The Nephite Hero Lehi and Mormon's Introduction to the Sons of Helaman
Book of Mormon Notes - Thursday, November 2, 2023, Alma 53
Just when we might think that Mormon had already given us the greatest examples of courage, the greatest portraits of bravery - remember courageous chief Captain Moroni, his brave soldier who scalped Zerahemnah, and the fearless and bold Teancum - Mormon begins an account of courage that is now legendary among all sincere and serious students of the Book of Mormon: the account of Helaman’s young warriors.
My heart thrills even to mention these young men, and I am grateful for them.
Mormon’s account of the events that led up to the formation of Helaman’s army includes many more fascinating details about Nephite military history. Moroni set the Lamanite prisoners to work because it was easier to guard them while they were working. The Lamanite prisoners worked by burying their dead, and by doing many other things that Moroni commanded, including the fortification of the city of Bountiful.
Moroni gave his beloved friend and companion in the suffering of war, Lehi, command over the city of Mulek. Remember that Lehi is the man that the Lamanites feared the most. Obviously the Lamanites feared Moroni, and they must have also feared Teancum because he had slain their former king, Amalickiah. But Lehi struck terror into the hearts of his enemies. Remember that Lehi led an army of armored Nephite warriors against Zerahemnah and the Lamanites. Lehi and his warriors hid themselves on the south of the hill Riplah, and then encircled the Lamanites about in the east on their rear. In this particular battle, the heavily armored Nephites slaughtered the Lamanites with their swords, cimeters, and other weapons of war, bringing “death almost at every stroke”. (Alma 43:37) The Lamanites fought fiercely, but to no avail:
And it came to pass that the Lamanites became frightened, because of the great destruction among them, even until they began to flee towards the river Sidon. (Alma 43:39)
Lehi and his army pursued the fleeing Lamanites until they were surrounded by Moroni, Lehi, and the Nephites. The much more numerous Lamanites fought like dragons, but when they discovered that they were surrounded, they were afraid:
Therefore the armies of Moroni encircled them about, yea, even on both sides of the river, for behold, on the east were the men of Lehi.
Therefore when Zerahemnah saw the men of Lehi on the east of the river Sidon, and the armies of Moroni on the west of the river Sidon, that they were encircled about by the Nephites, they were struck with terror.
Now Moroni, when he saw their aterror, commanded his men that they should stop shedding their blood. (Alma 43:52-54)
Imagine the stories that the surviving Lamanites must have told their families when they returned to their lands. The great Nephite captain Lehi must have been a legendary name among his enemies. Even when the king commanded the Lamanites to battle against the Nephites again, many of them refused, perhaps because they remembered Lehi and the slaughter near the hill Riplah and the river Sidon:
And it came to pass that when the proclamation had gone forth among them they were exceedingly afraid; yea, they feared to displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against the Nephites lest they should lose their lives. And it came to pass that they would not, or the more part of them would not, obey the commandments of the king. (Alma 47:2)
Lehi was Moroni’s right hand man:
And behold, Moroni had appointed Lehi to be chief captain over the men of that city; and it was that asame Lehi who fought with the Lamanites in the valley on the east of the river Sidon. (Alma 49:16)
When the Lamanites discovered that Moroni had appointed Lehi as the commander of the city of Noah “they were again disappointed, for they feared Lehi exceedingly” (Alma 49:17) Thus the Lamanites seemed to have feared Lehi just as much, if not more than Moroni, and the Nephites loved Lehi like they loved Moroni:
And Moroni went to the city of Mulek with Lehi, and took command of the city and gave it unto Lehi. Now behold, this Lehi was a man who had been with Moroni in the more part of all his battles; and he was a man alike unto Moroni, and they rejoiced in each other’s safety; yea, they were beloved by each other, and also beloved by all the people of Nephi. (Alma 53:2)
When we read that Lehi was a man alike unto Moroni, we cannot help but remember what kind of a man Moroni was, and why Mormon hoped that his latter-day audience would remember and emulate Moroni:
Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men. (Alma 48:17)
Mormon informs us explicitly that Lehi was like unto Moroni. Thus Lehi, like Moroni, caused the very powers of hell to shake, and Lehi also caused the Lamanite soldiers to shake. Lehi was a great Nephite hero.
Mormon informs us that Teancum was also anxiously engaged in making preparations for more battles against the Lamanites. In fact, under the direction of Moroni, Teancum used the Lamanite prisoners to fortify the city of Bountiful. This city became “an exceeding stronghold ever after” (Alma 53:5), and in fact, it is a very important city in Nephite history, and indeed in world history, because the Lord Himself appeared at the Temple in Bountiful several decades after these events.
Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, it appears that whenever Moroni was absent, troubles arose among the Nephites. As Moroni had traveled to the east to aid Teancum and Lehi, troubles arose again in the south and the west. Mormon notes that intrigues and dissensions among the Nephites in the absence of Moroni were the cause of Nephite losses:
And thus because of ainiquity amongst themselves, yea, because of dissensions and intrigue among themselves they were placed in the most dangerous circumstances. (Alma 53:9)
These most dangerous circumstances called forth the greatest courage. Mormon momentarily leaves behind the account of Moroni, Lehi, and Teancum in order to recount one of the greatest stories of courage in all of holy writ. This is Mormon’s introduction to this great story:
And now behold, I have somewhat to say concerning the apeople of Ammon, who, in the beginning, were Lamanites; but by Ammon and his brethren, or rather by the power and word of God, they had been bconverted unto the Lord; and they had been brought down into the land of Zarahemla, and had ever since been protected by the Nephites. (Alma 53:10)
To be continued…