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CHAPTER 3
Many Nephites migrate to the land northward—They build houses of
cement and keep many records— |
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~ 49 - 47 B.C. ~ |
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1 AND now it came to pass in the
*forty and third year of the reign of the judges, there was
no contention among the people of Nephi save it were a little pride which was
in the church, which did cause some little dissensions among the people,
which affairs were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.
2 And there was no contention among the people in the forty and fourth year; neither was there much contention in the forty and fifth year.
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1*
[49 B.C.]
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~ 46 B.C. ~ |
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3 And it came to pass in the *forty and sixth, yea,
there was much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an
exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went
forth unto the land anorthward to inherit the land.
4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to alarge bodies of water and many riversa. 5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without timbera, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land.
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4a they did travel to an exceedingly
great distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of water and many
rivers Now this is NOT to be confused with the distance which the
party of Limhi did travel into the land northward, for they did travel in
the land of desolation 'in a land among many waters' (Mosiah 8:8), which
IS NOT the same as this land of great bodies of water with
many rivers. Limhi's party would have just crossed over the borders of the
land and would have found the southern cities and such general bodies of
water as the sea west, the sea east and such other 'lakes' as did reside
in the south of the land. But this speaks of another site which was an
'exceedingly great distance'. And it was beyond the general 'desolation' of
the land unto a land which was still prominant in forested trees, which WAS
NOT that land of desolation 'discovered' by Limhi's party. In fact, one must
truely consider that this land of large bodies of water grouped together
and with many rivers, could only be the Great Lakes regions of the land
northward.
5a into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without timber Now this would seem to imply that these Nephites who did travel an exceedingly great distance did not come to stop their travel until they had found forested lands. Now the lands of Central America are lands of cement buildings, as are the southwestern deserts. Also the great plains area are but rolling grass lands with no great stands of forest. Thus is seem logic to presume that these Nephites did travel north until they not only came to land which had many great lakes and rivers, but they had come to a land of forests, which had not been swept bare by the habitation of the Jaredites. Where else but the forests of east and northeartern United States was there such forested land and land of many waters? |
3*
[46 B.C.] a Alma 63:4 4a Mosiah 8:8; Alma 50:29; Morm. 6:4
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Mormon's Migratory and Habitation Overview |
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6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber;
but because of the greatness of the adestruction of the
people who had before inhabited the land it was called
bdesolate. 8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea awest to the sea easta.
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8a they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east Now Mormon is going on in an 'aside' in which he is giving a summary of the migrations of the people even down to the time of the final destruction of the Nephite nation in his own day. And Mormon clearly states that they did begin to 'cover the face of the whole earth'. This DOES NOT describe a limited Meso-American geography, but a geography which did extend from all surrounding oceans or seas, north, south, east and west. To suppose or interpret otherwise is NOT to read what the words do say, but to contrive meanings which ARE NOT a part of the Book of Mormon text. |
6a
Mosiah 8:8;
Mosiah 21:26-27 b Alma 22:31 7a TG Skill 8a Alma 22:27 (27, 32-33); Hel. 11:20
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9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in
atents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer
whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should
grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea,
their cities, and their
templesa, and their
bsynagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their
buildings.
10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of ashippinga. 11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.
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9a and their temples Now the
Nephite people were a temple building people. Unlike those of Jerusalem,
they built many temples over the whole face of the land. The Book of Mormon
so references that they had 'temples', plural in all of their lands, even
in the lands of the Lamanites, most likely from the influence of the
continued stream of Nephite dissenters over unto those which were termed
Lamanites because of their disbelief in Christ, those they believed in a God
which they had corrupted according to the precepts of men.
