Captivity is the carrying away or holding of persons. The Nephites sought “those who had been carried away captive into the wilderness,” and Zoram asked Alma where to search for brethren “who had been taken captive by the Lamanites” (Alma 16:4-5). Alma told Zoram that the Lord would deliver “thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites” east of the river Sidon (Alma 16:6).
Zoram and his sons led their armies into the south wilderness, scattered the Lamanites, and recovered their brethren; “there was not one soul of them had been lost that were taken captive” (Alma 16:7-8). The people of Nephi, the people of Antipus, and two thousand men surrounded Lamanites, who were compelled “to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves as prisoners of war” (Alma 56:54). Those who had been taken covenanted not to take up weapons against the Nephites, and about four thousand who had not been slain were sent to dwell with the people of Ammon (Alma 62:16-17).