Book of Mormon Commentary - Mormon 8

by Don R. Hender

It should be noted that the only date given in this chapter is that of 400 A.D. This is when Moroni first thought to end his record keeping and to conceal the record up to come forth in the latter-days. Moroni speaks of events which occured from 385 A.D. to this 400 A.D. date. It is considered an oversight to have placed the proposed dating of this chapter beginning with 400 to 421 A.D. It only speaks of events leading up to 400 A.D. and that which was currently being finished in 400 A.D. Thus the 'correction' in red—[385-400 A.D.] is proposed and given to be the actual dating of the events and date of this chapter.

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

             CHAPTER 8
The Lamanites seek out and destroy the Nephites—The Book of Mormon shall come forth by the power of God—Woes pronounced upon those who breathe out wrath and strife against the work of the Lord—The Nephite record shall come forth in a day of wickedness, degeneracy, and apostasy. [Between A.D. 400 and 421]
The Lamanites hunt and seek out all remaining Nephite cities and people in the 'country south' of the hill of Cumorah until all are gone by 400 A.D.—The Nephite record written and compiled by Lehi's descendant Mormon will come forth as those crying from the dead—Woes pronounced upon those who fight against and reject the Book of Mormon witness—The Nephite record will come forth in the days of false religion and wickedness. [Between 385 A.D. and 400 A.D.]

1 BEHOLD I, ^aMoroni, do finish the ^brecord of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father.
2 And now it came to pass that after the ^agreat and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted^a by the ^bLamanites, until they were all destroyed.

3 And ^amy father also was killed by them, and I even ^aremain ^balone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I know not.

An 80 Year Old Warrior Mormon was age 74 to 75 at the great battle at the hill of Cumorah and the surrounding hills and lakes round about. Mormon, Moroni and over 20 other warriors survived that last great battle, but that battle did not contain all of the remaining Nephites, only those who had stepped forward to fight with Mormon at Cumorah. Apparently 'cities' of Nephites still remained in the more remote sectors of the land, the 'country southward' from Cumorah in the regions of the southern states of the United States most likely.
According to Moroni, Mormon, and whatever Nephite groups Mormon could muster and rally to stand against the Lamanites after Cumorah, continued to 'battle' against the Lamanites. The Lamanites hunted all of these various Nephites from each of their remaining cities, city to city. In one of these later encounters Mormon final dies a true warrior's death. He dies fighting in battle against the Lamanites. At what age Mormon died, Moroni does not specify. It was before 400 A.D. so Mormon could not have lived into his ninties. Could you image a 90 year old man standing to fight in battle?
While Mormon was not a 90 year old, it is quite feasible that in fights of flight throughout the southeastern states regions, Mormon could have lived in to his eighties before finally giving up the ghost in a death struggle battle with the Lamanites. Perhaps a foreshadowing precurser to the southern resistance to the greatly trained and marshed armies of the British which where conducted during the American Revolution, Mormon's last dying resistance and warring flight from city to city could have well last for a number of years. Consider that Moroni does not write this 'last' chapter with the conclusion that no Nephites were finally left and that his father had finally died in a battle later than Cumorah until the year 400 A.D. This suggests that Mormon's death was conceivably nearer this 400 A.D. date than that of the 385 A.D. date of the great hill of Cumorah battle.
Yes the war was lost at Cumorah in 385 A.D. The Nephite civilization was for all entensive purposes gone with no real remaining means of any type of real formidable resistance remaining. Just the follow up years of mopping up every remaining Nephite that the Lamanites armies could track down until at last they were all gone, either dead or a part of the Lamanite nation itself, having dessented over and becoming a part with the Lamanites.
2^a the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted This 'country southward' is not the same as the 'land southward', that land south of the narrow neck of land. All of that land was given to the possession of the Lamanites by treaty in the year 350 A.D., 35 years prior to the great battle of Cumorah. Since that time and for the last 10 years from 375 to 385, the Nephites were in a continual defensive pattern of retreat, often on the move as fast as they could move else they were cut down by the advancing Lamanites as 'dew before the morning sun'. The Lamanites would not have to go from city to city in the 'land south or the narrow neck'. There were no longer any cities to which the Nephites could flee there. NO, the 'country southward' was not in the 'land sothward' south of the narrow neck of land. It was in the land north of the narrow neck of land even further north than where the land of Antum was and the hill Shim, even further north than the lands and cities about and north of Jordan by some 4 to 5 years north of that. It was in the far reaches of the Nephite lands which were still in the possession of the surviving Nephites after the great war at Cumorah just to the south of Cumorah.
Too often the quick read artist presumes that most all the Nephites were rounded up by Mormon similar to the four year round up of the whole of the Jaredite nation either to Coriantumr of Shiz. This is not the case! The Book of Mormon never states it to be so. It is most likely that Mormon's recruitment took place in the far northern reaches of the Land of the Nephites, that it only consisted of a year's time at best from 384 to 385 A.D., and that various sections of the Nephites were not reached or even refused to join with Mormon at Cumorah. How else would there be "cities" of Nephites remaining for any Nephites to escape to in the 'country southward' of Cumorah, NOT the land southward of the narrow neck but a logical land somewhat apart from the flow of Mormon's retreat to Cumorah and just to the south of that land of Cumorah in the 'north-eastern' limites of the land of the Nephites. The only real conclusion which matches the facts of the Book of Mormon would be the 'south-eastern' regions of the United States. It would seem according to the logic of the battle of Zelph that the Lamanites persued the Nephites up the Mississippi valley regions to Illinois and then west and north to Cumorah in New York state. And this would mean that the 'cities' to the south and east, even down into what is today Florida, would logically be the 'country southward' from Cumorah which Moroni has reference to. 1^a Morm. 6:6; Morm. 9:24
   ^b TG Record Keeping
2^a Morm. 6:15 (2-15)
   ^b D&C 3:18
3^a Morm. 8:5; Morm. 6:10-11
3^a Morm. 9:22
   ^b Ether 4:3

