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The Anti-Nephi-Lehies change their name again (Alma 24-27)
2025

Episode 33: The Anti-Nephi-Lehies

Alma 24-27

The Anti-Nephi-Lehies buried their bright swords in the ground

24 1 The Amalekites, Amulonites, and Lamanites who had not converted began to rebel against the king of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. 2-4 Before he died, the king gave his kingdom to his son, Anti-Nephi-Lehi, while the Lamanites prepared for war against the people of God.

5 When Ammon and his brethren heard about the Lamanite’s battle preparations, they held a war council in the land of Ishmael. 6-16 But the new converts (the Anti-Nephi-Lehies) refused to fight. Here’s what they said about it: “Let’s not stain our swords with the blood of our brethren. If we get our swords bloody, they will no longer be washed bright through the blood of the great Son of God, which will be shed for the atonement of our sins. If our brethren try to kill us, we’ll bury our swords so they can be kept bright.”

17 So that’s what they did. They buried their swords in the ground. 20 Then the Lamanites came to the land of Nephi to kill the king and the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. 21 When the Anti-Nephi-Lehies saw the Lamanites coming, they laid down on the ground and called out the name of the Lord while the Lamanites killed them with their swords. 22 One thousand and five were killed and went to live with God. 23-27 After the slaughter, the Lamanites felt guilty and threw down their swords. More than a thousand Lamanites converted.

Another Lamanite conversion

25 1 The Laminates who hadn't converted were more angry than ever. 2 But instead of killing more Anti-Nephi-Lehies, their armies went to Zarahemla to kill people in the land of Ammonihah.

3 After that, there were many battles between the Nephites and Lamanites. 4 The Lamanites who died in battle were almost all the seed of Amulon and his brethren, who were the priests of Noah. 5-6 The rest of the Lamanites fled to the east wilderness, where they remembered the words of Aaron and many of them converted. 7 But the remaining descendants of Amulon started burning to death any new converts.

8 The Lamanite converts began to kill Amulon's descendants. But they didn't kill them all. 9 The survivors fled into the east wilderness, where they are still, to this day, hunted by the Lamanites. 10-12 This fulfills the dying words of Abinadi, who said that the children of the priests who burned him would be burned to death.

13-15 When the Lamanites finally realized that they couldn't beat the Nephites, many of them joined the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They buried their weapons, began to worship God, obey the laws of Moses, and look forward to the coming of Christ. 17 Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni rejoiced exceedingly because they had converted so many of the Lamanites.

Amnon’s speech

26 1 After their great success converting the Lamanites, Aaron and his brothers (Ammon, Omner and Himni) were pretty happy. Ammon gave a little speech, rejoicing about converting so many Lamanites.

10 Aaron was getting sick of Ammon's speech, so he said, “I think your joy is getting carried away into boasting.” 11 To which Ammon said, 12 “I'm not bragging, I'm just really happy about how awesome my God is.”

13-36 Then Ammon continued his speech, finally ending it by saying, 37 The bowels of God’s mercy are over all the earth.”

The Anti-Nephi-Lehies change their name again

27 1 The Lamanites decided it was no use trying to destroy the Nephites, so they returned to the land of Nephi. 2 But the Amalekites were exceedingly angry. They decided they’d destroy the Anti-Nephi- Lehies instead of the Nephites. 3 But the Anti-Nephi-Lehies still refused to defend themselves.

5 Ammon said to the king: “Let’s gather the people together and take them to Zarahemla.” 6 But the king said to him, “No, they’ll kill us.” 7-12 So Ammon asked God what to do. God said, “Yes, take the people to Zarahemla.”

14 So Ammon gathered the Anti-Nephi-Lehi people and went to Zarahemla. 16 On his way, he happened to meet Alma. 17 Ammon was so overwhelmed with joy that his strength was exhausted and he fell to the ground. 19 The others (Alma, Omner and Himni) were happy as well, but their joy didn't exceed their strength. 20 They all followed Alma back to his house in Zarahemla.

21 At Alma's house they told the chief judge their story, and he sent a proclamation to all the people. The proclamation asked the people what they thought should be done, and he got back a remarkably unanimous answer. The people said:

22 We’ll give the land of Jershon to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, which is on the eastern seaboard, south of the land Bountiful. 23-24 Our armies will guard them with their armies, but in exchange they will be taxed to support the military presence there.

26 And there was great joy among the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. They decided to change their name (again) to the people of Ammon. And that's what they've been called ever since. 27 They joined the Church and began to believe in Christ.

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