Ammon finds King Limhi and his people after Limhi's people have suffered under the hand of the Lamanites. In fact, they are driven back many times, some are slain.
Limhi's people are driven back three times, and each time, more men are slain. In the end, there are many widows, and the only difference between before and after is that the people are much more humbled, and finally turn to the Lord for help.
Is it ironic then that Ammon's people now show up? No. v. 15 says the Lord was slow to hear their cries. I wonder if around this time was when Ammon and his people were finally sent off to find them. Who knows how long it would've taken? Whatever the reason for the delay, we see that they arrive when they should, after a space of time the Lord found sufficient to punish His people.
Key words in vv. 13 and 14: the people submitted themselves, humbled themselves to the depths of humility; they cried mightily to the Lord.
It is important to note that there wasn't a way for the Nephites to leave. They were surrounded on every side. There wasn't any way they could overtake the area by brute force, as they had been brutally reminded three times. Really only a miracle could save them. I wonder if the Lord set it up like this so they would have to turn to Him?
Are there times when I am feeling surrounded on every side? What about my studies? Do I feel like I won't be able to finish my work or survive the semester? I've definitely felt that. I've felt that in the mission. In my second sector, I just felt hopeless. And yet, I met the convert that I keep best in contact with.
In the end, we need to humble ourselves and cry mightily to the Lord in these moments. Hopefully, I am living a righteous enough life to merit a "quick" response
The other point of this chapter I would like to mention is at the end of the chapter, from v. 32 to the end. The people had "entered into a covenant with God," and yet they were not baptized. Here, it also seems to reiterate the central idea of baptism: the covenant is already made. The baptism is merely a "witness and a testimony" of the covenant that's been made. Perhaps it could be understood as a token of the covenant?
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