“It Was the Cunning and the Craftiness of King Laman”

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

In making the treaty we have just noted, and in permitting Zeniff and his followers to possess the choice land in and about the cities of Lehi-Nephi and Shilom, the king of the Lamanites was not as friendly as he had pretended. His objective was to get the industrious Nephites to settle in the midst of his own people, and then by his superior numbers make the Nephites his slaves, for his people were a "lazy and an idolatrous people," an unprogressive race. In the course of twelve years the abundant harvests garnered by the people of Zeniff through their thrift and industry, began to make them strong and numerous. This caused King Laman to grow uneasy. He desired to bring them into bondage that his people might reap the benefits of the Nephites' labors. They were growing so fast that he thought that if he did not put a stop to their increase they would be the stronger of the two peoples.

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2

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