How the Nephite Cities Fell

One of the hallmarks of Captain Moroni’s leadership was the incredible fortifications that he caused to be built around the Nephite cities. When Amalickiah first sent the Lamanites to attack the Nephites in the 19^th year of the reign of the judges, they had supposed they would easily be able to take the city of Ammonihah. Mormon recorded, “But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold, the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth round about them, which was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance.” They gave up on trying to attack that city and went instead to Noah, but it had been similarly fortified. Mormon described their failed attempts to get into the city because of the way Moroni had protected it: “Now behold, the Lamanites could not get into their forts of security by any other way save by the entrance, because of the highness of the bank which had been thrown up, and the depth of the ditch which had been dug round about.” They made an attempt to get in but it was disastrous for them: “Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead and wounded (Alma 49:4,18,22). These fortifications were simply so good that the Lamanites could not get passed them, and not a single Nephite was slain.  The Lamanites retreated back to their lands and did not return for over five years.   

               During this time of relative peace, Moroni continued to fortify his cities with incredible fortifications. Mormon recounted, “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.” He made them even more impenetrable to the Lamanites with further innovations: “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. 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. 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.” So in addition to the huge heaps of earth around the cities there were timbers on top of them, a frame of pickets on top of those, and towers on top of those. Mormon summarized, “Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of their enemies, round about every city in all the land” (Alma 50:2-6). Surely the Nephites supposed the Lamanites would never have a chance against them because of these amazing fortifications. But the Lamanites did come back in the 25^th year, and inconceivably, they started taking cities: “And it came to pass that the Nephites were not sufficiently strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive them, slaying many. And it came to pass that Amalickiah took possession of the city, yea, possession of all their fortifications.” He then took six other cities in sequence, and all seven “were strongly fortified after the manner of the fortifications of Moroni” (Alma 51:23-27). So the question is—how did he do it? Previously the Lamanites couldn’t get into Ammonihah or Noah at all, and now these cities were even more fortified with Moroni’s innovations. What went wrong for the Nephites?

             I believe there are at least three reasons the Lamanites were able to take these strongly fortified cities. The first is simply that Amalickiah had no concern for the loss of life of the Lamanites. Mormon told us “they had not taken any cities save they had lost much blood” (Alma 52:4). Whereas previously at Noah the Lamanites had backed away when too many were dying, Amalickiah did not care that many of them were dying and he likely tried to simply overwhelm the entrance with his soldiers, most of whom would die but who would eventually make progress into the city. Another, perhaps more important reason, is that the Nephites were distracted with their own internal troubles of the king-men. The Lamanites showed up “while Moroni was thus breaking down the wars and contentions among his own people, and subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations to prepare for war against the Lamanites” (Alma 51:22). These cities taken by the Lamanites likely had fewer Nephite soldiers left to protect them than normally they would have had because they were needed to help Moroni put down the internal rebellion. And it seems that because of this wickedness among the Nephite people, the Lord was not protecting them as before. This story surely stands as a warning to us. We might be led to think that our own fortifications, the spiritual work we are doing in our families, is enough and that there is no way the adversary could ever get in. We might be actively reading our scriptures, praying, partaking of the Sacrament, etc. and feel that we are as strong as ever. But this account should cause us to carefully consider, to realize that we cannot let ourselves get distracted from continuing to strengthen those fortifications and to know that the adversary’s efforts will be relentless. We cannot relax spiritually, but we need each day the Lord’s protecting hand against the evil around us.