And it came to pass that their brethren the Lamanites made preparations for war and came up to the land of Nephi for the purpose of dethroning the king, and to place another in his stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out of the land.
And they said unto the king, Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go down to the land of Zarahemla, to our brethren the Nephites, and flee out of the hands of our enemies, that we be not destroyed. ... But the king said unto them, Behold, the Nephites will destroy us because of the many murders and sins we have committed against them. ... And the king said unto him, Yea, if the Lord saith unto us, Go, we will go down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves until we repair unto them the many murders and sins which we have committed against them. ... But the king said unto him, Inquire of the Lord, and if he saith unto us, Go, we will go; otherwise, we will perish in the land.
And now it came to pass that Ammon went and told the king all the words which the Lord had said unto him.
And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power. ... And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if they would support him and establish him to be their king, that he would make them rulers over the people.
For behold, he had taken those who were with him, and went up into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the people of Nephi, insomuch that the king of the Lamanites sent a proclamation throughout all his land, among all his people, that they should gather themselves together again to go to battle against the Nephites.
And it came to pass that when the proclamation had gone forth among them, they were exceeding fraid; yea, they feared to displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against the Nephites, lest they should lose their lives. ... And it came to pass that they would not, or the more part of them would not, obey the commandment of the king.
And now it came to pass that the king was wroth because of their disobedience; therefore, he gave Amalickiah the command of that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms. ... Now behold, this was the desires of Amalickiah; for he being a very subtle man to do evil, therefore he laid the plan in his heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites. ... And now he had gat the command of those parts of the Lamanites who were in favor of the king; and he sought to gain favor of those who were not obedient. ... And they had appointed a man to be a king and a leader over them, being fixed in their minds with a determined resolution that they would not be subjected to go against the Nephites.
Now it was not Amalickiah’s intention to give them battle according to the commandments of the king; but behold, it was his intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites, that he might place himself at their head, and dethrone the king, and take possession of the kingdom.
And it came to pass that when Lehonti had come down with his guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down with his army in the nighttime, and surround those men in their camps over whom the king had gave him command, and that he would deliver them up into Lehonti’s hands, if he would make him, Amalickiah, the second leader over the whole army.
And it came to pass that he delivered his men, contrary to the commands of the king. ... Now this was the thing that Amalickiah desired, that he might accomplish his designs in dethroning the king.
But behold, as the king came out to meet him, Amalickiah caused that his servants should go forth to meet the king. ... And they went forth and bowed themselves before the king as if to reverence him because of his greatness. ... And it came to pass that the king put forth his hand to raise them, as was the custom with the Lamanites — and a token of peace — which custom they had taken from the Nephites. ... And it came to pass that when he had raised the first from the ground, behold, he stabbed the king to the heart, and he fell to the earth. ... Now the servants of the king fled, and the servants of Amalickiah raised a cry, saying, Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the heart and he has fell, and they have fled!
And it came to pass that Amalickiah commanded that his armies should march forth and see what had happened to the king. ... And when they had come to the spot and found the king lying in his gore, Amalickiah pretended to be wroth and said, Whomsoever loved the king, let him go forth and pursue his servants, that they may be slain.
And it came to pass that when all they who loved the king, when they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants of the king. ... Now when the servants of the king saw an army pursuing after them, they were frightened again and fled into the wilderness, and came over into the land of Zarahemla, and joined the people of Ammon.
And now it came to pass that the queen, when she had heard that the king was slain — for Amalickiah had sent an embassy to the queen, informing her that the king had been slain by his servants, that he had pursued them with his army, but it was in vain and they had made their escape — therefore, when the queen had received this message, she sent unto Amalickiah, desiring him that he would spare the people of the city. ... And she also desired him that he should come in unto her; and she also desired him that he should bring witnesses with him to testify concerning the death of the king.
And it came to pass that Amalickiah took that same servant that slew the king, and also they who were with him, and went in unto the queen, unto the place where she sat. ... And they all testified unto her that the king was slain by his own servants; and they said also, They have fled; does not this testify against them? ... And thus they satisfied the queen concerning the death of the king.
And thus by his fraud and by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the kingdom; yea, he was acknowledged king throughout all the land, among all the people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the Lamanites, and the Lemuelites, and the Ishmaelites, and all the dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephi down to the present time.
Yea, he did appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers against the Nephites; and thus he did inspire their hearts against the Nephites, insomuch that in the latter end of the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges, he having accomplished his designs thus far, yea, having been made king over the Lamanites, he sought also to reign over all the land, yea, and all the people who were in the land, the Nephites as well as the Lamanites.
Now if king Amalickiah had come down out of the land of Nephi at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah; for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.
And it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi to inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth, concerning their great loss.
And it came to pass that those who were desirous that Parhoron should be dethroned from the judgment seat were called Kingmen, for they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the land.
Now those who were in favor of kings were those of high birth, and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who sought power and authority over the people.
And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent of the king and put a javelin to his heart. ... And he did cause the death of the king immediately, that he did not awake his servants.
And it came to pass that the brother of Amalickiah was appointed king over the people, and his name was Ammoron. ... Thus, king Ammoron, the brother of king Amalickiah, was appointed to reign in his stead.
Now the king, Ammoron, had departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and had made known unto the queen concerning the death of his brother, and had gathered together a large number of men, and had marched forth against the Nephites on the borders by the west sea.
And these are the words which he wrote, saying, I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites; I am the brother of Amalickiah whom ye have murdered.