Here Mormon offers up another lamentation, not unlike his final lament over his fallen “fair ones” in Mormon 7. Foreshadowing his final extended elegy (see JWW Notes, 1063–1068), here Mormon cries out: “O my beloved son, how can a people like this …, how can a people like this … , how can we expect … , Wo unto this people. Come out in judgment, O God.”
Here also, Mormon loves the repeated refrain of terms of affectionate address. As his speech in Moroni 7 had repeated “my beloved brethren,” here in Moroni 9 Mormon calls out “my son,” “my son,” even “my beloved son,” exactly ten times.