[Please note that this segment ends in the midst of Alma 56:20]

Alma 56:1

And now it came to pass

in the commencement of the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges,

on the second day in the first month,

Moroni received an epistle from Helaman,

stating the affairs of the people in that quarter of the land.

Alma 56:2

And these are the words which he wrote, saying:

My dearly beloved brother, Moroni,

as well in the Lord as in the tribulations of our warfare;

behold, my beloved brother, I have somewhat to tell you

concerning our warfare in this part of the land.

Alma 56:3

Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men

whom Ammon brought down out of the land of Nephi —

now ye have known that these were descendants of Laman,

who was the eldest son of our father Lehi;

Alma 56:4

Now I need not rehearse unto you concerning their traditions or their unbelief,

for thou knowest concerning all these things —

Alma 56:5

Therefore it sufficeth me that I tell you

that two thousand of these young men have taken their weapons of war,

and would that I should be their leader;

and we have come forth to defend our country.

Alma 56:6

And now ye also know concerning the covenant which their fathers made,

that they would not take up their weapons of war

against their brethren to shed blood.

Alma 56:7

But in the twenty and sixth year,

when they saw our afflictions and our tribulations for them,

they were about to break the covenant which they had made

and take up their weapons of war in our defence.

Alma 56:8

But I would not suffer them

that they should break this covenant which they had made,

supposing that God would strengthen us,

insomuch that we should not suffer more

because of the fulfilling the oath which they had taken.

Alma 56:9

But behold, here is one thing in which we may have great joy.

For behold, in the twenty and sixth year,

I, Helaman, did march at the head of these two thousand young men

to the city of Judea, to assist Antipus,

whom ye had appointed a leader over the people of that part of the land.

Alma 56:10

And I did join my two thousand sons,

(for they are worthy to be called sons)

to the army of Antipus,

in which strength Antipus did rejoice exceedingly;

for behold, his army had been reduced by the Lamanites

because their forces had slain a vast number of our men,

for which cause we have to mourn.

Alma 56:11

Nevertheless, we may console ourselves in this point,

that they have died in the cause of their country and of their God,

yea, and they are happy.

Alma 56:12

And the Lamanites had also retained many prisoners,

all of whom are chief captains,

for none other have they spared alive.

And we suppose that they are now at this time in the land of Nephi;

it is so if they are not slain.

Alma 56:13

And now these are the cities

of which the Lamanites have obtained possession

by the shedding of the blood of so many of our valiant men;

Alma 56:14

The land of Manti, or the city of Manti,

and the city of Zeezrom, and the city of Cumeni, and the city of Antiparah.

Alma 56:15

And these are the cities which they possessed when I arrived at the city of Judea;

and I found Antipus and his men toiling with their might to fortify the city.

Alma 56:16

Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit,

for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to maintain their cities;

and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind.

Alma 56:17

And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die;

therefore you may well suppose

that this little force which I brought with me,

yea, those sons of mine,

gave them great hopes and much joy.

Alma 56:18

And now it came to pass that

when the Lamanites saw that Antipus had received a greater strength to his army,

they were compelled by the orders of Ammoron

to not come against the city of Judea, or against us, to battle.

Alma 56:19

And thus were we favored of the Lord;

for had they come upon us in this our weakness

they might have perhaps destroyed our little army;

but thus were we preserved.

Alma 56:20

They were commanded by Ammoron

to maintain those cities which they had taken.

And thus ended the twenty and sixth year.

...