The ethnocentric explanation for the Lamanite hatred of the Nephites, and by extension, the Zeniffites, continues. All of the wrongs that originally divided the brothers will continue to be used as the reason for violence for over four hundred years. Zeniff indicates that the Lamanites have taught these things to their children. Zeniff could not know that. However, he could certainly extrapolate that information from what the Nephites had clearly taught their children. Whatever the Lamanite reasons, the Nephite justifications returned to the very origins of their people.
Verse 17 adds a motivation for Lamanite actions that are not related to the origins of the Nephites and Lamanites. Lamanites desire to murder, rob, and plunder the Nephites. The three basic concepts of murder, robbing, and plunder are repeated twenty times in the Book of Mormon. That number focuses on the terms murder and plunder. Sometimes the term rob is exchanged for steal, but clearly the theme is the same. That consistent repetition of the description suggests a stereotype. However, like many stereotypes, it conceals some element of truth. In this case, these are terms that are used in conjunction with actions that we would see as one city dominating another and establishing a tribute system with the conquered city.