# Alma 51

*Simple English*

### The King-Men Rebel

At the start of the 25th year of the judges over the people of Nephi, they made peace between the people of Lehi and the people of Morianton about their land. The 25th year started with peace. But they did not keep peace in the land for long. The people started arguing about the Chief Judge, Pahoran. Some of the people wanted to change a few parts of the law. But Pahoran would not change the law. He did not listen to those who sent in their requests about changing the law. The people who wanted the law changed were angry with him. They wanted him to stop being Chief Judge over the land. This caused a big argument. But no one was hurt.

The people who wanted Pahoran removed from the judge’s seat were called king-men. They wanted to change the law to end the free government. They wanted to make a king over the land. The people who wanted Pahoran to stay as Chief Judge called themselves freemen. This is how they were divided. The freemen had promised to protect their rights and their freedom to worship through a free government. They settled this argument by letting the people vote. The people voted for the freemen. Pahoran kept his judge’s seat. This made Pahoran’s friends very happy. Many people who loved freedom were happy too. This made the king-men quiet. They could not fight back. They had to support freedom.

The people who wanted kings were from rich families. They wanted to be kings. People who wanted power and control over others supported them.

### Amalickiah Returns

But this was a bad time for the people of Nephi to be fighting with each other. Amalickiah had made the hearts of the Lamanites angry at the Nephites again. He was gathering soldiers from all parts of his land. He was getting them ready for war. He had promised to drink Moroni’s blood. We will see that his promise was foolish. But he got himself and his armies ready to fight against the Nephites. His armies were not as big as before. The Nephites had killed many thousands of them. But Amalickiah still gathered a very large army. He was not afraid to come down to the land of Zarahemla. Amalickiah himself came down leading the Lamanites. It was in the 25th year of the judges. It was the same time they were settling their argument about the Chief Judge, Pahoran.

### Moroni Fights the King-Men

When the king-men heard that the Lamanites were coming down to fight them, they were happy. They refused to pick up weapons. They were so angry with the Chief Judge and the people who loved freedom that they would not fight to defend their country. When Moroni saw this, and saw that the Lamanites were coming into their land, he was very angry. He had worked so hard to protect these people. He was filled with anger against them. He sent a request to the Governor of the land with the voice of the people. He asked the Governor to read it and give him power to make the people who refused to fight either defend their country or be killed. He wanted to stop the fighting and arguments among the people. This had always been the cause of their problems. The people approved his request.

Moroni told his army to go against those king-men. They would bring down their pride. They had to pick up weapons and support freedom or be destroyed. The armies marched against them. They brought down their pride. When the king-men lifted their weapons to fight against Moroni’s men, they were cut down and killed. Four thousand of those who refused to fight were killed by the sword. The leaders who were not killed in battle were taken and put in prison. There was no time for trials right then. The rest of the people who refused to fight gave up rather than be killed. They had to fly the flag of freedom on their towers and in their cities. They had to pick up weapons to defend their country. Moroni ended the king-men. No one was called king-men anymore. He ended the stubbornness and pride of those people who thought they were better because of their rich families. They had to act like their brothers and fight hard for their freedom.

### Lamanites Take Many Cities

While Moroni was stopping the wars and fights among his own people and making peace, and getting ready for war against the Lamanites, the Lamanites had come into the land of Moroni. This was on the border by the ocean. The Nephites were not strong enough in the city of Moroni. Amalickiah pushed them out and killed many. Amalickiah took over the city and all their forts. The people who ran away from the city of Moroni came to the city of Nephihah. The people of the city of Lehi also gathered together. They got ready to fight the Lamanites.

But Amalickiah would not let the Lamanites fight against the city of Nephihah. He kept them down by the ocean. He left men in every city to guard and defend it. He kept going and took over many cities. He took the city of Nephihah, the city of Lehi, the city of Morianton, the city of Omner, the city of Gid, and the city of Mulek. All of these were on the east borders by the ocean. The Lamanites had taken so many cities by Amalickiah’s clever plans. All of these cities were strongly protected like Moroni’s forts. They gave the Lamanites strong places to stay.

They marched to the borders of the land Bountiful. They pushed the Nephites back and killed many.

### Teancum Kills Amalickiah

But they were met by Teancum. He had killed Morianton and led his people when they ran away. He stopped Amalickiah as he was marching with his large army. Amalickiah wanted to take over the land Bountiful and also the land to the north. But he was disappointed. Teancum and his men pushed him back. They were great fighters. Every man with Teancum was stronger than the Lamanites. They were better at war. They won against the Lamanites. They attacked them and killed them until it was dark. Teancum and his men set up their tents in the borders of the land Bountiful. Amalickiah set up his tents on the beach by the ocean. This is how they were pushed back.

When night came, Teancum and his servant snuck out. They went into Amalickiah’s camp. The Lamanites were asleep because they were very tired from working hard in the heat all day. Teancum snuck quietly into the king’s tent. He put a spear to his heart. He killed the king right away. The king did not wake up his servants. Teancum went back quietly to his own camp. His men were asleep. He woke them up and told them everything he had done. He made his armies get ready in case the Lamanites woke up and came to attack them.

This ended the 25th year of the judges over the people of Nephi. This ended the days of Amalickiah.

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*Source: [The Book of Mormon](https://bookofmormon.com/simple/alma/51)*
