“They Had Become Weak”
Because of their wickedness, the Spirit of the Lord was withdrawn, the Lord no longer protected them, and they were left in a weakened condition. This is as much a physical reality as it is spiritual. Just as righteousness and faithfulness to covenants brings a “renewing” of the body (see D&C 84:33), so wickedness can have a very real effect on the physical body that can sap strength and produce sicknesses and intense suffering (see Alma 15:3, 5; 1 Corinthians 11:27-30; see also Elder Boyd K. Packer’s discussion of this concept in CR, October 1977, pp. 89-90).
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