And it came to pass that Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the ^aland of Amulon.

 2 For the Lamanites had taken possession of all these lands; therefore, the king of the Lamanites had appointed kings over all these lands.

 3 And now the name of the king of the Lamanites was ^aLaman, being called after the name of his father; and therefore he was called king Laman. And he was king over a numerous people.

 4 And he appointed ^ateachers of the ^bbrethren of Amulon in every land which was possessed by his people; and thus the ^clanguage of Nephi began to be taught among all the people of the Lamanites.

 5 And they were a people friendly one with another; nevertheless they knew not God; neither did the brethren of Amulon teach them anything concerning the Lord their God, neither the law of Moses; nor did they teach them the words of Abinadi;

 6 But they taught them that they should keep their record, and that they might write one to another.

 7 And thus the Lamanites began to increase in riches, and began to ^atrade one with another and wax great, and began to be a cunning and a wise people, as to the wisdom of the world, yea, a very cunning people, delighting in all manner of wickedness and plunder, except it were among their own brethren.

 8 And now it came to pass that ^aAmulon began to exercise ^bauthority over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him, and cause that his children should persecute their children.

 9 For Amulon knew Alma, that he had been ^aone of the king's priests, and that it was he that believed the words of Abinadi and was driven out before the king, and therefore he was wroth with him; for he was subject to king Laman, yet he exercised authority over them, and put ^btasks upon them, and put ^ctask-masters over them.

 10 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.