Redaction: This verse shows some of Mormon’s editorial methods. We have already established that Mormon’s greatest interest lies in the speeches that he has selected to quote. In most cases, he prepares a minimal historical introduction, then inserts the speech verbatim. Here, in contrast, is an intercalated statement. Whatever the original document might have been, it contained only “Will ye answer me a few questions… ?” However, that question appears twice, with an interjected interpretation between them. While it may have been in the source Mormon is copying, I find it more logical to read the interjection as Mormon’s. He would most likely have been using an official document here, which probably would not have contained informal asides. However, such interjections have appeared in other writings by Mormon (Mosiah 1:8–9; Alma 3:9–10, 11:21, 12:19), so it seems likely that he himself wanted to leave the reader in no doubt about Zeezrom’s motives.
The fact that Mormon had to form this opinion before beginning to write this verse tells us that Mormon has read all of his sources, knows them fairly well, and has definite opinions about them. He feels a personal relationship to the information that he is writing.