And now it came to pass that when M’roni had received this letter, his heart did take courage and was filled with exceedingly great joy because of the faithfulness of Parhoron, that he was not also a traitor to the freedom and cause of his country. But he did also mourn exceedingly because of the iniquity of those who had driven Parhoron from the judgment seat, yes, in short, because of those who had rebelled against their country and also their Elohim.
And it came to pass that M’roni took a small number of men according to the desire of Parhoron, and gave Lechi and Teancum command over the remainder of his army, and took his march towards the land of Gideon. And he did raise the standard of liberty in whatsoever place he did enter, and gained whatsoever force he could in all his march towards the land of Gideon.
And it came to pass that thousands did flock unto his standard and did take up their swords in the defense of their freedom, that they might not come into bondage. And thus when M’roni had gathered together whatsoever men he could in all his march, he came to the land of Gideon; and uniting his forces with that of Parhoron’s, they became exceedingly strong, even stronger than the men of Pachus, who was the king of those dissenters who had driven out the Freemen, out of the land of Zerach’mla, and had taken possession of the land.
And it came to pass that M’roni and Parhoron went down with their armies into the land of Zerach’mla, and went forth against the city and did meet the men of Pachus, insomuch that they did come to battle. And behold, Pachus was slain and his men were taken prisoners, and Parhoron was restored to his judgment seat. And the men of Pachus received their trial according to the law, and also those Kingmen who had been taken and cast into prison, and they were executed according to the law; yes, those men of Pachus and those Kingmen — whosoever would not take up arms in the defense of their country, but would fight against it — were put to death. And thus it became expedient that this law should be strictly observed for the safety of their country, yes, and whosoever was found denying their freedom was speedily executed according to the law. And thus ended the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nefi, M’roni and Parhoron having restored shalom to the land of Zerach’mla among their own people, having inflicted death upon all those who were not true to the cause of freedom.
And it came to pass in the commencement of the thirty and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nefi, M’roni immediately caused that provisions should be sent, and also an army of six thousand men should be sent unto Cheleman, to assist him in preserving that part of the land. And he also caused that an army of six thousand men, with a sufficient quantity of food, should be sent to the armies of Lechi and Teancum. And it came to pass that this was done to fortify the land against the Lamanites.
And it came to pass that M’roni and Parhoron, leaving a large body of men in the land of Zerach’mla, took their march with a large body of men towards the land of Nefihah, being determined to overthrow the Lamanites in that city.
And it came to pass that as they were marching towards the land, they took a large body of men of the Lamanites, and slew many of them, and took their provisions and their weapons of war. And it came to pass, after they had taken them, they caused them to enter into a covenant that they would no more take up their weapons of war against the Nefites. And when they had entered into this covenant, they sent them to dwell with the people of Ammon; and they were in number about four thousand who had not been slain.
And it came to pass that when they had sent them away, they pursued their march towards the land of Nefihah. And it came to pass that when they had come to the city Nefihah, they did pitch their tents in the plains of Nefihah, which is near the city Nefihah. Now M’roni was desirous that the Lamanites should come out to battle against them upon the plains. But the Lamanites, knowing of their exceedingly great courage and beholding the greatness of their numbers, therefore they dared not come out against them; therefore they did not come to battle in that day. And when the night came, M’roni went forth in the darkness of the night and came up on the top of the wall to spy out in what part of the city the Lamanites did camp with their army.
And it came to pass that they were on the east, by the entrance, and they were all asleep. And now M’roni returned to his army and caused that they should prepare in haste strong cords and ladders to be let down from the top of the wall into the inner part of the wall.
And it came to pass that M’roni caused that his men should march forth and come up upon the top of the wall, and let themselves down into that part of the city, yes, even on the west, where the Lamanites did not camp with their armies.
And it came to pass that they were all let down into the city by night, by the means of their strong cords and their ladders. Thus when the morning came, they were all within the walls of the city. And now when the Lamanites awoke and saw that the armies of M’roni were within the walls, they were exceedingly frightened, insomuch that they did flee out by the pass. And now when M’roni saw that they were fleeing before him, he did cause that his men should march forth against them, and slew many, and surrounded many others and took them prisoners; and the remainder of them fled into the land of M’roni which was in the borders by the seashore. Thus had M’roni and Parhoron obtained the possession of the city of Nefihah without the loss of one soul; and there were many of the Lamanites who were slain.
