The first words of the Savior to these people is that they should repent. Literarily, Nephi has placed the lamentation immediately prior to this requirement to show that the people were ready to head the call to repentance (3 Nephi 8:24-25). The Savior links the iniquity of the people to their deaths, a theme that is prevalent in the lamentation. It is very likely that the lamentation was written with these words as the impetus.