Book of Mormon Commentary - 1 Nephi 18

by Don R. Hender

Chapter 18 of this first Book of Nephi covers the greatest distance to ever be covered in the Book of Mormon by Lehi and his descendants and it does it in one chapter. But even that chapter was divided from the further relative information by Orson Pratt in 1879 when he divided the original Book of Mormon into numbered 'scriptural verses and chapters'. In a few instances, this 'division' of Elder Pratt did tend to divide the logical flow of thought into separate chapters when it did read better and give further understanding to have left it to read as one continuous thought within a single chapter. This will be presented and discussed as an attached item at the end of this chapter.
In this divided chapter 18 that we have today, it covers the travels of Lehi's group from the first land of Bountiful in the Old World, where under the direction of Nephi a ship was built, across the 'great southern ocean', which includes the Indian Ocean and the entire Pacific, to the New World land of promise and the early journeyings there. This tranverses over half the world round, thousands upon thousands of miles. And in that great ocean voyage and in the extremely abbridged account, explained in what is now chapter 19 but was originally in the same chapter, the early travels in the promised land most often gets missed and is entirely ignored. Whether Mormon's abridgement, known as the Book of Lehi or as the lost 116 pages, ever did give a further detailed explanation of these early land of promise journeys, we don't know, but Nephi does state that they were had upon the large plates of Nephi. Unfortunately the verses which tie to the single ending verse 25 in chapter 18 regarding these journeyings has been separated from that now chapter ending verse and placed in the opening verses of Chapter 19 where once they stood within the same chapter and could be read more understandably as a continueous thought line within the same chapter (See these verses placed back together at the bottom of this page on Chapter 18).

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

            CHAPTER 18
The ship is finished—The births of Jacob and Joseph are mentioned— The company embarks for the promised land—The sons of Ishmael and their wives join in revelry and rebellion—Nephi is bound, and the ship is driven back by a terrible tempest—Nephi is freed, and by his prayer the storm ceases—They arrive in the promised land. [About 590—589 B.C.]
Lehi's company enters the finish sailing ship and disembarks from their first land of Bountiful—Rebellion and Nephi bound the stress of the storm and circumstances prohibits Sariah from caring for her little children, Jacob and Joseph—Nephi loosed and Liahona again works—Ship arrives at the second land of Bountiful in the promised land—tempory settlement, planting and harvest—Journies in the wilderness finds animals, ores and arrival at the Land of First Inheritance [About 580—579 B.C.]

1 AND it came to pass that they did ^aworship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious ^bworkmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ^cship.
2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.
1^a 1 Ne. 17:55
   ^b TG Art
   ^c 1 Ne. 17:49 (8, 17, 49-51)

3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did ^apray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord ^bshowed unto me ^cgreat things.
4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did ^ahumble themselves again before the Lord.
5 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.
3^a Jer. 33:3
   ^b TG Guidance, Divine
   ^c 2 Ne. 1:24
4^a 1 Ne. 16:5

6 And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and ^ameat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our ^bseeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ^cship, with our wives and our children.
7 And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the elder was called ^aJacob and the younger ^bJoseph.
8 And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we did put forth into the ^asea and were driven forth before the wind towards the ^bpromised land.

6^a 1 Ne. 17:2
   ^b 1 Ne. 8:1; 1 Ne. 16:11
   ^c Gen. 7:7
7^a 2 Ne. 2:1
   ^b 2 Ne. 3:1
8^a Ps. 8:8; 2 Ne. 10:20
   ^b 1 Ne. 2:20; 1 Ne. 5:5 (5, 22);
     TG Promised Lands

9 And after we had been ^adriven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much ^brudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.
10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were ^aangry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ^bruler over us^a.
11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and ^abind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had ^bspoken concerning the wicked.
10^a We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us This is the same attitude which had prevailed with Cain and Abel and also with the 10 brothers of Joseph of Egypt which they had against him which caused them to seek his life and eventually sell him into Egypt. But God will whom he will to be his choosen to rule and lead. And he choseth the righteous over the wicked though the wicked do rebell against the Lord and his chosen lead in all times and in all despensation. So it is with Joseph Smith and those 'elder' men who supposed themselves his better and when they could not make themselves to be such, they also did resolve upon that solution of seeking and taking his life.    9^a Ether 6:5
     ^b 2 Ne. 1:2; TG Rioting and Reveling
10^a 1 Ne. 17:18 (17-55);
       2 Ne. 4:13 (13-14)
     ^b Gen. 37:10 (9-11); 1 Ne. 16:37-38;
       2 Ne. 1:25 (25-27)
11^a 1 Ne. 7:16 (16-20)
     ^b Ex. 23:7; Ps. 37:9 (8-13); Alma 14:11

12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the ^acompass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.
13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great ^astorm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were ^adriven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me.
14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore.
15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to ^asee that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrist, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

12^a 1 Ne. 16:16 (10, 16, 26); 2 Ne. 5:12;
       Alma 37:38 (38-47); D&C 17:1
13^a Jonah 1:4; Matt. 8:24
     ^b Mosiah 1:17
15^a Hel. 12:3

16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did ^apraise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.
17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also unto the sons of ^aIshmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my parents being ^bstricken in years, and having ^csuffered much grief because of their ^dchildren, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick-beds.
18 Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of this time to meet their God; yea, their ^agrey hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave.
19 And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother; and also ^amy wife with her tears and prayers, and also my children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they would loose me.

16^a Ezra 3:11 (11-13); 2 Ne. 9:49;
       Mosiah 2:20 (20-21); Alma 36:28;
       D&C 136:28
17^a 1 Ne. 7:4 (4-20);
     ^b Gen. 24:1
     ^c TG Suffering
     ^d TG Family, Children, Duties of;
       TG Honoring Father and Mother
18^a Gen. 42:38
19^a 1 Ne. 7:19; 1 Ne. 16:7;

20 And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their ^ahearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me.
21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had ^aprayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.

22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.

20^a TG Hardheartedness
21^a Jonah 1:6

"When we read in the Book of Mormon that Jared and his brother came on to this continent from the confusion and scattering at the Tower, and lived here more than a thousand years, and covered the whole continent from sea to sea, with towns and cities; and that Lehi went down by the Red Sea to the great Southern Ocean, and crossed over to this land, and landed a little south of the Isthmus of Darien, and improved the country according to the word of the Lord, as a branch of the house of Israel, ..." (TPJS p. 267)
Darien: most southern province of Panama bordering Colombia.