4 Therefore I will write and ^ahide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not.
5 Behold, my father hath made ^athis record, and he hath written the intent thereof^a. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the ^bplates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone. ^aMy father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and ^chow long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not.

5^a he hath written the intent thereof Now Moroni later seems to have written the intent also which he states that he would also write if he had the room, and when Moroni later makes the abridgment of Ether, he has made or found more plates to engrave upon. And thus it is Moroni who did write the Title Page. But as to where one might find writen the intent of the Book of Mormon set forth by the hand of Mormon, perhaps the best place to see that is in Mormon 5:8-24, where Mormon instead of giving the gross account of the last retreats and horribles scenes of the destruction thereof, Mormon proceeds to insert an 'aside' as to his intent and purpose in the writing of the Book of Mormon, which was not to write such a horrible account but to the purposes he states in the stead thereof. 4^a Morm. 5:12; Moro. 10:2 (1-2)
5^a Morm. 8:3; Morm. 6:10-11
5^a Morm. 2:17-18
   ^b Morm. 6:6
   ^c Moro. 1:1; Morm. 10:1-2

6 Behold, ^afour hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior.
7 And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their ^afall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
8 And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. And behold also, the Lamanites are at ^awar one with another; and the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war.

6^a Alma 45:10
   ^ [A.D. 401]
7^a 1 Ne. 12:2-3; Enos 1:24
8^a 1 Ne. 12:21 (20-23)

9 And now, behold, I say no more concerning them, for there are none save it be the Lamanites and ^arobbers that do exist upon the face of the land.
10 And there are none that do know the true God save it be the ^adisciples of Jesus, who did tarry in the land until the wickedness of the people was so great that the Lord would not suffer them to ^bremain with the people; and whether they be upon the face of the land no man knoweth.
11 But behold, my ^afather and I have seen ^bthem, and they have ministered unto us.

   9^a 4 Ne. 1:46; Morm. 2:8, 28; Ether. 8:20
10^a 3 Ne. 28:7; 4 Ne. 1:37 (14, 37); Ether 12:17
     ^b Morm. 1:16
11^a 3 Ne. 28:26
     ^b TG Translated Beings

12 And whoso receiveth ^athis record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it^a, the same shall know of ^bgreater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you.
13 Behold, I make an end of speaking concerning this people. I am the son of Mormon, and my father was a ^adescendant of Nephi.

