Spilt in Vain

One of the themes of the story of Zeniff, Noah, and Limhi and their people is that of death. So many people lost their lives unnecessarily throughout the history of this group. It started from the beginning. Zeniff recorded what happened with the first group that went up to inherit the land: “I was rescued by the shedding of much blood; for father fought against father, and brother against brother, until the greater number of our army was destroyed in the wilderness; and we returned, those of us that were spared, to the land of Zarahemla, to relate that tale to their wives and their children.” The Nephites fought against other Nephites, and many died because their original leader was a blood-thirsty man. Zeniff still went back to the land of Nephi with another group, and though at first they lived in peace with the Lamanites, eventually fighting broke out. Zeniff recorded, “When my people were watering and feeding their flocks, and tilling their lands, a numerous host of Lamanites came upon them and began to slay them…. And it came to pass that I did arm them with bows, and with arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and I and my people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle…. yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land. And I, myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their dead. And behold, to our great sorrow and lamentation, two hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain” (Mosiah 9:2, 18-19). That makes 3,322 people who died unnecessarily in this battle between these people. The Lamanites came one more time against the Nephites while Zeniff was alive: “And it came to pass that we did drive them again out of our land; and we slew them with a great slaughter, even so many that we did not number them” (Mosiah 10:20). Countless people died in another terrible tragedy, likely more than in the first battle.    

                Death continued among this people during the reign of Noah and Limhi. Limhi recorded this about the days of his father Noah: “But behold, they would not hearken unto [the Lord’s] words; but there arose contentions among them, even so much that they did shed blood among themselves.” We don’t have other details about that, but apparently this happened during Noah’s reign where fighting amongst themselves caused more death. Of course, he also put Abinadi to death: “And a prophet of the Lord have they slain; yea, a chosen man of God, who told them of their wickedness and abominations” (Mosiah 7:25-26). After Abinadi was killed, the Lamanites again came upon them and more death ensued, “And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue them, and did overtake them, and began to slay them.” Noah fled with others, but they soon turned on him and he met his death: “They were angry with the king, and caused that he should suffer, even unto death by fire” (Mosiah 19:10, 20). After that under King Limhi there were more battles with the Lamanites and more deaths: “And they gathered themselves together again, and put on their armor, and went forth against the Lamanites to drive them out of their land. And it came to pass that the Lamanites did beat them, and drove them back, and slew many of them. And now there was a great mourning and lamentation among the people of Limhi, the widow mourning for her husband, the son and the daughter mourning for their father, and the brothers for their brethren” (Mosiah 21:7-9). This happened three times, and each time many Nephites lost their lives in battle against the Lamanites. How many died unnecessarily! Limhi summarized it this way: “For behold how many of our brethren have been slain, and their blood has been spilt in vain, and all because of iniquity” (Mosiah 7:24). Surely Zeniff cannot be blamed for all that happened, but how many lives could have been spared if he had resisted the urge to find better land in Nephi and stay in peace with the Nephites in Zarahemla!