Mosiah Ch9

If you notice the intro before the intro to the chapter, you will notice that the record of Zeniff is starting. From ch9-22, we hear exactly what happened to that branch of people from Omni v27-29. So imagine we are jumping back in time to see the people coming to the land of Lehi-Nephi and meeting the Lamanites that posses the land but there are contentions.

Zeniff was a spy! He was sent to scout out how to destroy the Lamanites, but found that they shouldn't be destroyed (v1). The first group that left and came back with only fifty left had contended because Zeniff came back and said they shouldn't attack the Lamanites. They fought amongst each other and Zeniff prevailed and went back to Zarahemla to invite people to go back to the land of Nephi (v2-3). They wandered and were smitten by The Lord because they were slow to remember him (v4). 

Zeniff went to inquire of the king of the Lamanites, Laman, if his people could stay in peace (v5-6). The king cleared his people out and Zeniff's people began to build the city of Shilom and prosper (v7-9). The reason they were let in so easily was because the Lamanites wanted to have them as workers in bondage (v10). After 12 years of growing strong, the Lamanites who were lazy to begin with, grew uneasy and wanted Shilom's profits (v11-12). King Laman took his people in to the over Shilom causing a battle with the Lamanites prepared but the people of Zeniff using whatever they could find (v13-16). 

Zeniff and the people called upon The Lord and his goodness to deliver them out of the hands of the Lamanites (v17). Their prayers were answered as they fought for their homes because only 279 of them died while 3,043 of the Lamanites fell (v18-19) with the limited gone, they buried their dead and sorrowed for the loss.