23 And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days^a ^we did ^aarrive at the ^apromised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.

A Little South of
the Istmus of Darien There has been much discussion concerning where it is that Lehi' party landed in the land of promise. Most concede that it must have been on the western coast of the Americas somewhere. Orsen Pratt long taught that it was approximately along the 30th latitude of the coast of Chili near ?????. And this 'proposed' landing site is the basis for the presumption that the course of the new settlers was an ever northward course. But even Elder Pratt conceded that it was but the best that could be concluded, meaning it was based on current knowledge and logic and not on a revealed gospel truth. Joseph Smith is stated to have taught that it was a little south of the Istmus of Darien (TofPJS page 267), which is the southern end of the narrow neck of Panama. Some more modern Mormon intellectuals have concluded from their dissection based upon the wisdom and understanding of man, that it must have been along the western coast of Mesoamerica, while others somehow devise it was in the Great Lakes region of North America. To me, between Orsen Pratt, Joseph Smith and the modern theorist of the limited land models of the Book of Mormon geography, I would have to select the word of the prophet. 23^a after we had sailed for the space of many days This space of many days is that which extends from the site of the great storm in the midst of the Ocean which did drive them first of all back for 3 to 4 days before Nephi was loosed. The proposed event and sight of this event is along the equator on the western side of the Pacific where in an El Nino year the waters have stacked up upon the western side of the Pacific and a stormy seas can rage at that point from the effects of the El Nino and push ships back westward from the effects of the stacking up of the waters. From that site, in certain El Nino years, the normally westward flowing currents can turn about and flow directly east into the central coasts of the Americas and enable an Isthmus landing, providing a direct sailing route from the western pacific directly into the Isthmus of Darien which is not otherwise there to be obtained.

(Right mouse click & view image)** 23^* [Probably about 589 B.C.]
     ^* [About 579 B.C.]
     ^a Alma 22:30 (29-32)
     ^a Mosiah 10:13;
       TG Promised Lands;

Landing In Bountiful The Book of Mormon, or rather Mormon, clearly states exactly where it was that Lehi's company did land upon the promised land. But it takes some careful and selective reading to ascertain it. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (October Conference 2001), a master at precise language and understanding has concluded that Lehi's company did arrive at two lands of Bountiful. The first being where they built their ship and the other where they landed in the promised land. The Book of Mormon teaches this when one reads Alma 22:29-30 carefully and with understanding. It is interesting that the name Bountiful, meaning boundious in abundance, did maintain it name as the Nephites must have understood well where Lehi landed, calling that land Bountiful throughout there occupation.
   One needs to understand that from the end of verse 29 to the beginning of verse 34 the verses between (30-33) have as their central topic of discussion Bountiful. Bountiful was on the 'wilderness (Hermounts) side on the north' of the land southward. Bountiful, on its northern side, bordered upon the land they called Desolation where the people of Zarahemla discovered dryed bones upon the earth. Bountiful was Lehi's site of first landing. From Bountiful, Lehi's company came up into the south wilderness as they journeyed finding animals and ores of every kind until the came to their Land of First Inheritence. Bountiful was that wilderness which was filled with all manner of wild beasts which had come from the land northward for want of food. The along the border line between the Land Bountiul and the Land Desolation from the east to the west sea is a day and a half's journey for a Nephite at the small neck of land which Bountiful extends up into. The Nephites had inhabited the land Bountiful at the date of Alma 22, from the east unto the west sea. This coast to coast habitation of the land Bountiful did hem in the Lamanites on the south from taking possession of the land northward.

24 And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds^a; yea, we did put all our ^aseeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance.

The Second Land
of Bountiful Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve speaks of the two lands of Bountiful which Lehi's journeying party does arrive at (October Confernce 2001). The first is that Bountiful when Lehi's party arrived at the borders of the Southern Ocean after their long eight year journey from the Valley of Lemuel. It was in that land where Nephi did build the ship. The second Bountiful is the land of Lehi's landing site in the land of promise. The Book of Mormon does record that in the land of promise at the site of this landing they did plant all of their seeds in the earth and did reap a boundeous harvest before they then continued their journeying in the land of promise. There is only one land called by the name of Boutiful in the Book of Mormon in the land of promise. That land, so named Bountiful in the Book of Mormon, just happens to be upon the south of the narrow neck of land in the Book of Mormon and is agreeable to the Prophet Joseph Smith's teachings as to their landing a little south of the Isthmus of Darien.
"Upon arriving at both lands of Bountiful, did Laman and Lemuel really think that such good navigating was mere happenstance? ... " ~ Neal A. Maxwell, October 2, 1999, LDS Conference. 24^a we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds Whether this was a patern which the Lehi group did follow as they traveled those 8 plus years in the wilderness in the 'more fertile parts of the land' or whether this was just the unique patern upon their arrival in the land of promise, it is of interest that the first item of activity for survival which was recorded is that of planting and harvesting food. Hunting was not even mentioned and the animals about were not particularly mentioned until Lehi's group once again began to 'journey in the land'.

This Land Bountiful It is of great interest that it does appear that Lehi and his group did name the land of the site of their landing in the promised land Bountiful. And it does appear that the name Bountiful did remain upon the land as the Nephites continued to use this name in reference to that landning site land throughout the Book of Mormon. Further insights concerning this 'land of Bountiful' are given in Alma chapter 22 where it discusses the general geography of the land (See Commentary Alma 22:29-32). 24^a 1 Ne. 8:1; 1 Ne. 16:11

The Seeds Considering the 'seeds of Lehi' gives many likely insights into the Book of Mormon time line. Nephi first mentions that they did gather seeds of every kind in chapter 8, the same chapter of the vision of the tree of life of Lehi in the valley of Lemuel. This would indicate that the gathering process of obtaining the seeds of every kind took place during Lehi's stay in that valley of Lemuel along the shores of the Red Sea. Given that Lehi's party traveled the eastern upper arm of the Red Sea known as the gulf of Aqaba, this would place Lehi's family about 3 days journey to the seaport known in the Bible as Ezion-Geber which lay upon the King's Highway, that great international trade route. The wilderness desert valley of Lemuel was not populated or cultivated prior to Lehi's stay there. It did not have 'seeds of every kind' to be gathered in that wilderness land. There seems to be but one logical source of Lehi's many seeds of 'every kind' and that is the international trade route and the international seaport of Aqaba known by the Hebrew name Ezion-Gerber.

