The move southward, “even to the land of Zarahemla,” implies it was a great distance (v. 6). The land had become covered with buildings and numerous people (v. 7) implies that Mormon had been there before, but it could also imply that it was not like the rural area from which he had come. The more complete records will someday give us information on the geography of the land. The two major parties, and their smaller groups, were discussed in the previous chapter (see 4 Nephi 1:35–39). The war was apparently a short one, or several wars, although there were thirty thousand Nephite soldiers. The number of battles suggest that both parties were armed and threatening to fight, but the Nephites were fighting mainly a defensive war.