In the Book of Mormon, the Zoramites (/ˈzɔːrəmaɪt/)[1] were one of three major Nephite sects, existing during the administration of Alma the Younger as the High Priest over the Church of God (Alma 4:4). Zoram, the leader of this group, is first mentioned in Alma 30:59 as being the head of a people who "had separated themselves from the Nephites" and was responsible for the death of Korihor.[2]
The Book of Mormon describes a time in which the Nephite nation was still recovering from a bloody civil war that had been initiated by the rebellion of Amlici, a follower of the Nehor sect, who, after losing a popular election to be made king, made an alliance with the Lamanites. Therefore, when Zoram settled his people in Antionum near a large body of Lamanites, there grew considerable concern that the Zoramites would make a similar pact and bring about another war (Alma 31:4).
Instead of sending armies to destroy the group, Alma attempted to preach to the people to bring them back into the Church of God. Alma's success among a portion of the people, however, sparked the very rebellion that he was seeking to prevent. His converts became refugees in the land of Jershon, where the king of the Ammonites gave them asylum. Because of the Ammonites' refusal to surrender the converts, the Zoramites joined with the Lamanites, and the Amalekites and went to war (Alma 43:4, Alma 43:6). The Nephite armies routed the Zoramites, Amalekites and Lamanites into retreat and finally to surrender.
