What does the Book of Mormon say about the Promised Land?
ETHER 3:13 [6:11]: And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water; and they did land upon the shore of the promised land.
- Commentary: The Promised Land of the Jaredites begins at a seashore.
I NEPHI 5:212 [18:23]: And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days, we did arrive to the promised land;
I NEPHI 5:213 [18:23]: And we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.
- Commentary: The Promised Land of Lehi begins at a seashore.
ALMA 13:71 [22:28]: Yea, and also on the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders, by the sea-shore, and on the west, in the land of Nephi, in the place of their fathers' first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the sea-shore.
- Commentary: This verse references the places of Nephi, the Promised Land (I Nephi), the Sea West, and Zarahemla. This verse is describing the locations of idle Lamanites. The borders by the seashore were west of Zarahemla and on or near the sea (Sea West). They were also in the west parts of the land of Nephi all the way to the Sea West shore. The place of their father's first inheritance, the Promised Land (I Nephi), is located on the Sea West shore.
ALMA 13:74 [22:30]: And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation; it being so far northward, that it came into the land which had been peopled, and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken, which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla; it being the place of their first landing. And they came from there up into the south wilderness.
- Commentary: Refers to the land where the Nephites first landed. The nephites landed near where the Jaredites landed and populated their Promised Land / Land of Inheritance.
ALMA 13:76 [22:32]: And now it was only the distance of a day and a half's journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful, and the land Desolation, from the east to the west sea;
- Commentary: This verse places the land Desolation on the sea West coast.
- Note: "from the east" is just a point on the east, it is not a reference to the sea East shore.
MORMON 1:73 [3:8]: And we did beat them again, and did slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the sea.
- Commentary: This verse references the places of Desolation and the Sea West. The Nephites were defending the city of Desolation. The term 'we' refers to Mormon and the Nephites. The term 'them' refers to the Lamanites. The city of Desolation is located in close proximity to the sea. The sea would be the Sea West. This verse also places the land Desolation next to (adjacent to) the seashore.
God's covenants are forever (if God's commandments are obeyed)
- Land of Judah
- 1 NEPHI 3:203 [14:2] And they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land for ever;
- Land Covenanted with Lehi
- 2 NEPHI 1:8 [1:5] Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children for ever;
- Land Covenanted with the brother of Jared
- ETHER 1:30 [2:8] And he had sworn in his wrath unto the Brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fullness of his wrath should come upon them.
- Land covenanted with Nephi in the land Bountiful
- 3 NEPHI 7:14 [15:13] And behold, this is the land of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you.
- 3 NEPHI 7:26 [16:3] But I [Jesus] have received a commandment of the Father, that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold, and one shepherd; therefore I go to shew myself unto them.
God gives covenanted lands to no one else - there is no contention over whose land it belongs to. But, break the covenant and the land is no longer promised
Quotes from Prophecies & Promises - The "Heartland" Model
Bruce H. Porter, Rod L. Meldrum, Digital Legend Press and Publishing, New York, 2009
Page 43: The Book of Mormon specifies, as Nephi understands by revelation, that the Gentiles led to the Promised Land will obtain "this same land" for their inheritance, not to displace but to join with their brother Manasseh, the seed of Lehi. The verse that Prophecies The Nephites and the Gentiles both were led by the hand of the Lord to the same land that each were to obtain for an everlasting inheritance together.
1 NEPHI 3:151 [LDS 13:15] And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles; that they did prosper, and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceeding fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.
Commentary on Page 43: The key to interpret this verse is that God did not covenant with the Gentiles for the land, the Gentiles just claimed the land after scattering (not joining) the seed of Nephi's brethren. The verse that Prophecies & Promises does not include is the verse just prior to 1 Nephi 3:151.
1 NEPHI 3:150 [LDS 13:14] And I beheld the wrath of God that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles, and were smitten.
1 Nephi 3:150 shows that the purpose of God was not to join, but to displace. The true meaning of the verses, "to scatter / displace due to the wrath of God," is opposite of what Prophecies & Promises tries to explain as the meaning, "not to displace but to join."
