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Book of Mormon Commentary
Alma Chapter 15
ANTI-NEPHI-LEHI PERMITED TO GO TO ZARAHEMLA, VER. 1-21
Alma 15:3 And when they saw that they could not seek revenge from the Nephites, they began to stir up
the people in anger against their brethren, the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi; therefore they began again to
destroy them.
In their wars with the Nephites, the Lamanites had been defeated and driven off (14:60,61). But
Satan had "great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites" (Alma 15:12), and they continually stirred
up the Lamanites to anger and bloodshed. So they went again to the land of Middoni and began to
destroy the people of Anti-Nephi- Lehi. These Christian Lamanites refused again to take up arms,
and many suffered death "according to the desires of their enemies" (4).
Alma 15:6 Therefore when Ammon and his brethren saw this great work of destruction, they were
moved with compassion, and they said unto the king, Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and
let us go down to the land of Zarahemla, to our brethren, the Nephites, and flee out of the hands of our
enemies, that we be not destroyed.
These Nephites [sons of Mosiah] "were treated as though they were angels sent from God to save
them" (5). They appealed to the king to flee to Zarahemla, "that we be not destroyed" (6). The
king asked if the Nephites would not destroy his people "because of the many murders and sins we
have committed against them” (7). Ammon proposed that he inquire of the Lord. "If he say unto
us, Go down, will ye go?” (8). King Anti-Nephi-Lehi answered, "Yea: if the Lord saith unto us,
Go, we will go ...and be their slaves" (9). Ammon said that slavery was against their law, and
urged the move and relying "upon the mercies of our brethren” (10).
Alma 15:11 But the king said unto him, Inquire of the Lord, and if he saith unto us, Go, we will go;
otherwise we will perish in the land.
The king could not rid his conscience of guilt of their "many murders and sins" and was fearful of
Nephite reaction (9), but he did not hesitate even if they faced death in Zarahemla. Then Ammon
inquired of the Lord and was told, "Get this people out of this land, that they perish not, for Satan
has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir up the Lamanites ...and blessed are this
people. ..for I will preserve them" (12),
When Ammon gave the king the Lord's message, they "gathered .., all the people of the Lord" and
their flocks and herds and departed out of the land, "and came into the wilderness which divided
the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla” and stopped near the border of Zarahemla, Ammon
told the people to remain there and he would go over and "try the hearts of our brethren, whether
they will that ye shall come into their land" (15). While Ammon was on this mission, he met
Alma, as previously related (12:1-7).
Alma 15:17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great, even that he was full, yea, he was swallowed up in
the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.
The word "again" will be understood by reading 12:146-151, His brothers, Aaron, Omner, and
Himni, who accompanied Ammon, also rejoiced greatly, but it did not "exceed their strength”