CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 35
The Zoramites expel those who believed the preaching of Alma and Amulek--The Zoramites join with the Lamanites and prepare for war with
the Nephites and the people of Ammon. (74 BCE)
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35:1-16
1 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.
2 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 Amulek was done preaching, his audience went home.
3 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.
When the rest of the Zoramites heard about his speech,
though, and they were angry, since it destroyed their "craft."
4 And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land all the people, and consulted with
them concerning the words which had been spoken.
5 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.
The Zoramites gathered together and (somehow) secretly found out who believed in Alma and Amulek's words and who didn't.
6 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.
Those who believed were cast out of the land, and the went into the land of Jershon.
7 And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister
unto them.
8 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.
Alma received all the cast-out Zoramites.
9 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.
10 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.
11 And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against
the people of Ammon, and also against the Nephites.
12 And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
The leader of the Zoramites threatened the Alma's people and stirred up the Lamanites against them.
13 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.
So there was a war between the Nephites and the Zoramite/Lamanite army in the 18th year of the judges.
(An account of this war will be given later.)
14 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.
Ammon, Alma, Alma's two sons and the rest of their group went back to Zarahemla.
15 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.
When they arrived they found that the hearts of the people had waxed hard.
16 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.
So Alma gathered everyone together to hear his speech.