The Anti-Nephi-Lehies
Alma 23–24
After his conversion, King Lamoni’s father sent a proclamation throughout all the Lamanite lands telling his people not to lay their hands on Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Himni, or any of the other missionaries. He ordered his people not to put them in prison, hit them, throw stones at them, or push them out of their synagogues. He wanted the missionaries to be able to teach the word of God to all the people without difficulty.
The sons of Mosiah and other missionaries traveled from one Laman-ite city to another, teaching the people about Jesus Christ, establishing churches, and setting apart priests and teachers. They taught them from the scriptures and helped them become familiar with Nephite records and prophecies. They had so much success that thousands were brought to believe in the Lord.
After receiving the gospel, King Lamoni’s father and other converts decided to call themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies, so they would no longer be known as Lamanites. Before the old king died, he conferred the kingdom on his son whom he named Anti-Nephi-Lehi. Like his brother Lamoni, Anti-Nephi-Lehi had listened to the missionaries and become a righteous leader. He counseled with Ammon and the sons of Mosiah to know how to defend themselves against the Lamanites, especially the Amalekites and the Amulonites, who were preparing to go to war against them. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies had become so righteous that they refused to use their weapons anymore. Their king agreed that they should not. He was so grateful to have been forgiven of the many sins and murders they had committed in the past that he could not ask them to stain their swords with blood again. So the Anti-Nephi-Lehies buried their weapons deep in the earth, as a testimony to God and to men of their complete repentance. They decided they would rather die than commit serious sins like murder ever again.
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Anti-Nephi-Lehi
“Anti-Nephi Lehi” is the name of Lamoni’s brother who became king over all the land. It is also the name for the righteous group of converts who no longer wanted to be known as Lamanites. In ancient Egyptian (from which it was translated), “anti” likely means “one of,” not “against” like we think of it today. So Anti-Nephi-Lehi was someone who was “one of” the Nephites.19
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When the Lamanites came upon them, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies went out to meet them. They lay on their stomachs with their heads down. They prayed. The Lamanites fell upon them and began to slay them with their swords. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies did not fight back; they praised God even while they were dying. One thousand and five of them were killed before the Lamanites stopped. Many of the Lamanites threw down their weapons and refused to continue killing. Their hearts were touched, and they wanted to repent. In fact, more than a thousand Lamanites joined the people of God that day. Like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, they wanted peace with God and with each other.
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