Protection and Help From the Lord

Zeniff and others went into the land of Nephi, because they wanted to possess the land of their fathers (that they possessed when they first came over from Jerusalem with Lehi and Nephi).  He admits something about this, though:

"I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our fathers" (Mosiah 9:3)

He admits to being over-zealous. He made a covenant with the Lamanites that he could have some of the land, but it turns out that the Lamanites just wanted to enslave them and exploit them for their labor.

They worked hard, and grew crops and raised animals, and the prospered.

"11 Therefore it came to pass, that after we had dwelt in the land for the space of twelve years that king Laman began to grow uneasy, lest by any means my people should wax strong in the land, and that they could not overpower them and bring them into bondage.

12 Now they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they were desirous to bring us into bondage, that they might glut themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might feast themselves upon the flocks of our fields." (Mosiah 9:11-12)

The people of Zeniff had a number of things working against them. First, the Lamanites wanted to make them work for their gain. Second, the Lamanites saw that they were prospering, and they didn't want them to become so strong that they couldn't overpower them, and take advantage of their labors.

Then it happened. Zeniff's people were attacked and fled to the center of the city, where they were armed with weapons, and they went forth to fight against their attackers. They had one key ingredient that changed the outcome of the battle:

"17 Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.

18 And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land." (Mosiah 9:17-18)

The key was that they went forth in the strength of the Lord, crying mightily to Him. They remembered that the Lord had delivered others, which gave them confidence in their faith and confidence that the Lord would deliver them.

To show what happens in a battle when the Lord is on one side, we note that the Lamanites were driven out, and the result was 3043 Lamanites dead vs. 279 Nephites. It's sad to have lost that many, but the sides are not evenly matched at all when the Lord is on one side.

He gives His protection and help to those who ask for it.