Textual: There are several times where Mormon has to discuss events that were taking place at the same time. There are relatively few ways to handle the description of simultaneous events, and Mormon presents one, and then the other, giving some reference as to the timing. In this case, Mormon has begun with the unrest in Zarahemla and the tensions between the freemen and the kingmen. He has now moved to the Lamanite attack because this will be the next focus of his narrative. Nevertheless, he needs to let us know that the unrest and the attack are developing at the same time. As he foreshadowed in verse 9 it is this combination of events that constitute “a critical time” for the Nephites.