Alma 50

Alma 50:1

1 And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making preparations for war, or to defend his people against the Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should commence in the commencement of the twentieth year of the reign of the judges, that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.

Alma 50:2

2 And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there should be timbers, yea, works of timbers built up to the height of a man, round about the cities.

Alma 50:3

3 And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be a frame of pickets built upon the timbers round about; and they were strong and high.

Moroni appears to understand that the attacks from the Lamanites are not over. We do not know how he understood this, though certainly inspiration is a probable source. It is also possible that he was an observer of the times. This time period is where the foundations of the Classic are being laid, and the rate of militarism appears to have been increasing in the Maya world. Moroni may have been able to seen the trends in surrounding populations and read those increases in militarism as a long-term trend rather than an aberration. Certainly we have greater and more frequent large-scale attacks by the Lamanites at this point in history than at any time previous.

Because of Moroni’s understanding of the probability of continued attacks, he continues to develop the fortifications that were so effective in this most recent rejection of the Lamanites. The ridges of earth around the cities are a continuation of the defensive policy we say at Ammonihah and Noah. It is not clear whether the placement of the timbers at the top of the mounds was also employed at Ammonihah or Noah, or whether this is another innovation for this round of construction. In any case, as we have seen, this type of defensive system is know for the Mesoamerican region. While Moroni was an innovator, his innovations would have been widely copied once their value was learned. We have already seen this process of copying in the armor employed by the Lamanite army that attacked Noah (Alma 49:6). We may assume a similar diffusion of this defensive scheme throughout a larger area.

Textual: A question that may be asked at this point is why Mormon chose to create a new chapter with this information. We have seen him finish the story of his major character in a chapter before, but this time the story of Moroni extends across a chapter border. Why?

In this case, we have a few changes that allow Mormon to shift chapters. The first is the year break that gives him an opportunity to finish one story and move to the next. This is a weak reason, however, because he has had multiple years in the same story before. What is more likely is that this chapter begins a different phase of the wars with the Lamanites. The last chapter dealt with the military invasion of the Lamanites, and ended with the righteousness of the people. In this chapter we will see different types of problems, which begin internally. Thus we have a shift from a righteous people to a people with a large number representing unrighteousness. That shift in the relationship of the people to God would give Mormon reason to change chapters.

Alma 50:4

4 And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon those towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites could not hurt them.

Alma 50:5

5 And they were prepared that they could cast stones from the top thereof, according to their pleasure and their strength, and slay him who should attempt to approach near the walls of the city.

We do not know what type of construction these towers would have taken. We have seen in the past that “tower” would appear to be related to the Mesoamerican stepped pyramid, but that is not necessarily the case here. The shape of the pyramid places the top further from the wall, and that would not fit the need of this type of defensive tower. It would make more sense if these towers were constructed of wood. Of course that would also explain why there are no specific remnants of this type of defensive tower. The understanding of the existence of a palisade on top of the earthen mound is based upon the evidence of the remaining postholes, not because the timbers were found. There is currently no mention in the literature of this type of tower, but if it were made of wood, that would not be surprising.

Alma 50:6

6 Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of their enemies, round about every city in all the land.

Moroni prepares for a situation where each city might have to stand on its own. His strategy in the last war was to have strengthened the entrance points, with the expectation that by defeating the army at the entrance to the land of Zarahemla. Just as the Lamanites learned and adopted armor to be more effective in hand to hand combat, they will surely learn ways to deal with the protected cities. Thus Moroni must now prepare for a war that might come further into the territory than ever before. Moroni therefore extends his fortifications to each city.

Alma 50:7

7 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his armies should go forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth and drove all the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla.

Moroni turns his attention to his eastern border. This was a potentially weak area. We have seen this area as source of potential worry in the story of the Zoramites. In particular, we are told in Alma 31:3 that this wilderness on the east was “full of the Lamanites.” In spite of being “full of the Lamanites” it does not appear to have any significant Lamanite cities. When Corianton goes to the harlot Isabel, the text does not reference a city, but rather the “land of Siron” (Alma 39:3).

