Book of Mormon Geography Internal Map

Also called the Desolation of Nehors. This is both the land and city of Ammonihah. The land and city of Ammonihah are northward from the land of Melek, westward from the land of Aaron, and southward of the lands of Noah and Sidom. The land of Ammonihah is close to the land of Minon and close to the borders of the land of Noah. The land of Ammonihah is next to the land of Zarahemla. There is a ridge between the land of Ammonihah and the land of Nephi and the land of Ammonihah is lower in altitude than the land of Nephi. There is wilderness between the land of Ammonihah and the land of Noah. The East Wilderness is eastward of the land of Ammonihah.

Commentaries (view it on a map)

ALMA 6:7 [8:6]: And they were baptized throughout all the land, so that when he had finished his work at Melek, he departed thence, and traveled three days' journey on the north of the land of Melek; and he came to a city which was called Ammonihah.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah and Melek. The city of Ammonihah is to the north of the land of Melek. The journey started on the west side of the land of Melek and they journeyed to the north to the city of Ammonihah in 3 days, so the city of Ammonihah is in close proximity to the land of Melek.

ALMA 6:8 [8:7]: Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi, to call their lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them; and thus it was with the land of Ammonihah.

Commentary: This verse references the place of Ammonihah. This verse indicates that there is a distinction between cities and villages. The grammar rule for 'yea, even' means that small villages further describes the villages. Although this verse identifies that the person who established a land was at one time in this location, it is not possible to determine where a land is located based on its name and where the person with that name is mentioned in the Book of Mormon. Many times, the person moves on to other locations after having the land named after them.

ALMA 6:16 [8:13]: Now when the people had said this, and had withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Aaron and Ammonihah. 'He' is Alma. Alma had arrived at Ammonihah from the land of Melek. By making a point of traveling towards a place that he did not come from generates an assumption that the city of Aaron is not in the same direction from Ammonihah as the land of Melek. This verse identifies that Aaron is a city.

ALMA 6:23 [8:18]: Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord, he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah.

Commentary: This verse references the place of Ammonihah. The reference here is to the land of Ammonihah. Other verses mention the city of Ammonihah. Thus, this verse confirms that a land will contain a city by the same name.

ALMA 10:86 [15:1]: And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek were commanded to depart out of that city; and they departed, and came out even into the land of Sidom;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah and Sidom. The phrase 'that city' refers to Ammonihah. The grammar rules for the term 'even' indicates the land of Sidom is next to the land of Ammonihah.

ALMA 10:87 [15:1]: And behold, there they found all the people who had departed out of the land of Ammonihah, who had been cast out and stoned, because they believed in the words of Alma:

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, Minon, and Sidom. The term 'they' refers to Alma and Amulek. They found the people in the land of Sidom that had been cast out of the land of Ammonihah. Those people held opposite beliefs than the people in Minon (which also bordered Ammonihah), so, by Occam's Razor and human nature, the land of Sidom is north of Ammonihah and away from the land of Minon.

ALMA 11:2 [16:2]: For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people, and to destroy the city.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah and the wilderness around Ammonihah. The phrase 'upon the wilderness side' indicates that there is a distinct difference between what is considered a wilderness and what is not a wilderness. The phrase 'upon the wilderness side' indicates the city of Ammonihah had a wilderness on only one side of the land.

ALMA 11:3 [16:3]: And now it came to pass before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some around the borders of Noah, and taking others captive into the wilderness.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, Noah, and the wilderness between Ammonihah and Noah, and Zarahemla. The term 'they' refers to the Lamanites. There is wilderness between the city of Ammonihah and the borders of the land of Noah. The land of Noah is in proximity to the land of Zarahemla. The borders of the land of Noah are also close to the land of Ammonihah.

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 11:19 [16:11]: And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands remained desolate.

Commentary: This verse references the place of Ammonihah. The land of Ammonihah is also called the Desolation of Nehors. Nehor was slain for preaching anti-church doctrine.

