This is the land of Mormon. Due to the practice of naming a land by the same name as the city, it is presumed to also be the city of Mormon. The land of Mormon bordered the land of Nephi and the land of Jerusalem. The land of Mormon is near a wilderness (maybe the South Wilderness).
Commentaries (
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MOSIAH 9:32 [18:4]: And it came to pass that as many as did believe him, did go forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been infested, by times, or at seasons, by wild beasts.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon, Nephi, and the wilderness around Mormon. The phrase 'as many as did believe him' refers to the people in the land of Nephi. This verse indicates that the land of Mormon is in proximity to the land of Nephi. The phrase 'wild beasts' is used commonly in the Book of Mormon in conjunction with wildernesses, so this would indicate that the land of Mormon is in or near a wilderness. The phrase 'place of Mormon' indicates that the term 'place,' when it refers to an area, has the same meaning as 'land.'
MOSIAH 9:33 [18:5]: Now there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in the day time, from the searches of the king.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon and the waters of Mormon. The waters of Mormon are located in the land of Mormon.
MOSIAH 9:35 [18:7]: And it came to pass after many days, there were a goodly number gathered together to the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon and Nephi. If people gathered together from the land of Nephi to the land of Mormon, then the land of Mormon is probably in close proximity to the land of Nephi. There is no implication that there are any lands between the land of Mormon and the land of Nephi.
MOSIAH 9:65 [18:30]: And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon; yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon:
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, and the wilderness around Mormon. The waters of Mormon are in the land of Mormon. A forest would tend to confirm that there is a wilderness in the land of Mormon.
MOSIAH 9:66 [18:30]: Yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, and the wilderness around Mormon. All of these places are within eyesight of each other. This verse places the waters of Mormon and the forest of Mormon (the wilderness around Mormon) within the borders of the land of Mormon.
MOSIAH 9:68 [18:31]: And these things were done in the borders of the land, that they might not come to the knowledge of the king.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon and Nephi. The phrase 'borders of the land' means the place of Mormon was near the outside of the land of Nephi. As a note, the land of Ishmael does not exist at this time but will exist in this general area.
MOSIAH 9:72 [18:34]: And it came to pass that Alma, and the people of the Lord, were apprised of the coming of the king's army; therefore they took their tents and their families, and departed into the wilderness.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon and the wilderness around Mormon. There is a wilderness near the land of Mormon. The phrase 'into the wilderness' indicates they left an area that is not wilderness and entered into a wilderness. With references to a forest inside the land of Mormon, this wilderness could have been right outside the area where Alma and his people were living.
ALMA 3:3 [5:3]: I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father Alma, to be a high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you, that he began to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of Nephi;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon and Nephi. The phrase 'the land which was in the borders of Nephi' refers to the land of Mormon. The means the land of Mormon bordered the land of Nephi.
ALMA 3:4 [5:3]: Yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea, and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Mormon and the waters of Mormon. This verse specifies the name of the land as the land of Mormon. In Mosiah 9:32 [18:4], it is called 'a place which was called Mormon'. The term 'place' and 'land' are used as synonyms. The waters of Mormon are located in the lands of Mormon.
ALMA 13:1 [21:1]: Now when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold, Aaron took his journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites, Jerusalem; calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity; and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Jerusalem, Mormon, and the South Wilderness. The land of Jerusalem and the land of Mormon are next to each other. The land of Jerusalem is southward of the south wilderness (the borders of the land of the Lamanites).
III NEPHI 2:96 [5:12]: And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in the which Alma did establish the church among this people; yea, the first church which was established among them after their transgression.
Commentary: This verse references the place of Mormon. A church indicates the presence of a group of people that would be members of the church. Hence, it implies a permanent settlement. The church is distinctly in the land of Mormon. By practice, the Nephites had a city in a land with the same name as the land. This verse is the closest reference that there is a city of Mormon.
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