Ammoron considered himself to be in a position so strong that he offered a city in exchange for Lamanite prisoners of war. In some ways, this offer of a city would seem like a greater prize than prisoners, but the battle has just killed or captured most of Antiparah’s Lamanite garrison. Ammoron certainly knew that this once strongly held city was now much weaker. Since its surrender was probable, he was willing to sacrifice it for fighting men. Even with Antiparah taken, he still held Cumeni, Zeezrom, and Manti and could easily focus his attack into the Sidon Valley through the entrance point guarded by Manti. Thus, both Cumeni and Zeezrom would remain as buffer cities on his rear. Ammoron was hoping to gain military strength for his push into the Sidon Valley without sacrificing anything that he was not going to lose anyway.
Even if Helaman had not been a military man, he is rapidly becoming one. He refuses the bait, knowing that the Nephites can retake the severely weakened Antiparah without great effort. The exchange is thus valueless for the Nephites, even though Helaman may not have understood Ammoron’s planned offensive.
Text: This chapter continues Helaman’s letter to Moroni. There was no chapter break in Mormon’s text, and the break here is entirely artificial. The letter is being written in the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges (Alma 56:1), describing events that occurred near the end of the twenty-eighth year.