Alma 16:6 - 16:10

Alma 16:6 And it came to pass that Alma inquired of the Lord concerning the matter. And Alma returned and said unto them: Behold, the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti. And behold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites.

Alma asks the Lord where the Nephites can intercept the Lamanites and get their people back they had captured. The Lord tells Alma that they can recover their people when the Lamanites cross the River Sidon in the south wilderness just beyond Manti. The Nephites can jump the Lamanites on the east side of the river and will be able to recover their people.

Alma 16:7 And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east side of the river Sidon.

Zoram and his sons followed Alma’s words and marched to intercept the Lamanites on the other side of the River Sidon to the south wilderness on the other side of the Manti.

I can image a lot of generals would like to receive intelligence on the moments of their enemies. If they were righteous men they might have, but who knows they may have when deciding on strategy for their next moves through inspiration.

Alma 16:8 And they came upon the armies of the Lamanites, and the Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness; and they took their brethren who had been taken captive by the Lamanites, and there was not one soul of them had been lost that were taken captive. And they were brought by their brethren to possess their own lands.

The Lamanites were intercepted and defeated at the spot told to Zoram and his sons. In addition, all their captives were recovered safely and did not lose any of those taken captive by them. Being that the lands had been overrun by the Lamanites, it was not safe for the captives to return to their homes and so they were settled in areas around Zarahemla.

Alma 16:9 And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, the Lamanites having been driven out of the land, and the people of Ammonihah were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could not destroy, because of its greatness.

The 11th year of the reign of the judges had ended. The Lamanites had been driven out of Nephite territory and the city of Ammonihah had been destroyed along with the entire population. This in spite of their claim that because their city was so great that it was impossible that such a thing could happen.

Alma 16:10 But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.

The destruction of the city and slaughter of the people of Ammonihah took place in only one day. It was not a protracted fight. What was left was food for the dogs and wild beast of the wilderness.

Probably a good reminder to us in the USA. We may think we cannot be destroyed, but it can happen to us and just that quick. There are many weapons of mass destruction that have that capability. The Lord can wipe out anything of any size He deems necessary to further His purposes.