12^a the imperfections which are in it Is the Book of Mormon 'perfect'? No, the thought of that makes reason stare for it was made by the hand of men though they were under the direction of God. And in man there is not perfection to be found, and he that professes such the truth is not in him. Did not Joseph Smith state that the Book of Mormon was 'perfect'? No, not at all. What Joseph Smith said is that the Book of Mormon was the 'most correct book' on the earth, and that relative only to the principles and precepts of God. Being 'most correct' as to 'principles and precepts' is far from being 'perfect' as to the works of men, who it has been the duty to compile and put together the Book of Mormon. So why does the Book of Mormon have these 'imperfections'? It is a monumental task to abridge history in the first place, and I am not aware of any who has done so whose work does not contain the flaws of 'condensation' among them. Do you know of, have you found, such 'imperfections' in the Book of Mormon? Yes, but none do distract from my testimony of the truth of the book and none are of a monumental nature that would or could be used to deny the Book of Mormon's truthfulness as being a scriptural text containing the Word of God. Name some such imperfection that men have denounced the Book of Mormon because of. The printers errors of the 1830 edition are among the most foolish and folly riden set of errors upon which ignorant critics have taken exception to the Book of Mormon. Are there actual errors made by the 'prophets' in the Book of Mormon text? I have found some. They are understandable. And for the most part you have to have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, that is accept the men who wrote it, Nephi, Mormon, Moroni and others, to be prophets of God in the first place. Name some prophets of God who were not perfect. Jonah, Moses, Peter, Joseph Smith, etc. were not perfect. The only one who has lived, who has lived a 'perfect life' is Jesus Christ. And that perfection needs to be qualified and understood. If you are a Pharisee or a learned Scribe, you would say Jesus was not perfect because he did not always wash his hands and/or feet before he ate. That is foolishness in coming to understand the perfection of God and His Son Jesus Christ. Name one prophet related error in the Book of Mormon. Alma 51:26, if not a printer's or transcriber's error, looks to be a probable error of Mormon in his condensation/abridgment process of compiling his abridged text. There as written it implies that the city of Nephihah was taken possession of by Amalichiah, and though the city of Nephihah was eventually taken by the Lamanites, it was not until after Amalichiah's death and when his brother led the Lamanites. This error is easily resolved by merely replacing the city of Nephihah with the city of Moroni in the list, which is 'the' obvious missing city of the list of those taken by and under Amalichiah. Whether a careless error of engraving by Mormon or such as a dictation error of Joseph Smith, a transcription error of Oliver Cowdery, or a Printer's error. It is an example of a 'human' error of man and has nothing to do with the word of God in the Book of Mormon. [Mormon 9:31] 12^a 3 Ne. 5:15 (8-18-26)
     ^b John 16:12; 3 Ne. 26:9 (6-11); D&C 42:15
13^a Alma 10:3; 3 Ne. 5:20

Mormon's Aside In 3 Nephi 5:8-26 Mormon does speak an 'aside' concerning himself and the abridged record that he has been command by God to prepare. He there states that it is only a hundredth part record of the more detailed history of such as the large plates of Nephi. It is a good read to help gain a perspective of what the Book of Mormon is and is not.

14 And I am the same who ^ahideth up this record unto the Lord; the plates thereof are of no worth, because of the commandment of the Lord. For he truly saith that no one shall have them ^bto get gain; but the record thereof is of ^cgreat worth; and whoso shall bring it to light, him will the Lord bless.
15 For none can have power to bring it to light save it be given him of God; for God wills that it shall be done with an ^aeye single to his glory, or the welfare of the ancient and long dispersed covenant people of the Lord.
16 And blessed be ^ahe that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be ^bbrought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God.

14^a Ether 4:3; Moro. 10:2 (1-2)
     ^b JS-H 1:53; TG Scriptures, Preservation of
     ^c 2 Ne. 3:7 (6-9)
15^a Matt. 6:22; D&C 4:5
16^a 3 Ne. 21:11 (8-11); Ether 3:28 (21-28)
     ^b TG Scriptures to Come Forth

17 And if there be ^afaults they be the faults of a man. But behold, we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things; therefore, he that ^bcondemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be in danger of hell fire.
18 And he that saith: Show unto me, or ye shall be ^asmitten—let him beware lest he commandeth that which is forbidden of the Lord.
19 For behold, the same that ^ajudgeth ^brashly shall be judged rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be; therefore, he that smiteth shall be smitten again, of the Lord.

17^a 1 Ne. 19:6; Morm. 9:31, 33;
       Ether. 12:23 (22-28, 35)
     ^b 3 Ne. 29:5 (1-9); Ether 4:8-10
18^a JS-H 1:60-61
19^a 3 Ne. 17:2; Moro. 7:14; TG Gossip
     ^b TG Rashness

20 Behold what the scripture says—man shall not ^asmite, neither shall he ^bjudge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay.
21 And he that shall breathe out ^awrath and ^bstrifes against the work of the Lord, and against the ^ccovenant people of the Lord who are the house of Israel, and shall say: We will destroy the work of the Lord, and the Lord will not remember his covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel—the same is in danger to be hewn down and cast into the fire;
22 For the eternal ^apurposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.