This area does not appear to have been a threat to the land of Zarahemla in the past, with the exception of the Lamanite invasion occasioned by the Zoramite defection. However, that experience had show the area as vulnerable. Moroni not only defends the cities, but in this case removes the Lamanites from the eastern wilderness. This move took away people who had not been particularly belligerent, but who might at least be sympathetic to the Lamanites, and therefore a source of supply. By removing them, Moroni denied any Lamanite sympathizers in that area, thus strengthening the geographic integrity of the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 50:8

8 And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the east sea to the west.

Alma 50:9

9 And it came to pass that when Moroni had driven all the Lamanites out of the east wilderness, which was north of the lands of their own possessions, he caused that the inhabitants who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by the seashore, and possess the land.

Geo-political: We learn that there was a difference between the conceptual land of Nephi and the areas where Lamanites lived. The land of Nephi ran from the east sea to the west. This tells us that the land of Nephi was under regional control, and that it was an extensive front. What we also learn is that there were Lamanites who lived north of the land of Nephi proper. These would not be officially part of the Lamanite hegemony, probably due to the fact that they did not have a major city.

Moroni’s removal of the Lamanites from the eastern territories would not have helped much if he did not fill in that territory with Nephites. What this tells us is that he intended to match the Lamanite line of control with a similar somewhat parallel line of Nephite control.

Alma 50:10

10 And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that they might secure their armies and their people from the hands of their enemies.

There have been three attack points on the Nephite lands. The first was along the west coast with an incursion at Ammonihah, evidently a reasonable location to pass over the mountains that lay between the west coast and the valley of the Sidon. The next previous invasion was on the east through Antionum. The final area was the oldest entrance point at the head of the Sidon valley. We have seen Moroni strengthening the west and the east entry points, and it is probable that this southern defense refers to the remaining entrance point.

Alma 50:11

11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land Bountiful, according to their pleasure.

Geographic: Mormon gives us a picture of the holdings of the land of Zarahemla at the beginning of this next round of conflict. Moroni has cleaned up the boundaries by strengthening the eastern boundary and therefore lessening the opportunity of the Lamanites to have an easy entrance deep into Nephite lands (the last attack made it all the way to Jershon).

This verse tells us that the line was roughly west-east. The Nephites solidified that front to have strongholds of defense along the most likely entrance points. We also learn that the southern line of the land of Zarahemla extended south to about the location of the “head of the river Sidon” which appears to be the headwaters.

The land northward is interesting because Mormon indicates that they have possession of all the land northward, even north of Bountiful, which appears to be the northernmost land of their possession at this time. It would appear to mean that the Nephites did not have any rivals to the north, and therefore considered that land theirs because it was available to them rather than because it was already under their control.

Alma 50:12

12 Thus Moroni, with his armies, which did increase daily because of the assurance of protection which his works did bring forth unto them, did seek to cut off the strength and the power of the Lamanites from off the lands of their possessions, that they should have no power upon the lands of their possession.

Political: This verse tells us more about the nature of the army Moroni can raise. He apparently has no ability to force conscription into the army. His army is now increasing voluntarily because they have seen the efficacy of the army. His army grows because he has been winning, and those victories attract more followers, and more men for the army.

Alma 50:13

13 And it came to pass that the Nephites began the foundation of a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was by the east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the possessions of the Lamanites.

As part of the increase in the defensive capabilities of the eastern line, a city is begun, and named after Moroni, the man behind these building programs. This will be short-lived city. It is placed by the east sea, and as Sorenson notes, was the only city to receive this designation of being “by the sea” (John L. Sorenson. The Geography of Book of Mormon Events. FARMS, 1990, p. 276). This location “by the sea” is significant for the future of the city, for it will sink into the ocean in a generation (3 Nephi 9:4).

Alma 50:14

14 And they also began a foundation for a city between the city of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land, Nephihah.

Alma 50:15

15 And they also began in that same year to build many cities on the north, one in a particular manner which they called Lehi, which was in the north by the borders of the seashore.

Alma 50:16

16 And thus ended the twentieth year.

This is a time of tremendous building projects. Yet these building projects are not the result of necessary expansion, but of defensive expansion. These are very different circumstances for the Nephites, and they are preparing for a long and difficult war. It must have been a tremendous building effort requiring the reassignment of large numbers of people, since all of these fortifications and new cities are begun in the space of one year on the various borders of the land of Zarahemla, including the northern border where there has been no threat to date in the history of the Book of Mormon.

