Textual: The chapter division here is not original to the Book of Mormon, but added later. This verse is directly relate to Mosiah 18:32 which described the mission of the army to find Alma's people. At the end of chapter 18 we have Alma forewarned of the army's coming, and they depart the area called Mormon. As was noted, this is a transitional set of verses that moves the story from Alma's people to the story of Limhi. At this point we have a temporary hold on Alma's story. Mormon leaves them in the limbo of their departure, and does not return to them until Mosiah 23.