25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness^a, that there were ^aabeasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ^bore, both of ^cgold, and of silver, and of copper.

Animals of Every Kind The logic of the site of Lehi's Landing becomes almost overwhelming when one stops to consider just where the 'domestic' animals of every kind had to have come from. Lehi was brought to the land south of the narrow neck of land but it could not have been too far south of it for the domestic animals of the Jaredites has wandered down from the land north seeking food as stated in Alma 22;31. Domestic animals just do not migrate great distances which sets forth the concept that they would have only advanced as far south as needful to find food which due to the scortched earth policy of Shiz, the land northward was in great lack of. The Book of Mormon speaks of a barier of heavily forested wilderness filled with wild and ravenous beast. This wilderness to the north and west of Zarahemla would have blocked the domestic herds from deep penitration into the land southward. And given the fact that only in Alma 22:31 and here in 2 Nephi 18:25 are the only two places in the Book of Mormon which uses the exact same phrasology concerning all manner of wild animals, and that they had come from the land northward for food seems just to obvious to logically ignore. 25^a as we journeyed in the wilderness Now some will teach that Lehi, who was born about 640 B.C. was now in about 590-580 B.C., now in his sixties, was just too old to continue to travel any further than the immediate area of their ship's landing. That is a matter of 'subjective opinion' and is not founded in the scriptures. Mormon, who was born about 310 A.D. was leading the armies of the Nephites in his seveties, fighting at the hill of Cumorah at the date of about 385 A.D., and lived to fight in later battles after that final great battle of Cumorah according to the record of Moroni. What the scriptural record clearly states is that the 'DID' journey in the wilderness of the land of promise and over the course of those journeys they discovered animals and beast of every king and also all manner of ore deposits including deposits of gold, silver and copper. Any one who has prospected for ore will appreciate that this type of journeying would have covered some sizable distances. But we have it all summarized into just one verse in Nephi's small plates abridgement of his own records. Now Nephi continues on to explain why this was but unfortunately those explaining verses have been divided from this verse and placed in the next chapter, thus distancing them from this single sentence which comprises verse 25 of chapter 18. 25^a Enos 1:21
     ^a Alma 2:37, Alma 22:31
     ^b 2 Ne. 5:15 (14-16)
     ^c Deut. 33:16 (13-17)

Lehi's Journey From a generic map developed in Alma 22 comes this map representing Lehi's group and their travels from their land of landing through the forests and south to the land of first inheritance where there was found metal ores of every kind.

The second parallel river beyond the known and stated Sidon river will be developed logically out of other Book of Mormon references such as Alma's Missionary journeys, Lehi's lost expedition and the Lamanite attack upoon Ammonihah and other such contributing logical evidences.

This Forested Wilderness "Yea, they were met on every hand, and slain and driven, until they were scattered on the west, and on the north, until they had reached the wilderness, which was called Hermounts; and it was that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and ravenous beasts." ~ Alma 2:37

Early Journeyings In the Land of Promise
In order to satisfy their own particular subjective opinions, whatever the basis for those opinion might be, many tend to present that the land of Lehi's landing is the same as the land of first inheritance, which was upon the west coasts bordering along the land of Nephi (See Alma 22:28 Commentary). The scriptures of the Book of Mormon do present to the careful reader of the text that from the site of initial landing, Lehi's group did journey from thence in the wilderness until they at some time and length of distance did later arrive in the land of first inheritance which unlike the forested land of their initial landing, was a land of various metal 'ore' deposits.
This understanding from the Book of Mormon scriptures is perhaps best presented in the chapter and paragraph form of the book of the 1830 edition, prior to when the end of Chapter V of that original text was split and divided to be part in chapter 18 and part in chapter 19 of the later editions of the book after Elder Orson Pratt's work of 1879. The curious spliting is made of more interest as Elder Pratt produces our current chapter 19 out of the tailend of the previous Chapter V and the initial beginnings of the previous Chapter VI. This in itself gives some hint that some continuity of thought just might be interupted by such a 'composite' division which makes of a 'new chapter' the tailend of one and the beginning of another. This is the purpose of the following table, to illustrate that just such a 'thought line' division did take place and that it was in respect to the 'Early Journeyings of Lehi's Group in the Land of Promise'.

Lehi's Early Journeyings in the Land of Promise
This table will present in the left column the Book of Mormon text in a form which will compare the 1830's division and logic flow of continuity of thought and how the 'modern' divisions of verses and chapters has so disrupted this thought flow. The central topic is that Lehi's party, after establishing a base camp for a season of planting and harvesting, did then continue their journey from that base camp located near their landing site to the 'land of first inheritence' where they proceeded to make a more perminant settlement until after Lehi's death when Nephi to save his own life had to again journey once again.

Book of Mormon Text Explanitory Commentary

First Book of Nephi
Chapter V
1830
(Consisted of today's text of 16:1 to 19:17)
(Note: 16:1-18:24 is not here presented but was originally part of the 1830 chapter 5 of the First Book of Nephi.)
What was originally in a the single chapter 5 in common paragraph form in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, was divided by Elder Orson Pratt into chapters 16, 17, 18 and the first part of chapter 19 or our Book of Mormon scriptural verse and chapter divisions of today. The second part of chapter 19 would be taken from the 1830's chapter 6. Not all of the text is presented here, only that part which is relative to the point of this discussion.

    And it came to pass that after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after that I had prayed, the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm. (18:21)
    And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again toward the promised land. And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days, we did arrive to the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land. (18:22-23)
    And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance. (18:24)

The original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon is noted for its rather lengthy paragraphs and 'run-on' sentences. But here it becomes obvious that Nephi is highly abridging his record of events. In the first short 2 sentence paragraph, Nephi highly condenses the events which ended the near disasterous end of their ocean voyage. And then in the next paragraph of again but two rather short sentences, Nephi condenses the entire second half of their ocean voyage, likely from the western pacific rim to their landing upon the western coast of America, the eastern pacific rim. And in that same short paragraph, Nephi highly abridges the account of their arrival and the setting up of their initial base camp upon the land of promise.
Next Nephi then abridges the events of an entire planting and harvest season into another short paragraph of just two sentences. But the greatest condensed abridgement of events would be next given by Nephi concerning the early journeyings upon the promised land.