20^a TG Violence
     ^b James 4:12 (11-12)
21^a Prov. 19:19
     ^b TG Strife
     ^c 1 Ne. 14:17
22^a D&C 3:3

23 Search the prophecies of ^aIsaiah. Behold, I cannot write them. Yea, behold I say unto you, that those saints who have gone before me, who have possessed this land, shall ^bcry, yea, even from the dust will they cry unto the Lord; and as the Lord liveth he will remember the covenant which he hath made with them.
24 And he knoweth their ^aprayers, that they were in behalf of their brethren. And he knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove ^bmountains; and in his name could they cause the earth to shake; and by the power of his word did they cause ^cprisons to tumble to the earth; yea, even the fiery furnace could not harm them, neither wild beasts nor poisonous serpents, because of the power of his word.
25 And behold, their ^aprayers were also in behalf of him that the Lord should suffer to bring these things forth.

23^a Isa. 29:4; 3 Ne. 20:11; 3 Ne. 23:1-3
     ^b 2 Ne. 3:20; 3 Ne. 26:16
24^a Enos 1:13 (12-18); Morm. 9:36 (34-37);
       D&C 10:46
     ^b Jacob 4:6; Hel. 10:9
     ^c 3 Ne. 28:19-21
25^a Morm. 5:21

26 And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for ^aout of the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and it shall come in a day when it shall be said that ^bmiracles are done away; and it shall come even as if one should ^cspeak from the dead.
27 And it shall come in a day when the ^ablood of saints shall cry unto the Lord, because of secret ^bcombinations and the works of darkness.
28 Yea, it shall come in a day when the power of God shall be ^adenied, and ^bchurches become defiled and be ^clifted up in the pride of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the envying of them who belong to their churches.

26^a 3 Ne. 23:4
     ^b 3 Ne. 29:7; Moro. 9:15-26;
       Moro. 7:37 (27-37)
     ^c 2 Ne. 26:16 (15-16); 2 Ne. 33:13;
       Morm. 9:30; Moro. 10:27
27^a Gen. 4:10; Rev. 6:10 (1-10);
       2 Ne. 28:10; Ether. 8:22-24; D&C 87:7
     ^b TG Secret Combinations
28^a TG Unbelief, Unbelievers
     ^b 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 1 Ne. 14:10 (9-10);
       2 Ne. 28:3-32; D&C 33:4
     ^c 2 Kings 14:10; Jacob 2:13

29 Yea, it shall come in a day when ^athere shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and ^avapors of smoke in foreign lands;
30 And there shall also be heard of ^awars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places.
31 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great ^apollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be ^bmurders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it ^cmattereth not, for the Lord will ^duphold such at the last day. But wo unto such for they are in the ^egall of bitterness and in the ^fbonds of iniquity.
32 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be ^achurches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you shall be forgiven of your sins.

29^a Joel 2:30 (28-32); 2 Ne. 27:2 (1-3)
     ^b 1 Ne. 19:11; D&C 45:41 (40-41)
30^a Matt. 24:6; 1 Ne. 14:16 (15-17)
31^a TG Pollution
     ^b 3 Ne. 16:10; 3 Ne. 30:2
     ^c 2 Ne. 28:21; Alma 1:4; Alma 30:17
     ^d 2 Ne. 28:8
     ^e Acts 8:23; Alma 41:11
     ^f TG Bondage, Spiritual
32^a TG Devil, Church of

33 O ye wicked and perverse and ^astiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get ^bgain? Why have ye ^ctransfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring ^ddamnation upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the ^erevelations of God; for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled.
34 Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you.

33^a D&C 5:8
     ^b TG Priestcraft
     ^c 1 Ne. 13:26 (20-41);
       TG Apostasy of the Early Christian Church
     ^d TG Damnation
     ^e 1 Ne. 14:23 (18-27); Ether 4:16

35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.
36 And I know that ye do ^awalk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not ^blift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of ^cvery fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.

36^a TG Walking in Darkness
     ^b Jacob 2:13; 3 Ne. 16:10
     ^c 2 Ne. 28:13 (11-14); Alma 5:53

37 For behold, ye do love ^amoney, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.
38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ^aashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that ^bmisery which never dies—because of the ^cpraise of the world?
39 Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?

37^a Ezek. 34:8; 1 Ne. 13:7; 2 Ne. 28:13 (9-16)
38^a Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:8; 1 Ne. 8:25;
       Alma 46:21
     ^b Rom. 3:16; Mosiah 3:25
     ^c 1 Ne. 13:9

40 Yea, why do ye build up your ^asecret abominations to get gain, and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord, and also orphans to mourn before the Lord, and also the blood of their fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground, for vengeance upon your heads?
41 Behold, the sword of vengeance hangeth over you; and the time soon cometh that he avengeth the ^ablood of the saints upon you, for he will not suffer their cries any longer.

