Verses 23 and 24 reprise the scene Mormon told earlier from Ammon’s perspective. The Limhite side of the story explains why the first impulse was to capture Ammon, rather than celebrate his arrival. That certainly happened when they knew who he was, and verse 24’s statement that Limhi was “filled with exceedingly great joy” was displayed in both versions of the account.
This story is told according to a different perspective and from a different record. However, Mormon is editing the material from both records, and repetitions of events are typically intentional. In this case, much of the story he has told about Limhi’s people sets up this next event.
Because of all of the burdens placed upon his people, Limhi and his people had tried to escape. One attempt resulted in three military defeats. Another failed attempt was to have Zarahemla come to their aid. That attempt is the next story to be told. Limhi sent “a small number of men to search for the land of Zarahemla, but they could not find it.” Perhaps as a part of God’s plan to soften their hearts and to encourage repentance, even that attempt failed.
Although it failed to find Zarahemla, what they found became very important in Mormon’s construction of the remainder of Nephite history.