    And it came to pass that we did find upon the Land of Promise, as we journied in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow, and the ox, and the ass, and the horse, and the goat, and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were used for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper. (18:25)

In a one senctence paragraph Nephi condenses such events as transversing the 'forests' (note forests is plural) of the land, finding all manner of domestic and wild animals scattered in the land of these forests, which they would have spend time in rounding up their needed herds. And then it also references their further journeyings beyond the 'forests' to where they would then find all manner of metal ore deposits. This is no casual round and about exploration of their immediate surroundings of their 'base camp' near Lehi's landing site. This is the traveling of a significant amount of distance with a significant about of time envolved. And given that the Prophet Joseph Smith is correct, it is not in an ever northward direct, but rather in needs be in a southern direction for the land of 'first inheritence' (See Alma 22:28) was upon the west on the sea coast bordering along the land of Nephi, which land of Nephi was well south both of the land of Zarahemla and also needfully south of Lehi's landing site which was just a little distance from the Isthmus of Darien.

    And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore, that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made, I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also, many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them. And I knew not at that time when I made them, that I should be commanded of the Lord to make these plates; wherefore, the record of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part of all our proceedings in the wilderness, are engraven upon those plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which transpired before that I made these plates, are of a truth, more particularly made mention upon the first plates. (19:1-2)

Now why Nephi gave such a higly condensed abridgement of their journeyings in the land of promise is explained by Nephi. But since this explanation has been separated from Nephi's one short paragraph of one sentence presenting those journeyings, it is lost to most reader's understanding, whether as a matter of preference or as a matter of quick reading and not carefully reading the Book of Mormon text. Originally this next paragraph now in chapter 19 verses 1 and 2, immediately followed the one sentence account of their journeyings in the wilderness. And thus it was in the 1830's edition well coordinated to explain Nephi's greatly abridged account. Read Nephi's explanation to the immediate left why he did not give a fuller account than that one single sentence. Understand that until Lehi's group did discover the various ore deposits and mine them, Nephi could not have began to make his record. But not only that, Nephi does not make this current small plates record until 570 B.C. upon being settled in the Land of Nephi. Be careful to distinguish the two sets of Nephi's plates.

Note: Nephi's 'large plates' were first made and began to be written upon Lehi's arrival at the 'land of first inheritance' where there were great sources of metal ore deposits of every kind. Nephi engraves a 'full' record of their journeyings in the land of promise upon those 'large plates' but we are reading from the 'small plates' of Nephi. Then while living in the land of first inheritence Lehi dies and Laman and Lemuel seek Nephi's life, which causes Nephi to flee into the 'eastern wilderness' as the relationship between the Land of Nephi and the land of first inheritance is given in Alma 22:28. There in Nephi's newly established land in 2 Nephi chapter 5, Nephi is commanded by the Lord to make his 'small plate' record for a wise purpose in the Lord. Nephi does not give a full account of their early journeys in the wilderness of the land of promise upon these small plates because they are upon the large plates and they were not particularly spiritually building events. Thus upon the small plates from which we read from, Nephi gives only his one sentence account of those journeys and then give his explanation why, that it is on the 'large plates' and can be read from those. We do not have those large plates, They were not a part of the Book of Mormon plates. The Book of Mormon plates did have Mormon's abridgement of the large plates, but that first 116 pages was lost due to Martin Harris' persistence to show them to others and Joseph Smith finally allowing him to do so.

    And after that I made these plates by way of commandment, I, Nephi, received a commandment, that the ministry, and the prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be written upon these plates; and that the things which were written, should be kept for the instruction of my people, which should possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which purposes, are known unto the Lord; wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates, which gives an account, or which gives a greater account, of the wars, and contentions, and destructions of my people. And this I have done, and commanded my people that they should do, after that I was gone, and that these plates should be handed down from one generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until further commandments of the Lord. And an account of my making these plates shall be given hereafter; and then behold, I proceed according to that which I have spoken; and this I do, that the more sacred things may be kept for the knowledge of my people. Nevertheless, I do not write any thing upon the plates, save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old. Not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself. For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at nought, and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel, do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet; but I would speak in other words: They do set him at nought, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels; and behold, he cometh according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem: And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of nought; wherefore, they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long suffering towards the children of men. And the God of our fathers, which were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him; yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, and according to the words of Zenos, which he spake, concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death, unto them who should inhabit the isles of the sea; more especially given unto them which are of the House of Israel. For thus spake the Prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit the House of Israel at that day: some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation; and others with the thunderings and lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapour of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up; and all these things must surely come, saith the Prophet Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because the groanings of the earth, many of the Kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the spirit of God, to exclaim, The God of nature suffers. And as for they which are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, shall be scourged by all people, saith the prophet, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turned their hearts aside, rejecting signs, and wonders, and power and glory of the God of Israel; and because they turned their hearts aside, saith the prophet, and have despised the Holy one of Israel, they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a by-word, and be hated among all nations; nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy one of Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to their fathers; yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all the people which are of the House of Israel, will I gather in, saith the Lord, according to the words of the Prophet Zenos, from the four quarters of the earth; yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, shall be blessed. (19:3-17)

Nephi proceeds to give more details about these small plates, but remember he was not commanded to make them until 570 B.C. as recorded in 2 Nephi 5:30-33. A key to understanding exactly what is being stated is to understand what each set of Nephi's two sets of plates where and when each of them were written and from which set we are reading from when we read the first two books of Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom and Omni, which are all from Nephi's 'small plates' set of records. A graphic of the two sets of Nephi's plates and what we have as the Book of Mormon follows.

Nephi prepared two sets of plates. The large plate record was prepared by commandment upon the arrival of Lehi's group in the land of first inheritance where there were many metal ore deposits available from which to prepare plates. This was about 590 B.C. by suggested Book of Mormon dates and about 580 B.C. by my calculated dates. The second set of Nephi's plates were the small plates record which was command by God about 570 B.C. when Nephi had become established in his 'Land of Nephi'.
Mormon takes his abridgement from the large plates of Nephi. The large plates contained greater details of history but Mormon would have abridged that down. (1) The first 116 pages of this translation known as the 'Book of Lehi' was lost due to Martin Harris' persistence to show them to others and Joseph Smith letting him do it. Due to the wicked designs of men this part of Mormon's abridgement was not retranslated.
(1) Nephi's small plates record was a parallel record of a more spiritual value and was prepared as a wise purpose, the Lord knowing all things and that the first part of the translation would be lost. Thus the Small Plates record replaced the 116 lost manuscript pages becoming the first six books of our current Book of Mormon, I Nephi, II Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom and Onmi.
(2) Mormon's abridgement of the remaing large plates previously not translated before the loss of the 116 pages, where translated and became the books of Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, III Nephi, and IV Nephi.
(3) The other records consisted of Mormon's explanation of the inclusion of the small plates of Nephi which is called 'Words of Mormon'. It also includes Mormon's own short abridgement of his own larger record of his period of time called Mormon. It includes Moroni's writings which includes his abridgement of the Jaredite record called Ether and his own writings call Moroni.

