This is the city of Gilgal. Due to the practice of naming a land by the same name as the city, it is presumed to also be the land of Gilgal. The city of Gilgal was not close to the sea to be destroyed (covered) by water. Since this reference is insufficient to place the city of Gilgal relative to other locations, it is presumed to be in the same general location as the valley of Gilgal. The precedence is the city of Gideon is in the valley of Gideon.
Commentaries (
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III NEPHI 4:31 [9:6]: And behold, the city of Gilgal have I caused to be sunk, and the inhabitants thereof to be buried up in the depths of the earth;
Commentary: This verse references the place of Gilgal. From the description in this verse, there is insufficient information to determine its location. Due to being buried in the earth, the only premise that can be made is that the city of Gilgal is not close to the seashore, otherwise, it would have been covered by water. Using Occam's Razor, it should be in proximity to the other cities that were destroyed by being buried or sunk (Moronihah, Gimgimno, Jacob, Gadiomnah, and Gadiandi). In the Book of Ether, there is a reference to a valley of Gilgal. The Nephite practice was to name the valley the same as the city in the valley. For example, the city of Gideon was in the valley of Gideon. However, the Jaredites, a people that came before the Nephites, named the valley of Gilgal. The only plausible connection between the valley of Gilgal and the city of Gilgal would be that the Book of Ether had been found about 200 years before the destruction of the city of Gilgal. The Nephites would have certainly known the location of the valley of Gilgal from the Book of Ether and could have kept the name as the Jaredites gave it. It just happens that the valley of Gilgal is in proximity to the other cities that were destroyed by being sunk. So, without any information to the contrary and again by Occam's Razor, the valley of Gilgal is as likely a spot for the city of Gilgal as any other location.
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