The judge and high priest in Jershon decide to pass the case on to a higher authority, in this case Alma and the chief judge in Zarahemla. Once again bound, Korihor is carried to Zarahemla where he will encounter Alma.
Looked at realistically, Korihor probably has little impact on Nephite history. Unlike Nehor, he creates no organized movement. He may have influenced some in the first city where he preached, but failed utterly in Jershon and Gideon. Korihor’s greatest value comes in Mormon’s use of his story. Literarily, Korihor serves two functions. First, the failure of his mission to teach false doctrine contrasts with Yahweh’s power in strengthening the missionaries who taught true doctrine and reaped an impressive harvest. Second, and more important, Mormon juxtaposes Korihor, the anti-Christ, to Alma, the Messiah’s defender and prophet. Mormon uses the encounter of these individuals as emblematic of the more universal conflict between the gospel and its detractors. He thereby shows Yahweh’s superiority over those who would claim he does not exist.
Culture: Korihor appears before both Alma and the chief judge. Given the separation of civil and religious authority, we might expect only the judge’s involvement. Rather, as is common in ancient societies, we see that the division between church and state is not complete or exclusive. Given the comparative youthfulness of the system of judges, Alma’s presence may represent both his former occupancy of the position and also, I hypothesize, a manifestation of his personal influence. In fact, the main conflict is between Alma and Korihor, not between Korihor and the judge. I also suggest that we may be seeing something like a situation in which the aggrieved parties would argue their case before the judge who would then present a verdict.