Chapter VI
1830
(19:18-21:26)
[Only 19:18-21 is shown, it being deamed as relevant.]
    And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer; wherefore, I speak unto all the House of Israel, if it so be that they should obtain these things. For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary me, even that all my joints are weak, for they which are at Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to shew unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of old; for he surely did shew unto the prophets of old, all things concerning them; and also, he did shew unto many, concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be, that we know concerning them, for they are written upon the plates of brass. (19:18-21)

Notice that Elder Orsen Pratt takes his first 17 verse of his 'divided chapter 19 from what was previously the tailend of Chapter V in the 1830's edition and thus he caused an 'artifical' textual division which has left some confussion as to the 'Early Journey's of Lehi in the Land of Promise'. And then he completes his divided chapter 19 from the very first part of of what was Chapter VI in 1830. Why he did this other than to present the Book of Mormon in a more pleasingly scriptural appearance, for use in study and reference is not known.

Current Book Previous Chapter Next Chapter Commentary Page Home Page

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 18 The ship is finished—The births of Jacob and Joseph are mentioned— The company embarks for the promised land—The sons of Ishmael and their wives join in revelry and rebellion—Nephi is bound, and the ship is driven back by a terrible tempest—Nephi is freed, and by his prayer the storm ceases—They arrive in the promised land. [About 590—589 B.C.]	Lehi's company enters the finish sailing ship and disembarks from their first land of Bountiful—Rebellion and Nephi bound the stress of the storm and circumstances prohibits Sariah from caring for her little children, Jacob and Joseph—Nephi loosed and Liahona again works—Ship arrives at the second land of Bountiful in the promised land—tempory settlement, planting and harvest—Journies in the wilderness finds animals, ores and arrival at the Land of First Inheritance [About 580—579 B.C.]
1 AND it came to pass that they did ^aworship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious ^bworkmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ^cship. 2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.		1^a 1 Ne. 17:55 ^b TG Art ^c 1 Ne. 17:49 (8, 17, 49-51)
3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did ^apray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord ^bshowed unto me ^cgreat things. 4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did ^ahumble themselves again before the Lord. 5 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.		3^a Jer. 33:3 ^b TG Guidance, Divine ^c 2 Ne. 1:24 4^a 1 Ne. 16:5
6 And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and ^ameat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our ^bseeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ^cship, with our wives and our children. 7 And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the elder was called ^aJacob and the younger ^bJoseph. 8 And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we did put forth into the ^asea and were driven forth before the wind towards the ^bpromised land.		6^a 1 Ne. 17:2 ^b 1 Ne. 8:1; 1 Ne. 16:11 ^c Gen. 7:7 7^a 2 Ne. 2:1 ^b 2 Ne. 3:1 8^a Ps. 8:8; 2 Ne. 10:20 ^b 1 Ne. 2:20; 1 Ne. 5:5 (5, 22); TG Promised Lands
9 And after we had been ^adriven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much ^brudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness. 10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were ^aangry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ^bruler over us^a. 11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and ^abind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had ^bspoken concerning the wicked.	10^a We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us This is the same attitude which had prevailed with Cain and Abel and also with the 10 brothers of Joseph of Egypt which they had against him which caused them to seek his life and eventually sell him into Egypt. But God will whom he will to be his choosen to rule and lead. And he choseth the righteous over the wicked though the wicked do rebell against the Lord and his chosen lead in all times and in all despensation. So it is with Joseph Smith and those 'elder' men who supposed themselves his better and when they could not make themselves to be such, they also did resolve upon that solution of seeking and taking his life.	9^a Ether 6:5 ^b 2 Ne. 1:2; TG Rioting and Reveling 10^a 1 Ne. 17:18 (17-55); 2 Ne. 4:13 (13-14) ^b Gen. 37:10 (9-11); 1 Ne. 16:37-38; 2 Ne. 1:25 (25-27) 11^a 1 Ne. 7:16 (16-20) ^b Ex. 23:7; Ps. 37:9 (8-13); Alma 14:11
12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the ^acompass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work. 13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great ^astorm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were ^adriven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me. 14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore. 15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to ^asee that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrist, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.		12^a 1 Ne. 16:16 (10, 16, 26); 2 Ne. 5:12; Alma 37:38 (38-47); D&C 17:1 13^a Jonah 1:4; Matt. 8:24 ^b Mosiah 1:17 15^a Hel. 12:3
16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did ^apraise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions. 17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also unto the sons of ^aIshmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my parents being ^bstricken in years, and having ^csuffered much grief because of their ^dchildren, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick-beds. 18 Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of this time to meet their God; yea, their ^agrey hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave. 19 And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother; and also ^amy wife with her tears and prayers, and also my children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they would loose me.		16^a Ezra 3:11 (11-13); 2 Ne. 9:49; Mosiah 2:20 (20-21); Alma 36:28; D&C 136:28 17^a 1 Ne. 7:4 (4-20); ^b Gen. 24:1 ^c TG Suffering ^d TG Family, Children, Duties of; TG Honoring Father and Mother 18^a Gen. 42:38 19^a 1 Ne. 7:19; 1 Ne. 16:7;
20 And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their ^ahearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me. 21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had ^aprayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm. 22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.		20^a TG Hardheartedness 21^a Jonah 1:6
		"When we read in the Book of Mormon that Jared and his brother came on to this continent from the confusion and scattering at the Tower, and lived here more than a thousand years, and covered the whole continent from sea to sea, with towns and cities; and that Lehi went down by the Red Sea to the great Southern Ocean, and crossed over to this land, and landed a little south of the Isthmus of Darien, and improved the country according to the word of the Lord, as a branch of the house of Israel, ..." (TPJS p. 267) Darien: most southern province of Panama bordering Colombia.
23 And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days^a ^**we did ^aarrive at the ^apromised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land. A Little South of the Istmus of Darien There has been much discussion concerning where it is that Lehi' party landed in the land of promise. Most concede that it must have been on the western coast of the Americas somewhere. Orsen Pratt long taught that it was approximately along the 30th latitude of the coast of Chili near ?????. And this 'proposed' landing site is the basis for the presumption that the course of the new settlers was an ever northward course. But even Elder Pratt conceded that it was but the best that could be concluded, meaning it was based on current knowledge and logic and not on a revealed gospel truth. Joseph Smith is stated to have taught that it was a little south of the Istmus of Darien (TofPJS page 267), which is the southern end of the narrow neck of Panama. Some more modern Mormon intellectuals have concluded from their dissection based upon the wisdom and understanding of man, that it must have been along the western coast of Mesoamerica, while others somehow devise it was in the Great Lakes region of North America. To me, between Orsen Pratt, Joseph Smith and the modern theorist of the limited land models of the Book of Mormon geography, I would have to select the word of the prophet.	