3:1 And it came to pass that the Nephites who were not slain by the
weapons of war, after having buried those who had been slain—now the
number of the slain were not numbered, because of the greatness of
their number—after they had finished burying their dead they all
returned to their lands, and to their houses, and their wives, and
their children.
3:2 Now many women and children had been slain with the sword, and also
many of their flocks and their herds; and also many of their fields of
grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the hosts of men.
3:3 And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had been
slain upon the bank of the river Sidon were cast into the waters of
Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the sea, and they
are many.
3:4 And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for they
had marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the manner of
the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their heads like unto
the Lamanites.
3:5 Now the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were naked,
save it were skin which was girded about their loins, and also their
armor, which was girded about them, and their bows, and their arrows,
and their stones, and their slings, and so forth.
3:6 And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark
which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because
of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who
consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy
men.
3:7 And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were
cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them, yea, upon Laman and
Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish women.
3:8 And this was done that their seed might be distinguished from the
seed of their brethren, that thereby the Lord God might preserve his
people, that they might not mix and believe in incorrect traditions
which would prove their destruction.
3:9 And it came to pass that whosoever did mingle his seed with that of
the Lamanites did bring the same curse upon his seed.
3:10 Therefore, whosoever suffered himself to be led away by the
Lamanites was called under that head, and there was a mark set upon
him.
3:11 And it came to pass that whosoever would not believe in the
tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those records which were
brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the tradition of
their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the commandments of
God and kept them, were called the Nephites, or the people of Nephi,
from that time forth—
3:12 And it is they who have kept the records which are true of their
people, and also of the people of the Lamanites.
3:13 Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had a
mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves, yea, even a
mark of red upon their foreheads.
3:14 Thus the word of God is fulfilled, for these are the words which
he said to Nephi: Behold, the Lamanites have I cursed, and I will set a
mark on them that they and their seed may be separated from thee and
thy seed, from this time henceforth and forever, except they repent of
their wickedness and turn to me that I may have mercy upon them.
3:15 And again: I will set a mark upon him that mingleth his seed with
thy brethren, that they may be cursed also.
3:16 And again: I will set a mark upon him that fighteth against thee
and thy seed.
3:17 And again, I say he that departeth from thee shall no more be
called thy seed; and I will bless thee, and whomsoever shall be called
thy seed, henceforth and forever; and these were the promises of the
Lord unto Nephi and to his seed.
3:18 Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the words of
God when they began to mark themselves in their foreheads; nevertheless
they had come out in open rebellion against God; therefore it was
expedient that the curse should fall upon them.
3:19 Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon themselves
the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed bring upon himself
his own condemnation.
3:20 Now it came to pass that not many days after the battle which was
fought in the land of Zarahemla, by the Lamanites and the Amlicites,
that there was another army of the Lamanites came in upon the people of
Nephi, in the same place where the first army met the Amlicites.
3:21 And it came to pass that there was an army sent to drive them out
of their land.
3:22 Now Alma himself being afflicted with a wound did not go up to
battle at this time against the Lamanites;
3:23 But he sent up a numerous army against them; and they went up and
slew many of the Lamanites, and drove the remainder of them out of the
borders of their land.
3:24 And then they returned again and began to establish peace in the
land, being troubled no more for a time with their enemies.
3:25 Now all these things were done, yea, all these wars and
contentions were commenced and ended in the fifth year of the reign of
the judges.
3:26 And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent
to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to
their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap
eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they
listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one.
3:27 For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and
this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it
be according to the truth. And thus endeth the fifth year of the reign
of the judges.