Now it should not be supposed that the large Ziggurat structures of the Lamanites which cover the lands today are those of the Nephites. The Lamanites did destory all that was Nephite. And as the great pyramid temples of Mexico confirm, as do the known practices of the mound builders; the Lamanites societies of human sacrifice would build their temples and structures on top of the older Nephite structures. Even unto several layers of buildings, thus covering and burying all that was Nephite by that which was Lamanite. 9a they did send forth much by way of shipping The Nephite societies of Zarahemla, of Colombia, were built with their primary building material of timber. It was a land of rain forest wilderness which the Nephites did carve out and build with the timber thereof. Thus when they migrated into the north, which had been sweep clean of timber by the wars of destruction, primarily by Shiz, they had to learn to build with cement. Often that was stone cemented together and covered with 'stuco' where there were rock and stone. And in the deserts it was just 'cement' or adobe. But because of their taste and desire for wood structures, they did create a vast shipping industry. They were the first to draw upon the rainforest resource of South America as they shpped much northward over the years down even to the days of Mormon, so that they could build many of their sturctures with timber, as well as of cement and stone. An additional note should be made here that throughout the Americas, the Lamanite 'temples' of worship were of similar structure. That is of a 'pyramid' type. The mound builders of North America had to use the material of their land which meant that their structures were 'earthen', made and built up of earth. The Lamanite societies of Peru had to use what was available to them, thus their structures were often of adobe brick. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending upon your perspective, the Lamanites of Central America had the materials of stone and cement. Thus their temple structures, possibly also influenced by the Jaredites, became massive stone pyramids which have surviced much better than their parallel and matching structures in North and South America. Interestingly enough, that traditional land of the Nephite, Zarahemla, shows very little remaining stuctures of such. This is likely because of a few reasons. First, it was a land where timber was it primary building material. Zarahemla did burn to the ground at the come of Christ. And wood structures do not transend the passage of time. Second, the Lamanites did go about destorying everything Nephite, erasing all traces of that time and culture. It was the 'new land of destruction and desolation'. Thus the Lamanites would have utterly destoryed Zarahemla and would not have readily rebuilt it as it was not common to their type of land which is considered next. Third, and likely the most important, is that the land of Zarahemla was NOT the type of land which the Lamanites society did thrive in. That is, Zarahemla was a rain forest wilderness. And the Lamanites which lived in such lands did not build large cities of timber as did the Nephites, but rather lived in tents in such land. It was the dryer climates of Peru, Central and Northern America in which the 'grand structures' of the Lamanite corrupted and pagan religions did trive. |
9a
Gen. 25:27;
Ether 2:13 b Alma 16:13 10a Alma 63:7 (5-8)
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12 And it came to pass that there were many of the
apeople of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go
forth into this land.
13 And now there are many arecords kept of the proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very largea, concerning them. 14 But behold, a ahundredth part of the proceedings of this people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites, and their wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their preaching, and their prophecies, and their shipping and their building of shipsa, and their building of btemples, and of synagogues and their csanctuaries, and their righteousness, and their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and their plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms, cannot be contained in this work.
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13a there ae many records kept of the
proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and
very large 'This People' refers to the people of Ammon. They
were the center of the 'righteous Lamanites'. We do not have their records
in the Nephite Book of Mormon. It would be of interest to ascertain according
to such records and such a perspective, the goings on of the deatruction of
the Nephite nation. These would be part of those records which filled the
storage room built by Mormon in the hill of Cumorah. One day we will have all
these records. Perhaps it will further identify the various groups of Indian
people and may even tie in the peoples of the islands. We shall one day see.
14a their building of ships Now this was beyond Hagoth's day. And from the perspective of Mormon's overview, we must conclude that it would include the 'golden age' of Book of Mormon society, after the time of Christ. This ship building the the shipping industry must be consider to be very extensive and large and to have continued even down to the days of Mormon. It certanly WAS NOT limited to just the one single year of 46 B.C., as Mormon's perspective had turned to the broad asspects of the entire whole of the land the the development and peopling of it, even down to the time of the Nephite destruction during his own day. |
12a
Alma 27:26;
Alma 63:9 (4-9);
Hel. 6:6 13a W of M 1:3 (1-11) 14a 3 Ne. 5:8; 3 Ne. 26:6-11 b 2 Ne. 5:16; Jacob 1:17; 3 Ne. 11:1 c Alma 23:2
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15 But behold, there are many books and many
arecords of every kind, and they have been kept chiefly by
the Nephites.
16 And they have been ahanded down from one generation to another by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into transgression and have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven forth, and slain, and bscattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed with the Lamanites until they are cno more called the Nephites, becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious, yea, even becoming Lamanites. 17 And now I return again to mine account; therefore, what I have spoken had passed after there had been great contentions, and disturbances, and wars, and dissensions, among the people of Nephi.
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15a
3 Ne. 5:9;
4 Ne. 1:48 16a 1 Ne. 5:18 (16-19); Alma 37:4 b Ezek. 36:19 (16-20) c Alma 45:13 (12-14)
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The End of Mormon's Departure from the Abridged HistoryMormon over the last 15 or so verses has given a broad perspective of the development, habitaion and peopling of the whole of the land from the extreme reaches of the north and south, to the extreme reaches of the east and west from sea to shining sea, north, south, east and west. This he has done even down to his own day and the final distruction of the Nephites in 385 A.D. at the hill and land of Cumorah. He proceeds into this departure without warning, but he does end it and once again return to his 'abridged history' according to his statement in verse 17. Thus with verse 18 we are back to the historical summary of events from year to year with 46 B.C. after having made a huge consolidated summarized jump ending with 385 A.D. |
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~ 45 - 44 B.C. ~ |
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18 The forty and sixth year of the reign of the judges ended;
19 And it came to pass that there was still great contention in the land, yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also in the forty and eighth year. 20 Nevertheless aHelaman did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the statutes, and the judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which was right in the sight of God continually; and he did walk after the ways of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land.
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19*
[45 B.C.] 20a Hel. 2:2
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21 And it came to pass that he had two sons. He gave unto the eldest
the name of aNephi, and unto the youngest, the name of
bLehi. And they began to grow up unto the Lord.
