This is the land of Shemlon. Due to the practice of naming a land by the same name as the city, it is presumed to also be the city of Shemlon. The land of Shemlon bordered the lands of Shilom and Lemuel. The land of Shemlon is in proximity to the land of Helam.
Commentaries (
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MOSIAH 6:36 [10:7]: But I had sent my spies out round about the land of Shemlon, that I might discover their preparation, that I might guard against them, that they might not come upon my people and destroy them.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Nephi and Shemlon. The term 'I' refers to Zeniff. Zeniff was in the land of Nephi at this time. The land of Shemlon is in proximity to the land of Nephi.
MOSIAH 6:37 [10:8]: And it came to pass that they came up upon the north of the land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, men armed with bows, and with arrows, and with swords, and with cimeters, and with stones, and with slings;
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill north of Shilom, Nephi, Shemlon, Shilom, and the wilderness between Nephi and Shilom. The term 'they' refers to Lamanites from the land of Shemlon. This places the land of Shemlon in proximity to the land of Shilom. This verse does not directly mention the hill north of Shilom, but the phrase 'came up upon' indicates the Lamanites went to an area higher in elevation than the rest of the land of Shilom. The fact that there is also a hill north of Shilom would confirm the existence of higher ground northward of the land of Shilom. In Mosiah 6:41 [10:10], Zeniff and his army went up to meet the Lamanites in the area north of the land of Shilom, further confirming higher ground north of the land of Shilom. This places the elevated area and the hill north of Shilom between the land of Shemlon and the land of Nephi. The area north of Shilom, being north of Shilom, also indicates that it is also northward of the land of Shemlon. In Mosiah 10:11 [22:8], the area between the land of Shilom and the land of Nephi is described as a wilderness.
MOSIAH 6:41 [10:10]: And it came to pass that we did go up to battle against the Lamanites.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the Nephi, Shemlon, and Shilom. The term 'we' refers to Zeniff and his army that were located in the city of Nephi. The Lamanites had come from the land of Shemlon and were in an elevated area north of the land of Shilom. The phrase 'did go up' indicates the location of the Lamanites north of the land of Shilom is higher in elevation than the city of Nephi.
MOSIAH 7:16 [11:12]: And it came to pass that he built a tower near the temple; yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites; and he could even look over all the land round about.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill north of Shilom, Shemlon, and Shilom. The term 'he' refers to King Noah. In Mosiah 7:17 [11:13], the location of the tower is the hill north of Shilom. This verse places the land of Shilom within eyesight of the land of Shemlon from a tower. It also places the land of Shemlon next to the land of Shilom.
MOSIAH 9:79 [19:6]: And Gideon pursued after him, and was about to get upon the tower to slay the king, and the king cast his eyes round about towards the land of Shemlon, and behold, the army of the Lamanites were within the borders of the land.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Shemlon and Shilom. The term 'him' refers to King Noah. The tower is on the hill north of the land of Shilom. This verse confirms that land of Shemlon is within eyesight of, and next to, the land of Shilom.
MOSIAH 9:108 [20:1]: Now there was a place in Shemlon, where the daughters of the Lamanites did gather themselves together to sing, and to dance, and to make themselves merry.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Shemlon and the wilderness around Shemlon. The place mentioned in this verse is located near a wilderness in the land of Shemlon.
MOSIAH 9:111 [20:4]: And having tarried in the wilderness, and having discovered the daughters of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them; and when there were but few of them gathered together to dance, they came forth out of their secret places, and took them and carried them into the wilderness;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Shemlon, and the wilderness around Shemlon. The term 'they' refers to the priests of King Noah. This verse identifies the wilderness around the land of Shemlon. The phrase 'came forth' indicates that the place where the priests were located in the wilderness is considered to be a different place than where the daughters were located. 'The term 'into' indicates the place where the daughters were located is outside the boundaries of the wilderness. In addition, the phrase 'watched them' indicates that the border between what is a wilderness and what is not a wilderness was very defined and occurs over a short distance that is within a person's eyesight.
MOSIAH 9:113 [20:6]: And it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that their daughters had been missing, they were angry with the people of Limhi; for they thought it was the people of Limhi.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Nephi and Shemlon. The Lamanites were in the land of Shemlon. The people of Limhi were in the land of Nephi. For the Lamanites to assume that the people of Limhi had kidnapped their daughters, the land of Nephi should be in close proximity to the land of Shemlon.
