Of course, since the more dissident Lamanites under the provocation and leadership of the hate-filled Amalekites might come up from the land of Nephi in order to massacre the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, therefore the Nephites had to decide if they wanted to take the responsibility of defending these people who would not defend themselves. This turned out to be an extremely important decision. Here is what the Nephites said:
“And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and their awful wickedness. And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a portion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our armies.”