23^a after we had sailed for the space of many days This space of many days is that which extends from the site of the great storm in the midst of the Ocean which did drive them first of all back for 3 to 4 days before Nephi was loosed. The proposed event and sight of this event is along the equator on the western side of the Pacific where in an El Nino year the waters have stacked up upon the western side of the Pacific and a stormy seas can rage at that point from the effects of the El Nino and push ships back westward from the effects of the stacking up of the waters. From that site, in certain El Nino years, the normally westward flowing currents can turn about and flow directly east into the central coasts of the Americas and enable an Isthmus landing, providing a direct sailing route from the western pacific directly into the Isthmus of Darien which is not otherwise there to be obtained. (Right mouse click & view image)	23^* [Probably about 589 B.C.] ^* [About 579 B.C.] ^a Alma 22:30 (29-32) ^a Mosiah 10:13; TG Promised Lands; Landing In Bountiful The Book of Mormon, or rather Mormon, clearly states exactly where it was that Lehi's company did land upon the promised land. But it takes some careful and selective reading to ascertain it. Elder Neal A. Maxwell (October Conference 2001), a master at precise language and understanding has concluded that Lehi's company did arrive at two lands of Bountiful. The first being where they built their ship and the other where they landed in the promised land. The Book of Mormon teaches this when one reads Alma 22:29-30 carefully and with understanding. It is interesting that the name Bountiful, meaning boundious in abundance, did maintain it name as the Nephites must have understood well where Lehi landed, calling that land Bountiful throughout there occupation. One needs to understand that from the end of verse 29 to the beginning of verse 34 the verses between (30-33) have as their central topic of discussion Bountiful. Bountiful was on the 'wilderness (Hermounts) side on the north' of the land southward. Bountiful, on its northern side, bordered upon the land they called Desolation where the people of Zarahemla discovered dryed bones upon the earth. Bountiful was Lehi's site of first landing. From Bountiful, Lehi's company came up into the south wilderness as they journeyed finding animals and ores of every kind until the came to their Land of First Inheritence. Bountiful was that wilderness which was filled with all manner of wild beasts which had come from the land northward for want of food. The along the border line between the Land Bountiul and the Land Desolation from the east to the west sea is a day and a half's journey for a Nephite at the small neck of land which Bountiful extends up into. The Nephites had inhabited the land Bountiful at the date of Alma 22, from the east unto the west sea. This coast to coast habitation of the land Bountiful did hem in the Lamanites on the south from taking possession of the land northward.
24 And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds^a; yea, we did put all our ^aseeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance. The Second Land of Bountiful Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve speaks of the two lands of Bountiful which Lehi's journeying party does arrive at (October Confernce 2001). The first is that Bountiful when Lehi's party arrived at the borders of the Southern Ocean after their long eight year journey from the Valley of Lemuel. It was in that land where Nephi did build the ship. The second Bountiful is the land of Lehi's landing site in the land of promise. The Book of Mormon does record that in the land of promise at the site of this landing they did plant all of their seeds in the earth and did reap a boundeous harvest before they then continued their journeying in the land of promise. There is only one land called by the name of Boutiful in the Book of Mormon in the land of promise. That land, so named Bountiful in the Book of Mormon, just happens to be upon the south of the narrow neck of land in the Book of Mormon and is agreeable to the Prophet Joseph Smith's teachings as to their landing a little south of the Isthmus of Darien. *"Upon arriving at both lands of Bountiful, did Laman and Lemuel really think that such good navigating was mere happenstance? ... " ~ Neal A. Maxwell, October 2, 1999, LDS Conference.*	24^a we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds Whether this was a patern which the Lehi group did follow as they traveled those 8 plus years in the wilderness in the 'more fertile parts of the land' or whether this was just the unique patern upon their arrival in the land of promise, it is of interest that the first item of activity for survival which was recorded is that of planting and harvesting food. Hunting was not even mentioned and the animals about were not particularly mentioned until Lehi's group once again began to 'journey in the land'. This Land Bountiful It is of great interest that it does appear that Lehi and his group did name the land of the site of their landing in the promised land Bountiful. And it does appear that the name Bountiful did remain upon the land as the Nephites continued to use this name in reference to that landning site land throughout the Book of Mormon. Further insights concerning this 'land of Bountiful' are given in Alma chapter 22 where it discusses the general geography of the land (See Commentary Alma 22:29-32).	24^a 1 Ne. 8:1; 1 Ne. 16:11 The Seeds Considering the 'seeds of Lehi' gives many likely insights into the Book of Mormon time line. Nephi first mentions that they did gather seeds of every kind in chapter 8, the same chapter of the vision of the tree of life of Lehi in the valley of Lemuel. This would indicate that the gathering process of obtaining the seeds of every kind took place during Lehi's stay in that valley of Lemuel along the shores of the Red Sea. Given that Lehi's party traveled the eastern upper arm of the Red Sea known as the gulf of Aqaba, this would place Lehi's family about 3 days journey to the seaport known in the Bible as Ezion-Geber which lay upon the King's Highway, that great international trade route. The wilderness desert valley of Lemuel was not populated or cultivated prior to Lehi's stay there. It did not have 'seeds of every kind' to be gathered in that wilderness land. There seems to be but one logical source of Lehi's many seeds of 'every kind' and that is the international trade route and the international seaport of Aqaba known by the Hebrew name Ezion-Gerber.
25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness^a, that there were ^aabeasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ^bore, both of ^cgold, and of silver, and of copper. Animals of Every Kind The logic of the site of Lehi's Landing becomes almost overwhelming when one stops to consider just where the 'domestic' animals of every kind had to have come from. Lehi was brought to the land south of the narrow neck of land but it could not have been too far south of it for the domestic animals of the Jaredites has wandered down from the land north seeking food as stated in Alma 22;31. Domestic animals just do not migrate great distances which sets forth the concept that they would have only advanced as far south as needful to find food which due to the scortched earth policy of Shiz, the land northward was in great lack of. The Book of Mormon speaks of a barier of heavily forested wilderness filled with wild and ravenous beast. This wilderness to the north and west of Zarahemla would have blocked the domestic herds from deep penitration into the land southward. And given the fact that only in Alma 22:31 and here in 2 Nephi 18:25 are the only two places in the Book of Mormon which uses the exact same phrasology concerning all manner of wild animals, and that they had come from the land northward for food seems just to obvious to logically ignore.	25^a as we journeyed in the wilderness Now some will teach that Lehi, who was born about 640 B.C. was now in about 590-580 B.C., now in his sixties, was just too old to continue to travel any further than the immediate area of their ship's landing. That is a matter of 'subjective opinion' and is not founded in the scriptures. Mormon, who was born about 310 A.D. was leading the armies of the Nephites in his seveties, fighting at the hill of Cumorah at the date of about 385 A.D., and lived to fight in later battles after that final great battle of Cumorah according to the record of Moroni. What the scriptural record clearly states is that the 'DID' journey in the wilderness of the land of promise and over the course of those journeys they discovered animals and beast of every king and also all manner of ore deposits including deposits of gold, silver and copper. Any one who has prospected for ore will appreciate that this type of journeying would have covered some sizable distances. But we have it all summarized into just one verse in Nephi's small plates abridgement of his own records. Now Nephi continues on to explain why this was but unfortunately those explaining verses have been divided from this verse and placed in the next chapter, thus distancing them from this single sentence which comprises verse 25 of chapter 18.	25^a Enos 1:21 ^a Alma 2:37, Alma 22:31 ^b 2 Ne. 5:15 (14-16) ^c Deut. 33:16 (13-17) Lehi's Journey From a generic map developed in Alma 22 comes this map representing Lehi's group and their travels from their land of landing through the forests and south to the land of first inheritance where there was found metal ores of every kind. The second parallel river beyond the known and stated Sidon river will be developed logically out of other Book of Mormon references such as Alma's Missionary journeys, Lehi's lost expedition and the Lamanite attack upoon Ammonihah and other such contributing logical evidences.
This Forested Wilderness "Yea, they were met on every hand, and slain and driven, until they were scattered on the west, and on the north, until they had reached the wilderness, which was called Hermounts; and it was that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and ravenous beasts." ~ Alma 2:37

