The river Sidon flows from the headwaters, which are in the South Wilderness, towards the north. The river Sidon flows by the lands of Manti, Gideon and Zarahemla. The lands of Manti, Minon, Melek, Judea and Zarahemla are on the west of the river Sidon. The lands of Gideon, Antionum, and Nephihah are on the east of the river Sidon. There is a wilderness on the west side of the river Sidon.
Commentaries (
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ALMA 1:70 [2:15]: And it came to pass that the Amlicites came upon the hill of Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land of Zarahemla, and there they began to make war with the Nephites.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill Amnihu, the river Sidon, and Zarahemla. The Amlicites were in part of the land of Zarahemla, but separate from the Nephites. The hill Amnihu is on the east side of the river Sidon and within the borders of the land of Zarahemla.
ALMA 1:71 [2:16]: Now Alma, being the chief judge, and the governor of the people of Nephi, therefore he went up with his people, yea, with his captains, and chief captains, yea, at the head of his armies, against the Amlicites to battle; and they began to slay the Amlicites upon the hill east of Sidon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill Amnihu and the river Sidon. The hill Amnihu is east of the river Sidon.
ALMA 1:84 [2:27]: And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gideon, Minon, the river Sidon, and Zarahemla. The term 'they' refers to the people of Nephi. The crossing of the river Sidon is between the land of Gideon and the land of Minon. They were crossing the river Sidon from the land of Gideon to the land of Minon. So, the land of Gideon is on the opposite side of the river than the land of Minon. The lands of Zarahemla and Minon are on the west side of the river Sidon. That the lands of Zarahemla and Minon and the valley of Gideon are so closely located near the river Sidon indicates the valley of Gideon is part of the drainage system for the river Sidon.
ALMA 2:4 [4:4]: And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon, and were joined to the church of God;
Commentary: This verse references the places of the waters of Sidon and Zarahemla. The term 'they' refers to the people of Nephi. Alma baptized the people and he lived in Zarahemla. This places the river Sidon in the land of Zarahemla.
ALMA 4:8 [6:7]: And went over upon the east of the river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon, there having been a city built which was called the city of Gideon, which was in the valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gideon, a ridge between Gideon and Zarahemla, the river Sidon, and the valley of Gideon. The person traveling in this verse is Alma. He left Zarahemla to go to Gideon. The valley of Gideon is on the east side of the river Sidon. Valleys have ridges on either side of a river. The river in the valley Gideon would not be the river Sidon, so there is another river that is in the valley of Gideon that empties into the river Sidon. The phrase 'went over' means Alma went over some ridge between the city of Zarahemla and the valley of Gideon. This verse also implies that the land of Zarahemla is on the west of the river Sidon.
ALMA 6:4 [8:3]: And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year of the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma departed from thence, and took his journey over into the land of Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders of the wilderness;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Melek, a ridge between Melek and Zarahemla, the river Sidon, the wilderness around Melek, and Zarahemla. The land of Melek is west of the river Sidon. From the relative locations of the lands in the area, the land of Melek may be south of the land of Minon. There is wilderness by the land of Melek. The term 'borders' indicates the wilderness had a boundary near the land of Melek. The phrase 'over into' means there is a ridge between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Melek.
ALMA 11:9 [16:6]: And Alma returned and said unto them, Behold, the Lamanites will cross the river Sidon, in the south wilderness, away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, Manti, the river Sidon, the headwaters of the river Sidon, the South Wilderness, the wilderness around Ammonihah, and the wilderness around Manti. This verse names the South Wilderness. The phrase 'away up' indicates that the South Wilderness is higher in altitude than the land of Manti. The South Wilderness is southward of the land of Manti, so beyond the borders would be southward of the land of Manti. Since the Lamanites are crossing the river Sidon beyond the borders of the land of Manti, the headwaters of the river Sidon is southward of the land of Manti and the river Sidon flows northward past the land of Manti. The Lamanites were coming from the direction of the wilderness around the city of Ammonihah. Crossing the river Sidon would put them on the opposite side of the river than the land of Ammonihah.
ALMA 11:10 [16:6]: And behold there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been taken captive by the Lamanites,
Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah and the river Sidon. The term 'ye' refers to Zoram and his army. To have an east side, the river Sidon flows generally north-and-south. After crossing the river Sidon from the direction of the city of Ammonihah, the Lamanites would be on the east side of the river Sidon. This places the city of Ammonihah on the west side of the river Sidon.
ALMA 11:11 [16:7]: And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the river Sidon with their armies, and marched away beyond the borders of Manti, into the south wilderness, which was on the east side of the river Sidon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Manti, the river Sidon, the South Wilderness, the wilderness around Manti, the wilderness between Nephi and Zarahemla, and Zarahemla. Zoram was coming from the city of Zarahemla after talking to Alma. After leaving the city of Zarahemla and crossing the river Sidon, this verse puts his armies on the east side of the river. This places Zarahemla on the westward side of the river Sidon. The south wilderness on the east of the river Sidon is on the opposite side of the river than the land of Manti. This places the land of Manti on the westward side of the river Sidon. This verse indicates that the South Wilderness is near the land of Manti, so references to a wilderness around Manti would be the South Wilderness. The phrase 'into the south wilderness' indicates the South Wilderness extends no further northward than the southern borders of the land of Manti, so the wilderness between the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla that takes days to travel through is not considered to be the same as the South Wilderness. Since the South Wilderness and the wilderness between the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla both lie between those two lands and are considered to be different, the South Wilderness has a distinct boundary that distinguishes it from the other wilderness.
