Cultural: It is possible that Alma’s discourses to his sons may have been part of a Passover celebration. A Passover tradition has the father gathering his family an instructing his sons and answering their questions. Though this practice is most easily traced to the time of Christ is probably began earlier (Gordon C. Thomasson and John W. Welch. “The Sons of the Passover.” Reexploring the Book of Mormon. FARMS, 1992, p. 196). Not only the formality of the instruction period parallels Alma’s presentation, but some of the themes of the instruction deal with traditional Passover questions (Thomasson and Welch, pp. 196-7).
The ambiguous dating of the practice and the long separation of the Nephites urge caution in applying this type of analogy, but the possibility is intriguing.
Textual: Mormon’s conclusion to this chapter closes the door on the sermons to the Zoramites and the converts that were made. It will be an important transitional event to the war narrative to come, but Mormon has more text from Alma that he wants to include. Thus the end of this conceptual section sets the stage for the next unit, which will be the words of Alma to his sons. By placing this snippet of connecting material at the end of this chapter, Mormon may begin the next section with the citation proper of Alma’s words, with no introductory material.
This is the end of the chapter in the 1830 edition.