3 Nephi 3:11

And now it came to pass when Lachoneus received this epistle

he was exceedingly astonished, because of the boldness of Giddianhi

demanding the possession of the land of the Nephites,

and also of threatening the people

and avenging the wrongs of those that had received no wrong,

save it were they had wronged themselves

by dissenting away unto those wicked and abominable robbers.

3 Nephi 3:12

Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man,

and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber;

therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers,

but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord

for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them.

3 Nephi 3:13

Yea, he sent a proclamation among all the people,

that they should gather together their women, and their children,

their flocks and their herds, and all their substance,

save it were their land, unto one place.

3 Nephi 3:14

And he caused that fortifications should be built round about them,

and the strength thereof should be exceedingly great.

And he caused that armies,

both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites,

or of all them who were numbered among the Nephites,

should be placed as guards round about to watch them,

and to guard them from the robbers day and night.

3 Nephi 3:15

Yea, he said unto them:

As the Lord liveth,

except ye repent of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord,

ye will in no wise be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers.

3 Nephi 3:16

And so great and marvelous were the words and prophecies of Lachoneus

that they did cause fear to come upon all the people;

and they did exert themselves in their might

to do according to the words of Lachoneus.

3 Nephi 3:17

And it came to pass that

Lachoneus did appoint chief captains over all the armies of the Nephites,

to command them at the time

that the robbers should come down out of the wilderness against them.

3 Nephi 3:18

Now the chiefest among all the chief captains

and the great commander of all the armies of the Nephites was appointed,

and his name was Gidgiddoni.

3 Nephi 3:19

Now it was the custom among all the Nephites

to appoint for their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness)

some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy;

therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them,

as also was the chief judge.

3 Nephi 3:20

Now the people said unto Gidgiddoni:

Pray unto the Lord, and let us go up upon the mountains and into the wilderness,

that we may fall upon the robbers and destroy them in their own lands.

3 Nephi 3:21

But Gidgiddoni saith unto them:

The Lord forbid;

for if we should go up against them

the Lord would deliver us into their hands;

therefore we will prepare ourselves in the center of our lands,

and we will gather all our armies together,

and we will not go against them,

but we will wait till they shall come against us;

therefore as the Lord liveth,

if we do this he will deliver them into our hands.