Printer’s Manuscript of the Book of Mormon, circa August 1829–circa January 1830

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
Page 308
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& by & by they were all drunken & now when Laman & his men saw that they were all drunken & were in a deep sleep they returned to Moroni & told him all the things that had hapened & now this was according to the design of Moroni & Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war & <​he​> went to the city Gid while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep & drunken & cast in the weapons of war in unto the prisoners insomuch that they were all armed yea even to their women & all those of their children as many as were able to use a weapon of war when Moroni had armed all those prisoners & all those things were done in a profound silence but had they awoke the Lamanites behold they were drunken & the Nephites could have slain them but behold this was not the desire of Moroni he did not delight in murder or blood shed but he delighted in the saving of his people from destruction & for this cause he might not bring upon him injustice he would not fall upon the Lamanites & destroy them in their drunkeness but he had obtained his desire for he had armed those prisoners of the Nephits which were in the wall of the city & had gave them power to gain possession of those parts which were within the walls & then he caused his men which were with him to withdraw a pace from them & surround the armies of the Lamanites now behold this was done in the night time so that when the Lamanites awoke in the morning they beheld that they were surrounded by the Nephites without & that their prisoners were armed within & thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them & in these circumstances they found that it was not expediant that they should fight with the Nephites therefore their chief captains demanded their weapons of war & they brought them forth & cast them at the feet of the Nephites pleading for mercy now behold this was the desire of Moroni he took them prisoners of war & took possession of the City & caused that all the prisoners should be liberated which were Nephites & they did join the army of Moroni & were a great strength to his army & it came to pass that he did cause the Lamanites which he had taken prisoners that they should commence a labour in strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid & it came to pass that when he had fortified the city Gid according to his desires he caused that his prisoners should be taken to the city Bountiful & he also guarded that City with an exceding strong force & it came to pass that they did notwithstanding all the intreagues of the Lamanites keep & protect all the prisoners which they had taken & also maintain all the ground & the advantage which they had retaken & it came to pass that the Nephites began again to be victorious & to reclaim their rights & their privileges many times did the Lamaites attempt to incircle them about by night but in these attenpts they did lose many prisoners [p. 308]
& by & by they were all drunken & now when Laman & his men saw that they were all drunken & were in a deep sleep they returned to Moroni & told him all the things that had hapened & now this was according to the design of Moroni & Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war & he went to the city Gid while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep & drunken & cast in the weapons of war in unto the prisoners insomuch that they were all armed yea even to their women & all those of their children as many as were able to use a weapon of war when Moroni had armed all those prisoners & all those things were done in a profound silence but had they awoke the Lamanites behold they were drunken & the Nephites could have slain them but behold this was not the desire of Moroni he did not delight in murder or blood shed but he delighted in the saving of his people from destruction & for this cause he might not bring upon him injustice he would not fall upon the Lamanites & destroy them in their drunkeness but he had obtained his desire for he had armed those prisoners of the Nephits which were in the wall of the city & had gave them power to gain possession of those parts which were within the walls & then he caused his men which were with him to withdraw a pace from them & surround the armies of the Lamanites now behold this was done in the night time so that when the Lamanites awoke in the morning they beheld that they were surrounded by the Nephites without & that their prisoners were armed within & thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them & in these circumstances they found that it was not expediant that they should fight with the Nephites therefore their chief captains demanded their weapons of war & they brought them forth & cast them at the feet of the Nephites pleading for mercy now behold this was the desire of Moroni he took them prisoners of war & took possession of the City & caused that all the prisoners should be liberated which were Nephites & they did join the army of Moroni & were a great strength to his army & it came to pass that he did cause the Lamanites which he had taken prisoners that they should commence a labour in strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid & it came to pass that when he had fortified the city Gid according to his desires he caused that his prisoners should be taken to the city Bountiful & he also guarded that City with an exceding strong force & it came to pass that they did notwithstanding all the intreagues of the Lamanites keep & protect all the prisoners which they had taken & also maintain all the ground & the advantage which they had retaken & it came to pass that the Nephites began again to be victorious & to reclaim their rights & their privileges many times did the Lamaites attempt to incircle them about by night but in these attenpts they did lose many prisoners [p. 308]
Page 308