AlmaChapter47

Now we will return in our record to Amalickiah and those who had fled with him into the wilderness; for, behold, he had taken those who went with him, and went up in the land of Nephi among the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the people of Nephi, insomuch that the king of the Lamanites sent a proclamation throughout all his land, among all his people, that they should gather themselves together again to go to battle against the Nephites.

Now we will return in our record to Amalickiah and those who had fled with him into the wilderness. He had taken the people who went with him up into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites, and stirred the Lamanites up to anger against the people of Nephi, so that the king of the Lamanites sent out a proclamation through all his land, to all his people, that they should gather together again to go to battle against the Nephites.

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.

After the proclamation had gone out among them, they were terrified. They were afraid of displeasing the king, and they were also afraid to go to battle against the Nephites, for fear of losing their lives. So they wouldn't obey the king's commands, or at least most of them wouldn't.

And now it came to pass that the king was wroth because of their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms.

Now the king was angry at their disobedience. He gave Amalickiah command of the men in his army who were still obeying his commands. Then he ordered Amalickiah to march out and force the rest to arms.

Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickiah; for he being a very subtle man to do evil therefore he laid the plan in his heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites.

Now this was exactly what Amalickiah wanted. He was a very cunning man when it came to evil, so he laid a plan in his heart to dethrone the king.

And now he had got the command of those parts of the Lamanites who were in favor of the king; and he sought to gain favor of those who were not obedient; therefore he went forward to the place which was called Onidah, for thither had all the Lamanites fled; for they discovered the army coming, and, supposing that they were coming to destroy them, therefore they fled to Onidah, to the place of arms.

Now he had command of those Lamanites who were on the king's side, and he tried to win over the ones who weren't obeying. So he marched to a place called Onidah because that was where all the Lamanites had fled. They had seen the army coming, and thinking it was coming to destroy them, they fled there, to the place of arms.

And they had appointed a man to be a king and a leader over them, being fixed in their minds with a determined resolution that they would not be subjected to go against the Nephites.

They had appointed a man to be their king and leader, firmly resolved in their minds that they wouldn't be forced to march against the Nephites.

And it came to pass that they had gathered themselves together upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in preparation to battle.

They had gathered on top of the mountain called Antipas, getting ready for battle.

Now it was not Amalickiah’s intention to give them battle according to the commandments of the king; but behold, it was his intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites, that he might place himself at their head and dethrone the king and take possession of the kingdom.

Now Amalickiah had no intention of fighting them as the king had commanded. What he intended was to win over the Lamanite armies, so that he could put himself at their head, dethrone the king, and take possession of the kingdom.

And behold, it came to pass that he caused his army to pitch their tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas.

So he had his army pitch their tents in the valley near the mountain.

And it came to pass that when it was night he sent a secret embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with him.

And that night he sent a secret delegation up the mountain, asking the leader of the men up there, whose name was Lehonti, to come down to the foot of the mountain, because he wanted to speak with him.

And it came to pass that when Lehonti received the message he durst not go down to the foot of the mount. And it came to pass that Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come down. And it came to pass that Lehonti would not; and he sent again the third time.

But when Lehonti got the message, he didn't dare go down. So Amalickiah sent a second time, asking him to come down, and Lehonti wouldn't. Then he sent a third time.

And it came to pass that when Amalickiah found that he could not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into the mount, nearly to Lehonti’s camp; and he sent again the fourth time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down, and that he would bring his guards with him.

When Amalickiah found that he couldn't get Lehonti to come down off the mountain, he went up the mountain himself, nearly to Lehonti's camp, and sent his message a fourth time, asking him to come down and bring his guards with him.

And it came to pass that when Lehonti had come down with his guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down with his army in the night-time, and surround those men in their camps over whom the king had given him command, and that he would deliver them up into Lehonti’s hands, if he would make him (Amalickiah) a second leader over the whole army.

After Lehonti had come down to him with his guards, Amalickiah asked him to bring his army down at night and surround the men in their camps that the king had given him command over. He promised to hand them over to Lehonti if Lehonti would make him second in command over the whole army.

And it came to pass that Lehonti came down with his men and surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti.

So Lehonti came down with his men and surrounded Amalickiah's men, so that before they woke at dawn, they found themselves surrounded by Lehonti's armies.

And it came to pass that when they saw that they were surrounded, they plead with Amalickiah that he would suffer them to fall in with their brethren, that they might not be destroyed. Now this was the very thing which Amalickiah desired.

When they saw they were surrounded, they pleaded with Amalickiah to let them join their brothers, so they wouldn't be destroyed. Now this was the very thing Amalickiah wanted.

And it came to pass that he delivered his men, contrary to the commands of the king. Now this was the thing that Amalickiah desired, that he might accomplish his designs in dethroning the king.

So he handed his men over, against the king's commands. This was what he had wanted, so that he could carry out his plan to dethrone the king.

Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief leader was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief leader.

Now the Lamanites had a custom that if their chief leader was killed, the second leader was appointed to take his place.

And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died.

So Amalickiah had one of his servants give Lehonti poison a little at a time, until he died.

Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed Amalickiah to be their leader and their chief commander.

Now that Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites made Amalickiah their leader and chief commander.