22 And it came to pass that the wars and contentions began to cease, in a small degree, among the people of the Nephites, in the latter end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.
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21a
Hel. 3:37;
Hel. 4:14;
Hel. 5:4-5; 3 Ne. 1:2
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~ 43 B.C. ~ |
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23 And it came to pass in the *forty and ninth year
of the reign of the judges, there was continual peace established in the
land, all save it were the asecret combinations which
bGadianton the robber had established in the more
settled parts of the landa, which
at that time were not known unto those who were at the head of government;
therefore they were not destroyed out of the land.
24 And it came to pass that in this same year there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did ajoin themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance. 25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.
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23a established in the more settled parts of the land Now it was of necessity that the Gadianton robbers to settle in and near the more populous parts of the land. For they did prey and live off of that society which they did practice their secret combinations against. And thus it is with those who do prey upon the innocent. They need the innocent that they might prey upon them with their secret murders to get gain. For there needs be those of industry, property and substance for the robbers to rob and murder to get gain of. If all were poor and humble, it would not be possible to live off of others by the means of murder and secret combination. Thus the Gadianton robbers needed and relied upon their industrious Nephite brothers. And only as long as there were those to robber and take advantage of by the act of murder, was the profession of the robbers 'profitable'. That is there had to be many to prey upon who did work and obtain the crops and heards, which were then stolen by the robbers and through their secret acts of murder. |
23*
[43 B.C.] a 2 Ne. 10:15; Hel. 2:10 (8-10); Hel. 7:25 (4-5, 21, 25) b Hel. 2:4; Hel. 6:18 24a Mosiah 25:23
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26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper
unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls,
yea, even tens of thousands.
27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.
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28 Yea, thus we see that the agate of heaven is
open unto ball, even to those who will believe on the name
of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.
29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the aword of Goda, which is bquick and powerful, which shalla cdivide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and cnarrow course across that everlasting egulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wickeda— 30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the aright hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more outa.
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29a whosoever will may lay hold upon the
word of God ... shall ... lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow
course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the
wicked Here is an amazing summary in words of the vision of the
tree of life. The word of God being the iron rod and that strait and narrow
path which leads to the presence of God, and eternal life in his Kingdom.
30a to go no more out Once a person has entered in to the eternal peace and rest of God according to the final judgment of man, the results will be eternal. There will be no required going out or leaving of that kingdom again as there was in the departure to the second estate from the first estate. |
28a
Isa. 26:2 b Acts 10:28 (9-35, 44); Rom. 2:11 (10-11) 29a Micah 2:7; Jacob 2:8; D&C 11:2; D&C 33:1; TG Gospel b Heb. 4:12; D&C 27:1 c D&C 6:2 d 2 Ne. 9:41; 2 Ne. 33:9 e 1 Ne. 12:18; 1 Ne. 15:28-30 30a Matt. 25:34 (31-46)
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31 And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the land of
Zarahemla, and in all the regions round about, even in all the
land which was possessed by the Nephites.
32 And it came to pass that there was peace and exceedingly great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year of the reign of the judges.
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~ 41 B.C. ~ |
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33 And in the *fifty and first year of the reign of
the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter
into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the
people who aprofessed to belong to the church of God—
34 And they were lifted up in apride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction. 35 Nevertheless they did afast and bpray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their chumility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the dpurifying and the esanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their fyielding their hearts unto Goda.
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35a to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God Only in submitting one's being unto the mind and will of God, offering his the whole of one's devotion in the attitude of a broken heart and contrite spirit, of humility and meekness, and in all things doing as God does command, does one become sanctified and purified in the Lord. It is the putting on the image of God, becomeing even as He is. NOT asorbed into a cosmic essence, but in that one become a being of total righteousness, possessing all the characteristics and traits of God unto righteous perfection, not longer being of the natural and carnal man. |
33*
[41 B.C.] a D&C 112:26 34a TG Pride 35a TG Fasting b TG Prayer c TG Humility d TG Cleanliness; TG Purification; TG Purity e TG Sanctification f 2 Chr. 30:8; Rom. 6:13 (12-14); TG Submissiveness; TG Teachable
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~ 40 - 39 B.C. ~ |
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36 And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in peace
also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had gotten into the
hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceedingly great
ariches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow
upon them from day to day.
37 And it came to pass in the *fifty and third year of the reign of the judges, aHelaman died, and his eldest son bNephi began to reign in his stead. And it came to pass that he did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of his father.
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36a
TG
Treasure 37* [39 B.C.] a Alma 63:11; Hel. 16:25 a Hel. 3:21; Hel. 5:1
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| * Verse 1 [49 B.C.]; * Verse 3 [46 B.C.]; * Verse 19 [45 B.C.]; * Verse 23 [43 B.C.]; * Verse 33 [41 B.C.]; * Verse 37 [39 B.C.]; | ||
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