Alma 20
1 And it came to pass that when they had established a church in that land,
that king Lamoni desired that Ammon should go with him to the land of
Nephi, that he might show him unto his father.
2 And the voice of the Lord came to Ammon saying: Thou shalt not go up
to the land of Nephi, for behold, the king will seek thy life; but thou shalt go
to the land of Middoni; for behold, thy brother Aaron, and also Muloki and
Ammah are in prison.
3 Now it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he said unto
Lamoni: Behold, my brother and brethren are in prison at Middoni, and I go
that I may deliver them.
4 Now Lamoni said unto Ammon: I know, in the strength of the Lord thou
canst do all things. But behold, I will go with thee to the land of Middoni;
for the king of the land of Middoni, whose name is Antiomno, is a friend
unto me; therefore I go to the land of Middoni, that I may flatter the king of
the land, and he will cast thy brethren out of prison. Now Lamoni said unto
him: Who told thee that thy brethren were in prison?
5 And Ammon said unto him: No one hath told me, save it be God; and he
said unto me — Go and deliver thy brethren, for they are in prison in the land
of Middoni.
6 Now when Lamoni had heard this he caused that his servants should make
ready his horses and his chariots.
7 And he said unto Ammon: Come, I will go with thee down to the land of
Middoni, and there I will plead with the king that he will cast thy brethren
out of prison.
8 And it came to pass that as Ammon and Lamoni were journeying thither,
they met the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.
9 And behold, the father of Lamoni said unto him: Why did ye not come to
the feast on that great day when I made a feast unto my sons, and unto my
people?
10 And he also said: Whither art thou going with this Nephite, who is one of
the children of a liar?
11 And it came to pass that Lamoni rehearsed unto him whither he was
going, for he feared to offend him.
12 And he also told him all the cause of his tarrying in his own kingdom,
that he did not go unto his father to the feast which he had prepared.
13 And now when Lamoni had rehearsed unto him all these things, behold,
to his astonishment, his father was angry with him, and said: Lamoni, thou
art going to deliver these Nephites, who are sons of a liar. Behold, he
robbed our fathers; and now his children are also come amongst us that they
may, by their cunning and their lyings, deceive us, that they again may rob us
of our property.
14 Now the father of Lamoni commanded him that he should slay Ammon
with the sword. And he also commanded him that he should not go to the
land of Middoni, but that he should return with him to the land of Ishmael.
15 But Lamoni said unto him: I will not slay Ammon, neither will I return to
the land of Ishmael, but I go to the land of Middoni that I may release the
brethren of Ammon, for I know that they are just men and holy prophets of
the true God.
16 Now when his father had heard these words, he was angry with him, and
he drew his sword that he might smite him to the earth.
17 But Ammon stood forth and said unto him: Behold, thou shalt not slay
thy son; nevertheless, it were better that he should fall than thee, for behold,
he has repented of his sins; but if thou shouldst fall at this time, in thine
anger, thy soul could not be saved.
18 And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if thou shouldst
slay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood would cry from the ground
to the Lord his God, for vengeance to come upon thee; and perhaps thou
wouldst lose thy soul.
19 Now when Ammon had said these words unto him, he answered him,
saying: I know that if I should slay my son, that I should shed innocent
blood; for it is thou that hast sought to destroy him.
20 And he stretched forth his hand to slay Ammon. But Ammon withstood
his blows, and also smote his arm that he could not use it.
21 Now when the king saw that Ammon could slay him, he began to plead
with Ammon that he would spare his life.
22 But Ammon raised his sword, and said unto him: Behold, I will smite
thee except thou wilt grant unto me that my brethren may be cast out of
prison.
23 Now the king, fearing he should lose his life, said: If thou wilt spare me I
will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask, even to half of the kingdom.
24 Now when Ammon saw that he had wrought upon the old king
according to his desire, he said unto him: If thou wilt grant that my brethren
may be cast out of prison, and also that Lamoni may retain his kingdom, and
that ye be not displeased with him, but grant that he may do according to his
own desires in whatsoever thing he thinketh, then will I spare thee; otherwise
I will smite thee to the earth.
25 Now when Ammon had said these words, the king began to rejoice
because of his life.
26 And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and when
he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was astonished
exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou hast desired, that I would
release thy brethren, and suffer that my son Lamoni should retain his
kingdom, behold, I will grant unto you that my son may retain his kingdom
from this time and forever; and I will govern him no more —
27 And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast out of
prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my kingdom; for I
shall greatly desire to see thee. For the king was greatly astonished at the
words which he had spoken, and also at the words which had been spoken by
his son Lamoni, therefore he was desirous to learn them.
28 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their journey
towards the land of Middoni. And Lamoni found favor in the eyes of the
king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon were brought forth out of
prison.
29 And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful, for
behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly because of
being bound with strong cords. And they also had suffered hunger, thirst,
and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were patient in all their
sufferings.
30 And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the hands of a
more hardened and a more stiffnecked people; therefore they would not
hearken unto their words, and they had cast them out, and had smitten them,
and had driven them from house to house, and from place to place, even until
they had arrived in the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast
into prison, and bound with strong cords, and kept in prison for many days,
and were delivered by Lamoni and Ammon.