40^a TG Secret Combinations
41^a 1 Ne. 22:14; D&C 136:36

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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 8 The Lamanites seek out and destroy the Nephites—The Book of Mormon shall come forth by the power of God—Woes pronounced upon those who breathe out wrath and strife against the work of the Lord—The Nephite record shall come forth in a day of wickedness, degeneracy, and apostasy. [Between A.D. 400 and 421]	The Lamanites hunt and seek out all remaining Nephite cities and people in the 'country south' of the hill of Cumorah until all are gone by 400 A.D.—The Nephite record written and compiled by Lehi's descendant Mormon will come forth as those crying from the dead—Woes pronounced upon those who fight against and reject the Book of Mormon witness—The Nephite record will come forth in the days of false religion and wickedness. [Between 385 A.D. and 400 A.D.]
1 BEHOLD I, ^aMoroni, do finish the ^brecord of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father. 2 And now it came to pass that after the ^agreat and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted^a by the ^bLamanites, until they were all destroyed. 3 And ^amy father also was killed by them, and I even ^aremain ^balone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I know not. An 80 Year Old Warrior Mormon was age 74 to 75 at the great battle at the hill of Cumorah and the surrounding hills and lakes round about. Mormon, Moroni and over 20 other warriors survived that last great battle, but that battle did not contain all of the remaining Nephites, only those who had stepped forward to fight with Mormon at Cumorah. Apparently 'cities' of Nephites still remained in the more remote sectors of the land, the 'country southward' from Cumorah in the regions of the southern states of the United States most likely. According to Moroni, Mormon, and whatever Nephite groups Mormon could muster and rally to stand against the Lamanites after Cumorah, continued to 'battle' against the Lamanites. The Lamanites hunted all of these various Nephites from each of their remaining cities, city to city. In one of these later encounters Mormon final dies a true warrior's death. He dies fighting in battle against the Lamanites. At what age Mormon died, Moroni does not specify. It was before 400 A.D. so Mormon could not have lived into his ninties. Could you image a 90 year old man standing to fight in battle? While Mormon was not a 90 year old, it is quite feasible that in fights of flight throughout the southeastern states regions, Mormon could have lived in to his eighties before finally giving up the ghost in a death struggle battle with the Lamanites. Perhaps a foreshadowing precurser to the southern resistance to the greatly trained and marshed armies of the British which where conducted during the American Revolution, Mormon's last dying resistance and warring flight from city to city could have well last for a number of years. Consider that Moroni does not write this 'last' chapter with the conclusion that no Nephites were finally left and that his father had finally died in a battle later than Cumorah until the year 400 A.D. This suggests that Mormon's death was conceivably nearer this 400 A.D. date than that of the 385 A.D. date of the great hill of Cumorah battle. Yes the war was lost at Cumorah in 385 A.D. The Nephite civilization was for all entensive purposes gone with no real remaining means of any type of real formidable resistance remaining. Just the follow up years of mopping up every remaining Nephite that the Lamanites armies could track down until at last they were all gone, either dead or a part of the Lamanite nation itself, having dessented over and becoming a part with the Lamanites.	2^a the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted This 'country southward' is not the same as the 'land southward', that land south of the narrow neck of land. All of that land was given to the possession of the Lamanites by treaty in the year 350 A.D., 35 years prior to the great battle of Cumorah. Since that time and for the last 10 years from 375 to 385, the Nephites were in a continual defensive pattern of retreat, often on the move as fast as they could move else they were cut down by the advancing Lamanites as 'dew before the morning sun'. The Lamanites would not have to go from city to city in the 'land south or the narrow neck'. There were no longer any cities to which the Nephites could flee there. NO, the 'country southward' was not in the 'land sothward' south of the narrow neck of land. It was in the land north of the narrow neck of land even further north than where the land of Antum was and the hill Shim, even further north than the lands and cities about and north of Jordan by some 4 to 5 years north of that. It was in the far reaches of the Nephite lands which were still in the possession of the surviving Nephites after the great war at Cumorah just to the south of Cumorah. Too often the quick read artist presumes that most all the Nephites were rounded up by Mormon similar to the four