Alma 50:17

17 And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of Nephi in the commencement of the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 50:18

18 And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land.

Alma 50:19

19 And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying:

Alma 50:20

20 Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed, inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

At the end of the last chapter we had a righteous people being preserved by the hand of the Lord. The last chapter may be presented by Mormon as proof of the Lord’s protection upon the righteousness of the people. Mormon wants to show a complete fulfillment of this promise, so here he adds that they have prospered in the land, and that “they became exceedingly rich.” It is interesting that Mormon sees their riches as a fulfillment of the covenant with the Lord. There is nothing inherently wrong about the riches themselves. However, as we have seen in the past, the Nephite acquisition of riches leads to the increase in the other cultural trappings that come along with their form of riches, and we will be seeing the virtually inevitable internal tensions that will arise as the people desire for more of the world that comes with these riches.

Textual: Mormon cites the foundational promise of the Nephite people. We have this promise from Lehi himself in 2 Nephi 1:9 and 2 Nephi 4:4. Nephi cites the promise in 1 Nephi 2:20 and 1 Nephi 4:14. Alma cites this promise in Alma 9:13, Alma 36:1, and Alma 38:1. This is easily the most cited of the purely Nephite scriptures, and rightly so as it is the original promise of the Lord to the descendants of Lehi.

Alma 50:21

21 And we see that these promises have been verified to the people of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their contentions, yea, their murderings, and their plunderings, their idolatry, their whoredoms, and their abominations, which were among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their destructions.

Notice that Mormon’s condemnation of the people comes not from riches, but from their apostasy. Of course there is likely a direct connection between the accumulation of the type of wealth that was available in Mesoamerica and these types of sins, but what is important for the modern reader is to understand that righteousness is the key.

Social: An examination of the particular sins that Mormon describes for the Nephites is instructive. Of course quarrelings and contentions are fairly non-specific, but they are indicative of a schism in the beliefs of the population. There are quarrelings because there are disagreements. While it is true that brothers may invent quarrels for the sake of arguing, in most societies, significant quarrels arise out of significant differences of opinion. Similarly, the contentions are the expansion of the quarrels. They are the dissent, and the most dangerous of the internal threats to Nephite society.

It is the particular catalog of things that is of most interest. We find at the beginning of the catalog the ideas of “plunderings” and “murderings.” This is not a new problem with the Nephite people. We have seen this type of tension in the past:

Mosiah 29:14

14 And even I myself have labored with all the power and faculties which I have possessed, to teach you the commandments of God, and to establish peace throughout the land, that there should be no wars nor contentions, no stealing, nor plundering, nor murdering, nor any manner of iniquity;

King Mosiah found it important to note that he had attempted to establish peace in his own land, and one of the evidences of that peace was the absence of plundering and murdering.

In the wake of Alma and Amulek’s efforts at religious renewal, many priests went to teach the people how to return to the gospel. Note the catalog of things they had to preach against:

Alma 16:18

18 Now those priests who did go forth among the people did preach against all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing, robbing, plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all manner of lasciviousness, crying that these things ought not so to be— (italics added).

We never receive enough internal information to understand what specific things the Nephites were doing, but it is perhaps important that plundering and murdering always appear together. In the Mesoamerican world, one of the ways of obtaining wealth was the subjugation of other cities through military action – which certainly fits one definition of plundering. Perhaps the murdering is linked to these military actions which are offensive, and therefore motivated by greed rather than the principles of defense which are part of the Nephite gospel.

The next set of sins in the list are “idolatry” and “whoredoms.” The first accusation of idolatry in the Book of Mormon is levied against the Lamanites (Enos 1:20). This would make a great deal of sense if the Lamanites had adopted the gods of the world around them. The next accusation of idolatry comes in the discussion of king Noah, who was a Nephite king in the land of Lamanites, and apparently affected by the Lamanite lifestyle (Mosiah 11:6).

