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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
25 Neither
durst they march down(down means in elevation not direction) against the city of Zarahemla; neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of Nephihah.
26 And
thus, with their forces, they were determined to maintain those cities which
they had taken.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
32 And
it came to pass that we did march forth, as if with our provisions, to go to
that city.
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.
34 And
now, in the city Antiparah were stationed
the strongest army of the Lamanites; yea, the most numerous.
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.
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;
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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