Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/215

Rh presence of God, as they were left without the priesthood when Nephi withdrew; the other party had also the possession of the records, which in itself was regarded as a great grievance by the children of Laman. In the next generation, when those who were familiar with the civilization of the Jews had passed away, their descent became more rapid, and we read of them as a cruel, degraded, dark-skinned race, living by the chase, feeding on raw meat, idle and ignorant and exceedingly loathsome in their habits.  LAMAN. The king of the Lamanites, who entered into a treaty with Zeniff and ceded to him the cities of Lehi-Nephi, and Shilom, and the land around about. (About B. C. 200.) King Laman's intention in making this concession was to get Zeniff s small colony into his power and bring them into bondage. After the Nephites had dwelt in the land for about twelve years, Laman grew uneasy at their increase, and began to stir up his people to hostilities. The result of which was that in the thirteenth year the Lamanites made an attack upon the Nephite farmers in the southern part of the land of Shilom, drove them off, captured their flocks and carried off the corn from their fields. Those who escaped fled into the city of Lehi-Nephi for safety. Zeniff armed his people, advanced against the Lamanite marauders, and after a severe battle, lasting a day and a night, forced them back to their own lands. In this battle 3,043 Lamanites and 279 Nephites were slain. After this, by the wise precautions taken by Zeniff to defend his people, there was continual peace in the land for twenty-two years. About this time king Laman died, and was succeeded by his son. (About B. C. 160.)   LAMAN. A king of the Lamanites, apparently the son of the last named, though it is possible he was his grandson. His father's name is said to have been the same as his own. Presuming 