The valley of Gideon is on the east side of the river Sidon and located in the land of Gideon. The valley of Gideon is southward of the land of Zarahemla and is within one day's travel from the land of Minon.
Commentaries (
view it on a map)
ALMA 1:76 [2:20]: And it came to pass that when Alma could pursue the Amlicites no longer, he caused that his people should pitch their tents, in the valley of Gideon, the valley being called after that Gideon who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword; and in this valley the Nephites did pitch their tents for the night.
Commentary: This verse references the places of Minon, the valley of Gideon, and Zarahemla. The valley of Gideon is a pursuit distance from the land of Zarahemla. The valley of Gideon is also near the land of Minon since spies could go from the valley of Gideon to the land of Minon and back in less than a day.
ALMA 1:80 [2:24]: Behold, we followed the camp of the Amlicites, and to our great astonishment, in the land of Minon, above the land of Zarahemla, in the course of the land of Nephi, we saw a numerous host of the Lamanites;
Commentary: This verse references the places of Minon, Nephi, the valley of Gideon, and Zarahemla. The term 'we' refers to Alma and his people. Amlicites, in the land of Minon, were within one day of the Nephites, who were camped in the valley of Gideon. The phrase 'in the course of' indicates the land of Minon is generally in line between the lands of Zarahemla and Nephi. This would put the land of Minon southward of the land of Zarahemla. The phrase 'above the land of Zarahemla' means that the land of Minon is higher in altitude than the land of Zarahemla. This is in agreement with the land of Nephi being higher in elevation than the land of Zarahemla. Any land between the land of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi would also be higher in elevation than the land of Zarahemla. Since the pursuit has gone from the land of Zarahemla to the valley of Gideon to the land of Minon and the river Sidon runs northward, this would put the valley of Gideon southward of the land of Zarahemla and also higher in altitude than the land of Zarahemla. This would also mean that the river in the valley of Gideon would flow into the river Sidon. This further refines the geography that the valley of Gideon is part of the drainage system of the river Sidon.
ALMA 1:83 [2:26]: And it came to pass that the people of Nephi took their tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their city, which was the city of Zarahemla.
Commentary: This verse references the places of the valley of Gideon and Zarahemla. The valley of Gideon is on the east of the river Sidon (they crossed the river Sidon to the city of Zarahemla which is on the west of the river).
ALMA 4:7 [6:7]: And now it came to pass that when Alma had made these regulations, he departed from them, yea, from the church which was in the city of Zarahemla,
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gideon, the valley of Gideon, and Zarahemla. Alma departed from the land of Zarahemla to the valley of Gideon (which is in the land of Gideon).
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 4:9 [6:8]: And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken by his fathers,
Commentary: This verse references the places of Gideon and the valley of Gideon. The valley of Gideon is in the land of Gideon. The phrase 'in the valley of Gideon' implies that the land of Gideon is generally contained within the valley.
Map
