The Lamanites being called a strong people as to the strength of men (v. 11) shows their emphasis upon the physical rather than the spiritual side of life. Enos, the second generation of Lehi’s people, describes them in similar terms as does Zeniff (v. 12):
And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us. [Enos 1:20; partially quoted previously]
Without the gospel of Jesus Christ, their evil nature had continued for over three hundred and fifty years.
The traditions of their fathers (v. 12) had originated with Laman and Lemuel, and had been passed down to subsequent generations in spite of their knowing it was wrong. An angel had told Laman and Lemuel “that the Lord hath chosen [Nephi] to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities” (1 Nephi 3:29). Their father Lehi had also corrected their thinking, warned them to “hearken to the voice of Nephi [and] ye shall not perish” and blessed them with “even my first blessing” if they would hearken to him (2 Nephi 1:24–29). In spite of these warnings and promises, shortly after Lehi’s death, they sought “to take away [Nephi’s] life” using the same excuses that were passed on to the time of Zeniff (2 Nephi 5:3). Although Zeniff’s people lived in physical peace, these traditions of the Lamanites caused them much suffering (Mosiah 10:18).