Mormon continues to be concerned with the morality of warfare. Where earlier he had to defend Moroni’s use of a stratagem (verse 30), here he defends war itself. “[T]he Nephites were inspired by a better cause.” “They were doing that which they felt was the duty which they owed to their God.” To those justifications, he adds God’s commands concerning warfare. The Nephites are justified in defending themselves, if they are not initiating the war (“not guilty of the first offense”). When diplomacy failed, “ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the hands of your enemies.” Although not intended as a contrast to the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, that command from God indicates the very unusual and special nature of the covenant that they had made with God.