1 NOW it came to pass that after Amulek had made an end of these words, they withdrew themselves from the multitude and came over into the land of Jershon.

2 Yea, and the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the word unto the Zoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon. [ The place were the converted Lamanites are now living. ]

3 And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the Zoramites [ We might assume this means the majority of the population, and not the more socially powerful or more charismatic persons in the population. Since the believers are ultimately expelled, one would assume that if they were the majority they would have forced the others to leave since they would out number the others. ] had consulted together concerning the words which had been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for it [ The gospel. ] did destroy their craft; [ Craft ~ Cunning, art or skill, in a bad sense, or applied to bad purposes. This was something that they had worked at perfecting. It was their way to make a living. So they would need to put a stop to it ASAP. ] therefore they would not hearken [ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearken which means to "listen" and "obey". ] unto the words.

4 And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words which had been spoken.

5 Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they found out privily the minds of all the people. [ The rulers and priests set out privately to find out who the believers were. Why would they have done this in private and not in the open? ]

6 And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land; [ Those who believed the words of Alma were kicked out. Why because if they let the true worship of Christ to continue it might grow even more and that would directly effect their lively hood as is mentioned in verse 3 "destroy their craft" ] and they were many; and they came over also into the land of Jershon.

7 And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister unto them. [ The Zoramites who were kicked out of their land because they believed in the words which Alma taught. ]

8 Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites, being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon desiring them that they [ The people in the land of Jershon. ] should cast out of their land all those who came over from them into their land. [ So how deep is the hatred here. Not only are the ran out by the Zoramites but the king does not want those who are run out to find shelter in the land of Ammon either. ]

9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; [ Why do you supposed this is? Do you think that they have developed a trust in God and they have developed courage in the fact that God will bless them going forward as they try to do what he wants them to do. ] therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants.

10 Now this did stir up the Zoramites to anger against the people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites and to stir them up also to anger against them.

11 And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also against the Nephites.

12 And thus ended the *seventeenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

13 And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon, and came over into the land of Melek, and gave place in the land of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might contend with the armies of the Lamanites and the armies of the Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges; and an account shall be given of their wars hereafter. [ Mormon promised to describe the Nephite-Lamanite war that began in the eighteenth postponed the story of the war until Alma 43, where in verse three he introduced the topic with the words, "And now I return to an account of the wars." How could Joseph Smith have known? Or done this without the help of a computer, notes or the fact that he was indeed translating? An author may promise in the course of writing to return to a subject later to supply further details. Actually keeping such a promise can prove difficult. Even with modern writing aids, memory can betray a person into failing to tuck in the corners of plot or information. Mormon, the editor of much of the Book of Mormon as we have it, made these types of promises at least seven times. In each case, he or his son Moroni followed through perfectly..(The Maxwell Institute - Mormon's Editorial Promises John A. Tvedtnes) ]

14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the two sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been instruments in the hands of God of bringing many of the Zoramites to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were driven out of their land; but they have lands for their inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their lands.

15 Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful. [ Alma's continues to grow ever more disgusted with the Lamanites which is what ultimately drives him to wander off into the wilderness to never be heard of again, Alma 45:18. After spending so much effort in preaching to the Nephites, in getting them to repen, their lack of penitence is too much to continue to bear, so he leaves them. ]

16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.