We begin to see this same accusation levied against the Nephites later in time:

Alma 1:32

32 For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible.

There are several things about the passage from Alma 1 that are interesting. First, these are accusations against the people in the land of Zarahemla, not Lamanites. Secondly, they are people who “did not belong to their church…” As we have seen in the past, there is a social division among the hegemony of city-states that fall under the land of Zarahemla. There are those who are members of the church, and those who are not. Those who are not are frequently those to not only espouse ideals that are contrary to the church, but they are also those who promote the very aspects of society which we find characteristic of the Lamanites, and characteristic of the things that are the most divisive. In particular, we note that these non-church people are practicing “idolatry.” As with the case of king Noah, this makes sense in that they would be accepting the gods of the surrounding cultures, and along with those gods the concepts that go along with them. It is not insignificant that these are also the people who push for kingship. All of these factors indicate the influence of the outside world on the Nephite people.

We do not know exactly what is meant by “whoredoms,” a term that appears to interchange with “adultery” at times in the prophetic calls to repentance. This could be as simple as immorality, or it could be related to the pressures from the outside for multiple wives, as we saw in Jacob 2 and saw hinted at in Amulek’s description of his household (Alma 10:11). Since all of the other significant sins listed are related to the incursion of Lamanite religion into the Nephite world, it appears probable that there is at least an element of the Lamanite world view present in the conflict that is described as “whoredoms” or “adultery.”

What is most important in this catalog of sins is the effect that they had upon the fabric of Nephite society: “…which were among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their destructions.” These sins, which were elements of the Lamanite lifestyle that were being promoted inside of the Nephite cultural area, were “among themselves,” or they were the sources of civil unrest. This unrest, as well as the violation of God’s promise of protection upon righteousness, was the reason that the Nephites had wars and destructions. From Mormon’s moral perspective, the wars were caused by disobedience. From the perspective of the social sciences, they were caused by the internal divisions created by the attempts to alter the very definition of Nephite society by bringing in the Lamanite worldview (particularly the economic and political trappings of the Lamanite world).

Alma 50:22

22 And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the Lamanites.

Mormon’s intent is very clear in this verse, even though his history is probably not as clear as his statement. What Mormon wants to point out is that the righteousness of the people leads to peace and prosperity, and their departure from righteousness leads to war and destruction. That black and white dichotomy is echoed in his description of the effect of these contentions on the Nephite people. He suggests that the individual righteous are “delivered at all times” and it is only the wicked who “have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by the sword…”

Of course it is quite unlikely that this clean break between the preservation of the righteous and the destruction of the wicked ever occurred. Mormon’s intent is not for historical accuracy, but religious accuracy.

Alma 50:23

23 But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 50:24

24 And it came to pass that the twenty and second year of the reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty and third year.

Mormon’s conclusion to this section completes his picture. Moroni has been victorious, and the righteousness of the people have preserved them. They are therefore “happier” than every before. This is probably due to the combination of their prosperity and the peace that was afforded after the Lamanite defeats. What Mormon does not notice is the irony that these happy times and great peace only last for a little over four years.

Chronological: The twenty-third year of the reign of the judges correlates to approximately 71BC in the correlation used in this commentary.

Alma 50:25

25 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have been peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a contention which took place among them concerning the land of Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.

After setting us up with a righteous and peaceful Nephite people, Mormon begins the story of how it all falls apart. As is Mormon’s contention, it begins to fall apart internally before it degenerates into war with the Lamanites.

Alma 50:26

26 For behold, the people who possessed the land of Morianton did claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began to be a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of Morianton took up arms against their brethren, and they were determined by the sword to slay them.

As we have seen, there are two parts to any of the named cities in the Book of Mormon, echoing the similar pattern throughout Mesoamerica. There is the city proper, and there is the land that is attached to that city. In this case, we have a new city, Lehi, that has been built within the last four years (Alma 50:15). Morianton was probably already in existence at the time of the construction of the city of Lehi. When the city of Lehi was created, it would require an attached “land” so that there would be fields available for the growing of the crops that would support that city. As an adjacent land, at least some of the land attached to the new city of Lehi appears to have been taken from lands that the city of Morianton had claimed as their own territory. While they may have been willing to give up these lands as part of the need to build defenses, something that was certainly on their minds during the Lamanite wars, the years of peace appear to have allowed them to change their minds.

Note that this verse very specifically notes that the claim was on part of the land of Lehi, not the city itself. This is a border contention. The next thing that we should learn from this incident is a reinforcement of the concept of the loose hegemony of Zarahemla over its beholding cities. These city-states are able to make decisions on their own, and not consult Zarahemla. This pattern is precisely the one seen in the city-states in Mesoamerica where the loose coalition could be threatened by internal squabbling.

