Cultural: Mormon does not tells us whether there was a time frame allowed for the preaching to the Zoramites or if the various parties simply went to Jershon when they felt it was time. That they all arrive in Jershon instead of traveling back to Zarahemla is understandable because Jershon is closer. In the ancient world the missionary party would have to survive on the generosity of those whom they visited to feed and house them. While there were some sympathetic people such as those who came to Alma and Amulek, the majority of the Zoramites were completely unsympathetic (and worse, as we shall see in this chapter). After their time in the Antionum, it is not surprising that the missionary party would want to go to friendly territory where they might receive greater hospitality, and perhaps receive extra stores to bide them on the travel back to Zarahemla.
Textual: After the cited sermons, we now have Mormon’s text that will finish the story. This unit is a transition from the teachings of Alma and Amulek to the teachings of Alma to his sons. In addition to setting up the next major unit of cited text, Mormon must also set the scene for the following unit, which begins the most intensive discussion of wars in the Book of Mormon. Those chapters are also presaged by the events in this chapter.