50:1 And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making
preparations for war, or to defend his people against the Lamanites;
for he caused that his armies should commence in the commencement of
the twentieth year of the reign of the judges, that they should
commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities,
throughout all the land which was possessed by the Nephites.
50:2 And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there
should be timbers, yea, works of timbers built up to the height of a
man, round about the cities.
50:3 And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be a
frame of pickets built upon the timbers round about; and they were
strong and high.
50:4 And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works of
pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon those
towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites could not hurt
them.
50:5 And they were prepared that they could cast stones from the top
thereof, according to their pleasure and their strength, and slay him
who should attempt to approach near the walls of the city.
50:6 Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of their
enemies, round about every city in all the land.
50:7 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his armies should go
forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth and drove all
the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into their own lands,
which were south of the land of Zarahemla.
50:8 And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the east
sea to the west.
50:9 And it came to pass that when Moroni had driven all the Lamanites
out of the east wilderness, which was north of the lands of their own
possessions, he caused that the inhabitants who were in the land of
Zarahemla and in the land round about should go forth into the east
wilderness, even to the borders by the seashore, and possess the land.
50:10 And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of their
possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that they might
secure their armies and their people from the hands of their enemies.
50:11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in the
east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between
the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the
land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by the head of the river
Sidon—the Nephites possessing all the land northward, yea, even all the
land which was northward of the land Bountiful, according to their
pleasure.
50:12 Thus Moroni, with his armies, which did increase daily because of
the assurance of protection which his works did bring forth unto them,
did seek to cut off the strength and the power of the Lamanites from
off the lands of their possessions, that they should have no power upon
the lands of their possession.
50:13 And it came to pass that the Nephites began the foundation of a
city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was by the
east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the possessions of the
Lamanites.
50:14 And they also began a foundation for a city between the city of
Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and Moroni;
and they called the name of the city, or the land, Nephihah.
50:15 And they also began in that same year to build many cities on the
north, one in a particular manner which they called Lehi, which was in
the north by the borders of the seashore.
50:16 And thus ended the twentieth year.
50:17 And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of Nephi in
the commencement of the twenty and first year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
50:18 And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly
rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land.
50:19 And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of the
Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of men; yea,
we can behold that his words are verified, even at this time, which he
spake unto Lehi, saying:
50:20 Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed,
inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the
land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my commandments they
shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
50:21 And we see that these promises have been verified to the people
of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their contentions, yea,
their murderings, and their plunderings, their idolatry, their
whoredoms, and their abominations, which were among themselves, which
brought upon them their wars and their destructions.
50:22 And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the
Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their wicked
brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by the sword, or
to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the Lamanites.
50:23 But behold there never was a happier time among the people of
Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even
at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges.
50:24 And it came to pass that the twenty and second year of the reign
of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty and third
year.
50:25 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty and
fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have been
peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a contention which
took place among them concerning the land of Lehi, and the land of
Morianton, which joined upon the borders of Lehi; both of which were on
the borders by the seashore.
50:26 For behold, the people who possessed the land of Morianton did
claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began to be a warm
contention between them, insomuch that the people of Morianton took up
arms against their brethren, and they were determined by the sword to
slay them.
50:27 But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to the
camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for behold they
were not in the wrong.
50:28 And it came to pass that when the people of Morianton, who were
led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people of Lehi
had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly fearful lest the
army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy them.
50:29 Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they should
flee to the land which was northward, which was covered with large
bodies of water, and take possession of the land which was northward.
50:30 And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect, (which
would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold, Morianton
being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry with one of his
maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her much.
50:31 And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp of
Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and also
concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.
50:32 Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or rather
Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of Morianton and
unite with his people, and thus he would obtain possession of those
parts of the land, which would lay a foundation for serious
consequences among the people of Nephi, yea, which consequences would
lead to the overthrow of their liberty.
50:33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the
people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land northward.
50:34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they had
come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they did head
them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the land northward,
yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.
50:35 And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni, which
was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the people of
Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of Morianton, (being
inspired by his wickedness and his flattering words) that a battle
commenced between them, in the which Teancum did slay Morianton and
defeat his army, and took them prisoners, and returned to the camp of
Moroni. And thus ended the twenty and fourth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.
50:36 And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon
their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the land of
Morianton, and a union took place between them and the people of Lehi;
and they were also restored to their lands.
50:37 And it came to pass that in the same year that the people of
Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second chief
judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect uprightness
before God.
50:38 Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of those
records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his fathers to
be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon his son,
Helaman.
50:39 Behold, it came to pass that the son of Nephihah was appointed to
fill the judgment-seat, in the stead of his father; yea, he was
appointed chief judge and governor over the people, with an oath and
sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to keep the peace and the
freedom of the people, and to grant unto them their sacred privileges
to worship the Lord their God, yea, to support and maintain the cause
of God all his days, and to bring the wicked to justice according to
their crime.
50:40 Now behold, his name was Pahoran. And Pahoran did fill the seat
of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the twenty and
fourth year, over the people of Nephi.