The language of the Book of Mormon indicates that the phase "land of Promise" refers to the "land of inheritance," just in a different context. For example:
2 NEPHI 1:6 [1:5] But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands;
2 NEPHI 1:7 [1:5] A land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed.
2 NEPHI 1:8 [1:5] Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children for ever;
A land not yet obtained is the land of Promise. Once the land is obtained (arrived at), it becomes a land of inheritance [Hebrew H5159] - meaning property that flows from one generation to the next generation. In that God has given the lands of Inheritance forever, the inheritance is to flow to the next generation continually for all time. No one outside of the inheritance has legal standing to the property.
In the Old Testament, the phrase "this land" [Hebrew H2063] and [Hebrew <'erets> H776] always referred to a land with defined boundaries. A land with borders prevents saying that the "land of Promise" is all of North America or all of North and South America. The question is - does the Book of Mormon define the borders of the Promised Land / Land of Inheritance?
Page 40: The Book of Mormon also speaks extensively about the "land of promise" described often as the "land of their inheritance" or a "choice land above all other lands" and a "promised land" to the Jaredites, and to Lehi and his family. The Book of Mormon also states that this same land given to Lehi and his descendants will become a "land of promise" and a "land of inheritance" for the Gentiles who will be led there by the hand of the Lord.
Page 41: There are only two Promised Lands that are discussed or mentioned in scripture. One is the land of the prophets and patriarchs, the land in which the Savior walked and ministered during his mortal life and ministered in after His resurrection. The other "land of promise" is in the "choice land" where Lehi and his family were led, the land where the resurrected Lord ministered and taught the inhabitants.
The voice of the Lord defined which land the "city of Zion" shall be built upon--"which is the land of Missouri"--and then He clarifies for us that "this land" is "the land of Missouri" and that "this is the land of promise." Is there more than one "land of promise" in this hemisphere? The insights learned from this verse make it clear that this land which is the land of Missouri" is both "the land of promise" and the "place for the city of Zion."
- Two Promised Lands that the seed of Abraham have been promised and led to.
- Two Promised Lands whose capitals are Jerusalem and New Jerusalem.
The voice of the Lord defined which land the "city of Zion" shall be built upon--"which is the land of Missouri"--and then He clarifies for us that "this land" is "the land of Missouri" and that "this is the land of promise." Is there more than one "land of promise" in this hemisphere? The insights learned from this verse make it clear that this land which is the land of Missouri" is both "the land of promise" and the "place for the city of Zion."
Commentary on Pages 40 and 41: The language of the Book of Mormon indicates that the phase "land of Promise" refers to the "land of inheritance," just in a different context. For example:
2 NEPHI 1:6 [1:5] But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands;
2 NEPHI 1:7 [1:5] A land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed.
2 NEPHI 1:8 [1:5] Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children for ever;
A land not yet obtained is the land of Promise. Once the land is obtained (arrived at), it becomes a land of inheritance.
In the Old Testament, the phrase "this land" [Hebrew H2063] and [Hebrew <'erets> H776] always referred to a land with defined boundaries. A land with borders prevents saying that the "land of Promise" is all of North America or all of North and South America. The question is - does the Book of Mormon define the borders of the Promised Land / Land of Inheritance?
The Promised Lands
What the Book of Mormon says about the Promised Lands:
- Promised Land begins at the seashore of the sea West.
- The Promised Land needs sea / ocean access on the west coast.
- The Heartland theory Promised Land doesn't extend west of the Missouri / Kansas border.
- Placing the Jaredite's and Lehi's Promised Lands in the middle of America without access to the sea West coast is not supported by the Book of Mormon.
Prophesies and geography in the Book of Mormon are co-equal - they come from the same source.
- The prophecies concerning the land of Promise in the Book of Mormon must be about a land that borders on the sea West coast.
The Promised Lands that God has covenanted are forever (as long as the people abide by God's commandments)
- Land covenanted with Abraham (the house of Israel)
- Land covenanted with the Brother of Jared
- Land covenanted with Lehi
- Land covenanted with the people of Bountiful
Promised Land Boundaries - Israel
The boundaries for the Promised Land of Israel are given in Numbers 34:1-12 and Ezekiel 47:13-20.
NUMBERS 34:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
NUMBERS 34:2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof;)
EZEKIEL 47:13 Thus saith the Lord God; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two portions.
EZEKIEL 47:14 And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another; concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers; and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance.
