Episode 25: The deaths of Nehor and Amlici

Alma 1-2

The preaching of Nehor

1 ^1-6 After Mosiah died in 91 BCE, Alma, the son of Alma, became the first judge of the Nephites. In his first year as judge, a man named Nehor was brought before Alma. Nehor said that priests should be popular among, and supported by, the people, and that everyone will be saved. Many of the people believed him and supported him by giving him money. He wore expensive clothes and established his own church.

Nehor kills Gideon

^7-8 One day while Nehor was preaching, he met an elderly member of the Church of God, whose name was Gideon. ⁹ He opposed Nehor, admonishing him with the words of God. This upset Nehor so much that he killed Gideon with a sword.

The death of Nehor

¹⁰ The people brought Nehor to Alma to be judged. ^12-14 Alma sentenced Nehor to death for introducing priestcraft, trying to enforce priestcraft with the sword, and for killing a righteous man. If the Nephites didn't kill Nehor, "his blood would come upon us for vengeance".

¹⁵ The people carried Nehor to the top of a hill and forced him to confess that he had taught things contrary to the word of God. Then they killed him in such a way that he suffered an ignominious death.

The church was rich, non-members were wicked

¹⁶ But Nehor's death didn't end the priestcraft. ¹⁷ They couldn't be put to death, because they weren't committing any crimes. ¹⁸ They didn't rob, murder, or steal. And they weren't technically liars, since they claimed to believe in their preaching, and the law couldn't punish a man for his beliefs.

¹⁹ Those who didn't belong to the church began to persecute those who did. ²⁰ Non-members persecuted church members by calling them names.

²¹ The church had a strict law that no one in the church could persecute those who didn't belong to the church. And church members could not persecute one another. ²² But the church members still argued with each other and hit each other with their fits. ²³ Many had hard hearts, so their names were blotted out.

^29-30 Although the church became exceedingly rich, it helped the poor and was liberal to all. ³¹ And church members were far more wealthy than non-members.

³² Those who didn’t belong to the church were lazy, wicked, babbling, idolatrous, proud, liars, thieves and murderers. They committed whoredoms and all kinds of wickedness. ³³ But they were all caught and punished for their wickedness. And so there was peace among the people of Nephi for a few years..

Amlici loses the election (but becomes king anyway)

2 ^1-2 There was a man named Amlici, who by his charm and cunning had become popular with the people, who wanted to make him king. ^3-4 This alarmed the church, because if Amlici got too popular, he might destroy the church.

^5-7 The people held an election and Amlici lost. ^8-9 But his followers made him king anyway. ¹⁰ Amlici then told his followers to force all of the Nephites to obey him as their new king.

God helps the Nephites slaughter the Amlicites

¹² The Nephites armed themselves with swords, scimitars, bows and arrows, slings, and every other type of weapon. ¹³ They appointed captains, higher captains, and chief captains.

¹⁶ Alma led the Nephites into battle. ^17-19 It was a bloody battle, with many deaths on both sides. The Nephites fared much better, though, because God strengthened their hand. 12,532 Amlicites died, while the Nephites lost only 6562.

Alma kills Amlici (with God’s help)

²⁰ The Nephites chased the Amlicites until they couldn't chase them any farther. ²¹ Then Alma sent spies to keep an eye on them, and everyone else pitched camp in the valley of Gideon. ²³ When the spies returned, they told Alma that the Lamanites had joined with the Almicites. ²⁷ The Lamanites/Amilicites attacked with an army that was as numerous as the sands of the sea. (Well, almost anyway.) ^28-29 Still, the Nephites defeated them easily, because the Lord strengthened their hand again.

²⁹ During the battle, Alma and Amlici had a sword fight. ³⁰ Alma cried out to God, saying, “God, don’t let me die.” ³¹ God strengthened him so that he killed Amlici with his sword.

³² Alma also fought with the king of the Lamanites, but his guards helped him get away. ³³ But Alma was able to kill the king's guards. ³⁵ The rest of the Lamanites and Amlicites fled into the wilderness, but they were still too numerous to count. ^36-37 The Nephites drove them into a land called Hermounts, which was infested with wild and ravenous beasts. ³⁸ Many died in the wilderness and their bodies were devoured by beasts, but their bones have been found.