The people of Nephihah were inhabitants of a city of the same name during a period of intense conflict in the Book of Mormon narrative. Residing in one of the outlying Nephite lands, the city’s residents included those from neighboring cities such as Moroni, Lehi, and Morianton, who sought refuge from the ravages of war with the Lamanites. Unfortunately, amid internal strife and dissent among the Nephites, the people of Nephihah were left vulnerable to the Lamanite onslaught.
Their defenses weakened not only by the external threat but also by internal turmoil, the people of Nephihah faced a significant attack by the Lamanites who had been gaining strength from day to day. This culminated in a tragic event where the Lamanites inflicted “an exceedingly great slaughter” upon the Nephite population (Alma 59:7-8). The surviving inhabitants of Nephihah, unable to withstand the Lamanite forces, were forced to abandon their city and flee for their lives. They joined the ranks of Captain Moroni’s army, contributing to the forces that would continue to defend Nephite lands and liberties.
This episode was met with great sorrow by Captain Moroni, one of the chief military leaders of the Nephites, who lamented the loss of Nephihah as well as the lives of so many of its people (Alma 59:5-13). It sparked a series of communications between Moroni and the government, specifically with the chief judge Pahoran, underscoring the challenges faced by the Nephite society during this turbulent time. The fall of Nephihah stands in the record as an example of the devastating effects of internal dissent and the perils that arise when unity and defense are compromised in the face of an aggressive enemy.