We continue to see the sign of overwhelming emotion, or perhaps fear of God, in the act of falling to the earth. In verse 16, many “who had not believed the words of the prophets … fell to the earth and became as if they were dead.” Then in verse 17, people in all directions “were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to the earth.”
Verse 17 also tells us that there was some confusion in the nature of the prophecy, for “they began to know that the Son of God must shortly appear.” That was true in the Old World, but its literal fulfillment for the Nephite believers awaited for thirty-four more years.