Concerning one of Moroni's exploits against the Lamanites, the historian writes: "And it came to pass that Moroni had thus gained a victory over one of the greatest of the armies of the Lamanites, and had obtained possession of the city of Mulek, which was one of the strongest holds of the Lamanites in the land of Nephi. . . . " (Alma 53:6. Italics added.) The reference to the city of Mulek as "one of the strongest holds of the Lamanites in the land of Nephi" is puzzling because the city of Mulek is evidently located in the greater land of Zarahemla. (See Alma 51:26.)
Here are three possible explanations of this puzzle: (1) Perhaps this land is being called "the land of Nephi" by the Lamanites because they now possess it as they also possess the land of Nephi in the south. (2) The Nephites could have a "land of Nephi" in the north, although such a land has not been mentioned before and is not mentioned later. (3) The phrase "in the land of Nephi" might be used to identify those particular Lamanites mentioned in the verse and to differentiate them from Lamanites living in other parts of the country.