Narrative: Verse 25 sets up the ultimate victory of Moronihah. Mormon tells us that while the lighting attack on Zarahemla had succeeded, that Coriantumr had miscalculated when he took his army on the continued rapid advance down the river valley. Before he tells us why, however, he describes the reason that Moronihah is out of position. Moronihah had been fooled into placing his troops in the borderlands, assuming that those areas would bear the brunt of a Lamanite attack. Moronihah’s men were therefore out of position and unable to assist Zarahemla in their attempt at resistance.
Moronihah is close to the action now, and even though Coriantumr is continuing rapid progress against the less organized and less numerous forces that might be pulled together at the very last and desperate moment, Moronihah nevertheless understands that Coriantumr had made a tactical error that Moronihah can exploit.