Moroni is angry with the content of Ammoron’s letter and refuses to exchange prisoners. Instead, he launches a daring plan: He sends a former Lamanite to the city where the prisoners are held. This man pretends that he is an escaped prisoner and offers the guards wine. When they are inebriated, he distributes weapons to the prisoners, which they use to free themselves and take their guards prisoners. Mormon points out that Moroni could have killed the incapacitated guards, but “he did not delight in murder or bloodshed.”
Chapter Outline
- Moroni refuses to exchange prisoners (v. 1-3)
- Laman gives wine to the guards (v. 4-15)
- The prisoners are armed during the night, and the guards surrender in the morning (v. 16-26)
- The Lamanites try in vain to trick the Nephite guards in the same way (v. 27-35)
My Takeaways
- Think about how your decisions affect other people, and try to get things done with minimal impact to others.
- If you need to defend yourself, do so without making your opponent your enemy.
Featured Blog Posts
❖ Prisoners are armed – Alma 55:16-26
That He Might Not Bring upon Him Injustice – Alma 55:19
19 But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not delight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the saving of his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not bring upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites and destroy them in their drunkenness.(Alma 55:19) Moroni…
When Is Violence Justified?
“Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). The sixth of the Ten Commandments which the Lord gave to Moses on Mount Sinai is clear and uncontroversial. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus expanded the commandment: Not only is it wrong to kill. It’s wrong to be angry. It’s wrong to call people names. These small…
Old Testament Foundations
The Sanctity of Life
A disciple of Jesus Christ has a reverence and respect for living things. “Thou shalt not kill,” God commanded on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17, Mosiah 13:21). And Jesus extended that commandment to less violent offenses: don’t get angry; don’t say unkind things. (See Matthew 5:21, 3 Nephi 12:21.) When we recognize that all…
All Posts Referencing Alma 55
- Principles of Peacemaking in Doctrine and Covenants 98 (9/10/2025)
- What Do You Delight In? (11/3/2024)
- “We Are Weary” (8/23/2024)
- War and Peace (8/14/2024)
- A Better Cause (2/24/2022)
- The Sanctity of Life (12/15/2021)
- When Is Violence Justified? (10/17/2019)
- How Should We Respond When Others Threaten or Attack Us? (4/28/2019)
- That He Might Not Bring upon Him Injustice – Alma 55:19 (3/30/2017)
- He Did Not Delight in Murder or Bloodshed – Alma 55:18-19 (8/20/2015)