year round up of the whole of the Jaredite nation either to Coriantumr of Shiz. This is not the case! The Book of Mormon never states it to be so. It is most likely that Mormon's recruitment took place in the far northern reaches of the Land of the Nephites, that it only consisted of a year's time at best from 384 to 385 A.D., and that various sections of the Nephites were not reached or even refused to join with Mormon at Cumorah. How else would there be "cities" of Nephites remaining for any Nephites to escape to in the 'country southward' of Cumorah, NOT the land southward of the narrow neck but a logical land somewhat apart from the flow of Mormon's retreat to Cumorah and just to the south of that land of Cumorah in the 'north-eastern' limites of the land of the Nephites. The only real conclusion which matches the facts of the Book of Mormon would be the 'south-eastern' regions of the United States. It would seem according to the logic of the battle of Zelph that the Lamanites persued the Nephites up the Mississippi valley regions to Illinois and then west and north to Cumorah in New York state. And this would mean that the 'cities' to the south and east, even down into what is today Florida, would logically be the 'country southward' from Cumorah which Moroni has reference to.	1^a Morm. 6:6; Morm. 9:24 ^b TG Record Keeping 2^a Morm. 6:15 (2-15) ^b D&C 3:18 3^a Morm. 8:5; Morm. 6:10-11 3^a Morm. 9:22 ^b Ether 4:3
4 Therefore I will write and ^ahide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not. 5 Behold, my father hath made ^athis record, and he hath written the intent thereof^a. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the ^bplates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone. ^aMy father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and ^chow long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not.	5^a he hath written the intent thereof Now Moroni later seems to have written the intent also which he states that he would also write if he had the room, and when Moroni later makes the abridgment of Ether, he has made or found more plates to engrave upon. And thus it is Moroni who did write the Title Page. But as to where one might find writen the intent of the Book of Mormon set forth by the hand of Mormon, perhaps the best place to see that is in Mormon 5:8-24, where Mormon instead of giving the gross account of the last retreats and horribles scenes of the destruction thereof, Mormon proceeds to insert an 'aside' as to his intent and purpose in the writing of the Book of Mormon, which was not to write such a horrible account but to the purposes he states in the stead thereof.	4^a Morm. 5:12; Moro. 10:2 (1-2) 5^a Morm. 8:3; Morm. 6:10-11 5^a Morm. 2:17-18 ^b Morm. 6:6 ^c Moro. 1:1; Morm. 10:1-2
6 Behold, ^a*four hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior. 7 And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their ^afall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites. 8 And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. And behold also, the Lamanites are at ^awar one with another; and the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war.		6^a Alma 45:10 ^* [A.D. 401] 7^a 1 Ne. 12:2-3; Enos 1:24 8^a 1 Ne. 12:21 (20-23)
9 And now, behold, I say no more concerning them, for there are none save it be the Lamanites and ^arobbers that do exist upon the face of the land. 10 And there are none that do know the true God save it be the ^adisciples of Jesus, who did tarry in the land until the wickedness of the people was so great that the Lord would not suffer them to ^bremain with the people; and whether they be upon the face of the land no man knoweth. 11 But behold, my ^afather and I have seen ^bthem, and they have ministered unto us.		9^a 4 Ne. 1:46; Morm. 2:8, 28; Ether. 8:20 10^a 3 Ne. 28:7; 4 Ne. 1:37 (14, 37); Ether 12:17 ^b Morm. 1:16 11^a 3 Ne. 28:26 ^b TG Translated Beings
12 And whoso receiveth ^athis record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it^a, the same shall know of ^bgreater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you. 13 Behold, I make an end of speaking concerning this people. I am the son of Mormon, and my father was a ^adescendant of Nephi.	12^a the imperfections which are in it Is the Book of Mormon 'perfect'? No, the thought of that makes reason stare for it was made by the hand of men though they were under the direction of God. And in man there is not perfection to be found, and he that professes such the truth is not in him. Did not Joseph Smith state that the Book of Mormon was 'perfect'? No, not at all. What Joseph Smith said is that the Book of Mormon was the 'most correct book' on the earth, and that relative only to the principles and precepts of God. Being 'most correct' as to 'principles and precepts' is far from being 'perfect' as to the works of men, who it has been the duty to compile and put together the Book of Mormon. So why does the Book of Mormon have these 'imperfections'? It is a monumental task to abridge history in the first place, and I am not aware of any who has done so whose