Alma 50:27

27 But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for behold they were not in the wrong.

Mormon is the one who makes the statement that “they were not in the wrong.” He does not give us the evidence on which he based this statement, but it is probably based on the fact that the land of Lehi was created under authority (perhaps that of Moroni) and therefore was justified. It is eerie how prescient this incident is of the conflicts over Israel in the modern world. Those who lost lands that they previously held in order to create the new city (or state) retained their desires for that land, and attempt to take it by force. If nothing else, it tells us that people remain the same over centuries.

Alma 50:28

28 And it came to pass that when the people of Morianton, who were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy them.

Alma 50:29

29 Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they should flee to the land which was northward, which was covered with large bodies of water, and take possession of the land which was northward.

We see again that cities are named for the prime ruler in them. We have seen this in many cases in the Book of Mormon, but the cities retain the name after their founder is long gone. Thus we still have a land of Nephi and a city of Nephi long after Nephi has died. Zarahemla also lent his name to his city, and it retained that name even after the Nephites came and took over the leadership of the city and eventually the greater land. We have in this example the city of Morianton that is still led by Morianton. That tells us that this city is relatively new, though certainly older than the city of Lehi which is less than four years old.

It would appear that in the things that Mormon does not tell us, there is an increase in the population in the are of the land of Zarahemla, and they are expanding their holdings northward. It is therefore no surprise that when Morianton fears the army of Moroni (with great reason, for Moroni had defeated the combined armies of the Lamanites which surely numbered more than the army that Morianton could muster) he decides to flee north.

The difference in this case is that he intends to go to this land northward which was “covered with large bodies of water.” This area does not appear to lie that far northward. It does not yet appear to be Nephite control, but as we will see, it is an area that has strategic importance of the Nephite lands.

Alma 50:30

30 And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect, (which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold, Morianton being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her much.

Alma 50:31

31 And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.

This is a very rare incident in the Book of Mormon, not because of its content so much as its recording. It is one of the few times that we learn how it is that someone knew of the happenings in other locations. While we cannot tell specifically why Mormon would tell us this tidbit of information and not others, we might suspect that it is because it put Morianton in a bad light, and Mormon wants to paint him as a bad. Mormon prefers to pain this characters with rather distinct brushes. He wants the good to be very good, such as Moroni, and the bad to be very bad. Thus we have Morianton the wife-beater and earlier we had Mormon’s treatment of king Noah, which appears to have ignored the good that Noah did in building his kingdom.

What we also learn is that Mormon does not condone violence towards women. Since he includes this episode to indicate the depravity of Morianton’s moral character, we may safely assume that this act of physical violence is one that was not condoned. Certainly that remains true today, and the entire syndrome has had enough publicity that we know it now as abuse. Abuse was not condoned in Mormon’s time. It is not condoned now. The Lord has never condoned it.

Alma 50:32

32 Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain possession of those parts of the land, which would lay a foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi, yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of their liberty.

There is one part of this verse that is very clear. The presence of Morianton in the northern parts of the land would be strategically dangerous for the Nephites. What is less clear is how this was dangerous.

The first reason for the danger has to lie with the defection of the people of Morianton. With their demonstrated willingness to raise arms against members of the Zarahemal hegemony, they indicated that their allegiance was very tenuous at best. Thus this is a potential dissident people. The location to which they were heading was apparently seen as an important area for the conceptual defense of the Nephite territory, and having that location held by dissident who had proved the propensity to hostility apparently created a scenario Moroni found intolerable.

What is probable the second reason, and the least clear, is the phrase that tells us that: “they would hearken to the words of Morianton and unite with his people.” Mormon does not favor us with the definition of who “they” were. From reading further in the text, it appears that Morianton was heading to the area of the land of Desolation, the ancient territory of the Jaredites. While we tend to assume that the land was actually empty because of the destruction of the Jaredites, it is quite unlikely that the land was devoid of peoples, and indeed archaeological evidence tells us that it was not.

The presence of people already in this area suggests two things. First, they were not hostile to the Nephites, as we do not see any wars originating from the north. Second, they were probably the people with whom Moroni feared that the people of Morianton would unit, and “hearken to the words of Morianton.” If Morianton should somehow stir up these people who had previously had no reason to come against the Nephites, then the danger to the northern cites was grave indeed. Certainly Moroni has reason to fear a dissident among potential allies, since his most recent opponent, Amalickiah, was precisely such a dissident who had gained control of the Lamanite lands and armies.

