and would that I
should be their leader; and we have come forth to defend our
country.

Alma 56:6
And now ye also know concerning the covenant which their
fathers made, that they would not take up their weapons of war
against their brethren to shed blood.

Alma 56:7
But in the twenty and sixth year, when they saw our
afflictions and our tribulations for them, they were about to
break the covenant which they had made and take up their weapons
of war in our defence.

Alma 56:8
But I would not suffer them that they should break this
covenant which they had made, supposing that God would strengthen
us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the
fulfilling the oath which they had taken.

Alma 56:9
But behold, here is one thing in which we may have great joy.
For behold, in the twenty and sixth year, I, Helaman, did march
at the head of these two thousand young men to the city of Judea,
to assist Antipus, whom ye had appointed a leader over the people
of that part of the land.

Alma 56:10
And I did join my two thousand sons, (for they are worthy to
be called sons) to the army of Antipus, in which strength Antipus
did rejoice exceedingly; for behold, his army had been reduced by
the Lamanites because their forces had slain a vast number of our
men, for which cause we have to mourn.

Alma 56:11
Nevertheless, we may console ourselves in this point, that
they have died in the cause of their country and of their God,
yea, and they are happy.

Alma 56:12
And the Lamanites had also retained many prisoners, all of
whom are chief captains, for none other have they spared alive.
And we suppose that they are now at this time in the land of
Nephi; it is so if they are not slain.

Alma 56:13
And now these are the cities of which the Lamanites have
obtained possession by the shedding of the blood of so many of
our valiant men:

Alma 56:14
The land of Manti, or the city of Manti, and the city of
Zeezrom, and the city of Cumeni, and the city of Antiparah.

Alma 56:15
And these are the cities which they possessed when I arrived
at the city of Judea; and I found Antipus and his men toiling
with their might to fortify the city.

Alma 56:16
Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit,
for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to
maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great
afflictions of every kind.

Alma 56:17
And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die;
therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I
brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes
and much joy.

Alma 56:18
And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that
Antipus had received a greater strength to his army, they were
compelled by the orders of Ammoron to not come against the city
of Judea, or against us, to battle.

Alma 56:19
And thus were we favored of the Lord; for had they come upon
us in this our weakness they might have perhaps destroyed our
little army; but thus were we preserved.

Alma 56:20
They were commanded by Ammoron to maintain those cities which
they had taken. And thus ended the twenty and sixth year. And
in the commencement of the twenty and seventh year we had
prepared our city and ourselves for defence.

Alma 56:21
Now we were desirous that the Lamanites should come upon us;
for we were not desirous to make an attack upon them in their
strongholds.

Alma 56:22
And it came to pass that we kept spies out round about, to
watch the movements of the Lamanites, that they might not pass us
by night nor by day to make an attack upon our other cities which
were on the northward.

Alma 56:23
For we knew in those cities they were not sufficiently strong
to meet them; therefore we were desirous, if they should pass by
us, to fall upon them in their rear, and thus bring them up in
the rear at the same time they were met in the front. We
supposed that we could overpower them; but behold, we were
disappointed in this our desire.

Alma 56:24
They durst not pass by us with their whole army, neither
durst they with a part, lest they should not be sufficiently
strong and they should fall.

Alma 56:25
Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla;
neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of
Nephihah.

Alma 56:26
And thus, with their forces, they were determined to maintain
those cities which they had taken.

Alma 56:27
And now it came to pass in the second month of this year,
there was brought unto us many provisions from the fathers of
those my two thousand sons.

Alma 56:28
And also there were sent two thousand men unto us from the
land of Zarahemla. And thus we were prepared with ten thousand
men, and provisions for them, and also for their wives and their
children.

Alma 56:29
And the Lamanites, thus seeing our forces increase daily, and
provisions arrive for our support, they began to be fearful, and
began to sally forth, if it were possible to put an end to our
receiving provisions and strength.

Alma 56:30
Now when we saw that the Lamanites began to grow uneasy on
this wise, we were desirous to bring a stratagem into effect upon
them; therefore Antipus ordered that I should march forth with my
little sons to a neighboring city, as if we were carrying
provisions to a neighboring city.

Alma 56:31
And we were to march near the city of Antiparah, as if we
were going to the city beyond, in the borders by the seashore.