ALMA 12:1 [17:1]: And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon, southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met the sons of Mosiah, journeying towards the land of Zarahemla.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gideon, Manti, the river Sidon, and Zarahemla. The sons of Mosiah were traveling from the land of Nephi to the land of Zarahemla. The river Sidon ran past the land of Manti and the land of Gideon. Following the river Sidon is a likely navigation route where both would meet. This verse also locates the land of Manti southward of the land of Gideon.
ALMA 13:73 [22:29]: Nevertheless the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of the land, bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they called Bountiful.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Bountiful, the headwaters of the river Sidon, the South Wilderness, and the wilderness around Bountiful. The phrase 'of the land' means many lands or a collection of many lands. The phrase 'northern parts' means north of the South Wilderness. There is wilderness at the head of the river Sidon that would be the wilderness around the land of Manti. The phrase 'round about on the wilderness side' means there is wilderness north of the wilderness at the head of the river Sidon. This verse places the land Bountiful at the north end of the wilderness in the westward parts of the land. The land Bountiful is also described as having a wilderness, so the wilderness here is next to, or a continuation of, the wilderness around the land Bountiful. The wilderness around the land Bountiful would be, at the least, on the southern side of the land Bountiful.
ALMA 20:25 [43:22]: Behold, now it came to pass, that they durst not come against the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; therefore they departed out of the land of Antionum, into the wilderness, and took their journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti, and take possession of the land; for they did not suppose that the armies of Moroni would know whither they had gone.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Antionum, Jershon, Manti, river Sidon, the headwaters of the river Sidon, the Sea East, and the South Wilderness. The phrase 'borders of Jershon' implies the land of Antionum bordered the land of Jershon. There is wilderness near the land of Jershon and the head of the river Sidon. The land of Manti is near the head of the river Sidon on the opposite side of the river from the land of Antionum. From previous verses, the land of Manti is on the westward side of the river Sidon. This means the land of Antionum is on the eastward side of the river Sidon and near the Sea East. The wilderness at the head of the river Sidon is referenced in other verses as the South Wilderness.
ALMA 20:31 [43:27]: And it came to pass, that Moroni caused that his army should be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of the river Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon, in the wilderness.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Manti, the river Sidon, a valley west of the river Sidon, the South Wilderness, a wilderness around Manti, and a wilderness between Antionum and Manti. Moroni and his army were in the land of Manti at this time. A valley meets the river Sidon on the west side of the river. The valley is in the wilderness in the land of Manti. This indicates the wilderness is near the land of Manti.
ALMA 20:35 [43:31]: Therefore he divided his army, and brought a part over into the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of the hill Riplah; and the remainder he concealed in the west valley, on the west of the river Sidon, and so down into the borders of the land of Manti.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill Riplah, Manti, the river Sidon, the valley east of the river Sidon, and the valley west of the river Sidon. The hill Riplah is on the east of the river Sidon and near a valley on the east of the river Sidon. There were valleys on both the east and west of the river Sidon. The valleys were higher in altitude than the land of Manti. The river Sidon is flowing northward, so the valleys and the hill Riplah were southward of the land of Manti. The phrase 'over into' refers to going over a ridge. So, this phrase means they went over the ridges that made up the valley.
ALMA 20:38 [43:35]: And as the Lamanites had passed the hill Riplah, and come into the valley, and began to cross the river Sidon, the army which was concealed on the south of the hill, which was led by a man whose name was Lehi; and he led his army forth and encircled the Lamanites about, on the east in their rear.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill Riplah, the river Sidon, and the valley east of the river Sidon. The Lamanites came through the wilderness, over hill Riplah, into a valley east of the river Sidon, and across the river Sidon. This puts the hill Riplah southward of the valley east of the river Sidon. The Lamanites were crossing the river from east to west.
