As before, Moroni offers these dissidents the option of entering into a covenant. Those who make the covenant enter the Nephite army, while those who do not are executed. As in the case of Ammonihah and the Zoramites in Antionum, the rebellion appears to have been concentrated in specific locales; otherwise, Moroni could not have compelled them to hoist the title of liberty “upon their towers, and in their cities.” Also at least several cities had rebelled.
Geography: Sorenson suggests the location of these cities: “They were concentrated in a particular area as shown by the statements that Moroni’s army ‘should go against’ them and ‘did march forth.’ More explicitly they were compelled to show the title of liberty ‘upon their towers, and in their cities.’ Had their area been upriver, they would simply have collaborated with the Lamanites (cf. v. 13); that they did not indicates that they were downriver (cf. Hel. 1:27, ‘capital parts of the land’ downriver).”