“Chapter 31: Captain Moroni Defeats Zerahemnah,” Book of Mormon Stories (1997), 85–88
“Chapter 31,” Book of Mormon Stories, 85–88
Chapter 31
Captain Moroni Defeats Zerahemnah
Zerahemnah, the leader of the Lamanites, wanted his people to continue hating the Nephites and to make them their slaves.
The Nephites wanted to keep their land and their families free. They also wanted to be free to worship God.
Captain Moroni was the leader of the Nephite armies. When the Lamanites came to fight, Moroni and his armies met them in the land of Jershon.
Captain Moroni had prepared his army with weapons, shields, armor, and thick clothing.
The Lamanites had a larger army but were scared when they saw the Nephites’ armor—the Lamanites were wearing very little clothing.
The Lamanite army did not dare fight Captain Moroni’s army. The Lamanites ran into the wilderness and decided to attack a different Nephite city.
Moroni sent spies to watch the Lamanites. He also asked Alma to pray to the Lord for help. The Lord told Alma where the Lamanites would attack.
When Moroni received Alma’s message, he left some soldiers to guard Jershon and marched the rest of them to meet the Lamanites.
Captain Moroni’s soldiers hid on both sides of the river Sidon, waiting to trap the Lamanite army.
A battle began, and the Lamanites tried to escape by crossing the river, but more Nephites were waiting for them on the other side.
Fighting harder than they ever had before, Zerahemnah and his army killed many Nephites. The Nephites cried to the Lord for help.
The Lord strengthened the Nephite army. The army surrounded the Lamanites, and Moroni ordered the fighting to stop.
Moroni told Zerahemnah that the Nephites did not want to kill the Lamanites or make them their slaves.
Moroni said the Lamanites could not destroy the Nephites’ faith in Jesus Christ. He said God would continue to help the Nephites fight as long as they were faithful.
Moroni ordered Zerahemnah to give up his weapons. The Lamanites would not be killed if they promised never to fight the Nephites again.
Zerahemnah gave Moroni his weapons but would not promise not to fight. Moroni handed the weapons back so the Lamanites could defend themselves.
Zerahemnah rushed at Moroni to kill him, but a Nephite soldier hit and broke Zerahemnah’s sword.
Then the soldier cut off Zerahemnah’s scalp, put it on the tip of his sword, and raised it into the air.
The Lamanites would fall as the scalp had fallen, he told them, unless they gave up their weapons and promised never to fight again.
Many Lamanites placed their weapons at Moroni’s feet and promised not to fight. They were allowed to go free.
Furious, Zerahemnah stirred up the rest of his soldiers to fight. Moroni’s soldiers killed many of them.
When Zerahemnah saw that he and all his men would be killed, he begged Moroni to spare them. He promised never to fight the Nephites again.
Moroni stopped the fighting and took the Lamanites’ weapons. After they promised not to fight, the Lamanites left.