Two thousand stripling warriors
Encyclopedia
The two thousand stripling warriors, also known as The Army of Helaman, were an army of young men in the Book of Mormon
, first mentioned in the Book of Alma
They were extremely valiant and loyal warriors who were all reportedly wounded at one time or another, but none ever died from their wounds.
and militarism
among believers. The Ammonite parents of the stripling warriors were the last of a thread of pacifists, dubbed such by a few modern-day readers, and martyr
s in the Book of Mormon that begins with the prophet Abinadi
's appearance to King Noah
in the highlands of Nephi. The progression proceeds as follows:
(or Anti-Nephi-Lehies) lived in Jershon and were converted to Christianity by Ammon
. They covenanted "that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood" and "rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives". After being attacked by the remaining Lamanites, the Ammonites moved to a territory given to them by the Nephites.
After a few more years, the Lamanites began attacking the Nephites. When they saw how the Nephites were suffering by defending them, the Ammonites were considering breaking their oath to defend themselves when two thousand of their sons (who had been too young at the time to have made the covenant) volunteered to fight for the defense of the Nephites and the Ammonites. Helaman, the son of Alma the Younger
and a leader of the church among the Nephites, was approached to be their commander. The army was used extensively and was one of the Nephite's most effective military units. Though every soldier was wounded at one time or another, there were no fatalities among the warriors. Mormon
, the compiler of the Book of Mormon, and Helaman, their commander, as well as the young men themselves, attributed this to the upbringing provided by their mothers and the great faith
they exhibited.
The original 2,000 "sons of Helaman" were later joined by sixty more, making a total of 2,060.
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
, first mentioned in the Book of Alma
Book of Alma
The Book of Alma is one of the books that make up the Book of Mormon. The full title is The Book of Alma: The Son of Alma. The title refers to Alma the Younger, a prophet and "chief judge" of the Nephites.-Historical Outline:...
They were extremely valiant and loyal warriors who were all reportedly wounded at one time or another, but none ever died from their wounds.
Historical roots
The story of the stripling warriors presents an interesting so-called juxtaposition of pacifismPacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
and militarism
Militarism
Militarism is defined as: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests....
among believers. The Ammonite parents of the stripling warriors were the last of a thread of pacifists, dubbed such by a few modern-day readers, and martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s in the Book of Mormon that begins with the prophet Abinadi
Abinadi
According to the Book of Mormon, Abinadi was a prophet who lived on the American continent about 150 BC. In the Book of Mormon account, Abinadi visited the court of King Noah at Lehi-Nephi, and pled for them to repent of their iniquity. Abinadi gave Noah the message of the coming of the Lord...
's appearance to King Noah
King Noah
According to the Book of Mormon, King Noah was a wicked monarch best known for burning the prophet Abinadi at the stake. King Noah, described in the Book of Mosiah, is said to have presided over a wicked kingdom guided by false priests...
in the highlands of Nephi. The progression proceeds as follows:
- Abinadi is martyred, sealing his testimony in his own blood, after preaching before the court of King Noah and his wicked priests. The preaching and martyrdom lead to the conversion of one of the priests, AlmaAlma the ElderAccording to the Book of Mormon, Alma was a Nephite prophet who established the Church of Jesus Christ in the Americas during the reign of the wicked King Noah...
. - Alma and his followers fled from the armies of King Noah into the wilderness. King Noah is eventually slain and his son, Limhi, is appointed king. Limhi's people fight when they were attacked by the Lamanites, while Alma and his followers lack the power to resist and are enslaved. However, in two separate and unique ways, the people who followed Alma and Limhi eventually return to Zarahemla.
- Alma's son, Alma the YoungerAlma the YoungerAccording to the Book of Mormon, Alma, the son of Alma was a Nephite prophet often referred to as "Alma the Younger" to distinguish him from his father, who is often referred to as "Alma the Elder"...
and his friends, including AmmonAmmonAmmon , also referred to as the Ammonites and children of Ammon, was an ancient nation located east of the Jordan River, Gilead, and the Dead Sea, in present-day Jordan. The chief city of the country was Rabbah or Rabbath Ammon, site of the modern city of Amman, Jordan's capital...
, is converted miraculously from a rebellious youth into a believer. AmmonAmmonAmmon , also referred to as the Ammonites and children of Ammon, was an ancient nation located east of the Jordan River, Gilead, and the Dead Sea, in present-day Jordan. The chief city of the country was Rabbah or Rabbath Ammon, site of the modern city of Amman, Jordan's capital...
and his brothers embarks on a mission to the land of Nephi, and his Anti-Nephi-Lehi converts there lay down their lives before their antagonistic attacking brethren, which leads to additional conversions. Though careful observation yields the truth that the Anti-Nephi-Lehies had already spilled the blood of others and were, in part, fearful of sinning again. (see below) Meanwhile both Alma and Ammon were experienced in battle. - The missionaries and Lamanite converts migrate to Zarahemla where they are protected by the Nephite military.
Formation of the unit
The AmmonitesAmmonites (Book of Mormon)
According to the Book of Mormon, the Ammonites were a group of Lamanites who had been converted to the Christian religion of the Nephites by the missionary efforts of Ammon and his brothers. They rejected the traditions of their fathers and embraced the traditions of the Nephites. To distinguish...
(or Anti-Nephi-Lehies) lived in Jershon and were converted to Christianity by Ammon
Ammon (Book of Mormon)
This article is about the prominent Book of Mormon missionary. For the Book of Mormon explorer, see Ammon Ammon is a missionary in the Mormon religious text, Book of Mormon and a contemporary of Alma the Younger. The Book of Mosiah describes his original antipathy toward the Nephite Church of God...
. They covenanted "that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood" and "rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives". After being attacked by the remaining Lamanites, the Ammonites moved to a territory given to them by the Nephites.
After a few more years, the Lamanites began attacking the Nephites. When they saw how the Nephites were suffering by defending them, the Ammonites were considering breaking their oath to defend themselves when two thousand of their sons (who had been too young at the time to have made the covenant) volunteered to fight for the defense of the Nephites and the Ammonites. Helaman, the son of Alma the Younger
Alma the Younger
According to the Book of Mormon, Alma, the son of Alma was a Nephite prophet often referred to as "Alma the Younger" to distinguish him from his father, who is often referred to as "Alma the Elder"...
and a leader of the church among the Nephites, was approached to be their commander. The army was used extensively and was one of the Nephite's most effective military units. Though every soldier was wounded at one time or another, there were no fatalities among the warriors. Mormon
Mormon (prophet)
Mormon is believed by followers of Mormonism to have been the narrator of much of the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which describes him as a prophet-historian and a member of a tribe of indigenous Americans known as the Nephites...
, the compiler of the Book of Mormon, and Helaman, their commander, as well as the young men themselves, attributed this to the upbringing provided by their mothers and the great faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
they exhibited.
The original 2,000 "sons of Helaman" were later joined by sixty more, making a total of 2,060.