Zeniff’s people had sought a covenant of peace with their Lamanite neighbors and desired as harvest only that which they had planted. Now, with the approbation of heaven, they took up arms in their own defense. Because they had been a good people and because their cause was just, they went into battle knowing that the strength of the Lord would be theirs. Indeed, they slew 3, 043 Lamanites while suffering only 279 deaths among their own ranks. In so doing they found themselves taking courage and faith in the manner in which the Lord had blessed their fathers in similar circumstances.