Israel - Promised Land Boundaries
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Promised Land Boundaries - Jaredites
The Book of Ether 3:42-43,53-55 describes a boundary for the Promised Land given to the Brotherpage 43
of Jared.
ETHER 3:42 [7:5] And when he had gathered together an army, he came up unto the land of Moron where the king dwelt, and took him captive, which brought to pass the saying of the Brother of Jared, that they would be brought into captivity.
ETHER 3:43 [7:6] Now the land of Moron where the king dwelt, was near the land which is called Desolation by the Nephites.
ETHER 3:53 [7:15] And it came to pass that Noah rebelled against Shule, the king, and also his father Corihor, and drew away Cohor his brother [from Nehor], and also all his brethren, and many of the people.
ETHER 3:54 [7:16] And he gave battle unto Shule, the king, in which he did obtain the land of their first inheritance; and he became a king over that part of the land [where the land of Nehor was].
ETHER 3:55 [7:17] And it came to pass that he gave battle again unto Shule the king; and he took Shule the king, and carried him away captive into Moron.
- Commentary: The land of Moron was outside of the land of inheritance (land of Nehor) indicating the land of inheritance for the Jaredites had a boundary between the land of Nehor and the land of Moron.
Promised Land Boundaries - Lehi
The land of Zarahemla was outside of the land of inheritance of Lehi.
MOSIAH 5:12 [7:9] And he said unto them [in the city of Nephi], Behold I am Limhi, the son of Noah, who was the son of Zeniff, who came up out of the land of Zarahemla to inherit this land, which was the land of their fathers, who was made a king by the voice of the people.
MOSIAH 6:1 [9:1] I, Zeniff [in Zarahemla], having been taught in all the language of the Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, or of the land of our fathers' first inheritance, and having been sent as a spy among the Lamanites, that I might spy out their forces, that our army might come upon them and destroy them;
MOSIAH 6:6 [9:3] And yet, I being overzealous to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness, to go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.
- Commentary: The land of Zarahemla was outside of the land of inheritance (land of Nephi / Lehi-Nephi) indicating the land of inheritance for the Nephites had a boundary between the land of nephi and the land of Zarahemla.
The land Northward was also outside of the land of inheritance of Lehi.
HELAMAN 3:6 [7:6] And he [Nephi - in the land Northward] did exclaim in the agony of his soul, O that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land;
The land of Jershon was also outside of the land of inheritance of Lehi.
The land of Jershon was given to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi by the Nephites. It was not given through a covenant from God. The people of Nephi could not make the land of Jershon a land of inheritance if the land had already been given by God to another people.
Alma 15:12 And it came to pass that Ammon went and inquired of the Lord, and the Lord said unto him, Get this people [the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi] out of this land, that they perish not, for Satan has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir up the Lamanites to anger against their brethren, to slay them; therefore get thee out of this land; and blessed are this people in this generation; for I will preserve them.
Alma 15:14 And they gathered together all their people; yea, all the people of the Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and herds, and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness which divided the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla, and came over near the borders of the land.
Alma 15:22 And it came to pass that the chief judge sent a proclamation throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.
Alma 15:23 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.
Promised Land Boundaries - Land Bountiful
The land of Bountiful was given to the people of Bountiful by Jesus through direction from God.
3 NEPHI 7:13 [15:11] And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen, Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people, who are a remnant of the house of Joseph.
3 NEPHI 7:14 [15:12] And behold, this is the land of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you.
- Note: The land Bountiful was not a "Promised Land," it was only a land of inheritance because the people already occupied the land - they did not have to travel to get to the land.
MORMON 1:58 [2:27] But behold we did go forth against the Lamanites, and the robbers of Gadianton, until we had again taken possession of the lands of our inheritance [land Bountiful].
- Commentary: Mormon was in Shem at this time (close to the hill Cumorah) – Shem is outside of the land of their inheritance - the land Bountiful
Promised Land Boundaries (Isthmus of Tehuatepec)
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Promised Land Boundaries - Joseph Smith, Jr.
Joseph Smith, Jr., by revelation and recorded in the Doctrine & Covenants (D&C), was given the land around Independence, Missouri for a land of inhertiance.