Textual: This verse gives us an example of a correction inserted in the text. The sentence begins by having the people in Bountiful afraid of the actions of Morianton, and the inserted correction changes the fear from the people to Moroni. Of course we have the same problem with this corrective insertion that we have had with the other examples of the same thing. It is difficult to tell the source of the insertion. It could have been Mormon, who began writing, and then had to change rather than erase because of the permanence of writing on metals. It could also be Joseph Smith who was dictating the text, and therefore was also in a situation where words might be expressed and be difficult to erase.

Alma 50:33

33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land northward.

Alma 50:34

34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.

Geographic: The flight of Morianton’s people to the land northward apparently must traverse a “narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward.” While it is not clear what this feature is, it appears to be a specific location within the narrow neck of land. There are a number factors that do tell us a little of what this feature must be. First, it appears that the narrow pass must have had a specific entrance point. Moroni is able to send a force to intercept Morianton’s people, and they are able to know precisely where Morianton’s people would need to come to go through the pass. Secondly, it is probable that the distance, or at least the time-distance from Moroni’s encampment in Jershon would be shorter than the path from Morianton, since Moroni’s force was able to arrive before Morianton. Of course, this may also be due to the ability of a military force to travel faster than a people who are migrating.

The narrow pass is in the south of the land Desolation, which we understand from the fact that Morianton’s people where headed off in the borders of the land Desolation. We also have the enigmatic “by the sea, on the west and on the east.” It is not clear exactly what this reference to the seas would mean for a feature that appears to be otherwise quite locally focused (geographical data take from John L. Sorenson, The Geography of Book of Mormon Events. FARMS 1990, p. 279).

Alma 50:35

35 And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni, which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners, and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 50:36

36 And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their lands.

Teancum is introduced to us as the leader of this army. Teancum is clearly a trusted captain under Moroni. He is successful at cutting off Morianton’s people, and he defeats them and brings them back to the camp of Moroni. Moroni is not vindictive. As he did with the Lamanite army, he takes a covenant from the people to keep the peace, and then restored them to their original lands.

Next we have the statement that the twenty fourth year of the judges has ended. This may or may not have been the final event recorded in that year, but it is the conclusion of the specific event that Mormon wanted to tell. Nevertheless, there were other important happenings in that year, and Mormon will now fill in that other historical material as the conclusion to his chapter.

Alma 50:37

37 And it came to pass that in the same year that the people of Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second chief judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect uprightness before God.

Alma 50:38

38 Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of those records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his fathers to be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon his son, Helaman.

This is clearly flashback information as we have already seen that Alma finished his record in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges (Alma 44:24). The offer to reunite the official records in the hands of the political leader rather than the religious leader was offered by Alma, and therefore this incident had to have taken around the end of the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges. Since Mormon has just finished recording the events of the twenty-fourth year, he is not giving us a chronology as much as a background. One of the things that we need to know is why the plates remain with Helaman rather than returning to the political seat where they were kept up to the time Alma the Younger left the position of Chief Judge.

Alma 50:39

39 Behold, it came to pass that the son of Nephihah was appointed to fill the judgment-seat, in the stead of his father; yea, he was appointed chief judge and governor over the people, with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to keep the peace and the freedom of the people, and to grant unto them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God, yea, to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to bring the wicked to justice according to their crime.

Alma 50:40

40 Now behold, his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did fill the seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.

Mormon gives us the last information we will need to fill in the relevant history by noting the succession of Pahoran to the judgment seat. We should note that this is a lineage position, even though they are under the rule of judges rather than kings. Nevertheless, the primary mechanism for Pahoran’s elevation to the chief judge’s seat was lineal, not democratic. As we have noted, the process of “the voice of the people” was not a democratic institution, but apparently a more supportive or confirmatory one.

Textual: This is the end of a chapter in the 1830 edition. Mormon has used this chapter as a transition. The previous chapter was devoted to righteous Nephites. This chapter is a precursor to those that follow. In this chapter there is a localized rebellion of a single city-state. What will come will be worse.