Anti-Nephi-Lehi Buried Weapons

Swords and weapons of bloodshed buried deep, and left buried

Anti-Nephi-Lehi Buried Weapons is a designation for swords and other weapons “used for the shedding of man’s blood” that an assembled people buried “deep in the earth.” The king said the swords would be kept bright “as a testimony to our God at the last day” (Alma 24:15-17).

The king said they had not “stained our swords in the blood of our brethren” since God had made them clean (Alma 24:15-17). The people “buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace” (Alma 24:19).

In the text

Alma 24:15-17 — Having had their stains taken away and their swords made bright, the people bury their swords and all weapons used for shedding blood deep in the earth as a testimony.

Alma 24:19 — Mormon records that they buried the weapons of war for peace.

Alma 53:13-16 — The covenant fathers are moved with compassion and about to take their weapons of war, but are overpowered by Helaman's persuasions and compelled to keep the oath; their sons, who had entered no such covenant, assemble instead. The cache is not dug up.

Helaman 15:9 — Decades later the weapons remain buried, and the people fear to take them up lest they sin.

Swords and weapons of bloodshed buried deep, and left buried

In the text

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