Text: This is a continuation of Limhi’s discourse, and there is no chapter break in the 1830 edition. Indeed, this should not be seen as a separate chapter from the previous, as both comprise Limhi’s discourse.
Mormon steps into the narrative frame here, to tell us that “I” have written only a few of Limhi’s statements. We do not, of course, know what he omitted; but why has he chosen to quote the passages that he did? As already noted, he did not quote Ammon’s description of Benjamin’s new covenant because he has just given an extensive quotation from it and his audience is not the Limhites but modern readers. Instead, he quotes Limhi’s sketch of his people’s “iniquities” and Abinadi’s death. These events will appear in greater detail when Mormon copies Zeniff’s record. I hypothesize that Mormon began his physically arduous task of engraving the plates only after he had thought through carefully what to include and what to abridge. Therefore, he knew that he would include Zeniff’s detailed record. Why, then did he include Limhi’s brief discourse? This is the kind of material (events and backgrounds) that he has previously excluded in favor of quoting sermons—and even then he did not quote every sermon. For instance, at this point, he begins abbreviating Limhi’s discourse.
What prompted his editorial decision at this point? The simple answer is that the historical material in Limhi’s discourse is important. However, history is not the point of the discourse. Rather, its point is the important principles of faith, sin, repentance, and hope. That discussion is the reason Mormon includes the speech.
It is not completely clear if what he omits are the descriptions/information about their brethren in Zarahemla or whether that information followed the formal discourse. The description suggests the latter. I see Limhi’s declaration as having great formal significance: He is transforming an expression of communal culpability into communal hope. Even though the information about Zarahemla would be very interesting to Limhi’s audience, it seems to be a less formal subject. Possibly there was a recess of some sort between Limhi’s formal discourse (the quotation) and the presentation about Zarahemla (the summary).