Amalickiah is the prototype of wickedness. The forces of good and evil are polarized in the characters of Amalickiah and Moroni. Amalickiah’s subtle yet successful subversion is a type for the wicked devices of every generation. In chapter 47, Mormon takes the time to show us his modus operandi. How does this help us today? Certainly, those whose goal it is to become like Moroni, strong, mighty, and of perfect understanding (Alma 48:11), must learn to recognize and combat the methods of the evil one as typified by his servant, Amalickiah.
Amalickiah was unscrupulous, Machiavellian, and scheming. But the list of his attributes is much longer than that. He was also:
- 1) Traitorous—fled from the Nephites to the Lamanites (v. 1)
- 2) Warmonger—he did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the people of Nephi (v. 1).
- 3) Designing—he obtained command of part of the king’s army (v. 3-4)
- 4) Disloyal—Now it was not Amalickiah’s intention to give them battle according to the commandments of the king (v. 8).
- 5) Shameless glory seeker—it was his intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites (v. 8).
- 6) Deceitful—has his own army surrounded by the enemy (v. 13).
- 7) Calculating—predicts the response of his surrounded army (v. 15).
- 8) Disobedient—he surrendered his army, contrary to the commands of the king (v. 16).
- 9) Murderous—he caused that one of his servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti (v. 18).
- 10) Instigator of secret combinations—plotted with his servants to kill the king (v. 22-24).
- 11) Cover-up artist—blamed the king’s servants for the murder (v. 26-29, 33-34).
- 12) Phony—pretended to be angry at the king’s death (v. 27).
- 13) Liar—testified to the queen that the king’s servants had killed him (v. 32-34).
- 14) Power hungry—sought the favor of the queen, and took her unto him to wife (v. 35).
For every attribute of wickedness which Amalickiah had mastered, his contemporary counterpart, Moroni, had perfected the corresponding attribute of righteousness. Hence, Mormon said of Moroni, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men (Alma 48:17). (See also commentary for Alma 48:11)