ALMA 20:42 [43:39]: And it came to pass that the Lamanites became frightened, because of the great destruction among them, even until they began to flee towards the river Sidon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon and a valley east of the river Sidon. The Lamanites were fleeing westward down the valley east of the river Sidon towards the river Sidon. This indicates that the valley east of the river Sidon is part of the drainage area for the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:43 [43:40]: And they were pursued by Lehi and his men, and they were driven by Lehi into the waters of Sidon; and they crossed the waters of Sidon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon and the valley east of the river Sidon. The Lamanites came down the valley east of the river Sidon and crossed to the west side of the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:44 [43:40]: And Lehi retained his armies upon the bank of the river Sidon, that they should not cross.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon and the valley east of the river Sidon. The army of Lehi stayed on the east side of the river Sidon in the valley east of the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:45 [43:41]: And it came to pass that Moroni and his army met the Lamanites in the valley, on the other side of the river Sidon, and began to fall upon them, and to slay them.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon and a valley west of the river Sidon. The phrase 'other side of the river' refers to the west side of the river. So, Moroni's army met the Lamanites in the valley on the west of the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:46 [43:42]: And the Lamanites did flee again before them, towards the land of Manti; and they were met again by the armies of Moroni.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Manti, the river Sidon, the valley east of the river Sidon, and the valley west of the river Sidon. This action took place in or near the valleys on the east and west sides of the river Sidon. The phrase 'towards the land of Manti' indicates the land of Manti is down river (northward) of the valleys on the east and west of the river Sidon. The Lamanites didn't get very far towards the land of Manti since the verses following this one are still located in the valleys on the west and east of the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:56 [43:50]: And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and in the selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled even to the waters of Sidon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon and the valley west of the river Sidon. The phrase 'even to' means the Lamanites fled eastward, down the valley on the west of the river Sidon towards the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:57 [43:51]: Now the Lamanites were more numerous; yea, by more than double the number of the Nephites; nevertheless, they were driven insomuch that they were gathered together in one body, in the valley, upon the bank, by the river Sidon;
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon and the valley west of the river Sidon. The Lamanites were gathered in the valley west of the river Sidon. The phrase 'by the river Sidon' indicates the valley west of the river Sidon joins the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:58 [43:52]: Therefore the armies of Moroni encircled them about; yea, even on both sides of the river; for behold, on the east, were the men of Lehi;
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill Riplah, the river Sidon, and the valley east of the river Sidon. The men of Lehi were on the hill Riplah that is on the east of the river Sidon. To encircle an army requires being in close proximity to it. This indicates that the valley east of the river Sidon is in close proximity to the river Sidon and the stream, river or dry gulch in the valley would flow into the river Sidon.
ALMA 20:59 [43:53]: Therefore when Zerahemnah saw the men of Lehi on the east of the river Sidon, and the armies of Moroni on the west of the river Sidon, that they were encircled about by the Nephites, they were struck with terror.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill Riplah, river Sidon, and the South Wilderness. With valleys on the west and east of the river Sidon, the river Sidon would be flowing generally north and south near hill Riplah. It would be flowing away from the South Wilderness, which is higher in altitude than Zarahemla, so the river Sidon was flowing from the north to the south.
ALMA 21:168 [49:16]: And behold, Moroni had appointed Lehi to be chief captain over the men of that city; and it was that same Lehi who fought with the Lamanites in the valley on the east of the river Sidon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Noah, the river Sidon, and the valley east of the River Sidon. The phrase 'of that city' is the city of Noah. There is a valley on the east of the river Sidon.
ALMA 22:11 [50:11]: And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites, in the east wilderness: yea, and also on the west, fortifying the line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi; from the west sea, running by the head of the river Sidon;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Manti, Nephi, river Sidon, the headwaters of the river Sidon, the Sea West, the East Wilderness, and Zarahemla. The line between the Nephites and Lamanites ran from the West Sea past the headwaters of the river Sidon to the East Wilderness. This puts the headwaters of the river Sidon between the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla. The land of Manti is near the headwaters of the river Sidon, so the land of Manti is also between the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla.
ALMA 26:28 [56:25]: Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla; neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of Nephihah.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Antiparah, Cumeni, Judea, Nephihah, a ridge between the headwaters of the river Sidon and the city of Nephihah, river Sidon, river Sidon (headwaters), and Zarahemla. Helaman is making this statement and he is in Judea at this time. The Lamanites are currently in control of the cities of Antiparah, Cumeni, and Zeezrom. This verse is talking about some of the options the Lamanites do not have. The phrase 'march down' means that the cities of Antiparah, Cumeni, and Zeezrom are higher in elevation than the land of Zarahemla. Since the Lamanites are in control of these cities, this verse describes a general line from the lands of Antiparah, Cumeni, and Zeezrom to the land of Nephihah by way of the headwaters of the river Sidon. The phrase 'over to' means there is a ridge between the head (headwaters) of the river Sidon and the city of Nephihah. This makes sense since headwaters of rivers are typically near a ridge.
III NEPHI 2:25 [3:20]: Now the people said unto Gidgiddoni, Pray unto the Lord, and let us go up upon the mountains, and into the wilderness, that we may fall upon the robbers and destroy them, in their own lands.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon, wilderness around Zarahemla and Zarahemla. The phrase 'the people' refers to the people in the land of Zarahemla. This verse indicates a close relationship between mountains and the wilderness around the land of Zarahemla. Since the city of Zarahemla is on the westward side of the river Sidon, elevated areas such as the mountains and wilderness would be on the opposite side (westward side) of the city of Zarahemla than the river Sidon.
MORMON 1:10 [1:10]: And it came to pass that the war began to be among them in the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the river Sidon and Zarahemla. The river Sidon flows through the land of Zarahemla.
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