And it came to pass that Amalickiah marched with his armies (for he had gained his desires) to the land of Nephi, to the city of Nephi, which was the chief city.

Then Amalickiah, having gotten what he wanted, marched with his armies to the land of Nephi, to the city of Nephi, which was the chief city.

And the king came out to meet him with his guards, for he supposed that Amalickiah had fulfilled his commands, and that Amalickiah had gathered together so great an army to go against the Nephites to battle.

And the king came out with his guards to meet him because he thought Amalickiah had carried out his commands and gathered such a large army to go to battle against the Nephites.

But behold, as the king came out to meet him Amalickiah caused that his servants should go forth to meet the king. And they went and bowed themselves before the king, as if to reverence him because of his greatness.

But as the king came out to meet him, Amalickiah had his servants go out to meet the king. They went and bowed down in front of him, as if to honor him for his greatness.

And it came to pass that the king put forth his hand to raise them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace, which custom they had taken from the Nephites.

And the king reached out his hand to raise them up, as was the Lamanite custom, a token of peace they had taken from the Nephites.

And it came to pass that when he had raised the first from the ground, behold he stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell to the earth.

And after the king had raised the first one from the ground, that man stabbed him to the heart, and the king fell to the ground.

Now the servants of the king fled; and the servants of Amalickiah raised a cry, saying:

The king's servants fled, and Amalickiah's servants raised a shout:

Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the heart, and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and see.

"The king's servants have stabbed him to the heart! He's fallen, and they've run away. Come and see!"

And it came to pass that Amalickiah commanded that his armies should march forth and see what had happened to the king; and when they had come to the spot, and found the king lying in his gore, Amalickiah pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved the king, let him go forth, and pursue his servants that they may be slain.

So Amalickiah commanded his armies to march out and see what had happened to the king. And when they got there and found the king lying in his own blood, Amalickiah pretended to be furious and said, "Anyone who loved the king, go out and chase down his servants and kill them!"

And it came to pass that all they who loved the king, when they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants of the king.

So everyone who loved the king, when they heard this, went out and chased after his servants.

Now when the servants of the king saw an army pursuing after them, they were frightened again, and fled into the wilderness, and came over into the land of Zarahemla and joined the people of Ammon.

Now when the king's servants saw an army chasing them, they were terrified again, fled into the wilderness, crossed over into the land of Zarahemla, and joined the people of Ammon.

And the army which pursued after them returned, having pursued after them in vain; and thus Amalickiah, by his fraud, gained the hearts of the people.

And the army that had pursued them came back empty-handed. And so, by his fraud, Amalickiah won the hearts of the people.

And it came to pass on the morrow he entered the city Nephi with his armies, and took possession of the city.

The next day he entered the city with his armies and took possession of it.

And now it came to pass that the queen, when she had heard that the king was slain—for Amalickiah had sent an embassy to the queen informing her that the king had been slain by his servants, that he had pursued them with his army, but it was in vain, and they had made their escape—

Now the queen had heard that the king was dead, because Amalickiah had sent a delegation to tell her that the king's own servants had killed him, that he had chased them with his army but it was no use, and that they had escaped.

Therefore, when the queen had received this message she sent unto Amalickiah, desiring him that he would spare the people of the city; and she also desired him that he should come in unto her; and she also desired him that he should bring witnesses with him to testify concerning the death of the king.

So after the queen had received this message, she sent word to Amalickiah, asking him to spare the people of the city, to come in to her, and to bring witnesses with him to testify about the king's death.

And it came to pass that Amalickiah took the same servant that slew the king, and all them who were with him, and went in unto the queen, unto the place where she sat; and they all testified unto her that the king was slain by his own servants; and they said also: They have fled; does not this testify against them? And thus they satisfied the queen concerning the death of the king.

So Amalickiah took the very servant who had killed the king, and all the men who had been with him, and went in to the queen, to the place where she sat. They all testified to her that the king had been killed by his own servants. And they said, "They have run away. Doesn't that testify against them?" And so they satisfied the queen about the king's death.

And it came to pass that Amalickiah sought the favor of the queen, and took her unto him to wife; and thus by his fraud, and by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the kingdom; yea, he was acknowledged king throughout all the land, among all the people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, and all the dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephi down to the present time.

Then Amalickiah won the queen's favor and married her. And so, by his fraud and with the help of his cunning servants, he got the kingdom. He was acknowledged king throughout all the land, among all the people of the Lamanites, who were made up of the Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites, along with all the Nephite dissenters, from the reign of Nephi down to the present time.

Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in the same knowledge of the Lord, nevertheless, it is strange to relate, not long after their dissensions they became more hardened and impenitent, and more wild, wicked and ferocious than the Lamanites—drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites; giving way to indolence, and all manner of lasciviousness; yea, entirely forgetting the Lord their God.

Now these dissenters had received the same teaching and information the Nephites had, and they had been taught the same knowledge of the Lord. Even so, strange as it is to tell, not long after they broke away they grew more hardened and unrepentant, and wilder, more wicked, and more savage than the Lamanites. They soaked up the traditions of the Lamanites, gave in to laziness and every kind of lewdness, and completely forgot the Lord their God.