CHAPTER 23
The king of the Lamanites sends a proclamation saying Ammon, Aaron, Omner, and Himni shall not be
mistreated--Many Lamanites convert and all who convert never fall away--None of the Amulonites and
only one Amalekite convert--The Lamanites change their name to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and God no longer
curses them. (90-77 BCE)
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They called themselves the Anti-Nephi-Lehies
23:1-18
1 Behold, now
it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites sent a proclamation among all his people,
that they should not lay their hands on Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni, nor either of their brethren who should
go forth preaching the word of God, in whatsoever place they should be, in any part of their land.
2 Yea, he sent a decree among them, that they should not lay their hands on them to bind them, or to cast
them into prison; neither should they spit upon them, nor smite them, nor cast them out of their synagogues, nor scourge
them; neither should they cast stones at them, but that they should have free access to their houses, and also their
temples, and their sanctuaries.
3 And thus they might go forth and preach the word according to their desires, for the king had been
converted unto the Lord, and all his household; therefore he sent his proclamation throughout the land unto his people,
that the word of God might have no obstruction, but that it might go forth throughout all the land, that his people
might be convinced concerning the wicked traditions of their fathers, and that they might be convinced that they were
all brethren, and that they ought not to murder, nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to commit
any manner of wickedness.
King Ishmael's proclamation was to protect Mosiah's sons.
The Lamanites were prohibited from doing the following things
to Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni (or any other of their preachers):
Lay their hands on them, bind them, cast them into prison,
spit on them, smite them, cast them out of their synagogues, scourge them,
throw stones at them, prevent them from going to their homes, temples, or sanctuaries.
4 And now it came to pass that when the king had sent forth this proclamation, that Aaron and his
brethren went forth from city to city, and from one house of worship to another, establishing churches, and
consecrating priests and teachers throughout the land among the Lamanites, to preach and to teach the word of God
among them; and thus they began to have great success.
So Aaron and his brothers went freely from city to city, converting thousands of Lamanites.
They also established churches and consecrated priests in all the places they visited, so they wouldn't
lose members when they went somewhere else to preach.
5 And thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord, yea, thousands were brought to believe in
the traditions of the Nephites; and they were taught the records and prophecies which were handed down even to the
present time.
And it worked. Thousands were converted.
6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the
knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and
of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them -- yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth,
as many of
the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.
And those that converted never stopped believing.
7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did
not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.
They were all righteous people. [1]
8Now, these are they who were converted unto the Lord:
Here's the list of people they converted:
9 The people of the Lamanites
who were in the land of Ishmael;
the people in the land of Ishmael,
10 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Middoni;
the the land of Middoni, .
11 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in
the city of Nephi;
12 And
also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Shilom, and who were in the land of Shemlon, and in
the city of Lemuel, and in the city of Shimnilom.
13 And these are the names of the cities of the Lamanites which were converted unto the Lord; and these
are they that laid down the weapons of their rebellion, yea, all their weapons of war; and they were all Lamanites.
the Lamanites in the land of Shilom in the land of Shemlon,
the city of Lemuel, and the city of Shimnilom.
14 And the Amalekites were not converted, save only one; neither were any of the Amulonites; but they did
harden their hearts, and also the hearts of the Lamanites in that part of the land wheresoever they dwelt, yea, and
all their villages and all their cities.
15 Therefore, we have named all the cities of the Lamanites in which they did repent and come to the
knowledge of the truth, and were converted.
But not everyone was converted.
They didn't convert a single Amulonite and were only able to convert one Amalekite.
16 And now it came to pass that the king and those
who were converted were desirous that they might have a name, that thereby they might be distinguished from their
brethren; therefore the king consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, concerning the name that they should
take upon them, that they might be distinguished.
The Lamanites who had converted had a problem, though. They didn't want to be associated with the other, wicked Lamanites.
They needed a new name.
17 And it came to pass that they called their
names Anti-Nephi-Lehies; and they
were called by this name and were no more called Lamanites.
So the king consulted Aaron and his priests, and they came up with the perfect name: The Anti-Nephi-Lehies!
18 And they began to be a very industrious people; yea, and they were friendly with the Nephites;
therefore, they did open a correspondence with them, and the curse
of God did no more follow them.
The Anti-Nephi-Lehies became an industrious people.
And God's curse didn't follow them any longer.