MOSIAH 9:114 [20:7]: Therefore they sent their armies forth; yea, even the king himself went before his people; and they went up to the land of Nephi, to destroy the people of Limhi.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Nephi and Shemlon. The term 'they' refers to the Lamanites in the land of Shemlon. The phrase 'went up' indicates the land of Nephi is higher than the land of Shemlon.
MOSIAH 9:115 [20:8]: And now Limhi had discovered them from the tower; even all their preparations for war did he discover; therefore he gathered his people together, and laid wait for them in the fields, and in the forests.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the hill north of Shilom, Nephi, and Shemlon. Limhi was using the tower on the hill north of Shilom. This makes the hill north of Shilom prominent enough to use as a lookout point. The tower north of Shilom is in a position to see an army traveling from the land of Shemlon to the land of Nephi. This also indicates that the land of Nephi is in close proximity to the land of Shemlon.
MOSIAH 11:45 [24:1]: Yea, even over the people who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the land of Amulon:
Commentary: This verse references the places of Amulon, Helam, Shemlon, and Shilom. Amulon (the person) is currently in Helam at this time. This verse refers to being teachers over the people in these lands. This list of lands refers to other local regions to the land of Helam that are in Lamanite control. This proclamation gives authority to Amulon, who is the ruler of Helam, to these other lands. To be able to exercise authority requires a contiguous area. So, the land of Helam is next to the lands of Shemlon, Shilom, and Amulon. Since these lands are listed in the same verse, they are listed in geographical order. They share borders with each other. The land of Helam is left out of the geographical list since Amulon is in the land of Helam (between the land of Shilom and the land of Amulon). Since the subjects of the verse are lands outside the land of Helam, the land of Helam would not be explicitly included in the list.
MOSIAH 11:48 [24:3]: And he was king over a numerous people; and he appointed teachers of the brethren of Amulon, in every land which was possessed by his people;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Amulon, Helam, Shemlon, Shilom and the South Wilderness. The term 'he' refers to Laman, the king of the Lamanites. He is king over several regions south of the South Wilderness. This means that the land of Amulon is in the area southward of the South Wilderness.
ALMA 14:13 [23:8]: Now these are they who were converted unto the Lord: The people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Ishmael, and also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Middoni, and also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the city of Nephi, and also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Shilom, and who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the city of Lemuel, and in the city of Shimnilon;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael, Lemuel, Middoni, Midian, Nephi, Shemlon, Shilom, Shimnilon, and the South Wilderness. These lands are listed in the same verse, so each land borders the lands listed next to it. All of the lands are in the possessions of the Lamanites, so these lands were southward of the South Wilderness. The land of Midian is not listed in these lands, yet in later verses it is a land mentioned in verses that reference the lands of Nephi and Ishmael. It may be that the land of Midian is not a land in control of the Lamanites.
ALMA 14:25 [24:5]: Now when Ammon and his brethren, and all those who had come up with him, saw the preparations of the Lamanites to destroy their brethren, they came forth to the land of Midian, and there Ammon met all his brethren;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Ishmael, Lemuel, Middoni, Midian, Nephi, Shemlon, Shilom, and Shimnilon. The land of Midian is within the area of the lands of Nephi, Middoni, Ishmael, Shemlon, Shimnilon, Shilom and Lemuel to be among the lands of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (formerly Lamanites). The land Midian is not mentioned in the list of the other lands. Yet, it is in control by the Nephites. The phrase 'came forth' describes that Ammon traveled from the land of Nephi to the land of Midian. This information would put the land of Midian on the northward side of the other lands referenced in Alma 14:13 [23:8]. It may be a Nephite land just north of the south wilderness.
ALMA 14:26 [24:5]: And from thence they came to the land of Ishmael, that they might hold a council with Lamoni, and also with his brother Anti-Nephi-Lehi, what they should do to defend themselves against the Lamanites.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Lemuel, Middoni, Midian, Nephi, Shemlon, Shilom, Shimnilon, and the South Wilderness. The terms 'they' refers to Ammon and his brethren. After coming from the land of Nephi to the land of Midian, they went from the land of Midian to the land of Ishmael. By Occam's Razor, the land of Midian should be in proximity to the land of Nephi and Ishmael. So, of the lands of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (Ishmael, Middoni, Nephi, Shilom, Lemuel, and Shimnilon), the lands of Nephi and Ishmael would be nearest the possessions of the Nephites, near the South Wilderness.
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