Revelation given early 1831
D&C Section 38:4c [38:15-16] Therefore, be ye strong from henceforth; fear not for the kingdom is yours: and for your salvation I give unto you a commandment, for I have heard your prayers, and the poor have complained before me, and the rich have I made, and all flesh is mine, and I am no respecter of persons.
D&C Section 38:4d [38:17] And I have made the earth rich, and, behold, it is my footstool: wherefore, again I will stand upon it; and I hold forth and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise;
D&C Section 38:4e [38:18-19] a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse when the Lord cometh; and I will give it unto you for the land of your inheritance, if you seek it with all your hearts:
D&C Section 38:4f [38:20] and this shall be my covenant with you, Ye shall have it for the land of your inheritance, and for the inheritance of your children for ever, while the earth shall stand; and ye shall possess it again in eternity, no more to pass away.
Revelation given July 1831
D&C Section 57:1a [57:1] Hearken, O ye elders of my church saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the Saints:
D&C Section 57:1b [57:2] wherefore this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion.
D&C Section 57:1c [57:3] And thus saith the Lord your God, If you will receive wisdom here is wisdom.
D&C Section 57:1d [57:3] Behold, the place which is now called Independence, is the Center Place, and the spot for the temple is lying westward upon a lot which is not far from the courthouse;
D&C Section 57:1e [57:4] wherefore it is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the Saints; and also every tract lying westward, even unto the line running directly between Jew and Gentile.
D&C Section 57:1f [57:5] And also every tract bordering by the prairies, inasmuch as my disciples are enabled to buy lands.
D&C Section 57:1g [57:5] Behold, this is wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting inheritance.
October 1833, the Saints had been driven out of Jackson County to Clay County (north of the Missouri River).
- Clay County (areas north of the Missouri River) is outside of the land of inheritance (indicates a border).
Revelation given December 16, 1833
Section 98:1a [101:1] Verily, I say unto you, concerning your brethren who have been afflicted, and persecuted, and cast out from the land of their inheritance, I, the Lord, have suffered the affliction to come upon them, wherewith they have been afflicted in consequence of their transgressions;
Section 98:3a [101:5] Behold, I say unto you, there were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances.
Section 98:4a [101:9] Verily, I say unto you, Notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion toward them; I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath [Jesus' Second Coming] I will remember mercy.
Section 98:4g [101:17] Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered, they that remain and are pure in heart shall return and come to their inheritances; they and their children, with songs of everlasting joy; to build up the waste places of Zion. And all these things, that the prophets might be fulfilled.
Section 98:4h [101:19] And, behold, there is none other place appointed than that which I have appointed, neither shall there be any other place appointed than that which I have appointed for the work of the gathering of my Saints, until the day cometh when there is found no more room for them;
- Commentary: The land of promise / land of inheritance is the area specifically appointed by God. Areas outside of what is appointed by God are not a promised land or land of inheritance. For example, Section 57 is only a portion of Missouri - the entire United States is not a promised land. Section 98 [101] reiterates that the land of inheritance is forever - people that repent can again claim their land of inheritance.
Promised Land Boundaries (Missouri)
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Promised Land - Missouri 1833 (D&C Section 57)
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SUMMARY: Regarding the Promised Lands and Lands of Inheritance:
- The Promised Land given to Joseph Smith, Jr. had a westward boundary at the Kansas / Missouri state line While the Promised Lands in the Book of Mormon had a westward boundary at the sea West shore. So, the Promised Lands in the Book of Mormon are in a different location than the Promised Land in Missouri given to Joseph Smtih, Jr.
- There are NOT just two lands of Promise (Israel and one Book of Mormon land of Promise). There are three lands of inheritance in the Book of Mormon (given to the Brother of Jared, to Lehi, and to the people of land Bountiful). There is a fourth land of Promise given to Joseph Smith, Jr. in the Doctrine & Covenants.
- All of the lands or promise in the Book of Mormon and in the Doctrine & Covenants have boundaries - they do NOT extend across the entire United States, Mesoamerica, or North America.
- Each of these lands of inheritance were given 'forever' meaning all four are still in effect and the descendants of the people to which they were given can still regain those lands when they repent. This also means that each land is distinct from each other since God does not covenant the same land to different people. The House of Israel was restored to their land of inheritance after having been exiled for more than 1,800 years.
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