This part of the Book of Mormon reminds me of the story about the kid who put a snake in his pocket and got bitten.

How often do we do that – hang out on snake websites, or with snake friends, or eat “snake” food, or take snake drugs, or linger over snake thoughts?

Amalekiah was a bad man who wanted to hold the power of being king so badly, that when the Nephites were going to kill him for treason against their democracy, he fled to their enemies, the Lamanites, and incited their king to compel his people them to go to war (against their will) with the Nephites.

“And now it came to pass that the king was wroth because of their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms. 4 Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickiah; for he being a very subtle man to do evil therefore he laid the plan in his heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites.” Alma 47:3–4 https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/47?verse=3-4&lang=eng#p3