Lehi's Early Journeyings in the Land of Promise This table will present in the left column the Book of Mormon text in a form which will compare the 1830's division and logic flow of continuity of thought and how the 'modern' divisions of verses and chapters has so disrupted this thought flow. The central topic is that Lehi's party, after establishing a base camp for a season of planting and harvesting, did then continue their journey from that base camp located near their landing site to the 'land of first inheritence' where they proceeded to make a more perminant settlement until after Lehi's death when Nephi to save his own life had to again journey once again.
Book of Mormon Text	Explanitory Commentary
First Book of Nephi Chapter V 1830 (Consisted of today's text of 16:1 to 19:17) (Note: 16:1-18:24 is not here presented but was originally part of the 1830 chapter 5 of the First Book of Nephi.)	What was originally in a the single chapter 5 in common paragraph form in the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, was divided by Elder Orson Pratt into chapters 16, 17, 18 and the first part of chapter 19 or our Book of Mormon scriptural verse and chapter divisions of today. The second part of chapter 19 would be taken from the 1830's chapter 6. Not all of the text is presented here, only that part which is relative to the point of this discussion.
And it came to pass that after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after that I had prayed, the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm. (18:21) And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again toward the promised land. And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days, we did arrive to the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land. (18:22-23) And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance. (18:24)	The original 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon is noted for its rather lengthy paragraphs and 'run-on' sentences. But here it becomes obvious that Nephi is highly abridging his record of events. In the first short 2 sentence paragraph, Nephi highly condenses the events which ended the near disasterous end of their ocean voyage. And then in the next paragraph of again but two rather short sentences, Nephi condenses the entire second half of their ocean voyage, likely from the western pacific rim to their landing upon the western coast of America, the eastern pacific rim. And in that same short paragraph, Nephi highly abridges the account of their arrival and the setting up of their initial base camp upon the land of promise. Next Nephi then abridges the events of an entire planting and harvest season into another short paragraph of just two sentences. But the greatest condensed abridgement of events would be next given by Nephi concerning the early journeyings upon the promised land.
And it came to pass that we did find upon the Land of Promise, as we journied in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow, and the ox, and the ass, and the horse, and the goat, and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were used for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper. (18:25)	In a one senctence paragraph Nephi condenses such events as transversing the 'forests' (note forests is plural) of the land, finding all manner of domestic and wild animals scattered in the land of these forests, which they would have spend time in rounding up their needed herds. And then it also references their further journeyings beyond the 'forests' to where they would then find all manner of metal ore deposits. This is no casual round and about exploration of their immediate surroundings of their 'base camp' near Lehi's landing site. This is the traveling of a significant amount of distance with a significant about of time envolved. And given that the Prophet Joseph Smith is correct, it is not in an ever northward direct, but rather in needs be in a southern direction for the land of 'first inheritence' (See Alma 22:28) was upon the west on the sea coast bordering along the land of Nephi, which land of Nephi was well south both of the land of Zarahemla and also needfully south of Lehi's landing site which was just a little distance from the Isthmus of Darien.
And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore, that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made, I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also, many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them. And I knew not at that time when I made them, that I should be commanded of the Lord to make these plates; wherefore, the record of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part of all our proceedings in the wilderness, are engraven upon those plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which transpired before that I made these plates, are of a truth, more particularly made mention upon the first plates. (19:1-2)	Now why Nephi gave such a higly condensed abridgement of their journeyings in the land of promise is explained by Nephi. But since this explanation has been separated from Nephi's one short paragraph of one sentence presenting those journeyings, it is lost to most reader's understanding, whether as a matter of preference or as a matter of quick reading and not carefully reading the Book of Mormon text. Originally this next paragraph now in chapter 19 verses 1 and 2, immediately followed the one sentence account of their journeyings in the wilderness. And thus it was in the 1830's edition well coordinated to explain Nephi's greatly abridged account. Read Nephi's explanation to the immediate left why he did not give a fuller account than that one single sentence. Understand that until Lehi's group did discover the various ore deposits and mine them, Nephi could not have began to make his record. But not only that, Nephi does not make this current small plates record until 570 B.C. upon being settled in the Land of Nephi. Be careful to distinguish the two sets of Nephi's plates.
Note: Nephi's 'large plates' were first made and began to be written upon Lehi's arrival at the 'land of first inheritance' where there were great sources of metal ore deposits of every kind. Nephi engraves a 'full' record of their journeyings in the land of promise upon those 'large plates' but we are reading from the 'small plates' of Nephi. Then while living in the land of first inheritence Lehi dies and Laman and Lemuel seek Nephi's life, which causes Nephi to flee into the 'eastern wilderness' as the relationship between the Land of Nephi and the land of first inheritance is given in Alma 22:28. There in Nephi's newly established land in 2 Nephi chapter 5, Nephi is commanded by the Lord to make his 'small plate' record for a wise purpose in the Lord. Nephi does not give a full account of their early journeys in the wilderness of the land of promise upon these small plates because they are upon the large plates and they were not particularly spiritually building events. Thus upon the small plates from which we read from, Nephi gives only his one sentence account of those journeys and then give his explanation why, that it is on the 'large plates' and can be read from those. We do not have those large plates, They were not a part of the Book of Mormon plates. The Book of Mormon plates did have Mormon's abridgement of the large plates, but that first 116 pages was lost due to Martin Harris' persistence to show them to others and Joseph Smith finally allowing him to do so.