work does not contain the flaws of 'condensation' among them. Do you know of, have you found, such 'imperfections' in the Book of Mormon? Yes, but none do distract from my testimony of the truth of the book and none are of a monumental nature that would or could be used to deny the Book of Mormon's truthfulness as being a scriptural text containing the Word of God. Name some such imperfection that men have denounced the Book of Mormon because of. The printers errors of the 1830 edition are among the most foolish and folly riden set of errors upon which ignorant critics have taken exception to the Book of Mormon. Are there actual errors made by the 'prophets' in the Book of Mormon text? I have found some. They are understandable. And for the most part you have to have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, that is accept the men who wrote it, Nephi, Mormon, Moroni and others, to be prophets of God in the first place. Name some prophets of God who were not perfect. Jonah, Moses, Peter, Joseph Smith, etc. were not perfect. The only one who has lived, who has lived a 'perfect life' is Jesus Christ. And that perfection needs to be qualified and understood. If you are a Pharisee or a learned Scribe, you would say Jesus was not perfect because he did not always wash his hands and/or feet before he ate. That is foolishness in coming to understand the perfection of God and His Son Jesus Christ. Name one prophet related error in the Book of Mormon. Alma 51:26, if not a printer's or transcriber's error, looks to be a probable error of Mormon in his condensation/abridgment process of compiling his abridged text. There as written it implies that the city of Nephihah was taken possession of by Amalichiah, and though the city of Nephihah was eventually taken by the Lamanites, it was not until after Amalichiah's death and when his brother led the Lamanites. This error is easily resolved by merely replacing the city of Nephihah with the city of Moroni in the list, which is 'the' obvious missing city of the list of those taken by and under Amalichiah. Whether a careless error of engraving by Mormon or such as a dictation error of Joseph Smith, a transcription error of Oliver Cowdery, or a Printer's error. It is an example of a 'human' error of man and has nothing to do with the word of God in the Book of Mormon. [Mormon 9:31]	12^a 3 Ne. 5:15 (8-18-26) ^b John 16:12; 3 Ne. 26:9 (6-11); D&C 42:15 13^a Alma 10:3; 3 Ne. 5:20 Mormon's Aside In 3 Nephi 5:8-26 Mormon does speak an 'aside' concerning himself and the abridged record that he has been command by God to prepare. He there states that it is only a hundredth part record of the more detailed history of such as the large plates of Nephi. It is a good read to help gain a perspective of what the Book of Mormon is and is not.
14 And I am the same who ^ahideth up this record unto the Lord; the plates thereof are of no worth, because of the commandment of the Lord. For he truly saith that no one shall have them ^bto get gain; but the record thereof is of ^cgreat worth; and whoso shall bring it to light, him will the Lord bless. 15 For none can have power to bring it to light save it be given him of God; for God wills that it shall be done with an ^aeye single to his glory, or the welfare of the ancient and long dispersed covenant people of the Lord. 16 And blessed be ^ahe that shall bring this thing to light; for it shall be ^bbrought out of darkness unto light, according to the word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of the people; and it shall be done by the power of God.		14^a Ether 4:3; Moro. 10:2 (1-2) ^b JS-H 1:53; TG Scriptures, Preservation of ^c 2 Ne. 3:7 (6-9) 15^a Matt. 6:22; D&C 4:5 16^a 3 Ne. 21:11 (8-11); Ether 3:28 (21-28) ^b TG Scriptures to Come Forth
17 And if there be ^afaults they be the faults of a man. But behold, we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things; therefore, he that ^bcondemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be in danger of hell fire. 18 And he that saith: Show unto me, or ye shall be ^asmitten—let him beware lest he commandeth that which is forbidden of the Lord. 19 For behold, the same that ^ajudgeth ^brashly shall be judged rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be; therefore, he that smiteth shall be smitten again, of the Lord.		17^a 1 Ne. 19:6; Morm. 9:31, 33; Ether. 12:23 (22-28, 35) ^b 3 Ne. 29:5 (1-9); Ether 4:8-10 18^a JS-H 1:60-61 19^a 3 Ne. 17:2; Moro. 7:14; TG Gossip ^b TG Rashness
20 Behold what the scripture says—man shall not ^asmite, neither shall he ^bjudge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay. 21 And he that shall breathe out ^awrath and ^bstrifes against the work of the Lord, and against the ^ccovenant people of the Lord who are the house of Israel, and shall say: We will destroy the work of the Lord, and the Lord will not remember his covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel—the same is in danger to be hewn down and cast into the fire; 22 For the eternal ^apurposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.		20^a TG Violence ^b James 4:12 (11-12) 21^a Prov. 19:19 ^b TG Strife ^c 1 Ne. 14:17 22^a D&C 3:3
