Amaleki’s brother, whose name is not recorded in the text, played a role in the Nephite expedition to reclaim the land of Nephi. He was among the colonists who followed Zeniff on a journey from Zarahemla motivated by a desire to repossess their forefathers’ first inheritance. Zeniff, who had previously been sent as a spy among the Lamanites, had desired to make a treaty with them instead of leading an attack, a decision which led to internal conflict and a devastating loss of life within the Nephite forces (Mosiah 9:1-3). Amaleki’s brother is associated with this ill-fated venture due to Amaleki’s mention of him in the context of those who never returned from this second expedition undertaken by Zeniff and his people.
Known interactions and the ultimate fate of Amaleki’s brother remain undisclosed within the historical account; it is thus his association with the prominent figures of Zeniff—and potentially the prophet Abinadi—and the consequential events of the time that render his mention significant. Amaleki, as the final contributor to the small plates of Nephi, concluded his record without further information on his brother’s experiences or outcomes (Omni 1:29-30). Consequently, Amaleki’s brother stands as a reminder of the many individuals in Nephite history whose personal stories and contributions went unchronicled, yet were interwoven into the broader narrative of their civilization’s struggles and aspirations.