Mosiah 19

There is a pattern in the lives of the people of Nephi that teaches us. As they are humble and obedient to the will of the Lord, He preserves and defends them and they succeed in living in peace. They are blessed with the ability and strength to overcome all obstacles.
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Another thought - Noah was a vain, wicked, and cowardly man. He nearly released Abinadi because he feared the judgment that Abinadi declared. His priests persuaded him to proceed with the martyrdom of Abinadi by appealing to his vanity. When Noah was about to be overcome in his fight with Gideon, he appealed to Gideon to spare him so that he could defend his people.

8 And now the king was not so much concerned about his people as he was about his own life; nevertheless, Gideon did spare his life.

Then when his life was spared, his leadership consisted of shouting "Run for the hills." When the Lamanites caught them and a fight began in earnest, he again exercised great cowardice and told the men to leave their wives and children and run for it.