In Alma 28:1 we find that "the armies of the Nephites were set round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round about the land of Zarahemla." Apparently the threat of "Lamanite" invasion was a factor from more than one direction. The question that might be posed here is the following: Was there a difference between "Lamanite" occupied land and Lamanite land actually controlled by the king of the land of Nephi? If we can give the term "Lamanite" to anybody who wasn't a Nephite (Jacob 1:13-14), and the spread of the "idle" Lamanites reached "on the east" (of the land of Zarahemla - Alma 22:28); could these Lamanites have been independent tribes with political allegiance somewhat independent from the local land of Nephi? [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See the commentary on Alma 27:23]