Now it came to pass that as many of the Lamanites that were prisoners were desirous to join the people of Ammon and become a free people, and it came to pass that as many as were desirous, unto them it was granted according to their desires. Therefore, all the prisoners of the Lamanites did join the people of Ammon and did begin to labor exceedingly, tilling the ground, raising all manner of grain, and flocks, and herds of every kind. And thus were the Nefites relieved from a great burden, yes, insomuch that they were relieved from all the prisoners of the Lamanites.
Now it came to pass that M’roni, after he had obtained possession of the city of Nefihah, having taken many prisoners, which did reduce the armies of the Lamanites exceedingly, and having retained many of the Nefites who had been taken prisoners, which did strengthen the army of M’roni exceedingly, therefore M’roni went forth from the land of Nefihah to the land of Lechi.
And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that M’roni was coming against them, they were again frightened, and fled before the army of M’roni. And it came to pass that M’roni and his army did pursue them from city to city until they were met by Lechi and Teancum; and the Lamanites fled from Lechi and Teancum, even down upon the borders by the seashore until they came to the land of M’roni. And the armies of the Lamanites were all gathered together, insomuch that they were all in one body in the land of M’roni. Now Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites, was also with them.
And it came to pass that M’roni, and Lechi, and Teancum did encamp with their armies round about in the borders of the land of M’roni, insomuch that the Lamanites were encircled about in the borders by the wilderness on the south and in the borders by the wilderness on the east; and thus they did encamp for the night. For behold, the Nefites, and the Lamanites also, were weary because of the greatness of the march, therefore they did not resolve upon any stratagem in the nighttime, except it were Teancum. For he was exceedingly angry with Ammoron, insomuch that he considered that Ammoron, and Amalickiah his brother, had been the cause of this great and lasting war between them and the Lamanites, which had been the cause of so much war and bloodshed, yes, and so much famine.
And it came to pass that Teancum, in his anger, did go forth into the camp of the Lamanites and did let himself down over the walls of the city. And he went forth with a cord from place to place, insomuch that he did find the king; and he did cast a javelin at him, which did pierce him near the heart. But behold, the king did awake his servant before he died, insomuch that he did pursue Teancum and slew him.
Now it came to pass that when Lechi and M’roni knew that Teancum was dead, they were exceedingly sorrowful; for behold, he had been a man who had fought valiantly for his country, yes, a true friend to liberty, and he had suffered very many exceedingly sore afflictions. But behold, he was dead and had gone the way of all the earth.
Now it came to pass that M’roni marched forth the next day and came upon the Lamanites, insomuch that they did slay them with a great slaughter and they did drive them out of the land. And they did flee, even that they did not return at that time against the Nefites. And thus ended the thirty and first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nefi. And thus they had had wars, and bloodsheds, and famine, and affliction, for the space of many years. And there had been murders, and contentions, and dissensions, and all manner of iniquity among the people of Nefi. Nevertheless for the righteous’ sake, yes, because of the prayers of the righteous,227 they were spared. But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nefites and the Lamanites, many had become hardened because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before Elohim, even in the depths of humility.
And it came to pass that after M’roni had fortified those parts of the land which were most exposed to the Lamanites until they were sufficiently strong, he returned to the city of Zerach’mla. And also Cheleman returned to the place of his inheritance; and there was once more shalom established among the people of Nefi. And M’roni yielded up the command of his armies into the hands of his son whose name was M’ronihah; and he retired to his own house, that he might spend the remainder of his days in shalom. And Parhoron did return to his judgment seat, and Cheleman did take upon him again to preach unto the people the word of Elohim; for because of so many wars and contentions, it had become expedient that a regulation should be made again in the assembly. Therefore, Cheleman and his brothers went forth and did declare the word of Elohim with much power, unto the convincing of many people of their wickedness, which did cause them to repent of their sins and to be washed by immersion unto yhwh their Elohim.
And it came to pass that they did strengthen again the assembly of Elohim throughout all the land. Yes, and regulations were made concerning the law; and their judges and their chief judges were chosen. And the people of Nefi began to prosper again in the land, and began to multiply and to grow exceedingly strong again in the land. And they began to grow exceedingly rich, but despite their riches, or their strength, or their prosperity, they were not lifted up in the pride of their eyes, neither were they slow to remember yhwh their Elohim, but they did humble themselves exceedingly before him. Yes, they did remember how great things yhwh had done for them, that he had delivered them from death, and from bonds, and from prisons, and from all manner of afflictions, and he had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies. And they did pray unto yhwh their Elohim continually, insomuch that yhwh did bless them according to his word so that they did grow strong and prosper in the land. And it came to pass that all these things were done. And Cheleman died in the thirty and fifth year228 of the reign of the judges over the people of Nefi.