The Anti-Nephi-Lehies, also called the people of Ammon or Ammonites, were Lamanites converted to the Nephite faith through the missions of Ammon and his brothers, the sons of Mosiah². After their conversion none of them would take up arms against their brethren, and their king commanded that they make no preparation for war (Alma 24:6). The converted king consulted with Aaron and the priests over what they should be called, and they took the name Anti-Nephi-Lehies and were no longer called Lamanites (Alma 23:17). They gathered their swords and all their weapons and buried them deep in the earth, covenanting with God that they would give up their own lives rather than shed blood again (Alma 24:17-18).
The Amalekites and Amulonites stirred up the unconverted Lamanites to make war on them. When the attackers came, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies went out, prostrated themselves on the ground, and called on the Lord while they were slain; a thousand and five were killed without resistance (Alma 24:20-22). Seeing their brethren praise God as they perished, many of the Lamanites threw down their weapons and were converted, more than the number who had been slain (Alma 24:24-27).
Because of continued Lamanite aggression, the people relocated to the land of Jershon, which the Nephites set apart for them, and the Nephites called them the people of Ammon ever after (Alma 27:26). They were distinguished for their “zeal towards God, and also towards men,” were honest in all things, and remained firm in the faith. They supported the Nephite armies with their substance while refusing to fight (Alma 27:27; Alma 53:10-14). When Korihor came to Jershon to preach against the prophecies, the people, who were more wise than many of the Nephites, bound him and carried him before Ammon, their high priest, who had him taken out of the land (Alma 30:20).
In the twenty-sixth year, when they saw the afflictions the Nephites bore for them, the people of Ammon were about to break their covenant and take up arms in defense; Helaman² would not allow it, and they kept their oath (Alma 56:6-9). Their sons, who had not entered the covenant, assembled as an army of two thousand and asked Helaman² to lead them (Alma 53:16-19; Alma 56:10). Their mothers had taught them that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them, and they rehearsed those words to Helaman²: “We do not doubt our mothers knew it” (Alma 56:47-48). In battle against the Lamanites, not one of them was slain (Alma 56:54-56); Helaman² later recalled their mothers’ teaching when he reported that, according to their faith, not one soul among the two thousand and sixty had perished (Alma 57:21, 25). Later, about four thousand Lamanite prisoners entered a similar covenant never to take up arms again and were sent to dwell with the people of Ammon (Alma 62:16-17).