Alma 20:18

18 And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if thou shouldst slay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood would cry from the ground to the Lord his God, for vengeance to come upon thee; and perhaps thou wouldst lose thy soul.

While in the heat of a deadly and volatile interaction, with tempers hot, swords drawn, and life and death hanging in the balance, Ammon says these particularly scholarly, thoughtful and long-winded words, - "And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear!"

Not "Stop" or "Wait!" but - "It is expedient that thou shouldst forbear!" (makes me chuckle every time!)

So Ammon has told the king two things after he commanded him to not kill his son:

1. He is innocent, but if you die now, in your anger, YOU could not be saved.

2. If you kill him (who is innocent) you could lose your soul.

So, if Lamoni lives, or dies, he will be fine, but the king has great need for repentance either way.

BOLD! Ammon's words, as inspired by the Spirit, are sprinkling truth seeds into the kings heart.

He has just heard truth. He recognizes it as such, but is not quite sure what to do with it yet.

Which is bringing me dangerously close to my favorite part in the whole book......