Zarahemla’s Age of War

Nephite–Lamanite Face–Off at Jershon

Alma 43:16–17

A young military leader named Moroni takes control of the Nephite military resistance.

Now, the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been appointed to be the chief captain over the Nephites — now the chief captain took the command of all the armies of the Nephites—and his name was Moroni; And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their wars. And he was only twenty and five years old when he was appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites.

Alma 43:18–19,21

The two armies meet near Jershon, but the Lamanites, seeing the armor and defense technology of the Nephites, become very fearful.

And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war. And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm–shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing—


..therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number being so much greater than the Nephites.

Alma 43:20–21

The Lamanites wore only loin cloths, except for those of the Lamanites army who were Nephite dissenters (Zoramites and Amalekites) who had more protective clothes.

Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins; yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the Amalekites; But they were not armed with breastplates, nor shields…