23 Search the prophecies of ^aIsaiah. Behold, I cannot write them. Yea, behold I say unto you, that those saints who have gone before me, who have possessed this land, shall ^bcry, yea, even from the dust will they cry unto the Lord; and as the Lord liveth he will remember the covenant which he hath made with them. 24 And he knoweth their ^aprayers, that they were in behalf of their brethren. And he knoweth their faith, for in his name could they remove ^bmountains; and in his name could they cause the earth to shake; and by the power of his word did they cause ^cprisons to tumble to the earth; yea, even the fiery furnace could not harm them, neither wild beasts nor poisonous serpents, because of the power of his word. 25 And behold, their ^aprayers were also in behalf of him that the Lord should suffer to bring these things forth.		23^a Isa. 29:4; 3 Ne. 20:11; 3 Ne. 23:1-3 ^b 2 Ne. 3:20; 3 Ne. 26:16 24^a Enos 1:13 (12-18); Morm. 9:36 (34-37); D&C 10:46 ^b Jacob 4:6; Hel. 10:9 ^c 3 Ne. 28:19-21 25^a Morm. 5:21
26 And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for ^aout of the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and it shall come in a day when it shall be said that ^bmiracles are done away; and it shall come even as if one should ^cspeak from the dead. 27 And it shall come in a day when the ^ablood of saints shall cry unto the Lord, because of secret ^bcombinations and the works of darkness. 28 Yea, it shall come in a day when the power of God shall be ^adenied, and ^bchurches become defiled and be ^clifted up in the pride of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the envying of them who belong to their churches.		26^a 3 Ne. 23:4 ^b 3 Ne. 29:7; Moro. 9:15-26; Moro. 7:37 (27-37) ^c 2 Ne. 26:16 (15-16); 2 Ne. 33:13; Morm. 9:30; Moro. 10:27 27^a Gen. 4:10; Rev. 6:10 (1-10); 2 Ne. 28:10; Ether. 8:22-24; D&C 87:7 ^b TG Secret Combinations 28^a TG Unbelief, Unbelievers ^b 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 1 Ne. 14:10 (9-10); 2 Ne. 28:3-32; D&C 33:4 ^c 2 Kings 14:10; Jacob 2:13
29 Yea, it shall come in a day when ^athere shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and ^avapors of smoke in foreign lands; 30 And there shall also be heard of ^awars, rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places. 31 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great ^apollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be ^bmurders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it ^cmattereth not, for the Lord will ^duphold such at the last day. But wo unto such for they are in the ^egall of bitterness and in the ^fbonds of iniquity. 32 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be ^achurches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you shall be forgiven of your sins.		29^a Joel 2:30 (28-32); 2 Ne. 27:2 (1-3) ^b 1 Ne. 19:11; D&C 45:41 (40-41) 30^a Matt. 24:6; 1 Ne. 14:16 (15-17) 31^a TG Pollution ^b 3 Ne. 16:10; 3 Ne. 30:2 ^c 2 Ne. 28:21; Alma 1:4; Alma 30:17 ^d 2 Ne. 28:8 ^e Acts 8:23; Alma 41:11 ^f TG Bondage, Spiritual 32^a TG Devil, Church of
33 O ye wicked and perverse and ^astiffnecked people, why have ye built up churches unto yourselves to get ^bgain? Why have ye ^ctransfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring ^ddamnation upon your souls? Behold, look ye unto the ^erevelations of God; for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things must be fulfilled. 34 Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you.		33^a D&C 5:8 ^b TG Priestcraft ^c 1 Ne. 13:26 (20-41); TG Apostasy of the Early Christian Church ^d TG Damnation ^e 1 Ne. 14:23 (18-27); Ether 4:16
35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing. 36 And I know that ye do ^awalk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not ^blift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of ^cvery fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.		36^a TG Walking in Darkness ^b Jacob 2:13; 3 Ne. 16:10 ^c 2 Ne. 28:13 (11-14); Alma 5:53
37 For behold, ye do love ^amoney, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted. 38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ^aashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that ^bmisery which never dies—because of the ^cpraise of the world? 39 Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?		37^a Ezek. 34:8; 1 Ne. 13:7; 2 Ne. 28:13 (9-16) 38^a Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:8; 1 Ne. 8:25; Alma 46:21 ^b Rom. 3:16; Mosiah 3:25 ^c 1 Ne. 13:9
40 Yea, why do ye build up your ^asecret abominations to get gain, and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord, and also orphans to mourn before the Lord, and also the blood of their fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground, for vengeance upon your heads? 41 Behold, the sword of vengeance hangeth over you; and the time soon cometh that he avengeth the ^ablood of the saints upon you, for he will not suffer their cries any longer.		40^a TG Secret Combinations 41^a 1 Ne. 22:14; D&C 136:36