Alma 56:32
And it came to pass that we did march forth, as if with our
provisions, to go to that city.

Alma 56:33
And it came to pass that Antipus did march forth with a part
of his army, leaving the remainder to maintain the city. But he
did not march forth until I had gone forth with my little army,
and came near the city Antiparah.

Alma 56:34
And now, in the city Antiparah were stationed the strongest
army of the Lamanites; yea, the most numerous.

Alma 56:35
And it came to pass that when they had been informed by their
spies, they came forth with their army and marched against us.

Alma 56:36
And it came to pass that we did flee before them, northward.
And thus we did lead away the most powerful army of the
Lamanites;

Alma 56:37
Yea, even to a considerable distance, insomuch that when they
saw the army of Antipus pursuing them, with their might, they did
not turn to the right nor to the left, but pursued their march in
a straight course after us; and, as we suppose, it was their
intent to slay us before Antipus should overtake them, and this
that they might not be surrounded by our people.

Alma 56:38
And now Antipus, beholding our danger, did speed the march of
his army. But behold, it was night; therefore they did not
overtake us, neither did Antipus overtake them; therefore we did
camp for the night.

Alma 56:39
And it came to pass that before the dawn of the morning,
behold, the Lamanites were pursuing us. Now we were not
sufficiently strong to contend with them; yea, I would not suffer
that my little sons should fall into their hands; therefore we
did continue our march, and we took our march into the
wilderness.

Alma 56:40
Now they durst not turn to the right nor to the left lest
they should be surrounded; neither would I turn to the right nor
to the left lest they should overtake me, and we could not stand
against them, but be slain, and they would make their escape; and
thus we did flee all that day into the wilderness, even until it
was dark.

Alma 56:41
And it came to pass that again, when the light of the morning
came we saw the Lamanites upon us, and we did flee before them.

Alma 56:42
But it came to pass that they did not pursue us far before
they halted; and it was in the morning of the third day of the
seventh month.

Alma 56:43
And now, whether they were overtaken by Antipus we knew not,
but I said unto my men: Behold, we know not but they have halted
for the purpose that we should come against them, that they might
catch us in their snare;

Alma 56:44
Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to
battle?

Alma 56:45
And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never
had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.

Alma 56:46
For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of
them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our
God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then
let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let
us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the
army of Antipus.

Alma 56:47
Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and
they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they
did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers,
that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

Alma 56:48
And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers,
saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

Alma 56:49
And it came to pass that I did return with my two thousand
against these Lamanites who had pursued us. And now behold, the
armies of Antipus had overtaken them, and a terrible battle had
commenced.

Alma 56:50
The army of Antipus being weary, because of their long march
in so short a space of time, were about to fall into the hands of
the Lamanites; and had I not returned with my two thousand they
would have obtained their purpose.

Alma 56:51
For Antipus had fallen by the sword, and many of his leaders,
because of their weariness, which was occasioned by the speed of
their march—therefore the men of Antipus, being confused because
of the fall of their leaders, began to give way before the
Lamanites.

Alma 56:52
And it came to pass that the Lamanites took courage, and
began to pursue them; and thus were the Lamanites pursuing them
with great vigor when Helaman came upon their rear with his two
thousand, and began to slay them exceedingly, insomuch that the
whole army of the Lamanites halted and turned upon Helaman.

Alma 56:53
Now when the people of Antipus saw that the Lamanites had
turned them about, they gathered together their men and came
again upon the rear of the Lamanites.

Alma 56:54
And now it came to pass that we, the people of Nephi, the
people of Antipus, and I with my two thousand, did surround the
Lamanites, and did slay them; yea, insomuch that they were
compelled to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves
as prisoners of war.

Alma 56:55
And now it came to pass that when they had surrendered
themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had
fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.

Alma 56:56
But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them
fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the
strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with
such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they
fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for
this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners
of war.

Alma 56:57
And as we had no place for our prisoners, that we could guard
them to keep them from the armies of the Lamanites, therefore we
sent them to the land of Zarahemla, and a part of those men who
were not slain of Antipus, with them; and the remainder I took
and joined them to my stripling Ammonites, and took our march
back to the city of Judea.