Mormon now returns to the story of Alma after a long detour since chapter 18. He had concluded that part of Alma’s story with: “And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were apprised of the coming of the king’s army; therefore they took their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness. And they were in number about four hundred and fifty souls” (Mosiah 18:34–35). He picks up that story by repeating the basic information.