Alma
16 verses
Overview
Alma 35: The Zoramites who believed Alma’s teachings are expelled and welcomed by the people of Ammon, leading to rising tensions and war preparations with the Zoramites and Lamanites. Alma, troubled by the growing wickedness and conflict, gathers his sons to counsel them.
After Amulek finished speaking, they left the crowd and went to the land of Jershon.
Now it came to pass that after Amulek had made an end of these words, they withdrew themselves from the multitude and came over into the land of Jershon.
And the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the word to the Zoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon.
Yea, and the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the word unto the Zoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon.
After most of the Zoramites discussed the words that had been preached to them, they became angry because the message threatened their way of life, so they refused to listen.
And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the Zoramites had consulted together concerning the words which had been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for it did destroy their craft; therefore they would not hearken unto the words.
They sent messengers to gather all the people throughout the land and discussed with them the words that had been spoken.
And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words which had been spoken.
Their rulers, priests, and teachers did not let the people know about their intentions, so they secretly learned what everyone was thinking.
Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they found out privily the minds of all the people.
After they learned what everyone thought, those who supported the words spoken by Alma and his brothers were expelled from the land. There were many of them, and they also went to the land of Jershon.
And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land; and they were many; and they came over also into the land of Jershon.
Alma and his brothers ministered to them.
And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister unto them.
The Zoramites were angry with the people of Ammon in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites, who was a very wicked man, sent a message to the people of Ammon, asking them to expel from their land everyone who had come over from the Zoramites.
Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites, being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those who came over from them into their land.
He threatened them many times. The people of Ammon were not afraid of his words, so they did not cast out the poor Zoramites who came to them. Instead, they welcomed them, cared for them, gave them clothing, and provided them with land for their inheritance. They helped them according to their needs.
And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants.
This made the Zoramites angry with the people of Ammon, and they started to associate with the Lamanites and to make them angry with the people of Ammon as well.
Now this did stir up the Zoramites to anger against the people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites and to stir them up also to anger against them.
So the Zoramites and the Lamanites began preparing for war against the people of Ammon and also against the Nephites.
And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also against the Nephites.
That was the end of the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
The people of Ammon left the land of Jershon and moved to the land of Melek, making room in Jershon for the Nephite armies so they could face the armies of the Lamanites and the Zoramites. This started a war between the Lamanites and the Nephites in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges, and an account of their wars will be given later.
And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon, and came over into the land of Melek, and gave place in the land of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might contend with the armies of the Lamanites and the armies of the Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges; and an account shall be given of their wars hereafter.
Alma, Ammon, their brothers, and Alma's two sons returned to the land of Zarahemla after helping many of the Zoramites repent through God's power. Those who repented were driven out of their land, but they now have lands as their inheritance in the land of Jershon. They have taken up arms to defend themselves, their wives, their children, and their lands.
And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the two sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been instruments in the hands of God of bringing many of the Zoramites to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were driven out of their land; but they have lands for their inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their lands.
Alma was deeply troubled by the wickedness of his people, by the wars, the bloodshed, and the arguments among them. He had gone to share the word of God with everyone in every city, but he saw that the people's hearts were becoming hard and that they were starting to take offense at how strict the word was. This made him extremely sorrowful.
Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.
He gathered his sons together so he could give each of them his own instructions about righteousness. We have a record of the commandments he gave them, according to his own account.
Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.