And after that I made these plates by way of commandment, I, Nephi, received a commandment, that the ministry, and the prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be written upon these plates; and that the things which were written, should be kept for the instruction of my people, which should possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which purposes, are known unto the Lord; wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates, which gives an account, or which gives a greater account, of the wars, and contentions, and destructions of my people. And this I have done, and commanded my people that they should do, after that I was gone, and that these plates should be handed down from one generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until further commandments of the Lord. And an account of my making these plates shall be given hereafter; and then behold, I proceed according to that which I have spoken; and this I do, that the more sacred things may be kept for the knowledge of my people. Nevertheless, I do not write any thing upon the plates, save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old. Not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself. For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at nought, and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel, do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet; but I would speak in other words: They do set him at nought, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels; and behold, he cometh according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem: And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of nought; wherefore, they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long suffering towards the children of men. And the God of our fathers, which were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him; yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, and according to the words of Zenos, which he spake, concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death, unto them who should inhabit the isles of the sea; more especially given unto them which are of the House of Israel. For thus spake the Prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit the House of Israel at that day: some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation; and others with the thunderings and lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapour of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up; and all these things must surely come, saith the Prophet Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because the groanings of the earth, many of the Kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the spirit of God, to exclaim, The God of nature suffers. And as for they which are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, shall be scourged by all people, saith the prophet, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turned their hearts aside, rejecting signs, and wonders, and power and glory of the God of Israel; and because they turned their hearts aside, saith the prophet, and have despised the Holy one of Israel, they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a by-word, and be hated among all nations; nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy one of Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to their fathers; yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all the people which are of the House of Israel, will I gather in, saith the Lord, according to the words of the Prophet Zenos, from the four quarters of the earth; yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, shall be blessed. (19:3-17)	Nephi proceeds to give more details about these small plates, but remember he was not commanded to make them until 570 B.C. as recorded in 2 Nephi 5:30-33. A key to understanding exactly what is being stated is to understand what each set of Nephi's two sets of plates where and when each of them were written and from which set we are reading from when we read the first two books of Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom and Omni, which are all from Nephi's 'small plates' set of records. A graphic of the two sets of Nephi's plates and what we have as the Book of Mormon follows. Nephi prepared two sets of plates. The large plate record was prepared by commandment upon the arrival of Lehi's group in the land of first inheritance where there were many metal ore deposits available from which to prepare plates. This was about 590 B.C. by suggested Book of Mormon dates and about 580 B.C. by my calculated dates. The second set of Nephi's plates were the small plates record which was command by God about 570 B.C. when Nephi had become established in his 'Land of Nephi'. Mormon takes his abridgement from the large plates of Nephi. The large plates contained greater details of history but Mormon would have abridged that down. (1) The first 116 pages of this translation known as the 'Book of Lehi' was lost due to Martin Harris' persistence to show them to others and Joseph Smith letting him do it. Due to the wicked designs of men this part of Mormon's abridgement was not retranslated. (1) Nephi's small plates record was a parallel record of a more spiritual value and was prepared as a wise purpose, the Lord knowing all things and that the first part of the translation would be lost. Thus the Small Plates record replaced the 116 lost manuscript pages becoming the first six books of our current Book of Mormon, I Nephi, II Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom and Onmi. (2) Mormon's abridgement of the remaing large plates previously not translated before the loss of the 116 pages, where translated and became the books of Mosiah, Alma, Helaman, III Nephi, and IV Nephi. (3) The other records consisted of Mormon's explanation of the inclusion of the small plates of Nephi which is called 'Words of Mormon'. It also includes Mormon's own short abridgement of his own larger record of his period of time called Mormon. It includes Moroni's writings which includes his abridgement of the Jaredite record called Ether and his own writings call Moroni.
Chapter VI 1830 (19:18-21:26) [Only 19:18-21 is shown, it being deamed as relevant.] And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer; wherefore, I speak unto all the House of Israel, if it so be that they should obtain these things. For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary me, even that all my joints are weak, for they which are at Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to shew unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of old; for he surely did shew unto the prophets of old, all things concerning them; and also, he did shew unto many, concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be, that we know concerning them, for they are written upon the plates of brass. (19:18-21)	Notice that Elder Orsen Pratt takes his first 17 verse of his 'divided chapter 19 from what was previously the tailend of Chapter V in the 1830's edition and thus he caused an 'artifical' textual division which has left some confussion as to the 'Early Journey's of Lehi in the Land of Promise'. And then he completes his divided chapter 19 from the very first part of of what was Chapter VI in 1830. Why he did this other than to present the Book of Mormon in a more pleasingly scriptural appearance, for use in study and reference is not known.