While Moroni has been in the east, Ammoron’s army in the west has been able to capture some Nephite cities. Mormon attributes these gains to Nephite dissensions, which, as we have already seen, has been a continuing problem. Mormon provides no details, so I hypothesize, based on the pattern of the past, that the king-men in the land of Zarahemla were sympathetic to Lamanite political and cultural values and, at this point, may have taken the treasonous step of being willing to allow the Lamanites easy access to Nephite territory and even sabotaging Nephite defenses. Or, if stopping short of actual treason, they may have again refused to fight, thus allowing cities of mixed political orientation, to fall into Lamanite hands.
Geography: Verse 8 gives us the interesting directional statement that the armies of the Lamanites were “on the west sea, south.” While the reference is somewhat confusing, it appears to indicate the southern section of the land of Zarahemla along the coast of the west sea.