The Great Escape ~ Limhi flees to Zarahemla

We learn that the people of Limhi lived in bondage to the Lamanites for many years until the group led by Ammon came from Zarahemla to find them.*

Ammon and King Limhi began to think of ways in which Limhi and all of his people could escape.  As part of their bondage, guards from the Lamanite army were posted at the gates of the City of Nephi to assure that the people couldn't leave.  The army of the Lamanites were so strong and numerous, that Ammon and Limhi agreed that they could not deliver themselves by openly attacking the Lamanites.  They would have to come up with a strategy for a secret escape. 

They held an open discussion with all of the people.  Gideon spoke up.  He reminded them that there were fewer guards at the smaller, back gate out of the city.  He recommended that he take an extra tribute of strong wine to the Lamanite guards.  When they became drunken, they would go to sleep and the people could escape.

This was done.  The people quickly packed what they could and gathered with their flocks and their families in the city.  Then, when the guards were sleeping, the left through the back gate, around the other Lamanites in the area and down to Shilom.  There, they gathered the people of Shilom and they all set out for Zarahemla following Ammon and the search party who had come from Zarahemla

When the Lamanites realized the next day what had happened, they searched for them, but didn't find them.

They arrived safely in Zarahemla.  King Mosiah II (from now on referred to simply as King Mosiah) welcomed them warmly.  They became his loyal subjects and gave to him their records.

Another group from Nephi didn't fare as well initially.  Tomorrow we will talk about the converted priest, Alma, and the people who had followed him into the wilderness.

*See post from July 30th if you need to refresh your memory as to Ammon and his commission from King Mosiah II.  Also, in the picture, the Lamanite guard has a metal sword.  This is an inaccurate portrayal.  According to LDS archaeologist, the swords would have been clubs studded with obsidian blades, just as lethal and longer lasting in a hot and humid climate.

To read the full story of Limhi's escape, go to the 22nd chapter of Mosiah @ https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/22?lang=eng 

 

I found this picture in a random search of Yahoo images.  I don't know the origin of the picture other than it was an archaeological find among Mayan ruins.  It seems to show one group of people paying tribute to a king while a scribe documents the amount of the tribute.  The site that originally posted it, www.stepbystep.alancminor.com, hypothesizes that it might be a portrayal of the people of Limhi paying tribute to the Lamanite king.  It at least shows that paying tribute to a king was a recognized practice amongst the Mayans of the late pre-classical period.

Text Copyright August 2103, Gebara Education

 

Pictures from www.lds.org

except

Picture of Frutal/Shilom from www.wn.com

Picture of Mayan pictograph from www.stepbystep.alancminor.com