Ammoron hears (presumably from spies) that Antipus has been reinforced. They must have spotted Helaman’s arrival from such a distance that they could not discern the age and battle-readiness of Helaman’s troops. Furthermore, Ammoron’s forces must have also been depleted if two thousand men on the Nephite side were enough to make him decide to wait. This waiting period gives the Nephites a chance to rest, prepare, and train. At this point, Helaman’s army has, without even raising a weapon, bought much-needed time.