ALMA 14:60 [25:2]: And they did no more attempt to slay the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi at that time; but they took their armies and went over into the borders of the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the land of Ammonihah, and destroyed them.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, Nephi (Lehi-Nephi), a ridge between Nephi and Ammonihah, and Zarahemla. The phrase 'in the borders' indicates that the land of Ammonihah is next to the land of Zarahemla. The term 'over' means there is a ridge or elevated terrain between the land of Nephi and the land of Ammonihah.

ALMA 14:63 [25:5]: And the remainder having fled into the east wilderness, and having usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, caused that many of the Lamanites should perish by fire, because of their belief:

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah and the East Wilderness. The phrase 'the remainder' refers to the Lamanites. There is a wilderness in proximity to the land of Ammonihah. Alma 14:61 [25:3] indicates there were many battles before the Lamanites were driven to the East Wilderness, so the East Wilderness is not necessarily in close proximity to the land of Ammonihah.

ALMA 21:127 [48:6]: And it came to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth towards the land of Zarahemla, in the wilderness.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, Nephi, and the wilderness between Ammonihah and Nephi, and Zarahemla. The term 'they' refers to an army of Lamanites. This verse is part of a chiasmus that includes Alma 21:149 [49:1] that indicates the Lamanite army went to the land of Ammonihah. These two verses indicate the way to land of Zarahemla from the land of Nephi via the land of Ammonihah is, at least part of the way, through the wilderness.

ALMA 21:149 [49:1]: And now it came to pass, in the eleventh month of the nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the Lamanites were seen approaching towards the land of Ammonihah.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, Nephi, and the wilderness between Ammonihah and Nephi. The armies of the Lamanites had come from the land of Nephi. This verse is part of a chiasmus with Alma 21:127 [48:6] that describes a wilderness between the land of Ammonihah and the land of Nephi.

ALMA 21:160 [49:10]: Now if King Amalickiah had come down out of the land of Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah; for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah and Nephi. The phrase 'down out of' means the city of Ammonihah is lower in elevation than the land of Nephi.

ALMA 21:163 [49:12]: Therefore they retreated into the wilderness, and took their camp, and marched towards the land of Noah, supposing that to be the next best place for them to come against the Nephites;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, Noah, Sidom, the wilderness around Ammonihah, and the wilderness between Ammonihah and Noah. There is wilderness between the land of Ammonihah and the land of Noah. Since the wilderness around Ammonihah is on only one side on the land of Ammonihah, it is on the side that is generally between the land of Ammonihah and the land of Noah. Both of the lands of Noah and Sidom border the land of Ammonihah. Since the land attacked by the Lamanites after Ammonihah is Noah and not Sidom, Occam's Razor would locate the the land of Noah on the borders of the lands controlled by the Nephites and the land of Sidom more in the interior of the lands controlled by the Nephites.

ALMA 21:167 [49:15]: And now behold, this was wisdom in Moroni; for he had supposed that they would be frightened at the city of Ammonihah; and as the city of Noah had hitherto been the weakest part of the land, therefore they would march thither to battle; and thus it was, according to his desires.

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah and Noah. The term 'they' refers to the Lamanites. This verse indicates that the city of Noah is in close proximity to the land of Ammonihah. Since the Lamanites attacked the city of Noah after the city of Ammonihah, Occam's Razor would indicate that the city of Noah is further away from the lands of the Lamanites than the city of Ammonihah. This places the city of Noah northward of the city of Ammonihah. Alma 21:163 [49:12] references the land of Noah, so this verse confirms the practice of having a city in a land with the same name.

ALMA 22:7 [50:7]: And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his armies should go forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth, and drove all the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla;

Commentary: This verse references the places of Ammonihah, the East wilderness, and Zarahemla. The East Wilderness is east of Ammonihah although no close proximity is implied in this verse. The Lamanites lands were south of Zarahemla. The phrase 'and it came to pass' indicates a length of time passed. Alma 14:61 [25:3] mentions 'they had many battles' between the time of destroying Ammonihah and going to the East Wilderness.

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