47:1 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.
47:2 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.
47:3 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.
47:4 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.
47:5 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.
47:6 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.
47:7 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.
47:8 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.
47:9 And behold, it came to pass that he caused his army to pitch their
tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas.
47:10 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.
47:11 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.
47:12 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.
47:13 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.
47:14 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.
47:15 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.
47:16 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.
47:17 Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief leader
was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief leader.
47:18 And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his
servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he died.
47:19 Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed Amalickiah to
be their leader and their chief commander.
47:20 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.
47:21 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.
47:22 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.
47:23 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.
47:24 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.
47:25 Now the servants of the king fled; and the servants of Amalickiah
raised a cry, saying:
47:26 Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the heart,
and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and see.
47:27 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.
47:28 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.
47:29 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.
47:30 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.
47:31 And it came to pass on the morrow he entered the city Nephi with
his armies, and took possession of the city.
47:32 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—
47:33 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.
47:34 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.
47:35 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.
47:36 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.